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Chapter7
The sound of metal clashing with metal reverberated through my entire body, creating a racket unlike anything I’d ever heard before. My body tensed in anticipation as I expected blood to start flying off the combatants. The swords in front of me clattered together over and over again with no end in sight.
“You know, you’re going to give away too much if you keep jumping like that at every little fight.” The girl next to me leaned in as she commented on my reactions to watching the swordplay before me.
I looked at her with my best back off face and she just smugly snorted. “I’m just saying. It’s clear you’re new, and that’s no way to make it in this world.”
Her accent was thick, heavy, and she bulldozed right into my personal space. I’d peg her for a New Yorker if we were in the human world. But we weren’t.
I’d been late this morning, after telling Ms. Trapsbury I was used to waking myself. The luxury and comfort of the bed was more than I accounted for though, and it wasn’t until her incessant banging on the door that I realized I’d made a very big error in judgement. Though I received a verbal lashing from her, before I could speak, Prince Noah kindly brushed the whole thing off when I ran into the room to make an excuse to the others that I’d run an errand for him. It would have been a lie and I wasn’t sure why he’d done it for me. The frown from the other fae lessened as he defended my tardy appearance.
I knew it was bad, even without the disapproving glares. So far, between my embarrassing moment in the library and now training this morning, I was really beginning to think my chances at befriending the prince in exchange for freedom would be harder than I thought.
The clanging stopped as Captain Coltrain held up his hands. “Quick reset,” he announced.
He was just as formidable now as he had been when he escorted me into the castle. He gave me a wink as he passed and I stifled a laugh. He was a flirt. At best. At worst, he was a douchebag. Time would tell.
Prince Noah approached and as if on cue, the obnoxious girl walked away. I straightened. “I’m sor—”
He shook his head, giving me a hard stare, and I stopped talking. It was just the two of us at the moment, but my assumptions must have been correct. Me being late wasn’t looked upon kindly.
“You look uneasy,” the prince said.
“First time around weapons, or fighting of this nature. Normally it’s just fists where I’m from.”
The prince eyed me with curiosity, but then went back to adjusting his tunic. “We are a warrior culture. All Unseelie must train for battle.” He brushed his hands down his top and picked up his sword. “As the future king, I must especially be ready for any imminent battles.”
He held his sword outstretched toward me and I stared at him, shrugging my shoulders in question.
“Grab it.”
I swallowed the strange lump in my throat and did as he said. My arm went limp at my side, the weight of the sword that looked so light in his hands surprising, and I could feel my face redden. The embarrassment of trying something new seethed through my entire being. I clenched my jaw, lifting the sword up and attempting to hold it like Noah had.
Noah stood behind me, his body too close as I remembered the encounter from yesterday. “As my feeder, you’ll be expected to be where I am at all times. Even in battle.” His whisper tickled my ear and startled me, until I realized he was trying to keep his voice low enough to not be heard.
He was telling me what I should already know. He was helping me. But why was he going to the trouble instead of just getting a new feeder who knew the drill?
Before the conversation went any further, Prince Noah backed away from me. He took the sword from my hand and turned to the side, pressing his hand into my back while moving us slightly forward to face me toward the obnoxious companion I’d tried to drown out earlier. She was with another fae as they approached.
“Lord Gabriel, may I introduce Coraline Fray.” Prince Noah nodded at Lord Gabriel. “My feeder.”
I did my best not to flinch at the last words. Noah directed his attention back to me as I shook Lord Gabriel’s hand.
“Gabe is my cousin. I believe this is his feeder, Nicole.”
The girl who had pointed out my flaws earlier smiled and bowed her head toward Prince Noah.
“It’s a pleasure, Coraline,” Gabriel said. His eyes seemed kind as he genuinely shook my hand.
“Cora,” I said, then cleared my throat. “Just Cora.” I returned his smile.
I could barely keep people’s gaze respectfully in the human world. Here I was getting the feeling I was more like a slave than a person, and yet I still was treated with decency by royalty. Interesting.
Once Gabriel let go of my hand I faced Nicole. Gabriel spoke up. “Nicole is from the human world as well. You may have much to discuss.” He smiled as he spoke.
Immediately my attention turned to Nicole in excitement. She may have been picking at me, but she was a connection to home. One I hadn’t expected.
She looked me over with a playful smile like she knew she’d have my attention now. “I’m sure you’re right, Lord Gabe.”
