Chapter 34 Stand Up
Stand Up
Zavida
The first thing to run through my brain is that this fucking mess was a set-up.
But as I study the Major, I realize he doesn’t look bothered or even remotely smug.
In fact, he seems… bored. The royal ‘assessor’ walks around the gleeful headmaster without a word, his eyes darting around the room as if he’s grading the aftermath in his head.
While Lucian is practically vibrating with dark joy, he is carefully stalking through the bloodied students as if they’re not worth his time.
“It appears we have a cadre of your students learning what happens when you cross royalty,” he finally says as his eyes zero in on our nemesis. “They failed miserably. This does not bode well for the enjoyment of the Games by the Court or even the writhing masses, Darkstar.”
Lucian’s face goes pale as the bulky demon gives him a toothy smile that says he’s pleased with what he will report to his commander. “But… Major. This is not a battle scenario; this display speaks to a lack of discipline and control by—”
“I would consider your next words very carefully,” the ancient demon says as he smirks.
“The laws of Hell outline the responsibilities of bonded caliphates in responding to threats—and they apply to the Prince of Hell as easily as the poorest wretch in the streets. Though… I believe that someone who has never attracted one would not realize how it works.”
Ouch. That was aimed right at his pride; the Major doesn’t pull his punches in public.
“Outrageous!” Lucian hisses as he stomps over to the soldier with his stupid cape flapping.
“I am in charge of this school; it was an honor bestowed upon me by the King himself. My judgment is supreme, and you cannot suggest that I do not understand the structure of caliphates in front of my students.”
The Major snorts as he shakes his head in derision.
“You’ll find the emissaries of the Court and those in their command are not required to do anything, but follow their orders.
Your indignance is registered and discarded as I see fit.
This is a disgrace, Headmaster; there’s no reason a crowd this large should capitulate so easily to being conquered, even if they are first-years.
You and your staff have been slacking for centuries. ”
Beccarus hisses, then immediately hides behind his slimy boss when the Major’s eyes light on him.
Lucian ignores the little shit as he looks around the room to memorize who he’s going to take his anger out on.
He doesn’t say it, but I know that expression.
I’ve seen it on my parents and the others’.
Life at court teaches you to read people quickly and to know when to stroke egos and when to retreat to avoid being made an example of.
“This sort of thing never happened until your caliphate arrived, especially that ridiculous human,” Lucian says as he whirls on Jasper.
That was a mistake; the Prince is not in a place to be diplomatic.
My assessment is proven correct when our half-dressed leader gives him a feral grin. “You haven’t had this kind of power within these walls in a long time. Dust-ups are bound to happen; there’s no reason to pretend demons don’t solve their problems with bloodletting.”
“Good answer,” I murmur to myself. “Keep him on the defensive, Jas.”
My tails wrap more tightly around me as I look at Oriel and the bundle in his arms. He pulled Kit closer when the newcomers arrived, but the last thing we needed was for the Major to take notice of him.
It’s going to be hard enough to deal with this new side of him—especially since it appeared to be a very young shifter form that hadn’t matured yet—without that fucker gunning for him.
I guess, given how much younger KK is than us, it’s not surprising that he’s manifesting that in his supernatural sides as well.
Making a note to do some research on late-emerging ‘lost ones’ and how their forms age compared to their previously humanoid bodies, I bite my lip.
I hope that doesn’t make it even harder to train him; the Games will wait for no one once the officials announce the date.
We need to get him in basic fighting shape by then with every bit of power he can access.
I make another mental note to check into the administrative files to ensure The Keeper requested that class change.
Dottie is another source of strength Kit will need, and that guy is the only one who knows how to wrangle that.
When I come out of my jaunt in my mind, I notice Lucian is still fuming as he inspects the demons on the floor.
I don’t know if he berated Jasper more, but my prince looks as though he’s handling the affront of such a weak demon dressing him down better than I expected.
I don’t know if that’s the influence of Kit’s request before or if it’s the Major’s presence, but I’m grateful, regardless.
I can’t exactly touch him in this situation or it will set off more sparks with his father when the asshole emissary puts it in his stupid reports.
The door opens again, flying wide hard enough that I expect the damn thing to come off of the hinges.
The rest of my brothers enter with grim expressions except for Slash, who looks ready to eat the entire room even if he regurgitates it all in the end.
Our general stomps so hard the fixtures rattle as he joins Jasper in facing Lucian and the visitor from court.
“What the fuck is going on in here?” he demands.
Shit. Slash is pissed—like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious pissed. This is bad.
“You don’t have the right to speak to me in that tone, Scrum,” Lucian growls. His ridiculous minions come out from behind him, fanning out a little as they present a threat to the enormous shark demon. “Know your place.”
Oriel’s voice is low, but I hear it. “Some people are so stupid that it’s painful.”
I chuckle, peeking out from my tails to get a good view of what comes next. X walks over, standing to my left, while Salem takes my right, and I sense Anton behind me. No one wants to miss this, especially because Darkstar has been a thorn in our sides since we arrived.
Slash’s hand shoots out, grabbing our headmaster by the collar of his ridiculous ruffly shirt and lifts him into the air.
The guy is huge, so when he extends his arm, Darkstar is easily ten feet off the ground with his legs scrambling as he makes noises of outrage.
I watch as Slash allows just enough of his animal to bleed through that his teeth are sharper and more plentiful as he grins up at his prey.
“My place in the food chain is well above yours. Do not test that fact.”
The Major breaks the silence by clapping slowly, his face reflecting delight as he looks at our second-in-command. “There’s the spirit of my leader and our King! Scrum, your father would be proud. Never let a weaker being control you, no matter why they believe they can.”
Jasper snorts, and I feel the derision in him through our bond.
He knows that both the King and the General happily smash anyone who questions them to bits.
They don’t admire displays like this; they make certain the person standing up is punished to within an inch of their life.
That includes the prince and the general’s son—and the Major knows it.
He was part of the training those two endured for most of their lives to make them ‘strong enough’ to lead.
As if the King ever intends to allow that to happen.
“Put me down!” Darkstar yells, his voice changing from the faux haughty tone he usually affects to one that is panicked.
“You will suffer the consequences of this insolence. I don’t care what this demon says; you are in my school, not at Court.
Your entire caliphate will learn to respect the authority of my office. ”
“Dude, no one has less power than someone backed into a corner that screams ‘respect my authority’ and threatens punishment like that.”
“Lilith wept, Kit,” I mutter as I slap my hand on my face in defeat. “Why?!”
Salem chuckles, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Because that dude is the biggest badass in this fucking room, Zav. Balls the size of boulders and not an ounce of self-preservation, but damn, he’s brave.”
“That will not help when—”
The Major stomps through the mess at his feet and around Slash. He gives the prince a dark look as he maneuvers past him to face Oriel and the bundle of uniform that just risked his hide to zing our asshat headmaster. “And who is this clever yet hidden demon?”
Jasper whirls around, looking at O and the rest of us in an infuriated panic.
His dragon flashes in his eyes, then he grits his jaw, and it disappears.
“That is our newest member, Major. He does not appear to be strong, but he is fiercely intelligent and clearly has the mettle you were describing earlier. Darkstar placed him on our floor despite his newness to the realm, and I could sense his potential immediately.”
You could knock me on my ass with a feather right now, and I’m fairly certain that extends to my brothers as well.
“Interesting,” the Major practically purrs.
Slash’s shoulders move at that sound, and I know it’s a very bad sign.
The shark is enjoying his taunting of Lucian far too much to be affected unless it’s fucking terrible news.
“I look forward to meeting this inductee, especially if he’s the one your father spoke of at the Samhain. ”
“That’s even worse,” Anton says quietly. “You know what it means.”
“However, if he’s so brave and wise and has such potential… Tell me why he’s balled up in a discarded uniform, hiding from the world during your victory, Prince Jasper? I find it so… baffling.”
Lucian’s body hits the ground with a bang that echoes through the common room as Slash turns to the emissary.
His eyes are icy, and I see the struggle in them—it’s akin to the one Jasper gets when he’s fighting one or both of his supernatural sides for control.
But Slash almost never has to fight for control, so this situation is going downhill fast.
“I do not believe my father or the King gave you orders to doubt the Prince of Hell’s assessment.”
“Slash…” That was Kit, and I curse under my breath as he draws attention to himself again instead of letting us handle this. The guy is determined to get himself killed, I fucking swear.
But The Major just stares creepily at the lump in Oriel’s arms rather than doing anything.
“He’ll never let someone threaten one of us without attempting to defend,” Salem whispers. “It’s not in his nature; he can’t stop himself.”
X sighs and tosses their hair over their shoulder. “It’s true, Zav. KK pretends to be this prickly-ass fucker to protect himself, but that skin is something he developed. He wasn’t born with it. Instinct always wins; you know that."
“Lions aren’t particularly forgiving creatures,” I reply in a low tone. “It’s another part of him.”
“Indeed,” Anton agrees.
Finally, the demon’s lips curve up in a dark smile, something that seems to make Slash even angrier.
“Right you are, Prince Jasper. My job here is to qualify the competitors for the Games and report back to both of your fathers on the progress at Discordia. I feel I will have more information to relate as my stay continues—at least, if today’s events are any indicator of the future. ”
Jasper snarls softly as The Major turns his gaze to Oriel. “You should get your brother to the doctor if he’s injured, Bloodstone. Wouldn’t want to give the impression that other than his mouth, he’s weak.”
That said, the Major looks over his shoulder at Lucian.
The head is dusting himself off still, his pathetic minions helping to get the pieces of flesh and ick from the floor off his cape.
“Take me to the arena, Darkstar. Of course, that’s only if you’re capable after the General’s heir shook your brain out of your candyass. ”
Lucian gives my caliphate a sneer that promises retribution as the Major heads for the door. Great, now both of them are gunning for Kit, and we have no idea what they’re going to do in retaliation.
Just what we needed.