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“Someone Gray dragged in last night.” He doesn’t look at me as his face holds a bored expression. “Another orphan to train. Susan, this is Mari.” He continues to the cottage where the others wait.
I hold out my hand in the customary Avren greeting, but she only stares at me, then turns to Bastian. “I thought you were the Kindred Few. If Gray keeps bringing in spoiled brats, he’ll ruin your reputation.”
Bastian says nothing in response as he greets the other three trainees lounging on barrels by the wall of the cottage. “Where’s Lyden?”
“Didn’t show up this morning,” one guy responds, standing as Susan and I approach. “I think he heard he had to face me again.” He has curly dark hair and a crooked grin, but unlike his female counterpart, he holds his hand out to me. “I’m Rafael, but you can call me Rafe or whatever the hell you want.”
I shake his hand as my skin prickles with embarrassment. The laws forbid flirting in Avren. The Council matches you once you turn eighteen. My hope had been for Flynn. We’d known each other since I was six. We went through school together and, as teenagers, mastered the art of eye contact when the teacher wasn’t looking. Flynn liked to take the seat next to me in class, using every opportunity to brush his skin against mine if I dropped my pencil and he picked it up—which he always did.
He was my first and only forbidden kiss.
But the Council will match him soon. My heart aches for how much I have lost.
“Maribel,” I say, taking Rafe’s hand. “But you can call me Mari, and that’s it.”
“Touché,” he responds, holding onto to my fingers for a few seconds longer than I deem comfortable. “I’m never opposed to another pretty face. No offense, Commander Hale, but you and Elrod just aren’t my type.”
Commander Hale? Is he referring to Bastian?
“Imagine that threesome.” Another guy hops from the barrels and holds his hand out to me to shake. “I’m Mav, Lyden’s twin brother.” He turns to Bastian. “And no, I haven’t seen him this morning.” He’s joined by another woman with short brown hair.
Unlike Susan, she gives me a wide smile as she wraps an arm around Mav’s waist. She has a long sword strapped to the belt around her midsection. “I’m Laurel. We’re glad you’re here.”
Bastian, or rather, Commander Hale, stands before us, a thin, grim line creasing his lips. “Our endeavors are more important than ever. Not only do we prepare for battle against the army and Citizens of Avren, but the Supes are also becoming more aggressive.”
“What do you mean?” I wring my hands, not believing what he said. “I thought you were training me to protect myself.”
“I am.” He removes a dagger from his jacket, holds it in his hand, and flings it at a nearby target, hitting a tree. “I’m training you to protect yourself against the soldiers in Avren’s army.”
While Avren’s soldiers haven’t faced combat, they greatly outnumber us. It’s a suicide mission.
“What happened with the Supes?” Rafe leans against a barrel, his fingers dancing over the handle of a machete strapped to his waist.
“A werewolf attacked one of Gray’s targets last night, and this morning, a vamp risked daylight to attack Mari.” His eyes meet mine for the first time since we stood in the meadow, the crystal blue sending a chill down my spine. “Let’s get to work.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Loose hay covers the training ground outside the Grove. Someone has propped two canvas dummies on bales, attaching them to sticks in the ground. A small fire burns in a pit with an iron pot above it. Steam rises from the cauldron and my stomach growls. They serve breakfast in Avren promptly thirty minutes after the initial waking music.
Bastian rests a foot on a hay bale, assessing the mess of a training ground. “Whose job was it to clean up after yesterday’s session?” He narrows his eyes at the others.
All fingers point to Rafe.
He holds up his arms. “Hey, it’s not a one-person job. Laurel was supposed to help me.”
“Nice try.” Laurel smirks, hands on her hips. “I can’t cook and clean up after the lot of you. It was your responsibility to find a helper, and I had lunch to prepare.”
“I had lunch to prepare,” Rafe mocks her, a look of disgust rolling over his face. He wrinkles his nose and purses his lips. “If I had a loaf of bread for every time someone used that excuse, I could open a bakery.”
“Whatever.” Laurel unsheathes her sword and faces her commander. “Can I fight Rafe first today?”
Bastian steps forward and takes the weapon from Laurel’s hands. “I thought we’d do a little hand-to-hand combat today.” He inclines his head in my direction. “In honor of our recruit. It’ll let you take out a bit of aggression. Rafe… Mav… you’re up first.”
Mav pounds his fist into his palm.
Rafe’s eyes grow wide, and he backs away with his hands in front of him. “I was hoping to show Mari the ropes. You know, a little rolling around in the grass. A few rounds of that and I’ll have her ready to face an army of vamps.”
“You know we only use hand-to-hand with Citizens. Don’t face a Supe without specialized weapons.” Bastian unbuckles his belt and lets it fall to the ground. “I’ll fight Susan.”
