Chapter 4 #2
A bit of guilt gnawed at me. This was probably an everyday breakfast, while my family would only have a feast like this during a holiday like Midsummer. Which would happen tomorrow, and I’d miss the celebration.
Celine turned to me. “So, what’s your trainer’s name? We’re dying to know Viper’s identity.” Celine nudged my side with the broken ribs. A sharp pain shot through me. I let out a low hiss through my teeth. “Sorry, I forgot about the bruises.”
“It’s alright,” I wheezed, taking in a few shallow breaths. “Commander Locke called him ‘Vander’.” I noticed the silver line around Celine’s and Taewyn’s necks that matched mine, but no names on the collar like the assassins had. It had to be the mark of an apprentice.
Her brows shot up. “Vander Vierroson?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.” I was more interested in the bread than his last name. I grabbed a scone next and a few eggs. Where was the butter? I needed a slab of it smothered on my scone. I was starved after The Sorting Rite, the fighting, and no supper after it all.
“You do realize that Vander Vierroson is practically royalty? His mother is a cousin of King Sigurd. Damn, I should have known Viper was Vander.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out three copper aclets and passed them over to Taewyn.
“No, I did not realize that.” I stared at him across the courtyard through the sea of strangers in all black.
Being royalty might explain his callous attitude toward me—the peasant.
His table was the farthest from ours on the opposite end.
I watched his mouth move as he talked to the woman across from him.
Part of me wished I could read lips better. “Why are you giving Taewyn money?”
“We had a bet.” Taewyn put the coins in the pocket on the side of his pants. “I said Viper would be Vander or Rune. They’re from the same year and both were known at Nighthaven Academy for underground fighting.”
“Really? He seems like a rule follower.”
“He’s sexy is what he is.” Celine gazed at him and bit into a crunchy apple. “I don’t usually like red hair, but I want him.”
“It’s not really red. More dark brown-red,” Taewyn mused. “As a ginger, I would know.”
“Are assassins and apprentices supposed to have those sorts of relationships?” I asked. Vander made it very clear there never would be between him and me. And if I had to go everywhere he went, I didn’t want to have to listen while he... found pleasure in a woman’s arms.
Celine lifted a shoulder. “A trainer and their own apprentice are strictly forbidden from having a sexual relationship for obvious reasons, but Falcon told me other than that it’s not against the rules.”
“Yeah, they don’t want distractions and complications or messy breakups during training,” Taewyn added.
“I heard one year that a trainer and apprentice got into a relationship, then the trainer slept with someone else, and they got into a huge fight here in the courtyard. The apprentice was assigned a new trainer obviously, but the year was halfway through, and Commander Ace was furious.”
“I don’t know who Commander Ace is.”
“She’s the head of LOA. The one above Commander Locke.”
“Wait,” I turned back to Celine, “Falcon is your trainer?”
“Yep, she’s been respectful and pretty nice to me so far. She’s talking to Viper right now, with the short bronze hair.”
“You’re lucky. Viper is very rigid. I’d say borderline an asshole.
Want to trade?” I said as a joke and poured myself a glass of water from the pitcher at the center.
The table went silent and stared. The weight of their gazes made my skin itch.
I must have hit a nerve by talking down on their legend.
Taewyn leaned into me and put his fingers to his lips. “Shh, you can’t talk bad about your trainer,” he whispered. “Anyway, it’s expected to be treated like you’re worthless because we are at this point.”
“Someone’s worth isn’t determined by their status,” I mumbled.
“It is around here,” Taewyn added. “Get used to it and prepare to be humbled.”
My skin prickled in warning. It was an instinct I’d always had when danger was near. I turned to find Morrow standing behind us. At least he had a shirt on today. “I thought I did all the humbling you’d need yesterday, loth.”
“My name is Aesira.”
“I know.” He took hold of my left braid. I jerked away from him, and he gripped the end of my hair tighter. “Settle down, I’m not going to bust up your face again in the middle of the courtyard. We’ll save that for another time.”
“Let go of my hair,” I snapped.
Celine scowled and stood up. “Aesira is my friend, so scoot along. You’re not wanted.”
Morrow dropped my hair to reach for her face, and she smacked his hand away.
“Don’t be like that. You’ll be acting differently when you miss me in your bed.
I might have you in the weekend rotation if you’re lucky.
” I wanted to punch him right in his stupid mouth for her.
His two new friends laughed. One was tall and lanky with a severe black mustache, and the other had a round face with eyes a little too close together.
“As if that’s ever going to happen. Go away, Morrow.” Celine sneered and sat back down.
“It’s Beast now. I already have my codename from my trainer Dred.
” He nodded to the table across from them, and an attractive man, with dark hair sheared on the sides and a long braid down the center, tipped his chin up at Morrow.
Dred’s gaze shifted to me like a strike, and I didn’t know if he was just a malevolent person or if it was me.
Whatever it was, he made me uncomfortable.
Morrow and his friends laughed as they walked off, and Mustache pointed at a table full of women apprentices. There looked to be twenty female and thirty or so male apprentices. We were outnumbered by the trainers, too. It didn’t surprise me.
“That is Rune, also known as Dred,” whispered Taewyn. “The one I thought could be Viper. He’s the closest in kills to Viper.”
“Rumor has it they hate each other,” Celine said.
“Well, Viper hates Dred and I hate his apprentice. At least we have something in common.” I feared that was the only thing we’d agree on. Maybe once I showed him I wouldn’t be an embarrassment, he’d respect me more.
Commander Locke walked in from a side door.
It shut with a loud thump and everyone quieted down.
He marched down the center line between the rows of tables and took the standard stance in the middle.
The silence that followed made the corner of my mouth curl.
I heard the birds chirping for the first time.
“Good morning, new apprentices,” he nodded toward the right side, “and their trainers.
Welcome to Drakthar and into the League of Assassins.
We pride ourselves on honor in our conduct, duty to our fellow assassins, valor against our enemies, and loyalty to LOA.
I am certain your trainer has informed you already, but I will reiterate to make a point.
None of you will ever speak of the location of LOA headquarters to anyone outside of this guild.
None of you will speak the magic to reveal Drakthar to outsiders either. It is imperative for security.
“You will be issued seven standard uniforms that can be replaced as needed. You will wear your uniform at all times outside of your room unless it is a day off. While in uniform, masks must be worn outside of Drakthar. Our identities are kept private. Weapons will be given to you by your trainer as he or she sees fit. You will eat, sleep, breathe becoming an assassin. Your life and the lives of the people in Nighthaven depend on your dedication. The warriors defend the city, but we are what will shift the tides in this hundreds-year war for victory. One day we will bring the vampire kingdom to its knees.”
I couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t mention the people outside of Nighthaven. My people. They never did care to protect us. We’re the feed.
With his hands behind his back, he continued walking up and down the center aisle. “Pay isn’t much for an apprentice, but you will be given a modest stipend.”
I perked up at that. If they allowed me to send what I made back home to help my family, I would. If not, I would save it until I could get it to them.
The Commander went on, “Every third Sunday is considered your rest day. You will not go outside the walls after sunset unless you are given specific orders to. Your trainer is here to keep you alive, listen to them. Apprentices die every year because of negligence. Vampires are the most dangerous thing in our world.” He paused.
“But we are training you to be killers, and one day even vampires will fear you.”
The apprentices started clapping and cheering. I found myself smiling, too. I was terrified of vampires, but I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be someone they feared, and the Commander made me feel like that was possible.
Commander Locke grinned, then motioned with his hands for everyone to quiet. “Your official initiation begins in fifteen minutes. Once you’re LOA, you are LOA until you die.”
Biting my lower lip nervously, I turned to Taewyn. “Initiation? What does that mean?”
He smiled. “I don’t know, but I’m excited to find out.”
Vander made his way over to my table a few minutes later with Falcon at his side.
“Let’s go,” Falcon said, and motioned for Celine to follow her.
I slipped off the bench and stood next to Vander, waiting to follow his lead.
Taewyn’s trainer was a broad-shouldered man with a walk that reminded me of a cat.
His sleek dark-blond hair was tied back at the nape of his neck.
If I had to guess, he was at least thirty. He tilted his head and Taewyn followed.
Vander waited with his hands behind his back, watching everyone file around us until most of the assassins and apprentices had gone through a door on the south end. My stomach began to knot. There was a reason we were waiting here.
He finally turned to me. “Next time Morrow harasses you, you’d better be the one to stand up, not one of your friends.”
I gritted my teeth and mirrored his stance.
Once again, I was a disappointment to him.
I wasn’t used to their world. People in my village were friendly and helped each other.
Our survival depended on it. I had carved bones most days and wandered the wilderness, daydreaming about boys, and what life was like in the city.
It wasn’t all I dreamed it would be. “Sir, can I say something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Commander Locke spoke about honor and loyalty. You told my father that assassins protect their own. Why is he even allowed to harass me? Or anyone? He’s just as much of an asshole to Taewyn and Celine. He’s not honorable.”
His lips pursed, and if I had to guess by the look on his face, it pissed him off that Morrow was harassing his apprentice.
“Just because we fight on the same side doesn’t mean we all get along.
There are no specific rules against being an asshole, so there’s no point in going to the Commander about it.
If I step in, he’ll see you as more of a target.
Any vampire you face will be much worse than Morrow, trust me. ”
With sweat dampening under my arms, I nodded. “I’ll handle it.”
“Good. You’re ducai and you’re my apprentice. I have a reputation. You don’t take shit from tormentors.” He gestured for me to walk. “We’re heading to the grand hall.”
“For what?”
He half smiled, and that made me nervous. “You’ll see.”