Page 44 of Blood Oath
“If they’re bothering you, tell me. I’ll cast a restraining curse to force them to keep their distance.”
“Please try,” Crypt says. I don’t bother glancing over my shoulder to see his expression since I’m sure he’ll have that same dark smirk that seems to get under Silas’s skin.
I walk right past Silas, too.
Trailed by three legacies who couldn’t define rejection if they had a dictionary shoved up their asses, I make my way to the back of a large cluster of legacies. The air is brisk today, flurries falling from the white sky in halfhearted gusts of wind that rustle the barren branches of nearby trees. We’re in the farthest reaches of the training grounds today, at the edge of Everbound Forest, so it comes as no surprise when Coach Gallagher, the combat instructor, announces that today we’ll be training in the woods.
“Think capture the flag, only today you will each have a flag for someone else to take. The normal restrictions and limits apply—no severe maiming. And don’t forget that the no-killing policy is still in effect! Legacies caught killing will be punished accordingly, but minor broken bones, cuts, burns, and such is fair play.”
I almost snort out loud. The no-kill ban at Everbound is always weak, but during combat training, most people ignore it completely. It’s not like any of the homicidal monster spawn attending will get expelled from this very mandatory finishing school. Everyone here craves violence and competition. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a corpse or two after the training exercises, especially now that everyone will be trying to weaken newly formed quintets.
“You’ll all be sectioned into specific quarters of the forest to begin courtesy of a faculty member’s spell, which is already set up, and the magic wards around the perimeter of Everbound Forest will keep you in there until the time is up. Keep an eye out since a pride of manticores was transferred into the woods from New Zealand a couple of days ago, and this is their hunting season. Whoever returns with the most flags will be awarded 20 points.”
Legacies murmur to each other because that’s a significant number of points—enough to move someone up the rankings a couple of spots. Everbound University doesn’t use a standard grading scale. Instead, it’s all about placing near the top of the class because that gives you and your quintet higher priority in choosing a career after graduation and the mandatory active assignment all legacies have. Quintet rankings don’t start until next semester, but individual student ranks are factored into their groups.
The coach is still talking, but Bael leans toward me to whisper, “You can have my flag in exchange for the kiss I almost got back there.”
“The only thing you almost got was busted dragon eggs.”
He throws his head back to laugh heartily. I hate that his laughter is so contagious because keeping a straight face around them is already getting hard enough.
Silas is observing the forest to our right as if he’s already planning the best strategy. “Take my flag for free.”
They really must think I need all the help I can get. I’m not about to tell them how wrong they are since I want them to underestimate me, but it’s a challenge to keep from rolling my eyes.
Crypt notices my expression. “Our keeper prefers to earn her own stripes. Isn’t that right?”
It’s annoying that he thinks he can read me. It’s also annoying that he’s right this time.
To distract myself, I sneak a peek at the other students here. I still don’t know the names of most legacies in my classes since I’ve only been here for two weeks, and I rarely talk to anyone besides Kenzie, but the first person I make eye contact with several yards away is none other than Sierra. The redhead who said she would steal my quintet away. For whatever reason, she appears even more pissed off today, her savage glare flipping from me to the guys surrounding me and back. When she notices me looking, she sneers and flips me off.
What a treat she is. Guess I’ll be seeing her in the woods.
Right beside Sierra is a new quintet, fully formed with five legacies from the Four Houses. They, too, have a female vampire keeper with four males. But the stark difference between their quintet’s dynamic and mine is obvious as I watch a guy holding each of her hands, one pressed behind her whispering something in her ear that makes her laugh, and the fourth grinning at them all like a lovesick idiot.
They’re all beautiful—seriously, they could be the metaphorical poster child for bound quintets. The guy on the right kisses the vampire, and the one on her left immediately turns her head to steal her lips for himself. They touch each other so eagerly and freely.
What would that be like?
I look away quickly. That’s not for me. I need to stay focused.
“You all right, Boo?” Bael asks, bending to try and catch my eye. “I have a couple of friends in the quintet you were staring at. If you want me to introduce you to their keeper, you two might hit it off, and then you’d make a few more friends?—“
“I don’t do friends.” That’s another one of my mottos, one I won’t budge on.
Silas tips his head, lips twitching. “Then what is Kenzie?”
“A close acquaintance.”
“And another thing,” Coach Gallagher adds, speaking over everyone. “I know you’re all getting nice and cozy with your new matches since the PDA here is fucking insane, but the quintet rankings don’t start until next semester. So I’m fine with all you additions who tagged along today, but this is an individual training exercise. As such, quintets will be magically separated at the start of combat.”
A chorus of complaints goes up from the others here. But I’m so relieved, I could almost get over my haphephobic tendencies to kiss Coach Gallagher.
Hmm. Maybe I should just to see if that messes with their heads. I mentally add it to my list of possible ways to get my matches to leave me alone.
“And remember that top weight classes of shifters are prohibited from shifting in the woods for this challenge. I’m looking at you, Decimus. We don’t want you burning down half the damn forest since there are a fair amount of rare creatures living in there.”
Bael shrugs it off, shooting me a toothy grin. “Dragons are at the top of the food chain, so I’m used to imposed limits. They like us at the Divide to burn up all the fiends, but I’m a little big for other legacies to take on in practice. But don’t you worry your spooky little mind. I’ll find you quickly.”
