Heart and Revenge: Slayer Academy (Book 2)

by Cassidy Summers

  He takes a steady breath. “I’m going to ask something of you and you’re not going to like it, but I need you to do it anyway,” he warns.

  I search his face once again, removing one of my hands from his and placing it gently on the side of his face, spreading my fingers into his hair. “Okay,” I say, knowing that whatever it is, he needs it.

  “I need you to tell me everything that happened in the Fairy Kingdom, every last detail.”

  I gasp at his request as shock runs through me. Why would he want to know this stuff? “No,” I say shaking my head “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “Why?” he asks, pulling me in closer so I have to open my legs to make room for him.

  “I just can’t. I can’t burden you with that,” I explain.

  He lets out a heavy sigh. “Bianca, I’m not asking because I want to know. I’m asking because I need you to tell me. I know you, Bianca, you’re going to hold on to this until it’s eating you up inside. The same way you did with your dad’s attack. You need to tell me so you can free yourself from the pain and begin to move on.”

  I pull him in closer and press a feather-soft kiss to his lips. “I know what you’re saying and I get it, I really do. But I just can’t do that to you.”

  He pulls back from me ever so slightly so he can look me in the eye. “I would carry any burden for you if it meant your soul was free,” he declares. “Please, Bianca. Let me do this for you. I need to help you move on.”

  I take a shaky breath, knowing the vow I took to remain strong for him in the hotel room is about to be shattered into a million pieces. “Are you sure?”

  “I would do anything for you,” he whispers.

  “Okay,” I say with a shaky breath. “Come here,” I pull him up onto the bench beside me before climbing onto his lap and straddling him. I lean into him so our bodies are pressed together and wind my arms around his strong shoulders, holding onto him for dear life.

  I start my story from the very beginning, giving him every last detail my mind can possibly remember. I cringe as his breathing becomes labored and hard, but I continue on, knowing this is just as hard for him to hear as it is for me to tell.

  He holds me tighter and tighter the further I get into my story and silent tears begin rolling down my cheeks, ruining his shirt as I relive the memories from the worst day of my life, but I carry on, even through the part where I wished for my own death. I kept strong right till the end.

  When I’m finally finished, he wipes the tears that remain on my face. “Thank you,” he whispers. “I know that was hard.”

  “No,” I say, cutting him off. “You were right, I needed to get that off my chest.”

  We sit in companionable silence, holding each other as we lose ourselves to our thoughts. “Would you stay at my place tonight? I’m having a bit of a hard time letting you go right now.”

  I pull back and give him a smile. “Yeah,” I say. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  Chapter 23

  The Guard Academy has been on lockdown for two days now. Soldiers of the Front Lines stand guard at every entry and exit point, protecting us with their lives as they prepare for any threat.

  With classes on hold, Rylan has fallen back into his role as a soldier for the Front Lines, joining the shift rotation, a firm believer in not letting his talents go to waste. I haven’t spent time with him since I woke up in his bed yesterday morning, but am lucky enough to have seen him every now and then when he drops by with an update.

  The Guard has held ‘progress meetings’ every few hours, day and night waiting to hear when the fey will make their decision to attack. I had a moment of weakness where I felt sorry for Kaylee as she was gawked at and constantly interrogated. No doubt, her interrogations would be getting worse. The longer the fey wait, it builds tension on the Front Lines and is causing themselves to doubt Kaylee’s abilities, not to mention, the longer it takes the more The Guard grows suspicious of her.

  I see the hard set of Rylan’s jaw every time her name is brought into the discussion. Interrogation tactics are openly discussed and I know he feels for his sister in this situation, but he also wants to hate her for everything she put me through.

  I head out of my dorm room and down to the gym for a workout. The campus is eerily quiet as I make my way across the quad. I push through the doors to find the gym packed with members of the Front Lines, all keeping themselves prepped and ready. I glance around the room to find the small handful of my combat teammates, all of who are over eighteen and have been allowed access to the training facilities, Alex and Luke being two of them.

  I nod in their direction as a type of camaraderie settles over us. I notice Ben hovering around the group of boys, sharpening them up on anything they may be weaker in and making sure they have every advantage they can possibly get. A few of the other members in the Front Lines join in when they notice something that could be improved. Each of them with a certain hesitancy in their eyes and I realize they don’t think we’re ready to be thrown in the deep end as we’re just a bunch of ungraduated teenagers, though they will never object to the final decisions made by The Guard. Especially a decision that has come right from the top.

  I make my way around the gym, collecting the equipment I need. “Hey,” Ben says, making his way over to me. I give him a tight smile as I begin to stretch out my calves. “I know you’re amazing and probably the most prepared out of you kids, hell, probably more prepared than half the guys in this room, but if you need a hand, just ask.”

  “Thanks,” I say with yet another smile hoping he can read the gratitude in my eyes. He leaves me to get started on his own training and I spend the next few hours going over my moves, working out what my injuries will and won’t allow me to do and dodging the flirting and sexual winks coming from every corner of the room. Apparently, I’m right back to being the talk of the town and since I’m over eighteen and no longer jailbait that makes me a little enticing to the male sex.

  When I’m finished, I head back up to my dorm room and rush through a shower so I can make it for the progress meeting. The meetings have been closed off to anybody who will not be attending the battle.

  I push through the doors of the Great Hall, pleased to actually be early for once. I make my way up the front to give myself a perfect view and take a seat, just left of the podium, leaving front and center for the council and Guard members. I watch silently as people begin to trickle in, filling the great room within minutes.

  Rylan stands against the wall on the opposite side of the room, watching me with his dark, smoldering gaze and his perfect body wrapped up in his favorite leather jacket. He sends me a wink when he catches me checking him out that causes a wicked grin to creep across my face.

  I break my gaze away from him, knowing if I continue to openly gawk like the moron that I am, I will give away my feelings.

  Five minutes later, the room is bursting at the seams and a short, skinny man in a suit makes his appearance on the podium. “Quiet please,” he awkwardly says before giving it another try, this time starting with a clearing of his voice. “Excuse me, can we all settle down,” he says.

  I giggle to myself as this pretentious idiot continues to try to win the room’s attention. Rylan catches my reaction and shakes his head in exasperation then saunters onto the stage and gives an ear-shattering whistle. “Shut it,” he orders as the room instantly falls into silence. He smirks at me and leaves the stage, leaving the idiot to commence the meeting.

  Thirty minutes later, the man reluctantly removes himself from the podium, not having told us a damn thing that we didn’t already know. Brett Norrington takes his place on the podium. He scans the room and stops when his eyes land on me. He gives me a curious look before he continues looking upon his people.

  My eyes find Rylan across the room who’s watching his father with his brows pinched in suspicion. He finds my questioning gaze and shrugs his shoulders, unsure of his father’s intentions.

  Br
ett commences his part of the meeting, going over all sorts of formalities. If this wasn’t such a life-threatening situation, I probably would have been excited to be a part of this meeting with all the new things I’ve learned.

  Brett keeps his part short and finishes up by inviting Rylan to the podium to discuss strategy and tactics. Rylan glares at his father, but nonetheless, makes his way up to the podium for the second time and immediately launches into our strategy, putting an amazing plan of attack together. A plan which has the whole room nodding in agreement.

  Rylan glances down at me and I give him a smile to convey just how proud I am and a warm glow radiates from him as he takes in my smile. He finishes up quickly and makes his way down and back to his position against the wall.

  And that’s when all hell breaks loose.

  A man dragging a nearly unconscious Kaylee comes in through a side door. Rylan stands straighter, taking in the sight of his sister as the room erupts into gasps and shouts. The man dumps her in the center of the stage where she collapses to the ground, and that’s when I notice she’s beaten and bloodied.

  I’m on my feet and taking a step towards her when my progress is halted by Rylan, who’s suddenly standing right beside me with a hand grasping my elbow. “Let go,” I hiss. “I have to stop them.”

  “No,” he insists, his voice extremely pained. “You cannot go against The Guard, it will not end well. We’ll get her another way,” he promises. I glance up into his eyes to find them locked heavily on his sister, his face the perfect mask of calmness, though I see the horror behind his eyes.

  I have to do something. He took my burdens away. I need to do the same for him.

  The room is called to order and everyone calms down around me. Brett Norrington stands and approaches the podium. “What is the meaning of this?” he asks the man.

  “She isn’t talking. I’ve tried everything,” he says. “I think it’s come time to vote on her life. I say we take her out and capture a new fairy, one that’s more easily swayed,” he suggests.

  The room breaks into low chatter, but my loud resounding, “No,” echoes off the walls, getting the room’s attention as I break Rylan’s hold and sprint forward. All eyes are on me as I realize what I’ve just done.

  Brett glances across to me, meeting my eyes with a curious look of his own as a handful of soldiers rush forward and grab my arms in restraint.

  “Let the child through,” Brett demands of his men who immediately let me go. I glance over to a shocked Rylan who has only just stopped himself from coming after me with worry written all over his face.

  “No?” Brett asks, gaining my attention and raising an eyebrow in question.

  “No,” I confirm. “You can’t kill her.”

  “And why not?” he questions.

  “Because she’s the answer to our problem,” I say as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. “Have you considered that she hasn’t said anything because the fey have not yet made their decision?”

  “Of course, I have considered this, however, it does not explain why she refuses to help us in any other way.”

  I look him straight in the eyes. “May I be frank with you, sir?” I ask, hearing the nearly inaudible groan coming from Rylan, though little does he know, his groan is what spurs me on.

  “Of course, my dear. Be my guest.”

  I give him a slight nod. “Kaylee Neill was not brought here to give information about her race. She was asked to give us a warning the moment the fey made their decision. That was the deal she agreed upon. She is part-fey and was removed from The Guard when she was still a child, taken from her family for a reason beyond her control. She has absolutely no loyalty to us. And why should she?” I add, getting a few shocked gasps from the crowd, pissed off with my wording.

  “Take it from my experience. Less than four days ago, I had a room full of Fairy Knights torturing me until I was begging for death, but do you think that worked? Do you think I caved and gave them what they wanted? No. If anything, it made me stronger, more determined to not give them a thing. Kaylee has already agreed that she will give us the warning when the decision is made. We now need to show our faith that she will follow through with this. However, if we follow the current path,” I say holding up a finger. “A; she’s never going to give us the warning, and B; she’ll most likely be too weak to sense when the decision has been made.”

  He looks at me thoughtfully for a moment before asking. “Why do you believe that she will follow through with this?”

  “Because she has already betrayed every person that means anything to her. She gave me up to the fey, she lied to her family and abandoned them,” I say, purposefully not using Rylan’s name as to not draw any more unwanted attention to the fact that they’re related. “And lastly, she has already been labeled a traitor by the fey. She cannot return without being killed, and I can only imagine her punishment if she were to lie to us. I believe we should have faith in her because this is her only shot at finding redemption and her only chance at survival.”

  Brett watches me as he makes up his mind, his eyes quickly flashing to Rylan. “Okay, child. We’ll take a chance on the part-fey,” he says, then immediately dismisses the meeting. The room instantly leaves, but I remain standing in my position staring at Brett.

  I sense Rylan standing behind me in an attempt to draw me away, but I resist. “Can we clean her up and feed her?” I ask not breaking eye contact.

  He takes in a deep breath and gives a slight nod then turns his attention on Rylan. “You’ve got yourself a good one, son,” he says low enough for only our ears as he gives his approval. “She has a big heart.”

  Rylan grunts and turns away, taking the two steps up to the podium and scooping his sister off the floor.

  “Thank you,” I say to Brett before I turn and follow Rylan out the door.

  An hour later, I’m sitting beside Rylan on the couch in his apartment after cleaning Kaylee up and forcing a bit of water into her system. I tuck her into bed for some well-needed rest then make my way out to Rylan.

  “I’m sorry I did that,” I say, referring to jumping up in the middle of the meeting.

  “You could have gotten yourself in a lot of trouble. But I can’t find it in me to fault you,” he says. “Even though I desperately want to hate her for what she did to you, I can’t. She’s my sister, my family. And no matter what, I love her,” he adds, taking a deep breath.

  “I know,” I say, reaching for his hand and lacing our fingers. “That’s why I did it.”

  “You know, as much of an ass my father is, he’s right about one thing. You, Bianca Moore, have one hell of a big heart.”

  ----------

  I head back to my dorm to fill Jacinta in on everything that’s happened when a knock sounds at the door, physical and emotional exhaustion takes over and I groan as I pick myself up and make my way across the room.

  I fling the door open wide. “Yeah?” I ask rudely, slowly raising my eyes to meet the suit-covered man before me. “Oh, shit, I mean, sorry. Hi, how can I help you?” I ask as Brett Norrington stands in my doorway.

  “Holy shit,” Jacinta exclaims behind me as she takes in who stands at our door, though I expect it from her as she still has no idea this man is Rylan’s father.

  “Bianca, may I request a private audience with you?” he asks, ever so formal. A million questions start flowing through my mind, what could this be about? Am I about to get an ass whopping for what I did during the meeting? Will I get questioned about Kaylee’s current state and if she said anything? Or am I going to be drilled on my relationship with Rylan?

  “Oh, of course,” I say, turning around to grab my jacket and finding Jacinta standing by her bed with her jaw on the ground. I pull my jacket on and head for the door, closing it behind me as I don’t trust Jacinta to not try to tag along.

  “Thank you for meeting with me,” he says.

  I look up at him as he leads me across campus and stops at a table that’s far
enough away from the main grounds that we’ll not be disturbed. Now that he stands right next to me, I begin to notice the similarities between father and son. Everything from the broad shoulders and towering height to the dark hair and eyes. Though, Rylan must have gotten the gold specks from his mother.

  “Sure, what can I help you with?” I ask as he indicates for me to take a seat.

  “Honestly, nothing really. I just wanted to get to know the woman who my son has fallen in love with,” he says with a fond smile.

  “Oh,” I say taken off guard. “There’s really not much to know.”

  “Bianca, I’ve known you for only a few short days and I can already tell you are an impeccable young woman,” he says. “Why don’t you start with what made you want to join the combat program?”

  Ok. Great. He started with an easy one. This can’t be too bad.

  We fall into conversation and I realize that this guy is really not that bad. He isn’t the showy, tough luck leader that he makes himself out to be in public, but a caring father, just wanting to know what’s going on in his son's life. In fact, he’s a lot like Rylan.

  “Do you mind if I ask a bit of a tricky question?” I ask.

  “Sure,” he answers easily.

  “Well, about a week ago, I received a letter from the Council saying that I will be required to leave the Academy and join a mentoring program for females across the world who may be interested in combat,” I explain. “And well, it’s pretty clear that this is a plan to raise our numbers in the Front Line to be better prepared for a war with the fey, but I guess I was wondering if we defeat the fey now, wouldn’t that make the mentor program kind of pointless?”

  “I’m not sure, Bianca,” he says. “I guess we will have to wait to see what the outcome of our battle will be.”

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I say glumly.

  “Why do you not sound too happy about it?” he asks.