“We’ve just updated everyone on your situation,” Macon told me, “And unfortunately with so little information we have no way of figuring out who is after you.”
“But we think we have a plan,” Master Sean said.
“What kind of plan?” Favian asked skeptically.
“Would you be ready for your final exam in one month instead of three?” Macon asked me.
“Yes,” I said in my strong mercenary voice.
“Good,” Macon said with a smile. “Then this year’s finalists will be taking their exam two months early and this will probably be the most difficult exam ever given.”
“Sir, what plan do you have to find out who is after Marin?” Favian asked.
All eyes turned to him, shocked at his serious tone. I rarely heard him use the tone, usually only when ordering people around for important items when he was in prince mode. And I’d never heard him use it on a superior before.
“We’re going to use all of the finalists to stage an operation to lure out the kidnapper to apprehend them. Once apprehended we will either get them to confess who hired them or torture them until they tell us,” Macon said.
“You’re going to use me as bait,” I said with a smile.
Master Martin smiled back at me. “You are the best looking bait we’ve got in this school.”
“No,” Favian said angrily, “We are not using her as bait. She could be hurt or killed. She could be kidnapped and…”
“And that is the only way that we will be able to find out who is after me,” I said softly, stopping Macon from yelling at Favian’s outburst. Macon’s eyes glowed with fury and I knew that if I didn’t defuse Favian quickly, he would take the brunt of that anger.
“Marin, I will not allow you to…” Favian began.
I turned and stared straight into his eyes. “Don’t you think I’m aware that I could be killed?! You think I want to play damsel in distress when someone’s not right beside me? I don’t want to, but it’s necessary and besides, it’s my decision. I want to find out who is after me and why and if the only way to do that is to prance around the city square then dammit I will put on a dress and prance around. I know you are worried and I appreciate it, but this is what we are trained for. You have to trust your brothers to be able to help us. Most of all we have to do this or we won’t graduate.”
“Father won’t allow it,” he said giving me his cold stare.
I hated the cold stare. It meant that he was mad at me and wouldn’t talk to me for the next day or two. “Father does not need to know what we are planning. You can apprise him of our encounter and leave it at that.”
“This is ridiculous,” he said. “Does no one but me value your life?”
“You’ve crossed a line with those words,” Macon said dangerously angry.
“You are all mad,” Favian said and then stormed out of the office.
I’d never heard of anyone walking out of Macon’s office without permission. I turned and Macon waved his hand dismissively. “Leave him be.”
“Why wait a month?” I asked him, “Why can’t we do this sooner?”
“We need to plan everything out and be sure that we can protect you during this operation.”
“I can protect myself,” I reminded him.
Macon smiled. “We are all aware of your capabilities, Marin. We are not belittling them, but I will not put a student in any type of danger which could possibly end with your death. After you leave these grounds then you can do as many dangerous jobs as you like.”
“If they had wanted me dead they would have told them to kill me, not kidnap me alive.”
“Perhaps whoever it is wants to kill you themselves,” Micah suggested.
“That is a possibility,” Master Sean agreed.
“So, for the next month the Masters and I will plan the operation out while you work your hardest on your close combat and escape maneuvers. You’ll need everything you’ve been taught during this final,” Macon said. “For now all of you go eat lunch.”
All of the students who had been sitting stood up and everyone saluted Macon. “Yes, sir,” we said in unison.
I walked out the door and Micah walked beside me. “This is exciting, isn’t it?”
“Yes, my upcoming kidnapping and probable death is very exciting,” I said sarcastically.
“Oh come on. You know you’ll be safe,” he said with a smile.
“Come on we need to find Favian for lunch,” I replied to change the subject.
“Any idea where he is?” he asked.
I smiled. “I know exactly where he is.” We jogged around the dorms and I led Micah to the outdoor training ground. As soon as we were within ear shot we heard the yells of several males battling and when it came into viewing I could see Favian battling with six other students.
We walked up to the arena and I stepped inside, moving out into the ring so he would see me. The six fighting Favian were other finalists and some of the toughest students in the school. Favian ducked a punch from two of them at once and then darted forward to punch a third in the face before he could pull his sword from his belt. I watched Favian’s speed and grace and smiled at his flawless form.
When Favian was focused, no one could beat him. I however knew his one weakness. Fortunate for me his weakness happened to be me. The six students were tired and I could see they were beginning to falter. If I didn’t intercede soon one of them would get injured by Favian’s anger. I stepped around one of the students and pulled my sword from my sheath. Favian spun around, hearing the sword drawn and stopped with his sword a fraction of an inch from mine. “Blowing off some steam?” I asked.
He pulled his sword back and took a step back. “I hate when you do that.”
“Macon ordered all of us to lunch. Let’s go before you get in trouble for your rudeness earlier and disobeying him now,” I said and took a step back.
“I’m not hungry,” he said as he turned towards a new student who had replaced one of the tired ones.
I darted forward and sliced at Favian’s back. He spun around and blocked my blade with his. “Macon has summoned everyone for lunch. All of you need to leave.” The other students grumbled, but left, including Micah, leaving Favian and I alone. I waited until everyone was out of ear shot and said, “Talk to me.”
Favian sheathed his sword and headed out of the arena. “It’s lunch time.”
I grabbed his arm and turned him back towards me, but he wouldn’t look at me. “Don’t ignore me,” I said angrily, “We’re partners remember?”
“What good is a partner if they will not listen to you?” he asked bitterly before pulling out of my hold and walking away.
He’d never been so angry with me before. Didn’t he understand that I was scared? That I didn’t want to risk my life even though I knew I needed to? How could he abandon me when I needed him at my back the most?
I walked numbly to the food hall finding it out of habit instead of sight and walked inside. Everyone was already eating and talking so I made my way up the line and got food quickly. There were very few people who didn’t like a girl being at the Academy so I could sit with anyone, but I usually sat with Favian and Micah. With Favian being so mad at me though, I didn’t want to sit with him or anyone else. I carried my tray with a bowl of soup and chunk of bread and sat at the single empty table where I had spent my first two weeks when I’d originally come to the Academy. I could have sat with Favian when I had first come here, but I had been trying to give him time to make friends with some of the males and so I had sat alone.
Sitting at the table again made me feel alone and sad for the first time since I’d come here six years ago. Several pairs of eyes were turned towards me as people gossiped about the rumors and what they had found out so far. The only pair of eyes averted from me were Favian’s. I wanted to cry and yell at him at the same time. I ate my food with my eyes cast down and ignored anyone who came near me in an attempt to talk. Things were going fine until Brian c
ame to my table.
Brian was tall with dark hair and eyes and a perpetually foul demeanor. “You and your boyfriend having a fight?” he asked with a sneer.
“I’m not in the mood, Brian,” I said before taking a bite of my bread.
“It must be hard to have him mad at you and not be able to run to him for affection. I’m willing to show you some affection if you’re lonely,” he said as he reached towards me.
I slapped his hand away and stood up. All eyes turned to us. “Touch me and I’ll stab you,” I said venomously.
“I’m just offering my services to a needy damsel,” he said smugly and then reached for my bread.
No one takes food from each other in the hall. It is a rule that is strictly enforced and one that you are allowed to punish the person for. I pulled my knife and stabbed his hand to the table before he reached my bread. “That is my food. If you’re hungry then I suggest you return to your table and finish yours.” I jerked my blade from his hand and cleaned it on the bottom of my cloak.
He didn’t make a sound of pain, but I could tell he was hurting. Being stabbed always hurt. He raised his hand to hit me and the chef threw his ladle into the back of Brian’s head. “You try to steal her food again and I’ll tie you up to the post,” chef said angrily, “Return to your seat or leave if you’re done.”
Brian glared at me and I said, “You know the rules. Keep your hands to yourself unless we’re sparring just as you do to the males here.”
“I hope you do get kidnapped. It would serve you right for sullying the Academy with your presence,” he said and then spat on my shirt.
Now he had pissed me off. I punched him as hard as I could in the face with my right hand and then punched him in the stomach with my left hand. He doubled over and I kneed him in the face at the same time I made a fist with both hands and hit him in the back. The students were cheering loudly and standing up to see the battle better.
As I moved to knock him out Master Sean grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back. “I’m impressed,” he said, “You put quite a bit of force into those moves.”
“Let me go and I’ll impress you some more,” I said as I pulled against him.
Brian stood up and wiped blood from underneath his nose. “You’ll pay for that.”
“Pay for what? Kicking your butt fair and square?” Micah asked. “You should have kept your spit in your mouth and she wouldn’t have hit you.”
“Shut your mouth. We all know you want her,” Brian said with a scowl at Micah.
Micah stepped up to Brian and smiled in his face. “Care to go outside and see who can back up their words with their fists? You’ve already been embarrassed by Marin, do you really want to be embarrassed by me as well?”
“Let me finish teaching him a lesson,” I begged Master Sean, “He doesn’t know when to shut his mouth and I desperately want to teach him.”
“Save your strength. You and I are to spar after lunch,” he said. I was going to spar with a master?! “Eat your lunch and meet me in the covered arena. Brian, follow me.”
He released me and then waited for Brian to walk passed me and out the door. I sat down on the bench and used the bottom of my cloak to wipe the spit off my shirt. My poor cloak was in desperate need of a washing after only one day.
“You alright?” Micah asked.
“Fine,” I said as I resumed eating my soup and bread.
Micah set a mug of water on the table in front of me. “You always forget your water.”
“Thanks,” I said as I took a drink. “And thanks for defending me, but you know you don’t need to do that.”
Micah shrugged. “I’m tired of his cocky attitude anyways. I really wish I could have taken him outside.” He watched me eat for a second and then asked, “Why are you eating alone?”
“He’s mad at me,” I whispered so that Favian couldn’t hear me.
“You guys are best friends and partners. He’ll get over it. And plus, that is no reason for you to eat alone.”
I finished my meal and picked my bowl up to take to the bin where the chef would clean them later. “Thanks, but I’ve got to go.” Favian was standing up and looked like he might have been waiting for me, but I kept my eyes forward and walked passed him without a glance in his direction. If he wanted to be mad, two could play that game. I walked from the food hall to the covered arena and shoved all of my girly emotions down inside where they belonged.
It was an honor to spar with one of the masters and the thought made me giddy and nervous at the same time. I climbed over the railing and dropped down into the dirt arena where Master Sean and Master Martin were standing together talking.
“Masters,” I said with a bow.
Master Martin smiled. “I’m sure you’re nervous having the both of us here, but due to your circumstances we are going to be giving you extra lessons with sparring against us to better prepare you for the final.”
He called it a final like it was a normal test. Like my life wasn’t in danger. Would I become so callous when I was their age?
“Today we are going to teach you quick techniques which will help you get out of situations where you might be tied up,” Master Martin said as he uncoiled a rope.
“So you’re going to tie me up and teach me how to get untied?” I asked to clarify.
Master Martin smiled. “Exactly.”
I did not like the gleam in his eyes. It was a frightening gleam, but I knew there was nothing I could do to stop it and I also knew that he was simply trying to teach me how to save my own life. Or at least I hoped that was the reason they were teaching me this.
“Okay,” I said with a nod of my head, “Let’s get started.”
~~~~
CHAPTER FOUR
Four hours later my arms, legs, wrists, ankles, throat and hands were covered in rope burns and bruises and my skills had barely improved. They promised to write down my new schedule and have it delivered to me before lights out. Apparently I was going to have more private lessons and a much longer day than the others. I limped into the food hall and stood in line for food with the other students and wished for some of the pain medicine that Mother kept on hand for me at the castle. It was instant relief and always made me feel happy.
“You look like crap,” Micah said with a laugh.
“Thanks,” I muttered as I limped forward in line.
“Training with the Masters one on one not exactly what you dreamed it would be?”
I shrugged and then grunted in pain from the movement. “It’s intense, but I can handle it.” Favian was behind Micah, but he was still mad at me and ignoring me so I did the same to him. “How were your training sessions?” I asked Micah.
He shrugged. “Not much new. We basically recapped everything we learned before we left for break so that they could be sure we remembered everything.”
“I practiced throughout break so I’m glad I missed that. I would have been bored,” I said. I grabbed a bowl and held it out for the chef to pour soup in.
He smiled. “You look mighty beat up, girl. Don’t forget your water this time.”
“Yes, sir,” I said with a nod as I moved down and grabbed a piece of bread. I grabbed a mug of water and made my way to the empty table and sat down.
“Marin, come sit with us,” Micah said from the table we usually sat at.
“No thanks,” I said and then turned away from everyone and ate my food.
“You can’t stay mad at her forever,” Micah said to Favian, “Don’t make her eat alone.”
“She makes her own choices,” Favian said angrily.
“You two are so stubborn,” Micah complained.
Lucias and Lucian sat down at my table with duplicate green-skinned, sharp toothed smiles. They were identical twin goblins who always tried to confuse people on who was who and most of the time they succeeded. Luckily I had figured out the one difference between the two and was able to identify them. “Hello Lucian,” I said to the one on the right with t
he slightly larger ears. “Hello Lucias,” I said to the one on the left.
“She always gets it right,” Lucian complained, “It’s no fun.”
Lucias smiled. “We come bearing gifts.”
That made me very suspicious. Goblins did not bear gifts freely. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” they said in unison.
I folded my arms across my chest. “There’s always a catch.”
Lucian said, “We see the elf is angry and you’re not speaking and we see the bruises and burns. Plus, you’re the only one who knows us apart and we appreciate it so we want to be friendly and give you a gift. No catch.”
“Here,” Lucias said as he slid a leather pouch across the table. “It has healing medicine and pain relief in it.”
“No catch?” I asked again.
They smiled and Lucias said, “You’re nice and we like nice people. No catch.”
I took the pouch and smiled at them. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” they said in unison and then stood up and walked out of the building. How did it not bother them to speak in unison? I would be slapping my sibling if they tried that with me. Not that I had any siblings, but if I did, I wouldn’t let them mimic me.
After finishing my food I limped out of the food hall to my dorm and collapsed onto my bed. I needed to put the medicines the goblin twins had given me on, but I was too exhausted to move anymore. Someone knocked on my door and I groaned. Couldn’t I get ten minutes of peace?
“Enter,” I called our, refusing to get up and go to the door. Favian stepped inside and I glared at him. “Exit.”
He shut the door behind him and sat down on the bed beside me. “What did the goblins want with you?”
“To barter for my body for a night of pleasure,” I said angrily. “Get out of my dorm.” I tried to sit up, but every movement hurt and I gave up.
“What did they really want?” he asked.
Mercenary Little Death Bringer Page 5