Chapter 10
ten
. . .
With thirty minutes before our next class, this is the perfect opportunity to get some valuable practice in. Professor Ainslyn clears me for the simulator, and just as I’m about to step through the door, I almost get bowled over by a rather imposing figure.
He growls, clearly startled, but as soon as he sees me, his surprise shifts to an apology.
“Shit, sorry.” I raise an eyebrow at him, scowling, and he quickly turns away, mumbling a silent curse to himself.
As he walks off, students part like waves for their dark prince.
His toned muscles ripple beneath his shirt with every step, and I can’t help but watch with amusement as he dismisses a tall blonde from Bragr, shrugging her off effortlessly without a single glance before he vanishes into the men’s locker room.
Feeling slightly flustered, I head straight into the simulator room and strap on my vest of daggers with determination.
I will not be weak. It’s become my mantra, my driving force.
Never again. With three sheathed on each side of my ribs and one on my thigh, I take my position on the center platform as the room dims and the green holographic attackers materialize around me.
While I’ve practiced throwing daggers at targets and creatures before, the thought of facing off against men is a new challenge.
Yet, with the recent attack still fresh in my mind, I know I have to prepare myself.
I need to be ready for anything. When I confided in Professor Ainslyn about wanting to train against opponents much larger than myself, he didn’t hesitate—he simply nodded and instructed the simulator operator to pull up test twenty-seven.
I jump from foot to foot, hyping myself up.
I can do this, I need to do this. The first hologram runs at me, and I don’t hesitate to throw the dagger.
Trusting my instinct and years of practice, I sink the dagger into the mark right into the hologram’s heart.
For a moment, my breath catches in my throat.
As the assailant vanishes, the dagger drops to the floor with the pull of a magnet.
I barely have time to turn before the second threat is upon me.
With what feels like slow motion, I bring up another dagger, slicing across his throat, fighting against the urge to close my eyes.
One by one, from every angle, they charge at me, and one by one, they disappear after a dagger takes them out.
Keeping my focus on the situation, I turn, striking them with fatal accuracy. Now, if I just had a dagger or three the other day.
Out of nowhere, an eighth challenger bursts from behind a boulder, clearly ready to face me now that I’m out of daggers.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I spring into action.
I charge forward, sliding onto my knees to grab the nearest dagger—just in time.
As he closes in on me, I slice the tendons behind his knee, turning as he falls before pouncing, shoving the dagger into his neck.
Oh gods. I take a deep breath and swallow down the bile, threatening to come up, and I remind myself that this is just a simulation. I’m not entirely sure what just happened. It’s like something within me snapped, and some instinct took over. I barely remember driving that blade into his neck.
I inhale sharply, my adrenaline flushing through me as the lights lift and I hear the sound of applause. I turn and see Professor Ainslyn clapping, standing with Anders just beyond the glass.
What the hell is he doing back here?
The expression on Anders’ face should scare me—the intensity of his gaze pinning me to the spot—but it’s the way his eyes heat that has my breasts swelling with arousal. His gaze cascades down to my toes and back up, his thumb tracing his bottom lip, his arm crossed over his chest.
I take a moment to wipe the sweat from my brow, the moisture beading in my hairline already.
I grab the daggers, sheathing them once more, ignoring the wave of embarrassment that washes over me.
I should not be responding to Anders the way I do.
I push it aside and head back out to reset the simulation.
“That’s exactly what we want to see,” Professor Ainslyn praises.
I can’t help but smile as I take a refreshing sip of cool water before storing my bottle back in my bag.
The professor exchanges an approving nod with Anders, “Well, I guess we can discuss it more this evening. Meet me on the sparring mat later.” Anders makes some non-committal grunting noise before strolling past me.
As the backs of his fingers delicately brush against my palm, an exhilarating warmth surges through me, awakening every nerve ending. My whole body flushes with energy and emotions, and it takes every ounce of determination to maintain my composure, aware of his undeniable effect on me.
He leans in, no more than a subtle pause, and I swear I hear the words “Damn, that was hot” leave his mouth, but I can’t be sure.
The thrill of it sends my heart racing. I clear my throat as he continues to the door, holding steady so as not to watch him go.
I shake off the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me and summon my confidence to go another round.
This time, I ask for hand-to-hand combat, needing to bury my feelings deep, deep down and lock them away for good measure.
“The imperial bloodline came to a sudden end after their beloved heir tragically succumbed to an unknown illness, following closely after the Empress’s death, which came as a result of her formidable powers.
She was an incredible healer, but even the most gifted among us have limitations,” Professor Darci explains passionately.
I’ve heard this piece of our history before. Still, as I glance around, it’s clear my classmates are listening as if it’s their first encounter with this story.
“Following their deaths, we entered the era known as the dawn of the kingdoms…” I stifle the urge to roll my eyes.
Yes, the ‘dawn of the kingdoms’, a phrase that has become a pretty euphemism for a time of great unrest. While we tend to shy away from the harsh truths of this period, it’s essential to acknowledge the reality of what happened.
Beneath our glorified and simplistic recollections of those years, the reality is much darker.
Millions of lives were lost, villages were reduced to ashes, and warlords wreaked havoc across colonies, leading to devastating famines when crucial supply routes were blown up before reaching their destinations.
“An entire accounting of history and knowledge was lost in the chaos. Countless libraries and schools were destroyed,” she continues, her eyes scanning the sea of faces before her.
“We now wrestle with key questions such as: How did the empire coexist alongside the gods? What caused a decline in technological progress? How did our ancestors flourish without trade from other planets? What kind of magic did they have, and was it gifted or were they born with it? There are so many questions awaiting answers,” she prompts, surveying the room with an inviting expression.
“Now, let’s open the floor to questions. ”
I find myself drifting off, my thoughts wandering toward Anders.
It’s been two long weeks since that night by the river, and my heart is still torn.
I struggle to move past what happened between us, but it’s even harder to admit how willing I am to jump.
Then he winked at me as if I had been lying about just talking.
It felt intimate and infuriating all at once.
It took days to reassure Kellan that nothing inappropriate took place, and it stung to feel that hint of distrust from my best friend.
The way Anders spoke to me today, whispering things in my ear, only added fuel to my frustration.
His words are tantalizing, a promise of what would happen if I let him in.
He’s so maddeningly arrogant yet incredibly enchanting, leaving me feeling drawn to him while simultaneously exasperated by his every word and action.
“Have all the trade agreements always been in the common language, or have they been drafted in various languages across the system?” Aada’s question sparks my interest, and I eagerly raise my hand, ready to move on from my incessant thoughts.
“Raea, care to share your insights?” Professor Darci asks. I nod as I sit up a little straighter.
“According to our earliest records, each planet once had its own unique language—many even had multiple dialects.
However, during the era of the Ryverian Empire, when hyperjump technology enabled us to traverse our system and great distances, they unified the systems with what was then known as Kaelish.
It was primarily spoken by the elite, but a law was enacted requiring every child to learn it as the common language.
“Over time, Kaelish became the common tongue across the planets, gradually overshadowing many of the older tongues that eventually faded with each generation. Yet, if you journey to the remotest corners of our system, you may encounter small villages where dialects akin to those of their ancestors are still spoken. Fortunately, we have recorded many of these original tongues in our digital archives. Sadly, many cultures have been lost in accepting Kaelish and our ability to travel.”
It’s a bittersweet reality. While I recognize the necessity of unification, it saddens me to think of all the cultures that have been lost. It makes me ponder what else we may have sacrificed along the way.
“And what lies beyond that loss?” Professor Darci prompts, crossing her arms gracefully over her navy blue jacket worn over black fitted trousers and a black blouse.