“Isn’t it?” Sloane agreed.
“Your father is going to be delighted.”
Sloane sighed loudly. “By the Ancients, he is going to be impossible.”
“Maybe Cord can convince him it isn’t true?”
“He’s stopped denying it, have you not noticed?” Sloane propped his chin in his hand.
“You think he knew?”
“No, I saw his face, his reaction was true.” Sloane sighed again, “But he isn’t protesting anymore, I think he agrees.”
“Tegan doesn’t,” Michael countered.
“No,” Sloane grinned as he agreed with that sentiment. “She definitely does not agree.”
“Could this week be any more interesting?” Michael murmured as he relaxed back in his chair. Just then the perimeter alarm went off, loud screeching sirens sounded throughout Headquarters, both males jumped to their feet running for the doors.
“You just had to go and say something, didn’t you?” Sloane glared at his friend as they came to an abrupt stop on the lawn and looked on in astonishment at the hoard of Drakhyn lined up around the perimeter fences of the Headquarter grounds.
“Are you fully armed?” Tove asked Tegan, both of them were standing on the lawn amongst many Sentinels as the Drakhyn swarmed against the fencing.
“I am,” Tegan nodded. An Elite Sentinel approached her and she stood to attention.
“You did not report to your ranked Elite.”
Tegan hadn’t been aware she was supposed to, no one had told her the routine yet. She blamed the fact that she was new here and plus an eighteen-year-old female. The Sentinel looked vaguely familiar, as she stared at him, she realised he had been at her final Trial.
“Tegan is an Elite Sentinel, are you her ranked Sentinel?” Tove never took her eyes off the fence line. “Did you inform her of protocol?” Her eyes slowly left the swarm and regarded the Elite Sentinel steadily.
“I have not yet had a chance to talk with the Principal’s daughter,” the male answered.
“Then the only failing here is yours,” Tove turned her attention back to the fence. “Tegan and I will take the left side, we will need…” she paused as she looked around for more Elite Sentinel and then ran an eye over Tegan, “You ready?” she asked quietly, Tegan rolled her eyes as she pulled her sword from her back. “We’ll need four more.” The Sentinel went to protest but when Tove looked him dead in the eye and raised an eyebrow he quietened. Turning quickly on his heel he yelled out four names and pointed in their direction.
“Making friends everywhere,” Tegan muttered as she fastened her coat.
“These Akrhyn need to learn thattheyearn your respect as much as you earn theirs,” Tove took out two wicked looking curved knives. “May the Ancients bless your sword this day,” she murmured over their drawn weapons.
Four Elite approached them, “Jasper sent us,” one spoke. “You know what you’re doing she-wolf?” Tove bared her teeth at him in reply, his grin was wide as he returned it, baring his own incisors. “Follow my lead?” he asked them both. Tegan nodded while Tove snorted her derision.
“You’re notmyranked Sentinel, I am Tove Dalgaard.” Tove winked as the Elite Sentinel’s jaw dropped in shock. Laughing softly, she started over the manicured grass to the left side of the fencing.
The four followed and Tegan went to do so also when a hand pulled her back. Looking over her shoulder she saw Cord standing there, his hand on her elbow was firm, his gaze on the fence line. “Castor?”
Grey eyes looked at her with…concern?Slowly his hand withdrew from her. “Be careful, little tiger?”
“I know what I’m doing,” Tegan looked up at him, his hood was pulled low but she could still see within the depths. He was staring at her, and despite the hissing of the Drakyhn surrounding her, she found there was no urgency to move away from him.
“When you return, we can talk, I will find a way to break this,” Cord said softly. Disappointment flooded Tegan which confused her and angered her at the same time. Nodding abruptly, she stepped back from him and ran to catch the others.
“Glad you could pull yourself away,” Tove snorted as Tegan joined them.
“Quiet,” Tegan hissed as she saw the other Sentinels look at her and over their shoulders to where Cord still stood, his red robes bright in the morning sun. “I’ve never seen so many in the daylight.”
“I’ve never seenanyin the daylight,” one of the Sentinels to the right said to her.
“None?” Tove asked with a quick glance to Tegan, her surprise evident.