Warrior's Rise (5 page)

“Okay, we get your point, man!” Darien snapped.

Logan still ignored him and turned his wrathful finger to Pigtails. “And who cares about your stupid dragon warrior myths? Are they relevant to life? Do they have any significance in the world around you? No. They’re just nonsense. Ridiculous, childish games for ridiculous, childish kids like all of you—” Logan attempted to gasp in a breath, but that was made greatly impossible because of Darien’s fist forcing all of the air out of his body by plunging into his gut. He was stunned and shocked because the kid looked lanky, but had socked him harder than any grown man he had ever brawled with. He actually, much to his own humiliation, had to sink to his knees.

“You’re the one who is childish and ridiculous, you stupid moron!” Darien shouted as he loomed over him. “Why are you even here? We never asked to be treated like crap by some stupid alpha male who gets his kicks out of shooting things and bossing around a bunch of teenagers! You say that we have no idea what it’s like to exist in the real world, but we’re all doing just fine! You’re the one who thinks you’re all that because you’re a ‘man’s man’ and can verbally bash a bunch of kids. Yeah, that makes you some kind of hero, doesn’t it? I want to be just like you when I grow up.” The venom and sarcasm in his voice fairly dripped from his lips, and his blue eyes had darkened to resemble a turbulent sea. He shook his head in obvious disgust. “You’re one of those people that people like us,” he indicated the entire group, “absolutely hate.” He turned and stormed off down the path, his back rigid.

Pigtails glanced from Darien back to Logan before turning and running after him, taking his arm. Four Eyes slunk away and the Japanese girl gave a black glower. Big Scary hocked a big one, spat, then turned and strolled away also.

Logan watched after them for a minute, then eased himself into a sitting position and tried to will the throbbing in his midsection to go away.

* * * *

“We’d like to file a complaint!”

Willow turned with a bewildered expression as the door of her office burst open and Aki barreled in, followed by the rest of the group she had assigned to Logan. She suppressed a groan, afraid of where this was going to go. “Already?” she questioned. “It’s only been a week since you got here.”

Willow’s eyes widened and she stood straight. “Darien
what?”

The unanimous tirade stopped and Darien sighed, letting his shoulders slump. “Yeah, I kinda belted him. He was making fun of us!”

Willow frowned. “It doesn’t matter what he was doing, Darien. He’s your counselor. Nothing gives you the authority to behave like that. Violence never solves anything.”

“Jail—Great!” Colt cried, throwing his hands up into the air. “Not only is he a douche bag, but he’s a
felon
!”

“Why did you stick him with us?” Darien asked. “The guy’s a complete nightmare. This is my last summer here and he’s totally wrecking it.”

“I stuck you with him because I knew that, out of everyone, you five could handle him. If nothing else, I knew you would be fine entertaining yourselves if you had to. I didn’t have a choice, and like it or not, even though I view you as my friends, I’m still your teacher and head counselor. What I say goes and you have no choice but to obey my rules.”

Doug averted his eyes to the ground and sighed. “But he’s such a
loser.”
He turned slowly and made his way out after his friends.

Willow heaved a sigh and sat down in her desk chair. Logan Savage was a thorn in her side. He was conceited, rude and now had her students punching people. That was great. She had enough mayhem, chaos and violence in her life. She didn’t need it to be made worse by a criminal with a chip on his shoulder.

“Dang, Sis, what was all that about?”

Willow whirled in her chair to look at the tall, sandy-haired vision of her brother. “Tiyenen,” she murmured. She frowned. “How the heck did you get in here?”

He raised his eyebrows playfully. “I have my ways.”

She gave a dry laugh. “Yeah, ways that would get you arrested in the modern world. What’s going on?” She got out of her chair and turned to face him.

“Just checking up on you. Everyone’s been concerned since you haven’t come to see us in awhile. I told them I would visit and report back to them.”

Willow smiled. “How are things at home? Quiet, I hope?”

He shook his head. “Not since her last attempt at an attack. As far as I know, after we were able to get Hector out of her clutches, she went back into hiding, no doubt to plot her next move.” Tiyenen shook his head. “Hector didn’t tell her any information… Even though she tortured him for hours before we could get to him. She still doesn’t know where our people are…” He swallowed and looked down. “Hector died, though. As soon as we got him home.”

Willow looked away as tears burned behind her eyes. “He was always so loyal.” She jumped as a harsh knock sounded on her door and she motioned Tiyenen into her bathroom.

Tiyenen frowned. “Why do I have to hide?”

She shoved him in. “Because humans are about as trustworthy as our enemies are. You have pointed ears, T. Think that might raise some questions?”

His frown deepened as he touched the tip of one of his ears. “Okay, ouch, way to point out my insecurities, Willow. It’s not my fault that Grandpa was part elf and I just happened to get his genetic makeup.”

She rolled her eyes and shoved him in further so she could close the door. “Shut up and stay put.” She turned away from the bathroom right as Logan entered her office without even bothering to wait for her consent. He was scowling. She closed her eyes for a moment, counted to ten, sighed, and put her hands on her hips as she faced him. “What do you want? It’s rude to just barrel into someone’s office without waiting for approval.”

Chapter Five

Logan ignored Willow’s scornful tone and continued into the room. He couldn’t decide if he was pissed off or actually hurt. He’d been on his way to her cabin at the same time the kids had been on their mission to verbally assault him and they’d gotten there a half second before him. He’d waited around the side and had heard everything the kids had said about him through the open window. It was strange how being called a loser had made his heart feel funny in his chest. He wasn’t the sort of person who cared what other people thought about him, but having a tiny, pipsqueak geek of a kid call
him
a loser just plain stung.

He jerked his thumb in the direction of the door. “Why did that kid call me a loser?” he grumbled.

Willow shrugged her slender shoulders. “Must have been what he thought.” She arched an eyebrow. “I’m sure calling them all childish, ridiculous freaks had something to do with it.”

Logan let out something resembling a growl. “Did they fail to mention what kind of torture they’ve put me though over the last few days? One of them tried to burn down the forest and I thought they were going to put me in an early grave the day we went rafting. They all kept falling out of the boat! Not to mention one of them
bludgeoned
me with trail mix in a sock!” He pointed to his head. “And then today they just kept yammering on and on about stupid crap that doesn’t matter! Oh yeah, right before the leader of the pack decided to wail on me!”

Her face remained impassive. “I’m impressed you didn’t hit him back. You are, after all, notorious for your fists.”

He met her eyes in confusion. Why did she keep taking stabs at him like that? What was with all of these people? Did they really view him as the bad guy? What the crap had he ever done to them? He snorted. “I don’t understand why you enable those kids. They should be learning valuable things. Not filling their heads with nonsense about dragon myths and
Star Wars.
I mean, I liked the movies as much as the next guy, but they’re
not real!
”

She folded her arms. “Let me ask you something, Mr. Savage? Do you think that the
Star Wars
realm was real to George Lucas? That man had to have lived and breathed that world. What about J.R.R. Tolkien? He created a masterpiece that made the man a literary immortal. I’d bet anything he lived and breathed
his
world. There is nothing wrong with creativity and there is nothing wrong with liking fantasy, even if it’s stupid to you. You have no right to try and tell anyone what to like and what not to like.” She waved her hand in aggravation and frowned. “These kids are gifted in so many things and you don’t even bother to see it! All you see are a bunch of nerds that people like you probably would have pantsed and shoved into lockers in high school while you and your stupid jock friends had a good laugh! You think Bill Gates was popular in school? Well I bet all the jocks that shoved
him
into lockers aren’t laughing now! What about Tim Burton? He’s a little out there, isn’t he? Too bad he’s completely famous! Or what about Stephen King?”

Logan blinked in bewilderment as Willow became more and more impassioned.

“You have no right to judge other people, Mr. Savage. You don’t know what anyone’s potential is.” Her eyes narrowed and she came up close to him so she could stare him straight in the eye. “You want to know what makes me sick? Men like you thinking they’re so big and so bad when, really, all they’re doing is making fools out of themselves.”

Logan frowned. “What are you talking about? I’m successful in life! I have a good job and—”

“And you got arrested for attacking an officer of the law in a bar, probably while you were completely smashed! Yeah, that’s really mature. Shows your level of success, doesn’t it, having a criminal record? And it
soooo
shows your level of manhood to insult a bunch of teenagers.” She rolled her eyes. “Does it make you feel powerful to make a child feel small?”

He took a step back as if she’d actually hit him. She should have for the way waves of hurt suddenly washed over him. It was an odd reaction, unlike him, but he felt it all the same. Her gaze was calm, but held so much fire he swore he could feel his flesh melt.

“You can think you’re as all that as you want, Mr. Savage, but you’re not king of the mountain here. You’re just an annoying insect that won’t go away. You can keep pretending you’re God’s gift to the world, but know that, when you’re back is turned, everyone here is laughing at you.” She waved her hand and turned, dismissing him.

Logan stared at her for a minute, completely and totally speechless. He lowered his gaze to the ground and furrowed his brown in confusion, then turned on his heel and left the room, slamming the door behind him. He didn’t even know what to think, or what to feel. He’d never in his whole life had someone hand him his butt on a plate like that. She honestly, truly loathed his very existence. She thought he was a loser too…

“
Do you want to grow up to be a loser, boy? Is that what you want? To be a pansy? Grow some balls! No man of merit winces when he’s in pain, or shivers when he’s cold! No man ever cries! Stupid boy…”

Logan squeezed his eyes shut at the unwanted voice and the memory of a sharp, stinging pain across his shoulders. He shook his head to dispel it and headed towards his cabin, his carefully shielded emotions in turmoil for the first time in years.

* * * *

He looked down at her. “I mean it, Sis. There’s something about him that seems…” He cleared his throat. “Well, seems like a…warrior?”

She stared up at him for a moment, then scowled. “Have you been doing pixie dust again?”

Tiyenen snorted in disgust. “No! Come on, Willow! You know I gave that stuff up! I mean it! I like him…” He slid a sly look in her direction. “You should get to know him better.” He raised a mischievous eyebrow and smirked.