Page 15 of Kingdom of Tomorrow (Book of Arden #1)

Be strong, courageous, and assured; your weapons are mightier than your enemy’s.

Roman waved me over as if we were the best of friends. Lark watched me with an arched brow. Jericho blew me a kiss. Those three were neighbors. On the other side of the room, Titus stared at his desktop.

I shook my head at Roman and aimed for Titus. Having taken the HP’s critique to heart, I planned to learn more about each of my teammates. Especially those I already admired. In the ring of pain, Titus had stood his ground until the very end, never wavering in his resolve.

“Hi,” I said, and he closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. “I know you’re awake.”

“I just want to rest,” he muttered, ending any hope for further conversation.

I tried not to take the rejection to heart. Yes, I tried.

Other soldiers arrived, moaning as they sank into seats, sore and exhausted thanks to two hours of nonstop exercise.

From jogging in place to jumping jacks, sit-ups, and squats to catching and throwing different objects.

I admit, I wasn’t without aches of my own.

High Prince Dolion had made sure we utilized muscles I hadn’t even known human beings possessed.

A bell sounded as Archduke Heta strode through the door. A lord in a blue uniform kept pace behind him, an overstuffed bag hanging from his shoulder.

“Welcome to Realms and Travel 101.” The archduke stopped in front of the desk, and Titus cracked open his eyes.

“Or, as formers students have called it, ‘Fears and Tears.’ I suggest you pay close attention. When you know the world around you and its rules, you don’t have to be the biggest and the strongest to thrive during a mission. ”

Like many others, I sat up straighter and gave the man my full attention.

“Let’s jump right into the deep end, shall we?

Theirland is a realm of perpetual darkness.

A dimension within a dimension, just as Ourland is.

When the invisible veil between the two disintegrated, the worlds fused and blended.

At the time, Theirland was abandoned, its people extinct.

What lived on was EOS, or what you know as ‘the Madness.’”

EOS , the technical name I’d heard in passing on occasion. I had no idea what the letters stood for.

With a wave of the archduke’s hand, the wall behind him turned into a full-size screen, lighting up.

A long stretch of terrain appeared, showcasing an uninhabited nightscape similar to our own.

From the looks of the buildings, many were an amalgamation of Ourland and Theirland construction, with carnival rides sprinkled throughout.

Everything from roller coasters to poles with swinging carts.

Huge statues made of gold, marble, and crystals loomed in every direction, far more opulent than the ones in Ourland. They topped structures and lined streets, depicting a mishmash of humans and animals. I spotted no section of the Rock, however.

“As you can see,” the archduke said, “the other world mimics our own. The problem is, many of our maddened found their way into Theirland, making them more difficult to catch. They go without treatment, allowing the infection to reach a point of no return.” He waved again, and a new image filled the screen, wringing a chorus of horrified gasps from the students.

Me included. “They become mindless killers far more dangerous than those you’ve encountered here. ”

A massive number of infected congregated in the streets, each exemplifying the most advanced case of Madness I’d ever seen.

They no longer appeared human. Their eyes had no irises or pupils, only lines of crimson branching through the whites.

As rumors suggested, worms grew from their scalps and eyelids, with thinner strands wiggling from their ears and noses.

A foamy white substance coated their mouths.

Revulsion and panic gripped me. Soon I would be forced to fight these ... these ... creatures .

Three of the maddened stepped from the screen to stand next to the archduke. A lady yelped. That lady was me. Several of us leaped to our feet, prepared to bolt.

“They are merely holograms,” Archduke Heta admonished, fluttering his hand through a creature. “Sit.”

Bile scorched my throat as the trio moved forward, prowling along the aisles, hissing at us. I eased back into my seat, knees quaking, and made myself as small as possible. Keeping my gaze on the instructor, I did my best to tune out the unwanted visitors.

“Once a host dies, the worms slough off and poison the soil and plants. Even burning the bodies causes problems, though it’s our only option once a kill is made.”

No wonder we struggled to grow enough food here and in Theirland.

Juniper raised her hand.

“There might be a time for questions later.” The archduke continued on as Juniper slunk back into her seat.

“There are two strains of the Madness, and they are at war. The holograms you see here are the Chrysaor, street name feeders . Believe it or not, they aid us in our fight against the worse strain, the Pegi, also known as glowers . Chrysaor eat Pegi.”

A hologram swiped at me, and I screamed, jumping in my seat.

The archduke didn’t miss a beat. “Glowers appear as human as we are. Mostly. In the dark, they radiate light.” A video of everyday, average humans appeared on the screen.

They smiled and chatted. “Don’t allow their outer shell to fool you.

” He showed a series of images, showcasing symbols that blazed in each person’s skin as sunlight faded.

Circles with swirling lines inside. The same marks found on the Rock.

“Glowers can hide among us. They exhibit supernatural strength derived from the Rock and prefer to massacre crowds rather than focus on a single victim, like the feeders.” More slides.

“Speaking of the Rock, we know it is otherworldly, just as the Madness is, and that it’s more dangerous than we can fathom, but we don’t know much else. ”

A hysteria-tinged laugh attempted to explode from me. Through some miracle, I strangled it.

“Prepare yourself. You will face both feeders and glowers in Theirland.”

I couldn’t breathe, and I really needed to breathe. But I also needed to not have a panic attack in this classroom.

The archduke continued to talk, but his voice grew muffled. Even the muffles proved too much, each comment launching a fresh wave of fright. I smashed my hands against my ears, but it didn’t help. My blood heated, but my skin chilled.

As my vision constricted, I soared to my feet. I had to leave. Yes, yes. Leave. Just for a minute. Maybe forever.

Without asking for permission, I sprinted out the door. No one called for me or followed. I careened around a corner. I’d go somewhere. Anywhere else.

“Arden,” a familiar voice bellowed in the empty hallway. Footsteps sounded, drawing closer and closer. A warm hand clasped my shoulder, stopping me.

Shiloh! The second his identity registered, I spun and threw my arms around him.

He hugged me tight, his presence a desperately needed soothing balm. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he said, petting my hair. “I’ve got you.”

I clung to him. He was such an amazing guy. Protective. Fun. Strong. The more time I spent with him, the more I liked him. “How did you find me so fast?”

“I thought this might happen, so I hung close to help.”

Panting, I pulled back. “Get me out of here. I can’t stay. Can’t do this.”

“You withstood a pain dart.” He clasped my biceps and gave me a light squeeze. “You can do anything.”

No! Keep running. But the HP’s warning drifted through my mind. Fear destroys. He wasn’t wrong. And I’d lost enough. Besides, fear was now enemy one. There was nothing more foolish than doing what my enemy suggested.

“I can do anything,” I echoed to Shiloh. What did learning more about the maddened hurt? If anything, it would help me. Truth equaled power, according to the ME.

As my breaths evened out, Shiloh smiled. “Don’t worry. You aren’t the first to bolt. We’ll get you a glass of water, and you’ll be as good as new.”

Grateful, I nodded. We motored down the hall side by side, passing few others before we entered a small cell reminiscent of my own, with a single bed and a private kitchenette.

Upon his invitation, I sat at the foot of the mattress. “Is this your room?” Medical charts and graphs littered the walls.

“It is.” He extended a cup of water and sat beside me. Expression serious, he grabbed a reader and typed.

I read the screen.

I overheard the HP and his father discussing you.

My brow furrowed. I could think of no reason good enough for the king, head of Cured ’s armed forces, to mention me by name. Heart thudding, I typed a message of my own.

What did they say?

His turn.

The king demanded to hear reasons the HP didn’t force you to accept the assistant job. The HP claimed it was more important to learn how you responded to the consequences. I lost track of the conversation after that.

I didn’t understand. My refusal shouldn’t matter to someone of the king’s exalted rank. I was a mere lady. The lowest of the low. Practically a civilian!

Before Shiloh responded, a medic poked his head into the room, saying, “Hey. Can I borrow—” He went quiet when he spotted me, arched a brow, and glanced between us. “Freak out over feeders?”

“And glowers,” I muttered.

“Just getting her hydrated,” Shiloh explained, only slightly guilty.

The guy smiled, all sure, okay . As soon as we were alone, my companion typed, Being recorded. Look for a message taped to the gurney in E2.

I nodded, dazed, and he urged me to drink. As I drained the glass, he cleared the screen. He set the reader and the empty cup aside and helped me to my feet. A thousand questions and comments brewed at the end of my tongue, but I pressed my lips together.

His gaze searched mine. He offered me the sweetest smile, as if to say Everything will be all right.

I nodded again, and smiled in turn, because I couldn’t not. He made everything better.

With his hand on the small of my back, he shepherded me into the hall. I trembled the entire walk to class, but I didn’t flee. That was progress.

At the door, I groaned. “This is going to suck.”

“Just hold your head high and walk in as if nothing happened,” Shiloh advised.

His words rang in my ears as I strode inside and glided straight to my desk. Archduke Heta didn’t pause his lesson. Even though multiple classmates glanced my way, no one spoke out against me.

“—unsure of the chemicals used to disintegrate the veil between dimensions,” he was saying. “Most of our history was lost when much of the population became infected with the Madness. Only after the birth of Cured did peace and sanity return.”

His instruction faded to the recesses of my mind, thoughts of the Dolions’ conversation overtaking me. Why did they care if I acted as the HP’s assistant? It made no sense.

I’m not sure how much time passed before an automated voice announced the end of class. Soldiers jumped to their feet, relieved.

“Tomorrow, you won’t stand until you’re dismissed,” the archduke commanded. Everyone stilled, no one daring to move. Tension thickened the air, but he offered no other rebuke. “Grab a reader on your way out. They’re preloaded with the textbooks you’ll need for each class. Dismissed.”

Relief resurged, spurring a flurry of action.

“You okay?” Juniper approached me with a concerned expression.

“I let terror beat me for a bit,” I replied, popping up. “Happy to say I won in the final round.”

“Yeah, but did your opponent die or crawl away to return another day?” she teased.

I winced, and she laughed.

“If only we could do a murder pact. I kill your fears, and you kill mine.” She winked and hurried on to catch up with someone else.

I snatched a reader from the desk and tried to follow the girls out, but the archduke called, “Miss Roosa. A word.”

Swallowing a groan, I backtracked.

He looked me over before turning away, busy with a reader of his own. “If you ever leave my class without permission again, you’ll be kicked from the entire program. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I croaked.

“Then you may go.”

I hurried off, aware I had less than ten minutes to reach next period. To my amazement, Roman waited for me in the hall. He slung his arm around my shoulders, a surprisingly affectionate gesture, and led me forward.

“Feeders and glowers are terrifying at first,” he said, “but you’ll learn to see past your fear, I promise. If anyone can ready you for combat, it’s a Dolion. And me! Trust the process, Ardie. You’ll get through this and be better for it.”

I nodded, appreciating his concern. He was turning out to be a good leader already. Strong and courageous, sometimes playful, but tough when needed. Complicated but also straightforward. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. By the way, good thinking, buddying up with Titus. He needs a handler, I can tell.”

“That’s not—” Oh, never mind.

Roman gave me an encouraging squeeze before hustling to Lark, who had slowed for him.

Imagine. Me, ready for combat. An idea seemingly as impossible as King Tagin Dolion caring what I did or didn’t do.

Pensive, I followed a group to room 6, where Duchess Echo Mimidae was dismantling a metal whip thing. No desk for her. She stood behind a counter scattered with weapons. Guns big and small, blades smooth and rigid, and fancy gadgets I’d prefer to never touch.

Clutching the reader to my chest, I picked a seat in back. Perfect timing. The now-familiar bell spilled from the PA, announcing the start of class.

Time to discover what other horrors the day had in store.

“Hello, class,” the duchess said, offering us a genuine smile, with no hint of her scowl.

“I hope you’re ready to learn. If you want to keep all your fingers, pay attention when I speak.

And take notes. I’ll be throwing a lot at you.

” She laughed as if she’d told a joke. “Not literally. Not yet anyway.”

Most of the soldiers laughed with her. I tried not to choke on my tongue as I readied the digital reader I’d gotten from the archduke.

She continued. “The weapons you carry can mean the difference between life and death. While some work well in Ourland, others work better in Theirland.”

Another reason to pay attention to Archduke Heta’s lessons.

“We’ll be practicing with pyre-guns, netters, semiautomatics, daggers, swords, triwhips, pritis cannons, throwing stars, and spears.” She held up an example whenever she listed a new weapon. “If you ever get the chance, observe Archduke Heta with a spear. He’s a master.”

Each apparatus looked more dangerous and deadly than the last, and my stomach twisted.

“Your weapons are your best offense and first line of defense. And there will be many times you need to defend.” She paused to scan us, dead serious. “First principal of warfare with the maddened. They attack on only two occasions. When you’re ready, and when you’re not.”