Out of the Mountain (35 page)

“How do I fix it?”

“The same way you would conjure your form. Just do the ears.”

I quickly did as was told and finally allowed myself a small laugh at what I had done. That was going to come in handy for a nosy girl like me.

“You’re mean!” I pointed at Farran, and he threw a hand to his chest aghast.

“I am no such thing! You are the one who has a mean streak, and if anyone here is considered mean, it would be him,” he said, hitching a thumb at Rowan, and I gave him a nod of agreement.

“I’ll give you that. He can be pretty mean and scary,” I said as I exited the bathroom. He stopped me with an arm, and I turned to face him in question.

“You would do well to remember it,” he grumbled as he slipped a loose piece of hair behind my now-normal ear. I grinned.

“I’m terrified. Can you tell?” I asked Farran, and he rolled his eyes before disappearing.

“You should be more afraid of me, Vinnie. You’ve never been properly afraid of the right things.” Rowan sighed as I pulled my boots on and tucked the small dagger in the left one.

“I heard what you said to Farran.”

“Then you know that he agrees that we should distance ourselves . . . emotionally.”

“Yes . . . and maybe we should.” I tried to think about it, but it was hard without all the details he seemed to be set on keeping from me. I didn’t really want to put any sort of distance between us, but him trying to warn me and pushing me away every time I got close was frustrating. His face was surprise mixed with a hint of disappointment before it went blank again.

“Yes, I think it might be best to step away from this attraction our bond has pulled us into. The sort of bond we have was not what your mother meant for us,” he agreed.

“What do you mean?” I blew out a frustrated huff of air.

“Let us speak of it later. We haven’t enough time now. We have a ritual and training to attend to.”

“Oh, and let’s not forget the dress-fitting afterward.” I groaned, not wanting to spend more time with Mauve, but hoping I could channel Narissa through her again if I did.

***

Rowan stood back and allowed me to bandage my own wound after the ritual, and I was already pouting, regretting my earlier frustrated words that he seemed to take seriously. There was so much I didn’t know about him, so much he wouldn’t tell me . . . and yet I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Then there was the mystery of our bond. What if that was the only thing that made me feel this way? It seemed absurd, but I really had no way of knowing what was going on. I needed to do some research in the library. If no one was going to give me answers, I would go in search of them on my own.

“Fall in line, Vivienne,” Tasmin barked from her spot in front of the novices on the field. I was late after grabbing something to eat after the ritual, and she clearly wasn’t happy with me. Rowan’s form was already disappearing off the field so I knew I was on my own to deal with the mean girls.

“Sorry,” I started to explain, but she cut me off with a hand in the air.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. We all know you find yourself above the rules.”

“Excuse me?” I narrowed my eyes at her harsh tone.

“This is no joke. We will be in battle within a few days, and you are skipping around the palace with your head in the clouds, playing house with someone else’s man and making others waste their time while you do it.” I heard a snicker and turned my glower onto Adelaide. She didn’t hide her grin.

“I have done nothing to you. I suggest you think about what is coming out of your mouth next time,” I growled, anger filling me. We were on the same side here. Was this going to be some sort of repeat of the Cassia drama? I didn’t have time for this.

“Or what? You’re not queen yet, and there is no one here to baby you today. Everyone who’s wrapped around your finger has been called elsewhere. You’ll receive no special treatment from me.”

“Hey, lay off, Tasmin.” Briony bristled, and Adelaide snapped her head toward her.

“You were told to stand silent. Fifty push-ups, now!”

“What?” I growled in disbelief as Briony glowered and dropped to the ground without any hesitation.

“You see, Princess, real novices follow the rules or else they get dropped from the training program. These people all have something to lose, unlike you.” Adelaide sneered.

I was seething. “I think your point is proven. Can we just get into training?”

“This is training for the day. You will learn to follow orders. It is a necessity in battle. If one person doesn’t follow orders, they leave the rest vulnerable. You were late, the rest have stood at attention in silence, and now they will run laps as you stand at attention and watch them.”

“I will run laps like the rest of them.”

“You will stand and watch,” Adelaide growled as she signaled the others to run. This was idiotic, and I was pissed. Who would leave these two mean girls in charge of anything?

I wanted to call out to Farran, but that would only prove their point further. I didn’t want special treatment. Anger was coiling in me, and I felt my tigress bristle. She wanted in on this fight, but I couldn’t allow that to happen. I needed to follow orders so that the others wouldn’t face punishment. I stood stock-still as I watched them run miles. Sweat was pouring down my back; my body was tense and ready to spring. The day was hot, sun rising high in the sky. They had to be miserable.

Guilt washed over me, and when I saw Briony whispering to Luca, eyes on me, I wanted to cry out. When he turned to the others, they seemed to pass along the same message. Glares began shooting my way and pain filled my chest. They were blaming me, and rightfully so. If I had been on time, this wouldn’t have happened.

After a few minutes of this, I noticed the smiles that were on our trainers’ faces and realized this must have been what they were going for. What I didn’t understand was why. Why would they want to turn my friends and teammates against me? After they were all fully glaring and gasping for air in the hot sun, Adelaide called them to halt in front of me.

“Would you like some water, Princess?” Tasmin offered, and I frowned shaking my head.

“Not unless they get water too.”

“Drink it or they will do push-ups.”

“No,” I growled.

“Fifty push-ups, now,” Adelaide shouted, and the others fell to the ground and began the task.

“Give me the damn water!” I complained, and Tasmin shook her head.

“Too late now. Should have followed orders.”

“You are nothing but glorified bullies. This is ridiculous.” I seethed.

“Should have just drank the water, Vivi!” Griffin complained, and I winced at the admonishment.

“Do I sense tension among the ranks? Has your opinion of our princess changed so easily?” Tasmin jested, and I scowled at her.

“You would like that, wouldn’t you?” Luca groaned as he and the others stood finished with their punishment.

“Just trying to prove a point.” She shrugged, and Briony hopped up and stepped forward.

“I thought that might be what you were going for. Trying to get to us turn on our princess, our friend. You have us out here playing petty games when we need to be focusing on more important issues. Honestly, the truth of it is that she is special, she gets special treatment, and she has special privileges. She is a princess! What else would you expect? The power she has unwittingly inherited gives her a purpose to fulfill, and she is making sacrifices to keep us all safe that no other person could. I can’t speak for the rest of them, but it doesn’t make me jealous; it makes me even prouder to call her my friend!” The others grunted and nodded in agreement, and Briony walked to stand beside me. My chest expanded with emotion.

“Whatever issues you have with her, you need to let them drop. She was born into what she is and has no more control over that than the fact that you were born into what you are. She doesn’t put herself up above you; you do that for her. If she had wanted to use her status or power over you today, she would have . . . but she didn’t to prove a point to you that she doesn’t have to,” Luca said. I smiled at him.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if she was all you thought of her?” Adelaide groaned.

“You’re just mad that she snatched Rowan out from under your upturned nose,” Briony hissed getting right to the root of the problem, and Adelaide’s eyes widened with fury. I felt her rush forward before I saw her going for Briony. I knocked her aside and blocked her attempt at a sucker punch.

“Adelaide, Tasmin!” Tamora barked loudly, calling everyone’s attention to her. Adelaide shook off my arm and narrowed her eyes at us in turn before she visibly shook herself.

“I think the lesson is fully taught and understood. Stand by your teammates, no matter what. No further instruction is needed.”

We all looked at one another in confusion. This was a part of an actual lesson? They had meant to see if we would turn on one another. I watched as Tasmin and Adelaide stormed off the field and almost felt bad for them. Tamora and Malachi gave us a snack and water break before splitting us off into pairs to finish the rest of the day sparring.

Upset by the morning’s lesson, we were all more than happy to go our separate ways before dinner. Tensions were already high with the threat of battle so near, and I wasn’t sure trying to spur animosity between us was the best idea. Taylin was waiting for me in the entrance room of the palace when I arrived. I had forgotten about the dress-fitting, and I tried not to groan. I glanced to be sure that Rowan was behind me. Of course he was. My ever-present shadow.

“Come along, dear. I’ve set everything up already,” she said as she pulled me along behind her, up the stairs, and into a room that I had never seen before. The thick door swung open revealing a wall lined with windows, bright light cascaded through them and lit the space. It appeared to be a sort of mixture of a museum and storage unit. Glass cases lined the opposite wall filled with beautiful gowns woven with golden thread. Ornate robes and even a full set of armor were tucked into the corner.

“Some of the royal wardrobe,” Taylin said as she entered an arched doorway and a room that was lined with mirrors. Each was encased in elaborate wooden frames that matched the white crown molding that flowed through the entire palace. I took in my appearance and almost flinched as I hurried to fix myself up a little. Dirt was smeared across the bottom of my left cheek, and my hair was sticking up at an odd angle in my ponytail. My clothes at least were dry and pristine. The training gear was made of a material that was thin and stout. Sweat made no difference in its appearance, unlike my hair. It was matted to the top of my head. I gave up.

“Undress,” Taylin barked, and my eyes met Rowan’s in the mirror.

“I’ll just wait right outside the room.”

“Suit yourself.” Taylin winked, and my mouth dropped open with a laugh as I watched Rowan’s form retreating through the mirror.

“Love to watch him leave,” I joked, and she chuckled before ordering me to undress again. I stood in a strapless bra and panties she supplied and waited for her to slip the dress over my head. It was hanging in a bag. She made me close my eyes before she unwrapped it.

I felt the silky material slip easily over my head. I opened my eyes as she stepped back to look. The dress was beautiful. The top was structured in panels of light-blue silk under a black lace overlay. A closer inspection revealed that the light-blue silk actually faded into deeper darker shades until matching the black underlayer. The lace fell in an asymmetrical line to my left hip, and a long slit up the right side allowed the dress to easily flow around my legs.

“Taylin! It’s perfect.” I squealed excitedly, but she was frowning.

“No. Something is off.” She pursed her lips as she began walking around me. I looked the dress over and couldn’t find a problem.

“Are you sure?”

“You! Rowan! Come, I need assistance,” she barked, and he walked slowly into the room. His eyes fell on me and made a slow trip up and down before looking to Taylin.

“What assistance do you require?” he asked as she walked behind me, and I felt her tug the dress down and pull the fabric together at my lower back.

“Here, hold this while I retrieve my pins. My assistant had a bit of an emergency with one of her children and couldn’t come,” she complained, as if children were the bane of her existence. After a moment of hesitation, I felt his much larger hands replace hers at the small of my back. I tried to fight the urge to lean farther into his hand. She was back in a flash.

“Do not move,” she warned as she began cinching and pinning here and there, fitting the dress more snugly to my body. The top was pulling forward, and my cleavage was all but hanging out. I tried to ignore it, but when it began shifting my bra as well, I decided I should probably mention it.

“You need to adjust the top, Taylin, before I spill out of it,” I grumbled, still afraid to move and be stuck by a pin.

“Help the girl keep her modesty, then. This is the reason I hired an assistant in the first place,” Taylin hissed and I blushed.

“I can do it myself. I just wanted to warn you before I moved.”

“No, you move your arms forward, and it is going to stretch the fabric and pop the pins out.”

Rowan stepped in front of me and quickly adjusted the front of the dress, his fingers deftly pulling the fabric into place. He didn’t linger, and I had to fight disappointment. I swore I saw a grin quirk on his mouth as he stepped back.

“No! Go back and hold it there! That made it a lot simpler to fix the problem,” Taylin griped, and Rowan appeared back in front of me. This time he pulled the dress up and placed his hands on each of my sides to hold in place.

“Perfect!” Taylin complimented as I felt her much smaller hands go to work with the pins once more. I grinned at our awkward position. His eyes were firmly planted on mine, and the grin slowly fell from my lips as the warmth from his hands began to seep through the dress. He held his hands perfectly still, but I couldn’t help but remember the way it had felt when they were on my skin, exploring. His eyes flashed, and I gulped, trying to control myself. He knew what I was feeling, and right now I was feeling pretty hot.