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Chapter Twelve

RAIN

T he graffiti was gone by the time first period was over. Thanks to magic, I was willing to bet. In second period, Jack returned to my shoulder and cuddled against my neck. That was nice, but it made it hard to concentrate on math. But when that class was over, he took off with Aspen again.

In my fourth period class, Jack flew into the room on his own.

Clearly, the crow had learned his way around the building better than I'd expected for a bird.

But he wasn't just a bird, was he? He was the Crow Prince.

Not that I really understood what that meant, but I'd been a little too busy to try to make sense of his paltry vocabulary.

The rest of the day was normal. Sure, people talked about the graffiti.

Most were trying to figure out who would do such a thing.

The "how" seemed to be accepted, but it also implied some pretty impressive magic.

Once, I heard someone speculate Torian had done it.

Needless to say, I quickly shut that down - and earned a dirty look from my Zez for interrupting his class.

He didn't really mean it, though. He just had to treat me the same as the other students in his class. That was the downside of having one of my adoptive fathers as my teacher.

But when everyone else was released for the day, Keir and I still had one more class.

Technically, it was considered eighth period for me, and treated as an extracurricular instead of an actual class, but I always thought of it as my detention hour.

Here, I was supposed to learn how to be the Morrigan, whatever that meant.

Mostly, we focused on my combat skills. Sometimes, we talked about how my magic worked with Keir's. Lately, Hawke had been staying to help, and now I finally had someone to ask about Wild magic, or so I thought.

My plan was simple: I'd wait until the three of us were alone, then see how much Hawke felt comfortable talking about. As a jevadu, he was supposed to be a fae monster, but he didn't seem very monstrous to me. The question was whether he'd feel comfortable saying anything in front of Keir.

"So," I said when Bracken headed for the door. "I was wondering if it might be ok to ask about - "

"Rain!"

The sound of Bracken's voice carried through the gym. My zez didn't often yell, but he apparently knew how to make it count when he did. Then again, his job was to train a bunch of teen fae how to handle combat, so a parade voice was probably a useful thing.

"What?!" I called back.

But instead of an answer, I heard footsteps headed our way. Not just one set, either. This sounded like a few people, but no one was really talking. Confused, I shared a look with both Keir and Hawke, but they looked as clueless as I was.

I was just about to go check on that when Aspen skipped into our training room. Ok, that wasn't expected!

"What are you - " I tried, but Bracken and Ms. Rhodes followed after her with Torian and Wilder at the back.

"I realized something today," Ms. Rhodes said as she gestured for Aspen, Wilder, and Torian to join Hawke, Keir, and me. "We have spent most of this semester trying to divide you by your abilities. Some warriors..." She gestured to my group. "...and some who rely on powerful magic."

"Jack!" my crow called as he swooped into the room, proving he'd woken up for this.

"And a few assistants I don't know how to categorize," Ms. Rhodes admitted as she bowed her head to him.

"But when a problem comes at the court, it comes at the entire court.

" Then she turned to Bracken. "So if you're ok with it, I'd like to have all of them train together for the remainder of this semester. "

"And you want me to teach them?" he asked warily.

Across the room, Torian scoffed.

"No," Ms. Rhodes assured my adopted father. "In truth, Bracken, I'm not sure you can. A prince, a queen, a Morrigan, Earth magic, a jevadu, a duke, a shadow, and a crow? No, none of those are what I'd consider normal, and yet this group all seems to work well together."

"So why are we doing this at the gym?" Keir asked.

Bracken ducked his head and chuckled. "I'm going to make a guess that it's because of the protections on the building?"

"And the privacy," Ms. Rhodes admitted. "After-hours, the Never has plenty of people wandering through it. Sadly, I can't guarantee being down there wouldn't become an opportunity for an attack. Out here?"

"I'd know," Bracken said in understanding. "Yes, that does make more sense."

Keir made a little noise to get everyone's attention. "I think the royalty needs to learn how to use weapons too."

"Hey," Hawke said with a lopsided smirk. "I know how to use a sword, thank you very much."

"You're not the royalty I was talking about, Your Grace," Keir taunted, because Hawke's title had been granted, not inherited.

Aspen made a face. "We have to use swords?"

"I actually think it's a good idea," I told her. "Sorry."

"But..." She looked at Torian for backup, then over to Bracken. "I don't know how to fight!"

"Maybe you should learn," Bracken said. "Aspen, you're a queen now. That means someone will have a complaint at some time, and the more you can protect yourself without relying on others, the longer you will reign."

"And Rain thinks it's hot," Keir pointed out.

This time, it was Ms. Rhodes who glanced away with a smothered chuckle. "It's also a good way to block the Hunt, and we know they'll eventually come back," she said around her tensed lips.

"I don't like the idea of iron around Aspen," Torian said flatly, dropping that into the room.

"Too bad," Keir told him.

"In a fight is one thing," Torian snapped back. "But in training? What will that do to her magic? Besides, she's more powerful with her mind than a blade!"

"Maybe a little sword?" Aspen asked, sounding almost eager about the idea. Maybe the "hot" thing had worked better than expected.

"Daggers?" Wilder suggested.

"No," Ms. Rhodes said. "I want all of you to be comfortable with all weapons. Magical, physical, and anything else you come across." She glanced at Jack to prove what she meant.

"I actually agree," Bracken said as he moved toward Torian. "The Huntsman isn't the only threat either of you will face, Torian. If your latest enemies include a human? What then? Will the mere presence of iron render you useless?"

"I'm not fucking useless!" Torian growled, stepping menacingly toward Bracken.

"You can't think past your anger," Bracken taunted. "You're reactive, blinded by your conviction that Aspen's too weak to handle herself, and - "

Torian shoved out with one hand, but my zez was faster. Stepping sideways, Bracken caught Torian's arm, used the boy's motion against him, and twisted his wrist enough to pin Torian's back to Bracken's chest. It was all over in a split second except the swirling of blonde and black hair.

"If I can best you that easily," Bracken hissed against Torian's ear, "then Keir and Hawke can too. Rain will before the month's out. And you? You'll just be a royal little shit stain."

"Then where would Aspen be?" Keir asked, adding to Bracken's point.

But Bracken had already let go of Torian and stepped back. "So learn. Be a dick about it. Throw around as much magic as you want. I don't care if it's enchantments, glamours, or conjurations. The six of you need to learn from each other. Stop trying to be individuals and become part of a whole."

"And then?" I asked.

My zez sighed heavily. "I don't actually know, Rain. I heard about the graffiti in the main building this morning. I know Aspen has been targeted over and over. It's clear someone is trying it again, and the truth is, we're worried. Your dad and me, I mean."

"I am too," Ms. Rhodes admitted. "Look, something is brewing. We can guess what, but we can't be sure. I'd much rather all of you were too well prepared instead of not prepared enough."

"I can teach them," Keir offered.

"No," Ms. Rhodes said. "This isn't a chance for everyone here to learn physical combat. What I'm hoping the group of you will figure out is how to fight. How to mix every skill you all have into one single, terrifying force."

"How to be ready for anything," I said softly.

"Exactly," Bracken agreed. "If it's not one thing, it'll be another - and likely one after the other. That's the bane of royalty, kids. I'm sorry, but it is."

"I never wanted to be royal," Aspen mumbled.

"But we need you to be," Bracken told her. "Aspen, you're a good queen. You'll only get better from here, but don't you dare try to be your father."

"I never really knew him," she admitted.

"He was a good man," Ms. Rhodes told her. "Fair, if hard at times. An excellent fighter, precise with his magic, and he should have reigned a lot longer than he did."

"Yeah," Aspen mumbled.

I shifted closer to rub her shoulder. "But you aren't him," I said. "Don't try to be. Just do what you think is right, because that's the best we've got. I mean, I figure being a queen can't be that much different from finding out I'm the Morrigan."

"She got more warning," Torian said.

Wilder chuckled under his breath. "But I think Rain has a point. So does Ms. Rhodes."

"And you," Ms. Rhodes said, looking at Hawke. "You also killed a hunter. That isn't an ability we knew about. I'd prefer you don't kill any students, but if it's between your life - all of the courts' - or theirs? I will stand with you. You have my word."

"I'd prefer to keep my heritage secret," Hawke said. "I mean, I didn't really want to tell anyone else..."

"I'm glad you did," Keir told him. "Kinda saved my life."

"Totally saved your life," Hawke countered.

"So figure it out," Bracken said before gesturing towards the doorway and tipping his head at Ms. Rhodes. "We'll leave you to it. Figure out what you need, and tomorrow we'll start working with various weapons. If you need assistance, I am here, but I will stay out of your way."

Which made Torian flip his hand, casting a shimmer of green across the walls. "And we'd like our privacy. You may think you know everything, but we still have secrets, Bracken."

"You're teenagers," Bracken said as if that explained everything. "One hour. Rain? I'm trusting you to actually use the whole time."

"Can do, Zez. Well, give or take a few minutes."

Wilder just reached up to rub the back of his neck. "That wasn't even close to being true."

I just shrugged. "I didn't want to accidentally set off any fae magic."

Aspen wrinkled her nose at the dissonance. "And that's even worse!"

"Do not get her started," Keir warned them.

But the group of us simply stood there, listening to Ms. Rhodes and Bracken walking across the gym.

Their steps were soft and light, but Ms. Rhodes' heels still did that clacking thing just enough for me to know when she'd reached the main exit.

That was when Hawke moved to close the door to our room, blocking their sounds.

"I think Ms. Rhodes is right," he said.

"We need to be focused on how to deflect their attacks," Torian told him. "How is manhandling a sword, or spear, or any other weapon going to protect Aspen?"

"It may have prevented her from being attacked from behind," Keir offered.

I shook my head. "She didn't see it coming, though."

"Jack!" my bird cawed.

"And you didn't see it either!" I told him. "Look, there's no reason you three can't focus on magic. Hawke, you too."

"Me?" he asked, clearly confused.

"You have magic, right?" Had I said something stupid?

"Yeah..." He glanced at Torian as if checking to see if that was the right answer.

But I waved Torian away, making it clear this wasn't about him. "You have Wild magic. I do too. Keir's doing his Earth thing. That means yours won't look weird, right?"

"She has a point," Wilder said.

I flashed him a smile. "Ok, and if someone comes at Aspen, are you going to not do anything because you shouldn't be using your magic?" I asked, keeping my attention on Hawke. "Or do you only protect Torian?"

"No!" he huffed. "Of course not."

"So what Ivy and Bracken - "

"Ivy?" Torian asked, cutting me off.

"You know Ms. Rhodes has a deal with her," Keir said, a clear warning in his tone to leave it alone.

I let out a heavy sigh. "No one is saying any of you suck!

" Turning, I glared at all the bruised egos in the room.

"That's not why they have us in here. This is a chance.

It's a privilege most don't get. This? It's my zez and the dean of this entire school saying we have free rein to figure out what we need to do to help each other. "

"Because," Wilder said as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, "this isn't a normal court. We're supposed to be in two of them. Instead, we're just us. All for one, and all that. This is the court. Royal, noble, human, wildling, and everything else we've thrown together."

"Peasant," Keir mumbled, subtly adding himself into the mix.

"Knight," Aspen hurried to correct.

"Which I was counting as noble," Wilder said. "And none of us really care about any of that, do we?"

"I don't," Aspen said.

"Me either," I agreed.

And yet everyone's eyes had drifted over to land on Torian. When he realized it, he grumbled under his breath again.

"Yes, I care," he said. "Not because of the privileges and that bullshit. I care because they will care." And he stabbed a finger in the general direction of the school. "I care because those titles? They're bounties on our heads. Aspen's most of all."

"So," Wilder said, "maybe we need to stop being pissed because we have to get better, and simply focus on learning how to work together to destroy anyone who wants to hurt us?"

A grin was growing on Aspen's face as she watched her brother.

But Torian began to nod slowly. "That's what I needed to hear. I'm good with learning how to destroy."

"Welcome to Introduction to Annihilation," I joked. "On your transcript, this will most likely look like a varsity level sport."

"Might have AP credits too," Keir said as he headed for the back wall. "So, first thing first. Who wants a sword?"

"I do!" Aspen said.

Keir reached for a slim and delicate thing. "I think this one might even be pretty enough for you. Torian?"

"No."

Keir gave him a warning look.

Torian just smiled. "I need to learn how to stop an asshole with a sword. We can start there."

"Yes," Keir agreed. "We can. I'm good at being an asshole."

"So am I," I added. Because Ms. Rhodes was right: we were going to need this. Probably sooner rather than later.