Billow (6 page)

Annoyed with my mother, I'd gotten a wave crest tattoo on my right shoulder a year and a half ago. I didn't know that one rebellious act would forever mark me with the final trait of a prophecy.

"Couldn't have told you, anyway," he said gently. "I didn't know you were something as fancy as that."

I wondered how different my life would've been if I'd known everything three years ago.

Would I be in Haverleau? With my mother somewhere? Would I still be the
sondaleur
?

"I'm sorry about what happened to your mom."

"I'm sorry about your family."

We lapsed into silence, lost in the weight of things that might've been.

"I was amazed the two of you were making it Rogue," he said.

Rogues lived among humans and didn't abide by the customs and laws of elemental communities. But they also didn't have the protection of gardinels or chevaliers, making them more vulnerable to attack.

"Yeah. Mom was strong."

"Like mother, like daughter, huh?"

My smile was brittle. "Maybe."

"Why were you Rogue?" He gestured in the general direction of the Governing House. "You're the
sondaleur
and your grandmother's the Governor. Why leave?"

I gazed at my hands, surprised to see fingers twisted around each other.

"There are a lot of things I still don't know. About her, I mean."

Brown eyes peered out from a curtain of dark hair. "Aren't you curious?"

His scrutiny made me uncomfortable. "No one wants to talk about it. My aunt told me everything she knows and my grandmother refuses to discuss it."

"That's it?" A genuine note of surprise entered his tone. "That's never stopped you before."

He was right. I usually went out of my way to get the information I wanted.

There were questions surrounding Naida Irisavie. Doubts that never went away.

So why didn't I do something about it?

And I realized maybe it wasn't about the questions.

Maybe I was afraid of the answers I'd find.

FIVE

"What are they going to do?" Aubrey asked.

The cafeteria hummed with gossip, laughter, slamming trays, and scraping chairs.

"I don't know." I stabbed at the mess of congealed greens. "I'm not sure they believe him."

Ian told Jeeves and Gabe everything he'd shared with me. I backed him up, explaining what I'd felt and seen in the Trident.

Jeeves didn't go out of his way to offer a solution. He simply said he'd look into it. An evasive answer that meant nothing.

But Gabe's attitude really pissed me off. He was openly hostile and treated Ian with a mocking skepticism that got on my nerves.

Aubrey leaned back. "At least they didn't lock him up in a cell."

That was the only silver lining.

Rhian kept Ian in the guest house and arranged for the return of confiscated personal items like his phone and wallet. He was under strict gardinel guard, but wasn't treated like a total enemy.

"I'm not sure how smart it is to let a nix hang out in the Royal Gardens." Doubt colored Cam's voice.

"I've known him for years. If he was working with Aquidae, he had a million chances to get to me." I shook my head. "He wouldn't hurt anyone."

Alex paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. "So you believe him?"

"Of course." I tasted the vegetables and promptly decided not to do that again. "Ian's a good guy."

He nodded and calmly took another bite of meatloaf.

Cam stared.

Alex shrugged. "If she says he won't hurt anyone, I believe her."

Aubrey's expression was neutral. She was considering all possibilities before reaching an opinion. Chloe remained silent, eyes focused on her uneaten food.

"He's a nix!" Exasperation laced Cam's tone. "They knowingly work with Aquidae and —"

"Shut up, Cam," Chloe snapped. "Maybe Ian wants to be different. Maybe he doesn't want to be like other nixes."

I startled. It was one thing for me to bicker with Cam, but Chloe rarely lost her temper.

"Alex is right." Her expression slightly softened. "If Kendra thinks he's okay, I trust her."

Cam's eyes darkened. "Maybe."

He didn't sound very convinced.

The remaining two classes of the day sped by and the girls left for their internships at the governing complex. Cam, Alex, and I briskly walked over to the Training Center for our first day of elite training.

We could barely contain our excitement. Cam, in particular, strutted a bit.

He glanced down. "What happened to your leg?"

"Just did something stupid and twisted it."

I was pushing harder to break through the black dream. But my body resisted and I'd slammed my right knee against the wall, hard enough for it to swell. The tossing and turning also injured my right hand two nights ago.

A Healer already fixed the hand, but I didn't have time to take care of the knee. It'd have to wait until later in the evening.

Training was going to hurt.

"If it isn't the little peacock trying to make himself look bigger than he really is," a voice jeered.

A group of Redavi including Dylan Rosamund, Andrew Genevieve, Bernie LeVeq, and Amber Blanchard approached. They'd done everything to piss me off since I arrived in Haverleau and still couldn't resist getting in the occasional jab.

Dylan and Amber got together at the beginning of the school year. She'd been after him for months and he probably ended up with her because no ondine was stupid enough to be with him.

"Watch it, Rosamund," Cam said in a bored voice. "Don't trip over that enormous ego of yours."

Dylan's eyes narrowed. If you only looked at his heavy-hooded eyes and golden brown hair, I guess you could call him hot. But there was a hardness in his expression that made him seem a little too cruel.

"What's the matter, Martin? Upset you're getting my seconds?"

Amber paled at the reference to Chloe. I actually felt a little sorry for her.

Cam stiffened. He had a lot of reasons to hate the group. Dylan used Chloe back in freshman year and Andrew messed several times with Ryder.

"Ignore them," Alex muttered.

Amber gave me a distasteful look. "Going to get all sweaty with the boys?"

There went my sympathy.

"Why yes, I am." I flashed my teeth. "But that's because I can hold my own. Aren't you the one letting guys walk all over you?"

She flinched and a pink flush crawled up her neck.

"There's no way someone like you is the
sondaleur
." The derision in her eyes accentuated the haughty tilt of her nose. She turned to the rest of the group. "Let's go."

The other Redavi, especially Dylan and Andrew, looked like they didn't want to drop it. But after the run-ins we had in the past, they decided to play it safe and headed in the opposite direction.

Cam muttered a few choice words under his breath. He shot Alex a bewildered look. "Doesn't he bother you?"

Alex didn't answer for a few moments. "I saw him once. With his dad."

"Let me guess." Cam raised his brow. "Daddy Rosamund is as big of an asshole as his son."

"Bigger."

Cam snorted. "Whatever. No sympathy here."

"What did you see?" I asked, curious. "With his dad?"

"He was going after Dylan about something. Really ripping into him."

"Gabe and Michael rip into us on a daily basis," I pointed out.

"Yeah, because they care. Teaching or something. This was way worse." Alex paused. "It was like his dad really hated him. Blamed him for everything wrong in his own life. Dylan just stood there, not saying anything."

He scratched his chin. "It's probably why he does all that other stuff. Gambling, screwing around with girls. Trying to feel like he's in control and has some kind of power."

Not only was it the most I'd ever heard Alex say at one time, but it sounded like he felt bad for Dylan.

I didn't get it. Especially after what he did to Chloe and a bunch of other girls.

I never reached into Dylan with my Virtue, mostly because I didn't think he was worth the effort. I suddenly wondered what I'd find if I did.

Cam hesitated, then shook his head.

"Doesn't matter." He opened the doors to the Training Center. "He's still a douche."

"Yeah, but there might be a reason for the douchiness," Alex said mildly.

We strode down the hall and younger recruits stared. Alex plastered on his usual laid-back grin and Cam straightened.

I didn't pay any attention to it. I was used to people gossiping about me and not in a good way.

After changing to workout gear in a bathroom stall, I met up with them outside the locker room.

"What do you think they're going to teach us?"

We were training with the superhuman selkies. It didn't get more awesome than that.

"Rumor is the gardinels do their training differently. Not like Gabe and the chevaliers." Cam's voice was hushed.

Previous elites never spoke about the training they received and the whole experience was shrouded in mystery.

"Bet it's incredible stuff." A dreamy look entered Alex's eyes. "Nunchucks and throwing stars and…"

"I'd be happy if they let us use little practice sticks," Cam scoffed.

"Whatever it is, it's going to be rough."

I had a distinct recollection of kicking a gardinel not too long ago. It was like hitting a steel pole.

Cam smirked. "Planning another visit to the school clinic?"

I flipped him off. "You'll be there before me."

Alex and I laughed at Cam's expression as we walked into the gym. Blaise and Ethan were already there, warming up near the mats.

The bleachers were partially full. There was a showmanship quality to elite training and classes were open to observers. Eager off-duty chevaliers enjoyed watching the new group of top students who'd soon join their ranks.

I recognized Michael, Anton, and a few others. Julian was nowhere to be found. Guess he hadn't come back from his mission yet.

Alex and Blaise continued speculating what kind of wild stuff the selkies would teach us. Cam insisted we'd be doing something basic like push-ups.

Smiling, I turned to the front of the gym.

And the entire world dropped away.

Dressed in the long, black leather coat he wore the night we first met, he stood on the mats with hands clasped behind his back.

High cheekbones slightly flushed and dark, mahogany-streaked hair tousled and wind-swept as if he'd just come in from the cold. Silver strand of his
pedaillon
peeked out from the collar of a dark blue linen shirt. Lithe, leanly muscled body radiated that mix of coiled power and intense energy.

Tristan.

Dark eyes met mine.

Heartbeat thudded erratically against my chest.

A second passed.

I turned my back to him and joined the others near the bleachers.

Cam said something I didn't hear. Sounds muted and colors faded into shades of gray. Everything disappeared except for the hammering of my pulse.

Why is he here? Did he come back?

I tried to even out my breathing. Hands slightly trembled.

"Hey." Cam shook my shoulder.

I forced myself to look at him.

"You okay?"

It's been six months
.
Get a grip.

I could do this.

I clamped down, making sure the concrete wall of control was in place.

"Sorry," I said lightly. "I was thinking of how to kick your ass in class."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Listen up, everyone," Garreth Percailou called out.

He stood next to Tristan and the two selkies couldn't look more different. While Tristan emanated a dangerous, controlled power that was lethal when unleashed, Garreth was the epitome of a battle-hewn warrior.

Brute strength and force rolled off the chest and arms of Aubrey's gardinel. Hard, granite eyes and an intense expression added to his raw fierceness.

The five of us quickly lined up on the mat. I took my place next to Cam at the end of the row, as far from Tristan as possible.

I focused on the back wall. Every part of my body locked, rigid with the strain of keeping cool.

"Before we start, I have some news. Prince Belicoux has just returned to Haverleau and has stepped down as Chief Gardinel."

Shocked mutters raced through the room and my mouth dropped open.

I couldn't help it. My eyes darted to Tristan, but his expression revealed nothing.

"I've taken over as Chief Gardinel of Haverleau," Garreth continued. "But Prince Belicoux will maintain final authority over all gardinels."

Tristan took a step forward. "Congratulations on becoming elites."

The low, subtly accented voice rolled through me and it took every ounce of energy not to react. Like a silky wash of water carrying tiny grains of sand, it scraped against wounds I'd worked hard to bury.

He walked down the row and I braced myself.

"I have no doubt that Ewan, Garreth, and the other gardinels will provide you with excellent training."

Blaise raised his hand. "Why are you stepping down, Your Highness?"

Tristan stopped in front of me.

You're not a kid. Look at him.

I tilted my chin and gazed straight at his face.

"Royal duties have become too urgent to balance both positions. I had to make a choice." Eyes momentarily rested on me.

I kept my expression cold and blank.

"I think they're disappointed, Your Highness." Ewan gave us an indulgent smile. "Prince Belicoux is staying in Haverleau to handle political business and he'll be dropping by to check on your progress."

Tristan nodded in acknowledgement.

"But you're the Warrior Prince." Awe colored Cam's voice. "You've killed more than any other gardinel —"

"You have a lot to learn, Martin." Tristan's rebuke was hard. "Killing is never a source of pride. Not even if it's Aquidae."