by Rachel Angel
As soon as we were back in the tram, I turned to Kaz. “What was that about?”
“He clearly wants you, Tempest. You’re too nice to know it. All three of us guys saw him checking you out.”
“I checked him out too,” I said. “I check out everyone to size them up.”
Hunter and Ori said, “That’s different.”
“We should keep her under lock and key,” Hunter joked to Kaz.
Kaz looked like he was considering it.
“You do not get to say who I can check out and who I can’t,” I said.
When the tram came to a stop, I walked out immediately, leaving the boys behind me.
“He’s just a friend, an acquaintance. I’m not fucking him…should I? Maybe I should since he’s now rival material?”
Kaz was immediately on me, trying to grab hold of my arm. “You don’t mean that, do you? I’m sorry, I should trust you. I just…”
“Oh Kaz,” I hugged him. “What is going on?” I looked over at Hunter and Ori.
Hunter walked up to us and said, “Kaz is afraid of losing you, Tempest.”
“Why?” I asked, looking from Kaz to Hunter and Ori.
Ori came up to me and said, “His parents do not approve of you, Tempest.”
“Because I’m not a royal?” I asked.
Kaz nodded. “It has nothing to do with you, Tempest. They’re the ones who are narrow-minded.”
“They’ve also chosen a Princess for Kaz to marry.”
“Marry? Aren’t you a bit young?”
“Most monarchs are paired up at a young age,” Hunter said. “18 years old is not too young.”
“That’s why I wanted them to know about you, Tempest, so they wouldn’t have gone ahead to choose a bride for me,” Kaz said.
“What can you do?” I asked. “Can’t you tell them you don’t want to marry her? Do you even know her?”
Hunter and Ori exchanged a look.
“Oh,” I threw my hands in the air. “Let’s go decorate the ballroom. Maybe some idea would come to mind while we’re working.”
I was so upset to hear Kaz was going to marry some princess one day. He was afraid of losing me, but in truth…I was beginning to fear losing him, too. And all of the K3s.
Chapter 12
“Everyone’s arriving into Kingsbury in a few weeks for the Birthday Ball,” Kaz said. “We have an entire wing at Kingsbury Castle for most of the guests. But a few of them may need outside accommodations.”
Hunter said, “I’m on it.” He reached for his phone and went to stand by the window at in the breakfast room, looking out while he got on the phone.
“What about security for all the guests?” I asked.
Ori said, “I’ll work on that.” He stood up from our breakfast table and went to make some phone calls.
“Tempest,” Kaz said, coming over to seat next to me. “I’ll have to warn you about my family. If you think I was arrogant and pig-headed in old ways, my parents are far worse. They usually stay with me here in this house when they visit.”
“Oh,” I said. “Should I be here?”
Kaz took my hands and said, “I’d want you to, but…”
“There’s a ‘but’ so I guess I’d better stay away. Far away from the house,” I said.
“For your own safety,” Hunter said, coming back to the breakfast table. “I just secured Hotel Arcadia for overflow guests.”
“We have local security from the city, who could help provide extra security,” Ori said, coming back to the table.
They all turned to look at me. “What do we do about Tempest?” Kaz asked.
“Your parents would kill you if they knew she stays here with you,” Hunter said. “Tempest, you could stay with me.”
“What about your parents?” I asked, almost dryly.
Hunter looked worried for the first time. “I don’t know how they’ll see it. I did tell them I’m seeing someone, and it’s serious.”
“She’s staying with me,” Ori said. “My parents won’t come. And frankly, if they don’t care for my girl, then I don’t care what they think.”
Kaz and Hunter looked at Ori as though he had grown horns on his head. Then their look turned into admiration. “Wished I could say that to my parents,” Kaz said.
“It’s settled,” I said. “I will stay with Ori.”
Ori grinned and said, “Now I get to have Tempest all to myself.”
Kaz looked a jealous as he pelted Ori on the shoulder with a torpedo banana.
Hunter tossed a strawberry at Ori, who opened his mouth and caught it.
Despite my smile, though, the thought that one day I’ll have to choose one or none, made my heart drop.
“It’s perfect,” Ori said. Tempest needs practice with fighting, and I need a partner to spar with.”
Hunter and Kaz shot him a look, “Yeah, that’s what you two will be doing most of the time.”
“Guys,” I said, taking their hands and holding them, I’m fine staying at my own dorm room, although I’m used to a house now,” I laughed. “But I’ve stayed in worse.”
“Tempest,” Kaz said, “forget it, you’re staying with me. There’s more than enough room here. Plus, it’ll be a chance for them to get to know you and fall in love with you as we have.”
“We’ll be with you, too,” Hunter said.
“Right,” Ori said, kneading my shoulders with his strong hands. “When we brought you into our fold, we brought you into our family.”
“Oh, I love you guys,” I said, “I mean it.”
Kaz’s face looked so happy, he could burst, while Hunter did burst.
Ori took my face in his hands and kissed me hard. “I’ve been waiting to hear you say that for a while now.”
“I wanted to tell each of you separately, but…” I was flustered for the first time. It wasn’t like me. I was fanning myself and stumbling on my words.
“Oh Tempest,” Hunter wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “It doesn’t matter how you tell us. Just that you did.”
Kaz wrapped his arms around my waist. “I was going nuts not knowing how you really feel about us. About me especially since you must still hate me for making that decree against the commoner student. It was before you came here. Before I knew you. Nothing personal…but I will live my life regretting I ever did anything that would hurt you.”
Kaz, Hunter, Ori…” I said, “I don’t want to lose you.”
They hugged me tightly, wiping away my tears, kissing my face, and assuring me that I won’t.
Despite having all the K3s around me, reassuring me of their love and affection, I had a foreboding feeling things would change soon. And it would be drastic for all of us.
Chapter 13
A few weeks later
“You’ve done a wonderful job, Kaz, Hunter, Ori, and Tempest,” Ms. Turlington said, walking into the ballroom. “You probably didn’t think this day would come. Another Kingsbury Birthday Ball. But just look at this place,” she exclaimed, walking through the Gold and Red gilded themed room. It looked like a red carpet event.”
“Hunter thought up the idea,” Kaz said. “Tempest did the managing, and we were the gophers.”
Hunter, Kaz, Ori, and I smiled at each other.
“Well you all did a great job. I think this is one of the best,” Ms. Turlington said.
“Considering I was in charge for the last five years,” Kaz said, “because Tempest was in charge instead of me, this time, it really does look like a birthday ball.”
“I like the Kingsbury Castle artifacts display, too,” Ms. Turlington said. “Nice touch.”
Hunter, Ori, and Kaz patted my back, as I pretended to pat my back.
“Everything looks good…even the food,” Ms. Turlington gushed. “Top-notch. Your parents would be proud.”
As she said that, the sky outside of Kingsbury Prep turned into an array of helicopters of different shapes, colors, and sizes. They were landing onto the strip, while dignitaries wearin
g regalia, suits, and beaded dresses walked out onto red velvet carpets.
I turned to Kaz, Hunter, and Ori, beaming with pride how the boys worked together to make this ball happened. The boys spent nearly days cutting and sewing the decorations, piling the red carpet, and hanging up props.
“Guys,” I said. “You should all be proud.”
Hunter beamed, “It turned out pretty darn well.”
Ori laughed, “I’m just glad the red carpet didn’t fly off, considering how the helicopters keep landing over it.”
Kaz took my hand and said, “It’s now or never…” We walked together, the K3s and I towards the main entrance of the Ball.
The world’s most powerful people were here tonight. Kings and queens and other royals were visiting Kingsbury Prep and the City of Arcadia just for the Birthday Ball as was tradition for hundreds of years.
As I was walking in on Kaz’s arm, dressed in a lavender ballgown with pearls, diamonds, and amethysts beading, a gift from the K3, my phone rang in my dress’ pocket. I picked it up. It was Lily.
“Tempest,” she said. “I’m so sad I couldn’t be at your special event tonight. I’m calling because I have some crazy news, though. Brace yourself. Well, you know the research I had to do for my family history project? Turns out we go all the way back to the Kingsbury clan. Tempest, isn’t the school the Kingsbury Castle? Well, Kingsbury was known as the Kingmaker. He didn’t have royal blood, but he was more powerful than any king. His word chose the kings. When he died, his daughter took over. She had inherited the Sight of Succession. She was said to have hair almost of the rare purplish tint and violet eyes. But most importantly, in the legend books, she was a female in a time where females didn’t have any rights or power. She carried herself like a noble, and with her confidence, she became one of the most revered Kingmakers.”
“Wow, I don’t know what to say to that, Lily.”
“It means, Tempest, you don’t have to be of royal blood to prove to anyone you’re good enough to love or marry anyone, even a prince.”
“Kaz,” I said.
“Kaz or any of the K3s.”
“Lily, you’re brilliant!”
“I know. I know. But hey, the other crazy thing that just happened was we just received $5 million in our bank account from a mysterious donor. Mr. Nichols just told me.”
My heart stopped. It did go through. All this time being at Kingsbury and going through the bullying, paid off. I hope it was worth it for Lily’s sake.
$5 Million Dollars – was it worth losing the love I’ve just found?
“Lily, tell Mr. Nichols to go ahead with it.”
“What? Go ahead with what?” Lily asked.
“It’s a long story that I’ll fill you in with later, but now that we have the money and the prize money I won from the Fight, we have enough for Mr. Nichols to go ahead.”
“Tempest, I still don’t know what he is supposed to do,” Lily said.
“Go ahead and buy all the shares of 3 Kings Technologies,” I said.
“Our parents’ company that we lost to that swindler partner of theirs who took everything from us?” Lily asked.
“Yes,” I said. “We’re getting it all back.”
“Brilliant!” Lily cried out. “Oh, I can’t believe it! First discovering we are Kingsbury descendants and now this! Mom and Dad really are watching over us!”
Kaz had stepped to the side as I finished my phone call, but took my arm again. “How was your call?”
The ballroom was filled, and Ms. Turlington went to the front of the room to begin speaking.
Kaz turned to me and asked, “Are you ready?”
“There’s been a few things that just popped up,” I said. “First of all, Kaz, turns out I’m a Kingsbury. And this Castle belonged to my family.” I pulled up an email from Mr. Nichols showing old documents to the rightful heir of Kingsbury Castle.”
Kaz’s eyes widen in pride and love. “Tempest, that’s amazing. You’ve felt that connection to this place, didn’t you?”
I nodded.
He was ecstatic now. “If you’re a Kingsbury, then you come from a line of Kingmakers. Your bloodline trumps all royal bloodline. My parents would approve of that.”
“I know,” I woefully said.
“Don’t worry about them. I just received a text that they were delayed. Late. They’re going to miss the Ball tonight but arrive later this week,” Kaz said.
Hunter joined me to my right and whispered, “My parents are traveling with Kaz’s. They’re good friends. Did Kaz tell you they’re delayed?”
“Yes,” I said.
Hunter reached over and squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry about them, Babe. We’ve got your back.”
Ori quickly joined us and said, “For some reason, many students are not here, and I couldn’t find the local security I hired.”
“I’ll text Ricky,” I said. “He’s the local who practically knows everything and everyone in Arcadia.” I quickly texted him and told him if he could help bring people as security.
Kaz, Hunter, and Ori looked skeptical. “He’s the local guy who wanted to get into our girl’s pants,” Kaz said to Hunter and Ori.
“We’ll have to accept his help, though,” Ori said. “With all these dignitaries, we need at least a handful of security.”
“Ricky said he’ll bring as many as he could find around him and come up.”
Kaz sighed and said, “Give him the code to the tram so he could take it up. But only he should know it. No one else. And he needed to keep it a secret.”
I texted the code to Ricky, and said, “He’ll be up in about ten minutes.”
Ms. Turlington’s voice called out my name to go to the podium.
“And we’re proud to present our first people’s selected student to attend Kingsbury Prep Academy because of her record of achievements, talents, and potential…Ms. Tempest Ryan. She will be speaking about her experiences and what makes Kingsbury Prep the standard for today’s future leaders.”
I walked confidently up to the podium, grabbed the mic and said, “I’m honored to have been chosen to be the first of my kind to attend Kingsbury Prep. I am what you called, the people’s choice, meaning I was not born into royalty or have the bloodline of one. But does it matter? Can anyone receive the standard of education considered the best of the best even though you were not born to it? Today’s nations rely on leadership that can be gain only through global interaction. At Kingsbury Prep Academy, I’ve seen how students from all nations have come together to form alliances and friendships. And to band together as a team to create memorable experiences…”
A loud bang jolted everyone from their seats as some students hoisted a large fabric screen across the back of the ballroom. A female voice boomed loudly as a video started playing.
“Tempest Ryan, otherwise known as Tempest Storm, an underground fighter…” The blurry video from Underground Fights Network played, showing me fighting Ori as he was White Night. “Is a liar.”
Everyone gasped as they looked over to me.
“She had another identity but did not disclosed it. As an outsider, she can pose a threat to the security of our students,” the female voice said.
I looked over at Ori, whose face was in disbelief. I knew he was wondering who could have discovered my secret since only he knew it. Hunter’s face showed little. I knew he was wondering what to make of it until he had more information. And Kaz…his face was so hard to read even knowing him as intimately as I did now. I couldn’t tell whether he was angry at me for not telling him or angry at whoever was doing this.
“Tempest Ryan, the best of the best non-royal to step into Kingsbury Prep Academy in the past half century, is not only a liar, but a whore,” the female voice went on.
The room rang out in cries of shock and disgust as videos of me making out with Kaz, Ori, and Hunter played.
Kaz’s face was now furious.
Hunter’s had turned pale.
Ori looke
d like he wanted to kill someone.
“With no time for academics, this commoner whore and liar became a distraction for all at Kingsbury Prep.” Videos of me fighting off the five boys who tried to rape me, but only showing how I was beating them up, played on screen.
“They were bullying me!” I cried out.
It was as if no one heard me in the room.
“The experiment of having a non-royal amongst the royals at Kingsbury Prep has proven a failure.” The female voice stated proudly.
“We the students of Kingsbury Prep Academy, ask for new leadership of the student body. We ask for the school to reconsider the scholarship program for non-royals to be extinguished.”
Kaz, Hunter, and Ori were already making their way to join me at the podium.
Kaz took the microphone, but before he could speak, twenty students marched up to the front and said in unison, “We vote out Kaz, Orion, and Hunter as the President and Officers of our student body.”
“Wow,” I said. “So the monarchs here are actually using the system of vote? So non-royal.”
“You can’t do that,” Kaz said loud enough without a microphone, his voice booming like a lion’s.
Everyone turned to him, as he commanded their attention.
“Why can’t we?” the female voice who had been narrating the videos in back, asked.
Veronica stepped out from behind a curtain, a microphone in hand.
Ms. Turlington looked as surprised as Kaz, Hunter, Ori, and me. “Why is she back?” She asked.
Kaz spoke up. “My family owns Kingsbury Prep, and I am a Trustee.”
“Wrong!” Veronica screamed so loudly into the mic, everyone had to clap their hands over their ears. She pulled out a document.
“My family bought enough shares of Kingsbury Prep, I am now a Trustee, Kaz.”
Kaz, Ori, and Hunter’s faces paled along with Ms. Turlington’s.