Page 21 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos (The Rossi Legacies #7)

Jayce

I watch her run off, her hair bouncing behind her, but it’s her ass that’s distracting. I look away and scan the destroyed room, unable to stop myself from smirking slightly as I take in the damage.

Impressive. Very impressive.

Ahren wasn’t lying when he said she is powerful.

A strong girl is sexy, but one who fights like that…

I comb my fingers through my hair before pressing a button on my Schattensicht as it’s connected to my phone, about to call Ahren when Professor Dane strides into the wreckage. I can see people crowding around the opening at the top as well.

“She lost control! She is dangerous! Look at this!”

Any amusement I felt vanishes, irritation flitting through me as I turn to face him. “Excuse me?”

“The Rossi girl! I saw her leave. She lost control and caused millions and millions of pounds of damage!”

I step closer to him, my eyes flashing as I tower over him, letting out my aura.

“First of all, she didn’t lose control. She unleashed her power in combat training as I, her division leader, commanded.

Secondly, what she did was fucking incredible.

Third, these rooms are supposed to withstand damage.

I can guarantee the King will be impressed that his state-of-the-art facility was destroyed by a seventeen-year-old girl.

He likes a challenge; he can improve them.

And lastly…” I stare him in the eyes, “It’s her family who funds the majority of this place. ”

He splutters, his face turning ash white at the disrespect. “But you yourself put in a request that she should not attend any more missions! I was on your side!”

“Correct, but it doesn’t mean she can’t be trained to harness all this power…” I look around the room, she destroyed the spells too…

“Well then… I won’t say I understand, but…” he snorts. “This is on you, Westwood! As her division leader, you are responsible for damage to school property…” He shuts up when he glances at me, my aura now darkening, and he steps back before turning, throwing up his arms and striding off.

Asshole.

I call Ahren and walk off, not bothering with the spectators peeping down from above.

“Jayce, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Something tells me it’s not promising a catch-up or treating me to a meal?”

I smirk. “Yeah, not with how much you eat. I’m afraid for my wallet.”

“Stingy, aren’t you?”

“Of course. I actually called because I had a one-on-one training session with Sienna.” Fuck, I’ve been checking his sister out.

“Oh?” His voice is serious now. “Did she do ok?”

“Well, she did unleash her power after I pissed her off with a couple of low blows, and don’t ask me what I said.”

He’s silent for a moment and sighs. “Ok, I have learned I should listen when you say that.”

“Smart, you do learn faster than her.”

He chuckles. “She’s a force to be reckoned with. I just don’t know what it is that is stopping her. There’s something…”

“Aside from her worrying about hurting someone?”

“Yeah, there’s more. She’s just stubborn.”

“Aren’t all of you Rossis?”

“Now don’t lump us together. I am an angel.”

I chuckle at that. “Angel.”

“Of course, just in a demon’s body. But thanks, Jayce, for agreeing to take her under your wing. I know you weren’t keen on it.”

No, I wasn’t – for more reasons than I told Ahren.

“Don’t thank me yet. I’ve not accomplished anything yet… Let’s just hope you don’t regret your decision.”

“I shouldn’t. Speaking of, it’s her birthday in a couple of days. I’ve booked a venue.”

A few days…

“I would have assumed your sister would prefer something quiet?”

“Possibly, but it’s her eighteenth. She deserves a big one just as Dad would have had for her.” He pauses for a moment. “Make sure her division gets the invite.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“Of course, and tell your brothers, too.”

“Sure.”

We end the call, and I look back at the room. The fire is extinguished now, but it’s going to take a while to fix. I’d better go brief Matherson.

I text Brock as I make my way to Matherson’s Office.

JAYCE: Order pizza for the team, my treat.

brOCK: Nice, that’s going to be a big order. What’s the occasion?

I look down at the small glowing screen that hovers above the Schattensicht.

Sienna’s progress tonight.

JAYCE: To our new team.

brOCK: Awesome!

JAYCE: Message me the total, and I’ll transfer it over. I’m going to speak to Matherson, and I’ll be there shortly.

brOCK: You got it.

Reaching Matherson’s office door, I knock, and when he tells me to enter, I step inside to see he’s poring over some papers.

“You could have at least cleaned up, Alpha Jayce.”

A title he uses in private, even if he is my professor. I’ve never argued it; he respects Dad and Grandad, and that is a choice he made.

“I apologise, but I thought you should be the first to know.”

“I’ve already heard about the destruction of the Training Facility.”

“Sienna Rossi is incredibly powerful. Yes, she can’t harness that power right now, but she will be able to. She didn’t hesitate to pull it back the moment the match was over.”

“Harness, you say, not control?”

“I think control means she has no hold over it, and as I said, she was able to pull it back the moment the match was over,” I reply, folding my hands behind my back.

“So, she’s safe to go on missions?”

“I’d rather she doesn’t right now, but I’d like to be the one to make that decision, per mission briefing. I will continue to train her and see if I can help her.”

“I hope so, Alpha Jayce. You have assisted in training several other students over the years, and so I’m confident you can. I am proud to have you here and know that I can see you leading our armies into battle when the time comes. You are granted permission.”

I give a small nod. “Thanks, Alpha Matherson.”

He gives me a small smile, and I’m about to leave when he holds up a finger, “One moment.”

I pause before he takes out a book that looks like an old tome or grimoire. “The drawing you showed me a few weeks ago, well, I found something that looks similar enough. I’m not sure if it’s worth anything, but here.”

I take it, not expecting this. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”

I exit his office and flip through the book. He’s tabbed a page in the battered tome. The stamp on the first page is one I recognise. The witches’ sect in Egypt…

The book itself is in Arabic, and although I can read German, French and Spanish, Arabic is not one of those languages. Great.

I flip to the tabbed page, my heart quickening.

It’s the same one I’ve been drawing…

So, it does mean something; I don’t know what, but… Egypt. There’s my lead.

I exhale, snapping the book shut, feeling lighter. Finally, this is something.

Now I feel even better about today.

I head up towards my division, not even noticing my emo cousin who is standing at the top of the stairs until she steps in front of me.

“Jayce.”

“Hey.”

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, you pissed Si off,” she states.

“And I don’t care. Don’t you girls all just get offended over the littlest things?” I say as she falls in step beside me.

“No. But we do think about how to off men… yeah, I do, anyway.”

I raise an eyebrow and shake my head. “I’ve ordered pizza. You have a curfew, and it’s a division thing. Lucky for me, you ain’t in it, but I’ll send you some over.”

“Ok. You know how, though, right? Unopened, untouched?”

“Sure.”

Does she not realise it’s also cooked by someone? Well, I won’t burst her bubble.

She cocks a brow. “So, why are you getting pizza?”

“Because I felt like it?”

“Not because you got to train with Sienna?”

I look at her sharply, the wording of that sentence… “Why would I want to train with her?”

Our eyes meet, and she arches a brow with a look that says, ‘Don’t you?’

“Sienna may be in dreamland often enough, but I’m not. And I’m not stupid, Jayce. I can tell where your eyes often go.”

And now I realise why I wasn’t keen on her coming here. There’s no difference between Katara and Alessandra. Both are nosy and annoying as hell. And I don’t like what she’s insinuating…

I smirk. “Are you insinuating something? Because I have no idea what you’re going on about.”

She gives me a humourless smile. “Oh, you do. But if you want, I can start gathering proof?”

I grab hold of her cheek and tug it. “You really are related to Katara, your favourite cousin,” I say sarcastically, knowing they clash.

“Eww, you’re dirty!” she shrieks, yanking free, her eyes flashing red, but it’s fleeting.

“Seems like Sienna isn’t the only Rossi struggling with her powers,” I remark.

She rolls her eyes. “Dad’s trying to find out why. Leo, too. Don’t worry, I have enough Rossis trying to figure it out. I don’t need a Westwood.”

“Just remember you’re half Westwood, too.” We are nearing her dorm now, and I jerk my head towards the entrance. “Go. I’ll have your pizza sent.”

“Make sure there’s enough for Heaven, too.”

It’s an order, not a request. But annoying as she is, she’s still my cousin, and she’s new here.

“I’ll think about it,” I say arrogantly. I hear her curse as I turn to head to my own dorm, but pause. “You know, if you ever need anything, I’m here.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” she calls back, and I smirk, heading to my dorm and letting myself in. The chatting instantly quiets, but I ignore them all, heading towards the bathroom beside my room.

“Jayce! The training room-” I slam the door shut before Ian can even finish.

I pull off my top, her scent lingering in the air. I look around. Did she shower in here? One glance at the steamed walls and I get my answer.

Remembering how she looked when she came to ask if I was hurt, wet strands framing her face… I shake my head.

I already jerked off at the thought of her, pictured her naked and thought about her when fucking Allison.

Don’t fucking go there again.

Alessandra isn’t wrong, but that does not mean I’ll ever acknowledge it, even if she is the biggest fucking distraction ever.

“Pizza’s here!” Artemis shouts.

She’s so loud; loud girls are annoying.

I finish with my face, place the razor down and put on some aftershave.

Renji, go give one box of pizza that’s not been opened and some fries to Alessandra, I mind-link Renji.

Sure thing. So what are we really celebrating?

You’re annoying.

You’ve told me before. The amusement in his voice is obvious. I ignore him, and I hear him laugh. By the way, Mom said to call her. She has been expecting a call since we got here.

She could have called herself. I always answer her calls, I remark.

Well then, Mama’s boy, maybe that’s why she didn’t, so as not to worry her first precious baby. I scoff.

I’ll call her.

Tonight.

Exiting the bathroom, I’m hit with the smell of pizza, the boxes are spread across the table, and I scan the room. She’s not here…

I resist frowning, my eyes flitting over the rest of the room. They’re all here, even Shahira.

“Where’s your roommate?” I ask her. She blinks, taking a second to realise I’m talking to her before she glances at their room door.

“She’s inside.”

I nod. The rest dig in, laughing and talking, and I go over to their bedroom door and knock.

“Yeah?”

“Can I open the door?”

Silence.

“Fine.” There it is, the edge of hostility in her tone.

I open the door and look into the dimly lit room.

Fairy lights cover the headboards, and there’s a glitter lamp on the bedside drawer beside Sienna’s bed.

I step inside the room just in time to see her sit up and fix her bra strap that had slipped down her arm.

Tease. “What is it?” she asks when I come into full view.

Well, I’m not about to tell her to come have pizza…

“We’ll be training out in the open tomorrow, same time as today.”

She frowns but nods, pursing her lips.

I nod. “Right. One of the boys bought pizza. Come have some,” I say curtly.

“No thanks,” she says icily.

“Your loss, more for us,” I reply. I am not begging a woman to eat.

I leave the room, shutting the door behind me.

“Is Sienna not joining us?” Lucius asks.

“No, Shahira can take her some,” I say, not having an appetite myself for some fucked up reason. “Don’t disturb me.”

“You’re not going to eat?” Allison asks.

“I’m not hungry.”

I enter my bedroom and slam the door shut. Dropping onto my bed, I pick up the book Matherson gave me and open it, staring at the symbol I’ve been drawing.

What is this? And why do I keep drawing it?

I think I’ll be spending the night deciphering this book, but first I’d better ring Mom before she gets upset.