Destruct: The Guard Trilogy

by Sheridan Anne

  Tessa walks over to a table and grabs some papers and begins handing them out. “This is a schedule of the training we’ll be doing and why. I trust you will all read through this and come prepared for each and every session,” she says, then finishes off her speech and sends us on our way, making sure that we get a good night’s rest for another day of sparring tomorrow.

  Trey, Daniel and I walk over towards the small stage which has somehow become the designated bag dumping area. I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder, keeping my lesson schedule in my hand so I can go over it on the way back to my dorm. I hear my name being called and turn around to find Tessa walking towards me. I glance at Trey and Daniel, giving them the universal sign for ‘don’t wait up’ and turn back towards Tessa, giving her my biggest smile.

  “How are you? It’s been far too long. I didn’t realize you’d already be in senior year. I was shocked when I saw your name on the class attendance list,” she says giving me a big hug. I give her a tight squeeze, realizing just how much I’ve missed her.

  “I know, it must be at least three years since we’ve seen you,” I reply, trying to remember the last time Tessa had visited, but come up blank.

  “Yes, far too long. How’s your Mom? And Millie?” she asks fondly.

  “They’re good. Millie has just started on the junior campus and Mom is alright, though I think she’s little lonely, but she would never admit it.” I say, suddenly feeling down at the thought of Mom always being alone. She gives me a sad smile, clearly understanding the thoughts going through my mind.

  “Yeah, I’ll have to go and visit her soon,” she promises. “But anyway, the reason I wanted to talk to you is, with you now my student, I wanted to make sure that you understand that while we’re in a training session, our relationship needs to stay strictly professional,” she explains in a too kind voice, fearful that her words might break my heart.

  “Oh, of course,” I agree. “I completely understand.”

  “Ok good, I’m glad,” she says gently giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Though, I’m really happy you’re in my class. I was watching you and I think you did pretty good today. You remind me of myself when I was your age with the small frame and all. I think you’d be able to learn a lot from me,” she says in her professional instructor voice. “Though, you need to know that this year is not going to be easy. You’ll probably have to put in twice as much work as the guys to build up your muscle and speed if you intend on taking out any of the supernatural.”

  “Yes, I know. I never thought it would be easy,” I tell her. She gives me a friendly smile and sends me on my way. I leave the training room and stroll back to my dorm room, thinking about the conversation I had with Tessa. I realize I want nothing more than to prove not only to her, but Rylan too, that I can make it in this class.

  Back in my dorm room, finding myself alone. I flop onto my bed and go over the combat schedule and can’t help but grin at all the things we’re going to be going over. It’s so detailed that I’m momentarily surprised by the efforts Rylan and Tessa have put into our training. We’re going to be going over all sorts of stuff from one on one combat, to groups, and even one against a group. Next week we get our introduction into weapons which then continues in heaps of detail in the weeks following when swords, whips and chemicals are added. I must admit that seeing it all written down is making me feel extremely giddy and excited inside.

  We’ll learn particular skills for being in combat against werewolves and vampires, then aquatic based skills for battling against the Mer-people and creatures of the sea, though, it’s incredibly rare that a member of The Guard will ever battle against these creatures, but it’s always a great skill to know. My eyes skim down the schedule and I realize just how much work is going to be involved in graduating this year. I mean, we learn about defence against Trolls and Pixies for gods sake. This year is going to be epic.

  Glancing at the time I realize Jacinta is still nowhere to be seen, I pull out my phone and begin writing out a text.

  Bianca - Where r u?

  Jacinta – Library, I’ve got homework already. Won’t be long.

  Bianca - K, bring me a muffin?

  Jacinta - lol ok fatty.

  Tossing my phone on my bedside table, I reach under my bed, pull out my laptop and boot it up. After waiting the agonizing five minutes it takes to get it started. I open up my emails and start typing.

  To: Gabrielle Moore

  From: Bianca Moore

  Subject: First Day!

  Hey Mom,

  We had our first day today and you wouldn’t believe how great it was, well apart from all the classes, they were pretty boring as usual.

  Combat Training was awesome! Though, I’m going to be pretty sore in the morning. I have Tessa as my instructor which is great. I was paired with Daniel for sparring and totally whipped his butt, though it wasn’t easy! Tessa said I did pretty good, but thinks it’s going to take a lot of training to keep up with the guys. She mentioned she will try and visit soon.

  We have this other instructor Rylan. He seems a bit tough, but nothing I can’t handle.

  I’ll pop over sometime during the week to check in on Millie.

  Love you.

  Bianca.

  Feeling sore from combat training, I scoot myself off my bed and onto the floor to begin stretching out my body, knowing just how sore my muscles are going to be in the morning. As I’m finishing off my stretching, the door opens and Jacinta comes flying through.

  “Think quick,” she sings, and with a flick of her wrist, I’m struck in the head. I look down to find a chocolate muffin looking as inviting as ever now resting in my lap.

  “Hey”, I cry, reaching up and rubbing my head where the muffin had hit.

  “I thought you said you wanted a muffin?” she asks as innocently as ever. “I’m only doing what has been asked of me.”

  “You’re such an idiot,” I laugh ripping open the packaging and shoveling a giant piece of muffin into my mouth.

  “What are you doing on the floor?” Jacinta asks making herself comfortable opposite me.

  “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m stretching. Training was full on. My whole body is aching. Though, I’m sure Daniel feels worse,” I say as a wicked grin spreads wide over my face. Jacinta grins back at me with her ‘tell me more’ look. “Oh, I pretty much had him begging for mercy," I say, confidence radiating from me.

  “Are you serious?” she laughs as I give her an enthusiastic nod. “He’s never going to live that down.”

  “Well… maybe just a little bit serious,” I laugh. “How was fairy studies?” I ask, throwing another piece of delicious chocolate muffin into my mouth.

  “It was so good,” she raves. “I have Miss Davis and she really knows what she’s talking about and for some reason she really likes me,” she smiles. “Though, I’ve got Nora in my class,” she adds as an afterthought.

  “Oh, that sucks,” I say. Nora was in Jacinta’s Fairy Studies class last year and has always been an ‘A Class Bitch’ though, we never figured out why.

  “Who are your instructors?” she asks, making me launch into a full blown explanation of Tessa and Rylan while accidentally ‘forgetting’ to mention the effect his smouldering good looks had on me.

  When I hear the ‘ping’ coming from my laptop indicating an incoming email. I reach up onto my bed, pull my laptop into my lap and see an incoming email from Gabrielle Moore. “Oooh, it’s from Mom,” I say with a childish smile, clicking on the email to open it up.

  To: Bianca Moore

  From: Gabrielle Moore

  Subject: Re: First Day!

  Hi Darling,

  I’m so happy you’ve had a great first day and who would have thought you’d have Tessa as your instructor. Make sure you listen and train hard. She may be small, but she’s certainly a force to be reckoned with. She will make a great instructor.

  Let me know how Millie is going.

  I’ve got to run. I
miss you both so much already.

  Love Mom.

  Jacinta and I spend the afternoon watching Dirty Dancing and chatting about our classes, teachers, and friends. Before long, exhaustion takes over my aching body. I climb into bed thinking about dark, gold speckled eyes as I drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 4

  “Bianca.”

  I’m shaken awake by an insistent Jacinta calling my name. “What?” I moan, in my most unflattering morning voice. Opening my eyes just in time to see a pillow flying towards me and smacking me right in the face, “Oomph.”

  “Get up. You’re going to be late,” she says with urgency.

  I grab my phone and hit the home button, lighting up the screen. 8:32am. “Shit,” I cry, jumping out of bed and heading into the bathroom, my muscles screaming in agony from yesterday’s training. “Why didn’t you wake me?” I yell through the bathroom door as I quickly undress. Realizing I must have fallen asleep without setting my alarm.

  “I tried. Four times,” Jacinta yells back.

  “You should have tried harder,” I shout, reaching into the shower and turning on the taps.

  “But you looked so peaceful with your mouth hanging open, drooling all over your bed,” she says trying to sound honest, but cracking into laughter moments later.

  “Hey, at least I don’t snore,” I call, stepping into the scolding water.

  “I do not snore.”

  “Yeah, well I don’t drool.”

  “Alright, alright. I’m heading down to get something to eat, I’ll grab you something,” Jacinta calls through the bathroom door.

  “Thanks.”

  I rush through the rest of my shower and throw on some clothes, quickly brushing through my long hair and throwing it up into a messy bun. I grab my bag and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror that Jacinta has hung near our door. Yep, not bad, I think to myself as I head out the door towards the cafeteria.

  I fly through the cafeteria doors just in time to run straight into Luke, accidentally knocking his water bottle from his hands. “Whoops,” I say as I begin to bend down to collect it for him.

  “Watch it,” he scolds, fixing me with a look of pure hatred. I straighten up, deciding he can pick up his own damn bottle.

  “Oh please,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “Save it for someone who cares,” Geez, could my morning get any worse? I turn away from Luke and search the room for Jacinta, hearing Luke mutter something about ‘regretting that later’. I find Jacinta putting her breakfast tray away and leaning over the table reaching for a banana. “Hey,” I say, coming to stand next to her.

  “Oh hey. Here,” she says holding the banana out to me, giving me an amused smile as I hesitate to take the banana from her. “They ran out of muffins,” she says, answering my unasked question. I give her a sigh as I take the banana from her waiting hands.

  “I think it’s time to go,” Jacinta announces. We head out of the cafeteria and towards the academy classrooms while I eat my banana. “What have you got first?” Jacinta asks.

  “I forget” I say, reaching into my bag, pulling out my yearbook and peering at my class schedule. “I’ve got Alchemy studies,” I groan with a dissatisfaction.

  “Ahh, with me,” she smiles.

  “Oh, that’s right,” I say, lacing my arm through hers.

  We make our way to class and sit side by side. Trey walks into the classroom and quickly scans the room. He spots me and Jacinta and a wide grin spreads across his handsome face. He makes his way towards us and drops his bag down on the floor, taking a seat in the row in front. He leans back in his chair and begins to turn around, probably to say something utterly ridiculous when he’s interrupted by a loud voice demanding the room’s attention. “Alright, seniors, eyes to the front,” the teacher says, giving Trey a stern look. “Welcome to Senior Alchemy Studies. I’m Mr. Adams and I will be your teacher for the year,” Blah, blah, blah….. this class is going to be painfully boring.

  I grab my notebook and flip it open to a blank page. Taking my pen, I scrawl out a note to Jacinta.

  *So……. What are your thoughts on Trey?*

  I gently rip the page from my notebook and slide it across the table. She quickly reads the note and gives me a questioning look. Reaching for her own pen and quickly scribbling down her response.

  *Why do you ask?*

  *Just wondering* I write, sliding the note back to her with a suggestive wiggle of my eyebrows.

  *He’s cute* I look up at her and notice a shy smile and a slight blush in her cheeks.

  *Oh really? Does someone have a crush?* I smirk as I watch her read the note while her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink. She pushes the note back, refusing to give me an answer. I’ll take that as a big whopping YES!

  *Why don’t you ask him out?* I watch her eyes widen in shock as she reads the note and am rewarded with a sharp look and shake of her head.

  “Are you crazy?” she whispers with raised eyebrows.

  “Who knows?” I whisper back, trying to be as discreet as possible, but breaking into a too loud snicker.

  “Girls,” Mr. Adams loud bark startles the class. I look up into his steady glare. “I wonder what could possibly be so important that it needs to be discussed right now. Please do share with us all,” he scolds with the whole class’s attention on us.

  “Of course, Mr. Adams,” I nod. “We were just discussing how cute your outfit is,” I say in complete seriousness as the room breaks into snickers around me.

  He steps forward and quickly snatches the note up off the table and begins reading over it. His eyes flick between Jacinta and Trey as his mouth presses in a tight, annoyed line while making Trey turn around with curious eyes on us. “Discuss your love lives in your own time. I’m not impressed,” Mr. Adams scolds while scrunching up the note and launching it across the room, getting a hole in one as it lands in the bin, making the boys of the class applaud his efforts. “See me after class.”

  “I’ll see you then.” I smile, slouching back in my chair, knowing I‘ve just earned myself my first detention for the year. Jacinta flashes me a horrified look then rolls her eyes. Clearly thinking what I’ve just said was the stupidest thing I’ve done in a while, though, it’s not like I was about to spill what was written on that note. I mean ‘girl code’ right?

  The rest of the morning drags by and I was indeed right that Mr. Adams had given me a detention slip following class for writing notes, though what I wasn’t expecting was the second detention slip he had happily handed me for disrupting the class with my witty comments and obvious lack of respect for authority in which he apparently didn’t appreciate.

  I make my way towards the cafeteria for lunch when I see Trey walking ahead of me. “Hey, loser,” I yell. Trey stops walking and whips his head around instantly recognizing the sound of my voice. “Wait up,” I say, breaking into a jog.

  “Hey, little lady,” he says, as I catch up to him. He flings his arm over my petite shoulders. “What’s going on?”

  “Oh, not much,” I say. “But listen, I’ve been dying to ask you something,” I add, sounding more evil and conniving than intended as I begin to meddle in everyone else’s love lives.

  “Go on...,” he says cautiously, after a short pause.

  “Well, ah, I’m just curious when you’re going to get your shit together and ask Jacinta out?” I demand.

  “Ahh, what?” he says, suddenly very wary of the topic. “I dunno what you’re talking about,” he adds, making an attempt at sounding clueless.

  “Oh, come on. It’s so obvious you’re into her,” I say trying to add a little encouragement to my words.

  “It is not,” he argues, realizing that his words are a complete confirmation of his affections.

  “It so is,” I laugh. “So, quit wasting time and get on with it. You guys would make the best couple,” I say honestly.

  Trey lets out a loud huff. “Alright, alright. So I like her,” he says, breaking into a wide grin and rolling his
eyes in defeat. “But it’s not like she wants to date me.”

  “How will you know if you never ask?” I say as we reach the cafeteria.

  Trey rolls his eyes, clearly thinking that I’m absurd to have even suggested it. “Enough about me,” he says. “What’s going on with you and Daniel?” he asks.

  “Um, what?” I ask in horror, completely thrown off guard.

  “You don’t like him?” he asks with a curious questioning tone in his voice.

  “No,” I practically spit out with a hint of hysteria. Immediately feeling guilty about how quickly I dismissed it. I continue on with the urge to explain my hesitation, “I mean, he’s super hot in that dark and sexy kind of way and he’s a complete flirt, which is fun, but I’ve never really thought about him as anything more than a friend,” I lie.

  Trey and I continue walking deeper into the cafeteria when I spot Jacinta sitting at our favorite table. “Ah, there’s our girl,” I say. “Why don’t we go ask her about that date of yours,” I suggest, as we walk towards hers.

  “Do it and die,” he whispers urgently, with a warning in his voice as we reach Jacinta.

  “Oh hey, guys,” Jacinta says with a smile, tying back her hair, exposing the soft skin of her neck, which practically has Trey drooling.

  “Why hello,” I say, turning to Trey with a mischievous look. “Trey was just telling me that he wanted to ask you something,” I say, trying to hide a smile and enjoying watching as Trey’s face turns to one of complete horror before turning to me with a look that suggests he’s going to pulverise me.

  “Oh, yeah?” Jacinta says, looking up at Trey giving him the most spectacular smile that I’ve realized she reserves just for him. “What’s up?” she asks sweetly. God, it’s no wonder he can’t resist her charms.

  “Ah,” he says, looking down at her, “I just wanted to see what you think of Bianca and Daniel dating?” he says flashing me a look, clearly challenging me. I let out a low groan, but apparently, that isn’t enough to finish the conversation.