by Avril Sabine
Kade came out the front door, leaving it open behind him as he crossed the verandah to wrap his arms around her. “I don’t like not being around to guard you when you’re surrounded by enemies. At least Chait was there to watch you.”
Amber pulled back slightly so she could meet his gaze. This was the moment she’d dreaded. Why did it have to occur so soon after getting home? “Ahh, about that.”
Kade drew away from her. “What about it?”
Maira stepped outside, Brann close behind her. “You’re back.” Her welcoming grin faded as she looked from one to the other. “What happened?”
“Well, Amber?” Kade asked.
“The headquarters isn’t a normal building. Well, it’s a normal building, but I guess it’s not made normally.”
“Amber.” There was a warning in Kade’s voice.
“Dragon’s can’t stay in the Void inside it.”
“You’re only just telling me this now?”
“I’ll go finish getting ready for school.” Maira hurried away, Brann and Cooper on her heels.
“Well?”
Amber crossed her arms. “Ronan knew.”
“So!”
“What could you have done? Nothing. I was safe.” She’d tell him about the dragon bone incident later.
“You don’t know that. They could be planning anything. You’re not going back.”
Amber grinned at him, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his waist. “I missed you too.”
“I’m serious.”
“I made a deal. There’s only five more weekends to get through.”
“And weekdays.”
“They’re only a couple of hours each. Easy compared to an entire weekend.” At least she hoped. She rested her head against him. “Can we forget about them for a bit? I don’t want to think about the Knights again until tomorrow afternoon.” It was impossible to keep the weariness from her voice.
Kade’s arms went around her, holding her tight. “Was it that bad? What happened?”
She guessed later had arrived. “I couldn’t find the dinning room Friday night and missed dinner. Saturday morning they tried to make me eat dragon bone and Sunday I cut Jennifer during sword practice.”
“She probably deserved it. And you better not have eaten any dragon bone.”
“No, Ronan’s already told me it weakens dragons and mages.”
“I’ll go with you in future.”
Amber pulled away from him, shaking her head. “Are you crazy? They’d kill you.”
“I don’t want you there on your own.”
“Too bad.”
They were still glaring at each other when Maira came outside, holding Amber’s schoolbag out to her. “Time for school or we’ll be late.”
“We’ll finish this later,” Kade warned.
Amber picked up her bag and tossed it to Cooper who had followed Maira onto the verandah. “Put that in my room.” She took the schoolbag from Maira and followed her to the car, Kade beside her. “I need a sword.”
“You’ve already got one.” Kade slid into the car after her.
“It’s too heavy for me. I need one I can use.” And one that didn’t remind her of killing Paili every time she looked at it.
“You could ask Rian to see what we’ve got at Temolae Keep. There’s probably all sorts of weapons in the armoury.”
Amber pulled out her phone. “Good idea.” She typed in a message and sent it to Rian. I need a sword. One light enough I can use. She rested her head against Kade, not looking forward to a day of school. Not long now and she’d be finished. Maybe she should take a year off before she thought about uni. Life was too crazy these days to even think about adding anything else to the already long list of things that needed to be done. A list that seemed to grow longer instead of shorter.
Chapter Nine
Amber’s arms tightened around Kade, not wanting to let him go. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon hadn’t been too bad. She’d known she wouldn’t be at the headquarters long and Kade was waiting for her. They’d argued over it, but he hadn’t listened. So the previous afternoons she’d had three dragons waiting in the Void. But today was different. Today she’d once again be stuck at the headquarters for an entire weekend. She wouldn’t see Kade again until eight a.m. Monday. That was ages away.
“We can’t stand out here all afternoon. Someone’s sure to call the cops since you decided to wear your sword.” Kade continued to hold onto her.
“I’m not about to walk in there unarmed.”
“You’re never unarmed.”
“Yeah well I feel better having a sword as well as fireballs.”
Ronan stepped out of the Void. “I have better things to do with my afternoon than watch you two. Get inside, kitten.”
Amber let her arm, that she’d raised, fall to her side. At least she hadn’t called up a fireball. A glance around showed no humans, but when she mentally searched the nearby buildings she found some. “You don’t need to be here.”
“Inside so I can go.” Ronan’s gaze was drawn to the sword hanging at Amber’s side. “Where did you get that?” He gestured towards it.
“Rian.”
“I thought I recognised it. I’m surprised he parted with it.”
“He hasn’t. He said I could use it until he could have another one made for me.” It was still a little heavy for her, but not as bad as the one she’d used to kill Paili.
“It’s a good blade. Now get inside.”
She resisted the urge to argue with Ronan and looked up at Kade. “I’ll see you Monday morning.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
He kissed her and she clung to him, not wanting to let go. She wanted to tell them she’d changed her mind. Instead she slowly pulled away from Kade, her eyes meeting his as she took a step backwards.
“Be careful,” Kade said.
She nodded, spun and hurried in the front door, coming to a stop when she saw Roy leaning against the counter.
He straightened, walking around to open the door that led out of the reception area.
“I thought you told me to learn my own way around here.”
“I can go if you want.”
Amber shook her head, following him through the corridors, wondering if they had a map of the place. Probably not. That’d make it too easy for their enemies to find their way around if they got hold of it.
A woman stepped out of one of the rooms along the corridor they were in, a sheathed sword hanging at her side. Roy stopped abruptly. “Mum! What are you doing here?”
“Leave us.”
“What?” He looked from his mother to Amber. “No. Are you crazy? I shouldn’t have told you.”
“Of course you should have. Now go to your class.”
Amber tensed, wondering if she should call up some fireballs in case she needed to fight her way out of this situation.
Roy shook his head. “I can’t. They know I’m bringing her to class.”
“Tell them she stopped to use the bathroom and said she could find her way from there.”
“No.”
“Roy-”
“No.” Roy crossed his arms over his chest.
Amber couldn’t understand why he was bothering to protect her. His mother had given him the perfect excuse.
His mother stared at him for a moment before she sighed heavily. “You’re as stubborn as your father.”
“So you keep telling me.”
Amber chuckled. “Why do people say that like it’s a problem?” She held out her hand to the dark skinned woman. “I’m Amber.”
The woman didn’t take her hand. “I know who you are.”
Roy uncrossed his arms so he could gesture towards his mother. “My mother, Eliza.”
Amber continued to hold out her hand. “It’s considered polite to shake hands when you meet someone. Unless of course you plan to kill them.”
Eliza took her hand, her grip firm. “There’s also the chance that a person shakes
your hand because they plan to kill you, but don’t want you to know.”
Amber smiled, mimicking Ronan’s predatory one. “Good to know we’re on the same page.” She drew heat to her hand.
Eliza pulled away from her. “I’ll do what is necessary.” Her gaze momentarily went to her son before she continued to meet Amber’s eyes. “Come with me.”
“Where to?”
“No.” Roy reached out to place a hand on Amber’s arm.
She saw the fear in his eyes. Was he worried for her or himself? Or maybe his mother. “You can come too. I’ll need someone to show me where my class is after I’ve talked with your mother.”
Roy pulled his hand back, looking between them. He nodded. “Hurry up or we’ll be in trouble for being late.”
Eliza strode ahead of them through the corridors. Eventually she stopped, opened a room and stepped in, gesturing for them to enter.
Amber looked around, surprised to find it was the same room where she’d first met Martin. “Why here?”
“No one can hear what happens inside once the door is closed.” Eliza shut the door and locked it.
“Now what?” Amber remained ready. If Eliza attacked her she’d fry her. She thought of Paili and how she’d driven the flaming sword into her. And the nightmares that had followed. Maybe she could manage it. “Well?”
“What are your plans?” Eliza demanded.
“My plans?”
“I won’t let you harm him.”
“Him?” Amber frowned, trying to make sense of the conversation. “Roy?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I harm him?”
“She thinks you’re going to tell someone. Or blackmail us. We have no family members in Brisbane that are high ranking in the Knights,” Roy said.
Amber held up a hand. “Okay, let’s start from the beginning.” She pointed a finger at Roy. “You told your mum I figured out what you are.”
He nodded.
Amber took a step closer to Eliza who held her ground. “And you’re here to make sure I don’t harm your son.” She breathed deep. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. She took another step.
“Don’t you come any closer,” Eliza warned, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
Amber held out her hand. “Give me your hand.”
“What for.” There was suspicion in Eliza’s tone.
Amber didn’t blame her. She’d be suspicious too. “He takes after his mother, doesn’t he?” She heard Roy’s sharp indrawn breath and Eliza took a step backwards. “How?”
“The usual way,” Eliza hissed. “My mother was captured by a dragon, but she escaped.”
“Surely someone realised.”
Eliza shook her head. “I was born late. My mother told her husband I was his. He still doesn’t know.”
“But what about Roy? Why risk it?”
“I never planned to have him. He was an accident.” Eliza’s eyes were drawn to her son and her expression softened. “My mother and I went away for a while. I picked a fight with my husband, pretended we were over. I planned to come back after I got rid of Roy. When I saw him-” she broke off, looking away for a moment. “When I saw him, I couldn’t do it. He is mine.” She met Amber’s gaze, her expression fierce. “Mine. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.”
“I’m not going to harm him.”
“You will one day.”
“Killing me won’t help.”
“Who’ve you told?”
“Dragons.”
Eliza reached for Roy. “We have to go. Now. Before they kill us.”
Roy pulled away from her. “It’s a waste of time running. They’ll find us eventually.”
“I’m not planning to tell anyone,” Amber said.
“You already have.”
“That was in case something like this happened.” It hadn’t been, but it sounded plausible.
“If we’re going to die anyway, we might as well take you with us.” Eliza drew her sword.
Amber lifted her hands, fireballs filling them. “You don’t want to do this. Listen. I haven’t told anyone else because I need Roy’s help.” She frantically tried to think of why she needed it. Getting to class wasn’t a good enough reason. She needed Rian. He was good at stuff like this. But dragons weren’t allowed in the headquarters. She almost grinned. Dragons weren’t allowed in the headquarters. Perfect.
“I won’t betray the Knights,” Roy said.
“I don’t want you to. You’re the only one here I can count on to look out for me. If something happens to me, my dragons would make sure everyone knows about you. They can’t be in this building to protect me, but you can. I don’t want you to kill anyone for me, just protect me long enough so I can get away.”
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Roy asked.
“I was going to ask you this weekend. When we were at archery training. I didn’t know if there were any listening devices around here.”
“Only in the classrooms and dinning room,” Roy said.
“And her room.” Eliza continued to hold onto her sword. “Why would you need someone to protect you?” She nodded towards Amber’s hands. “Why can’t you protect yourself?”
“I can, if it’s only a couple of people. But I seem to have a lot of people putting me on their list of people they’d like to kill this year.”
“People?”
“Dragons. But they’re not above hiring human assassins.”
“So you want my son to throw away his life to protect yours.”
“No. I’m hoping an extra person will help even the odds if it becomes necessary. Especially since no one would be expecting me to have allies here.”
Eliza lowered her sword. “If he protects you then you’ll swear to keep our secret.”
“If he lets nothing major happen to me while I’m here, from the moment I arrive, to the moment my dragons collect me, then I’ll tell no one here your secret.”
“And what about the ones you’ve already told? Your dragons.”
“I can’t speak for them, but they have no reason to tell anyone else. I asked them to keep the information confidential unless there was danger to me from the Knights.”
Eliza sheathed her sword, holding out her hand.
Amber extinguished the flames and shook her hand.
“If you harm my son, I will hunt you down.”
“Fair enough.” Amber took Roy’s hand that he held out to her. “A deal?”
Roy nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. Then let’s get to class before we’re in trouble.”
“Too late, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble,” Roy muttered.
“Do you want-” Eliza started to say.
“No.” Roy unlocked the door. “Go home, Mum. Everything is fine.” He stared at her until she nodded, then stepped out of the room.
Amber followed him through the corridors, dropping her bag in her room on the way to their classroom, wishing they didn’t all look the same. “Why don’t you lot do something to make it easier to figure out what corridor we’re in. Hang paintings on the walls or something.”
“That’d make it easier for the enemy to find their way around. It’s all kept the same to confuse anyone who enters the building. Including keeping the doors shut.”
She’d known there had to be another reason other than tidiness. “Why don’t you lock the front door if you’re worried about people getting in?”
“No need. There’s a camera on it and Knights ready to deal with anyone who enters without permission.” Roy opened a door, stepping back to let Amber enter first.
Stanley looked over at them, pointing a finger. “You’re late. An hour in the training room after dinner. Both of you.”
She was tempted to let Roy take the blame too, but that probably wasn’t fair. It also wouldn’t make him any happier to show her around the place. “Roy was only late because he was waiting for me.”
“Do you want two hours? For both of you?
Because if you do, keep arguing.”
Amber kept her mouth shut, stepping out of the doorway so Roy could enter the room. She’d tried. Maybe he wouldn’t blame her. She glanced over at him. It was hard to tell. He didn’t look angry or happy.
“Now, as I was saying before we were interrupted,” Stanley shot a look towards Amber. “We aren’t having archery lessons tomorrow. I was just informed that two Knights from Sydney will be here to do a demonstration followed by one-on-one training. Only the older students will be allowed to train with them and only those not under any punishments.”
Maybe she better leave her bed unmade and her clothes scattered everywhere tonight. The last thing she needed was lessons from more Knights. She doubted they’d be any better than the Knights she’d already met.
“Alright. Pair up. Time to practice with your swords.”
Amber was relieved when it was Roy who faced her, his sword out and ready. At least he didn’t try and kill her like Jennifer did. It’d be nice if she could just once disarm him. It wasn’t like she was hopeless in battle. It was only that this wasn’t her style of fighting. Claws, wings and fire. That was what she was used to in battle.
The lesson passed quickly and Amber began to think she might actually be starting to learn something. Maybe she should get Kade to teach her sword fighting next week. Or even Rian. When Stanley called an end to the lesson, Amber was glad to sheath her sword and follow Roy to the dinning room. He let her go ahead of him when she entered the room, following her to her table once she was served.
She was tempted to tell him he didn’t need to go to that extreme, but there were too many people who’d hear her. She’d wait until they were at the training room. When they did arrive there and she started to talk to him, he interrupted her.
“I’m not listening.”
Jogging beside him, she frowned. Was he telling her to shut up because he didn’t want to hear what she had to say or was that his way of telling her there were listening devices in this room too? Was it considered a classroom? Her frown cleared. Why hadn’t she thought of it before? He was part dragon. She reached for him with her mind. “Can they hear us in here?”
Roy stumbled, sending her a startled glance. “Yes.”
“You don’t have to sit with me.”