Chapter 6
Gavin
Over the next two days following my arrival, I focused all my time on completing the training modules.
It didn’t shame me at all to admit that I was taking malicious pleasure at matching and even exceeding many of Vahleryon’s and Khel’s records.
Sure, it was petty. However, aside from the fact that it further proved my worth as a candidate they could not dismiss, it also gave me the illusion of control over something here.
Oddly enough, Ghan’s lack of support was probably what stung the most. My reaction didn’t make sense to the extent that my brain fully understood how he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
As the First Officer of the Sentinels, he couldn’t show favoritism towards me, quite the opposite.
Still, to me he remained my Uncle Ghan. For the past fifteen years, he pretty much acted as my confidant and the steadfast messenger during my courtship of Zhara.
Nevertheless, I could take great pride in my performance.
Above all, I love that others were noticing it.
To have so many Veredians, Xelixians, and Korletheans nod at me with respect or acknowledge my presence whenever we crossed paths meant the world to me.
The first day, it had been obvious that many questioned how in the world I could be Zharina Praghan’s soulmate.
It didn’t take a genius to know how everyone here nearly worshipped the ground she walked on, just like they did her siblings.
In many ways, they considered her the queen of the Titans.
Although I didn’t owe those people anything, I couldn’t help wanting to prove myself worthy of her. And I intended to do just that once again today as the most important test of my life was about to begin.
Surrounded by my fellow Braxians, I made my way to the courtyard where our military drill review would take place.
That Khel and Ghan would attend made me both extra nervous and excited.
They would examine the scores we achieved over the past couple of days in the various training modules and combine them with our performance in the upcoming drill to start assignments.
The only acceptable team for me was the elite unit that Vahl, Zhara, and Rhad belonged to.
Obviously, I wanted to be with my mate. However, I now seriously also wanted to become Vahleryon’s Ghan.
When Zhara first mentioned it as a half joke, I laughed it off, thinking there was no chance of that happening, surrounded as he was by powerful psionics with whom he had been friends since birth.
And yet, that prospect not only took root, but also became a bone deep conviction that it was fated.
I wouldn’t call it a premonition like other instances where my sixth sense warned me of actions that absolutely needed to be taken.
No real word came to mind to describe why this rang absolutely true. It just did.
Hopefully, with time, Vahl would get over the possessive jealousy that made him resent me.
As we approached the courtyard, I glanced at my companions.
“Don’t forget to compensate for the hidden blade’s weight in the Viper Staff during weapons drill,” I said in a commanding tone.
While the others nodded, Nolar glared at me with an air of annoyance.
“We know,” he snarled.
“No. You don’t,” I snapped. “You always dip your staff too low after a left thrust. So like I said, do not forget to compensate for the hidden blade.”
He sniffed with an air of disdain but wisely kept his peace.
“I will not tolerate you shaming us and this clan,” I added, waving at all of us. “We are the first to join the Sentinels. Today, we represent all of Braxia. So anyone who acts a fool, I’ll personally crack your skulls then send you packing back to your clans to explain how you failed us.”
Curok chuckled. “Do not fret, Gavin. Beyond the fact that I like my skull the way it currently is, your performance alone will suffice to carry the rest of us. Your results are off the charts. Many unit commanders have made no mystery of the fact that they want you on their team.”
I huffed and waved a dismissive hand. “There’s only one team for me.”
Nolar made a disdainful sound. “Banging the General’s daughter won’t get you—”
He never finished his sentence. I didn’t even see myself moving before I was slamming him hard on the ground before twisting his right arm behind his back with my foot pressing his head on the floor.
Leaning down, fighting the bloodlust trying to swell within me, I hissed at him with barely repressed rage.
“Disrespect Zhara or any female ever again, and I will dismember you, piss on your corpse, and send it back to your sire.”
“Gavin!” Curok exclaimed, his voice panicked.
“Peace, Brother,” Vintor said, placing an appeasing hand on my shoulder while glancing around us with an air of worry.
Despite the red haze attempting to descend before my eyes, the wisdom of their words pierced through my anger. Assaulting another warrior or recruit over a dispute was enough to get me banned and given a dishonorable discharge. I would be damned before I allowed that worm to cause my downfall.
I released his arm and crouched in front of him.
“You’ve been a pain in my ass since our departure,” I said in a dangerously low voice. “I’ve tolerated it all, but no more. Get your shit together or we shall settle this in a duel… to the death. Choose wisely.”
“Is there a problem?”
My heart leapt upon hearing the feminine voice.
As one, my companions and I jerked our heads to the left to see the Oracle Venya approaching with an unreadable expression.
She was Uncle Nevius’s aunt, the Korlethean royal assassin who had married Aunt Kamala, the fiercest Veredian Warrior.
As in Oracle, she could foresee possible outcomes in the future.
It was both helpful and terrifying to the extent that she couldn’t tell you which one would come to pass, only that whatever decisions we made once the moment came would determine which fate would befall us.
“Nolar tripped. I’m helping him get back up,” I replied without missing a beat.
I straightened and yanked the idiot back onto his feet. He was wise enough to play along.
“Good,” Venya replied, her neutral expression hinting that she wasn’t fooled in the least. “Caring for each other will be essential in the times ahead. It is the only way we can be victorious.”
“And we all want that, right, Nolar?” I asked with a hint of challenge in my voice.
“Right,” he muttered.
She stared at me with unnerving intensity. For a moment, I wondered if she was prodding the future. But her gaze never went out of focus, which seemed to indicate she was merely reflecting on how to respond or if she wanted to share anything else.
Venya suddenly smiled. “Lead them well, Augur. I have faith in you.”
“Ogre?” I echoed, confused as to why she would call me that.
Granted, like all my people, I was both massive and blessed—or was it cursed?—with a gargantuan appetite. But she said it in a way that implied some sort of underlying meaning, which was completely escaping me.
Her smile broadened, and a mischievous glimmer sparked in her eyes before she resumed walking towards the training ground.
Still confused, I followed, the others falling in step with me.
“Thread carefully, Nolar,” Curok whispered in a calm but serious voice.
“You do not want to be alone here. Whatever your misgivings or qualms, know that all of us will follow Gavin. You’re still a part of this group by his grace.
None of us have loyalty to you as your clan has shown none to any of us. ”
Hearing the others whispering their agreement both deeply touched and disturbed me.
Although I loved their support and respect, I did not want to fuel Nolar’s resentment.
As much as he aggravated me, I understood that he was a victim of his own narrow-minded upbringing.
I wanted him to become a part of us by choice, not coercion.
Otherwise, he would forever remain a time bomb that would eventually lead to future betrayal.
I needed to figure out a way to bring him fully into the fold.
But I would deal with that problem later.
As the trials were a public event, the bleachers around the training ground were packed.
Knowing that my mate wasn’t sitting among them devastated me.
I only took heart in the fact that our performance was recorded, and I would get to witness her reaction in real time when she first viewed how I crushed every test.
While the event required a certain level of decorum which kept the crowd from shouting and cheering as we entered, my sensitive ears didn’t miss the audible gasps and murmurs of wonder that greeted us.
I couldn’t help puffing out my chest with pride.
My people were always impressive to behold with our massive bodies with lean, bulging muscles.
Our fearsome faces further increased our intimidating edge.
That we towered over everyone else only added to our aura.
We joined the rest of the recruit unit, which comprised a variety of species, including Terrans, Aveans, Dantorians, Veredians, Korletheans, and Xelixians.
All those species were lithe, even Elf-like in comparison, except for the Xelixians, who were sturdier, although nowhere near the level of my own people.
Sadly, there were no Sarenians, which wasn’t surprising.
I loved that species, in no small part due to their young Emperor Zerien marrying my Aunt Siona—who I considered more as another baby sister.
However, their painful history largely fueled by the cruel experiments performed on them by the Korletheans, made a full alliance with them quite difficult, but they also wanted nothing to do with the Galactic Alliance which we were all a part of.
We finished taking position in front of Ghan. Other veteran units surrounded us. Although they would take part in the drill, they mainly served as a comparison point against our own respective performances.