Chapter 18 #2
“I don’t think so,” I tell him.
“You spoil all my fun,” he complains, and I shake my head, drawing Calix’s attention.
“Solaris would like to teach us flight maneuvers,” I answer his unspoken question.
“Aella had a few comments, too.” He chuckles, his eyes on Sanders again. “But I guess we would throw in our opinions too if our birds were suddenly teaching us fencing or something.” I nod in agreement and then make an effort to stay present when Sanders starts asking questions.
“How would you have to adjust your maneuvers fighting titans compared to mist creatures?” That question turns my stomach, reminding me that it will come down to that one day if I don’t find a solution.
A rider from the northern division raises his hand and goes on explaining the benefit of quick attacks and splitting up the flight into smaller units, to be less predictable.
“Is there an instance when this approach would be wise with mist creatures, too?”
“Yes, if there are otrov around or snakes,” a woman from the fifth squadron pipes up.
“They can’t reach us up there,” a dark-haired rider scoffs.
“Not true,” she disagrees. “My brother is stationed at an outpost in the Malvada mountains, and a rider of his flight was plucked right out of the sky.”
“Then they were not keeping the proper height.”
“No, I have to agree with Miss Florentius,” Sanders cuts in.
“If you see a otrov around, act as if you had enemies pointing an arrow at you, if they spit their venom, the reach is nearly the same. And never underestimate the height a snake can reach if it propels itself upward. Since the mist hides them from view, it is even more important.”
“Why then use any other tactic at all?” the same rider from before grumbles.
“It saves your strength, and if you have mainly Arachne’s maidens or piatta you’re dealing with, you don’t have to worry about them coming up.”
I’m even more irritated about Tate’s behavior the following morning. My awareness of him is a constant thorn in my side and gets more annoying the harder I try to ignore him. On top of that, it’s like he is obsessed with those stupid trials and perfecting every one of our movements.
This morning, we are at the obstacle course again, and I just completed the round in record time. That should shut him up, but no, he calls me over immediately.
My breath is still labored, and I dust my hands off while stalking over to him.
“What?” It comes out more like a snarl than a question.
“Seems like someone is in a bad mood,” Jared comments, only to lift his hands in surrender when I glare at him. “Already shutting up.”
Tate, on the other hand, seems cool like a glacier. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I'm ready to tackle him. I don't do it, but I want to.
“What?” I bite out again, sounding only marginally more civil this time around. And Tate doesn't even blink. Of course.
Somehow, that pisses me off even more.
“Next time, cut that stunt at the beam. You could have easily missed, and being quick doesn’t help you if you fall off.”
“Well, I didn’t, and this is how I like it,” I say.
“Change it.”
I only look at him, crossing my arms, and Tate steps closer. My heart skips a beat.
“Your request was to treat you like every other first year, wasn't it?” he asks under his breath. “So how about you act like it, too? And not like an entitled queen? You aren’t … yet.”
“I’m not acting like an entitled queen,” I hiss back.
“My bad. A spoiled toddler throwing a tantrum, then. I think I gave very precise instructions the last time. Was there anything to misunderstand?”
“Why would I go slower? It doesn’t even make sense,” I complain.
“Because I said so,” he replies.
I roll my eyes.
“Is that not a good enough reason for you?” he asks, his voice still calm. But there is irritation in his eyes now, anger steering. Good. I fight a grin, but his gaze drops to my mouth, and his irritation multiplies.
“ You wanted to be treated like the others. Didn't you?” There is a warning in his tone.
I nod, but let's face it, right now, I want to get under his skin. I want to see a reaction, a real one, anything to prove that I’m not the only one affected by this crackling friction between us.
“So next time, are you going to follow orders?” he asks, and I tilt my head like I’m thinking about it, then give him a slow grin.
“Maybe.”
“Then maybe you want to help out in the coop,” he states.
“If that’s all it takes. How about I move my bed there and don't follow any orders?” I ask, and my grin widens when Jared turns away, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“Why didn’t you leave if orders are so abhorrent to you?
” Tate takes another menacing step toward me, and I start picking imaginary dirt from under my nails.
“Ara,” he growls, and I bite my cheek to keep from laughing at his irritation.
He stands so close now that his shadow falls over me.
I look up at him and shrug like I don’t have a care in the world.
“Eh, you know me. I’m here for the fun and giggles.”
Mariel gives me an incredulous look while mouthing, “What are you doing?” behind Tate's back.
“You will follow my orders.” Tate’s voice is dangerously quiet now.
“Or what?” I hold his stare, and my heart skips a beat. There is not just anger in his eyes. There is heat too.
“Or you won’t like the consequences.” His warning is a low rumble that should not cause heat to zing through my body.
“Maybe I would,” I whisper under my breath, but by the way his body freezes, I know he heard me. “I think I prefer sleeping with the Strix,” I add quickly. “At least with them I know what beast I get.”
“Say that again,” Tate takes another step forward, so we are nearly nose to nose now. I open my mouth to push him over the edge, when…
“Kids, kids”—Jared interrupts—“as entertaining as this is, you have an audience. You do realize that, right?”
“Three days,” Tate snaps, then turns and stalks over to the other side of the atrium.
Mariel comes over to me. “Did I miss something?”
I scoff. “Of course not.”
Her eyebrows rise. “Well, you could have fooled me.”