Daughter to the Prince of Death

Chapter 12: Rebellion

After many congratulations and a good hour of excitement, everyone finally disbursed. The castle was still buzzing with a positive energy, but everyone had returned to work or practice.

The soldiers were fighting with a new ferocity. The Blade Team, as soon as the fight ended, went to me and Jackson to offer water and help us shoo out the crowds. The soldiers did have to practice.

We soon were watching over the other practice fights. Once again, the arena returned to normal. The sounds of fighting, of wooden practice weapons clashing, and the smell of the lifting dust fill the arena.

I was overlooking a couple of new recruits, commenting on posture and position.

"Skull Team." Tracker Jackson's colder than usual voice pulls my attention from the practice fight. His stance was rigid and his index finger on his left-hand twitching. I take a few steps closer to my guard, noticing Gabe and Adrian mimicking the action, but tenser.

Before us stood a sneering man. I've seen him practice before from the upstairs classroom. He was large, a little on the bigger side, and with a brownish-orange and turquoise eye. He leers down at us, towering over Jackson as he was only a little smaller than Adrian. Behind him in a V-stance stood skinny almost sickly-looking men, grinning sadistically. In between them looked like average citizens with pitchforks? Their eyes were hungry as they skimmed my figure. A shiver runs down my spine. My eyes dart back across the dark trackers of the Skull Team that were playing with their weapons. The more dangerous of this group of people... My eyes travel to the back of the group to fall on Jules. His face was guilty, but his eyes determined.

My eyes narrow, what is going?

A low hiss resonates in my head, "Rora, grab your weapon."

My eyes widen as adrenaline begins to seep into my bloodstream. I fold my hands behind my back, wrapping my fingers around the dagger sheathed there. I should probably to listen to the creepy voice in my head.

I watch Jackson's own hand slowly move towards his belt.

"Blade team. It seems you are down a member." The leader of the Knife Team, Ordin Nitengull leers, specifically pointing out how Logan was missing.

"Seems you recruited a few more." Jackson's eyes don't leave Ordin's as he mentions the hoard.

Ordin grins, bringing his dagger up to the light, "Ah well. We have a mission we cannot fail."

"And what is that?" Gabe speaks up, suddenly in front of me.

Ordin's eyes sparkle dangerously, "I really shouldn't tell you, my so-called 'competition', but you are weaker than us as a team. So I will. Rebellion."

A command whistle sounds in the distance and I see a blur of curly blonde hair run across the roof of the training area and disappear on the edge. Instantly all soldiers were in formation around us, listening to the command. The men behind Ordin whip out their weapons. In response, the soldiers behind me do the same.

The tension was high.

Jackson smiles humorlessly, "Careful Ordin. Did I hear you suggest treason against the Queen?"

Ordin laughs, his eyes flickering to me. I freeze. "No. I got paid to kill the Queen!"

"FWOOSH!" Without realizing what I was doing, I suddenly fling my dagger into Ordin's hoard. Tici had taken control.

"FWIP! PLING!" The dagger impales into a man right as he releases his arrow. The arrow nicks my cheek, barely missing me. The sudden action left all of us in shock. I would have been dead... He was shooting at me. I just got shot at!!