Chapter 37 Bechora
The term seemed to speed by, and we still weren’t any closer to having answers or any idea about how to act on what we’d found.
My frustration with being at a standstill was reaching a boiling point, and I didn’t know how much longer I could keep myself in check before I stormed the Dean’s office and confronted her.
The only upside was my sessions with Caulder.
After his first lesson in control, our sessions had gotten quite interesting, even if I did leave wound up and aching, more often than not.
“You may notice there are Fourth Years with us today,” Rumlock’s voice pulled me back to the present.
“While the exact details of the upcoming trials won’t be announced until the day of each trial, you are all in your second and third year.
As you may be aware by now, Second Year is when the team trials begin.
From now until the trials, these Fourth Years will be working with you to teach you how to work as a team. ”
My gaze shifted to where Rumlock stood, a row of upperclassmen standing just behind him. Part of me hoped to see Zypher among them, even though I knew his schedule by heart at this point.
“When I call your name and group number, move to the Fourth Year wearing the matching number on their uniform,” Rumlock continued before he started barking out names and numbers.
When he finally called my name, I made my way toward the fae female wearing the number four.
I let my eyes scan over her, taking in the tight, stern-looking bun she’d twisted her raven-colored hair into, and the muscular build to her body that was a stark contrast to most of the fae females I’d seen on campus.
She looked like a battle-hardened warrior, instead, as she scanned over those of us gathering before her.
“Great, we got stuck with the liability,” Meara drawled as she strolled up to join our group.
I clenched my jaw to keep from responding. My focus needed to be on training, no matter how badly I wanted to torch the bitch for the day she stabbed me.
“Enough,” the female Fourth Year barked.
“Whatever your bullshit issues are, leave them in the locker room. The team trials are more deadly than anything you encountered last term. If you can’t leave your petty squabbles behind and work as a team, regardless of how you feel about your teammate, you very well may lose your life. ”
“More likely we’ll get killed trying to carry the dud,” Meara muttered.
The fae moved faster than I could track. One second, she was standing in front of the loose circle of us forming around her, the next, she was lifting Meara off the ground by her collar, nearly nose to nose.
“With that attitude, I promise you will likely be the first to die.” Her voice was just loud enough to hear from where I stood. “The team trials don’t care if you think you’re more powerful than a teammate. If you can’t work with even your weakest member, you won’t survive.”
She released her hold on Meara, causing her to take a stumbling step back.
Marching back to where she’d originally stood, the Fourth Year let her gaze scan over the rest of us.
“I don’t care about your abilities. I don’t care who’s stronger than who.
And I definitely don’t care if you trust each other. You’ll learn, or you’ll die.”
When nobody in our group said anything, she nodded as if satisfied and began walking us through various hand signals.
We spent the majority of combat class focused on learning those signals and responding appropriately.
By the time she called for a break, my mind felt like mush.
With everything else, it seemed as if something as simple as hand signals might be the straw that finally made me crack.
“I’ve heard about you, you know.” Her voice startled me and caused me to spill water from my bottle down my shirt. “The infamous mage, who stole the prince from Daena.”
I glanced around, noticing the rest of our group was broken into pairs, talking amongst themselves. “I didn’t steal anyone,” I replied, mentally preparing myself for a fight.
“I don’t care if you did or didn’t. Daena was insufferable enough without the betrothal. Seeing her knocked off her high horse has been rather enjoyable,” she smirked. “My name’s Lindara, by the way.”
“Bechora,” I replied, slightly taken aback.
“You know her little groupie, Meara, only has it out for you because Daena decided you’re public enemy number one, right?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve dealt with plenty of mean girls before. I’m not worried about those two.”
Lindara huffed out a quiet laugh, as though she almost respected my response. “You should be,” she said, her tone shifting enough to lose the humor. “Not because they’re powerful enough to be a threat, but because Daena doesn’t fight fair.”
“I’m well aware.”
“No, I don’t think you are.” Lindara shook her head.
“I’m not talking about the rumored attack she pulled on you last year, or whatever magical bullshit stunts they’ve pulled.
Daena’s father is close to the king. Prince Vallynn may have ended their betrothal, but that doesn’t mean she’s not still well connected to the crown. ”
My brows furrowed. “Why are you telling me this?”
Lindara glanced around before stepping closer and lowering her voice. “I overheard one of your mates asking around, about some missing student from the shifter house last month. I don’t have any proof that they’re connected, but I don’t believe in coincidences either.”
“I’m not following…” I replied slowly.
“My roommate went missing last month.”
“What does this have to do with Daena fighting dirty?” I asked, my confusion deepening.
“Daena was being her usual bitchy self a few days before my roommate vanished. Claiming you’d put some love spell on the prince.
My roommate, Cassia, called her on it. Pointed out that love spells aren’t real, and there’s no way you could have put one on the prince.
Daena didn’t like that. She threatened to make Cassia disappear, and a few days later, she was gone.
I went to the Dean to try and find out what happened, but it was like Cassia never even existed. ”
“I’m still not sure why you’re telling me this,” I replied, not sure if I could trust the female.
She looked over her shoulder again before reaching into the pocket of her combat uniform pants. “I know this sounds crazy, but I got this letter. It just showed up on my desk after I tried to talk to the Dean.”
She thrust the crumpled paper into my hand, and I carefully unfolded it. I immediately recognized Geordie’s scrawled handwriting on the page. It read simply ‘ Tell Bechora’ .
“I don’t know who wrote it or how it ended up on my desk in my dorm, but like I said, I don’t believe in coincidences.
I overheard your mate asking about a missing shifter, and then my roommate disappeared after Daena threatened to make it happen.
All leading up to me getting this note. No,” she shook her head. “That’s not a coincidence.”
“You think she’s behind your roommate’s disappearance?” I asked.
“I don’t know what to think,” Lindara replied. “I just know, I wouldn’t be shocked if she were, considering who her father is. And if I’m right and I got that note because you’re looking into something similar, I felt I should warn you to watch your back.”
“I… Thanks,” I said, unsure how else to respond. My mind was too busy spinning with the new information, trying to find connections to the King, now that Lindara had told me her suspicions about Daena.
“We should get back to training,” Lindara said, looking at the others in our group. “Rumlock will be yelling soon if we don’t.”
I nodded, following behind her as she called the group back to order.
We picked up where we’d left off, Lindara drilling us on hand signals and barking out corrections when we didn’t get something right.
My mind was barely registering any of it as I worked to make the connections between what she’d told me and what I’d already discovered.
The only thing I couldn’t quite piece together was why the Dean was involved.
Dante and Vallynn had said she was supposedly an elf pretending to be fae, but that still didn’t explain why she’d help the king abduct students.
Assuming the disappearances were even connected to whatever the king was doing to the vanishing supernaturals of the realm at large.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized there really were only two people who could shed light on the situation.
As much as I didn’t want to deal with Vallynn or Dante, by the time class ended, I knew I didn’t really have a choice.