Ezra, Thomas and I were in Byron's office going over some statistics for the next Rank. We were discussing the Counsel's latest meeting.
"Well, it makes sense that they want to make a play at the throne" Thomas shrugged, he handed me the latest statistics on the girls in my class. I could be going up against any of the girls listed. "Nobody has claimed that there is an Heir."
"Nobody will" Ezra sighed. He put his feet up on Byron's desk. Byron slapped his legs knocking them off.
"What I don't like is the RFG" Thomas shook his head. He was shuffling papers in his hands. "That feels like it will be a hostile take over. They are trying to win people over."
"Well yeah, they need a Guard to protect them. What about King Phillip?" The three of us turned to Byron.
"The latest news is that he is considering war but he is willing to negotiate if the three Immortals that were caught are released."
"Three Immortals?" We asked at the same time.
"Three male Immortals" Byron replied meaningfully. Ezra put his feet back up. Byron got to his feet and smacked them. "Get your feet off my desk or you'll get repetitions"
"Shits getting real now" Ezra rolled his eyes at Byron. "So they are still capturing people for information. I thought having Rima in the Counsel would have cooled things down"
"No, there are Officers watching her. From the reports there have been Guards from Charles post watching her. Our assumption is that it is only a matter of time before they try to get information out of her."
"Damn" Thomas leaned back into his chair.
"It won't be a problem, even if she doesn't remember who you are- you will be safe" Byron took a seat but kept an eye on Ezra. "The most powerful memory charms were placed on her"
"Can they be broken?"
"Nope- only by the person that created them and they are in this school so we are safe." Byron leaned on his hand. He put his feet up on his desk. Ezra let out a scoff.
"So are we supposed to wait around for the next year and a half until we are officially Guardians" Ezra asked. I made a face. He was right, we couldn't just wait around and do nothing.
"Unfortunately yes, you have sit around and let Ronald and the Counsel handle it."
"What about the Heir?" Thomas pressed. Ezra and I met eyes. He was going to be insistent and nobody was going to take his mind off of it.
"Nobody has told me anything about an Heir." Byron shrugged. "Like Rima has said, you are my only concern now. I won't worry about an Heir not until they tell us who he is"
"Well they can't possibly think that keeping him a secret for another year is going to help any of us. If they discover us then the Heir is exposed. What if King Phillip decides to declare war? It would tip over in favor and we would be at war without a full-sized Guard and only one Guardian."
"I know that it is a difficult situation to not worry about. But you have to trust that they are doing everything they can to protect you for at least a year and a half. We have powerful Wizards and Witches that know that you three are important to us and to our safety so just wait, for a year and a half."
"Right you can say that" Ezra snorted. He threw his hands up stretching his back. "But I feel like I should start sleeping with an eye open now that Charles is allowed to come to campus."
"Worry about your next Rank and let me take care of Charles. He has requested visiting but it has been pushed until December for our Winter Festival. Just hang tight"
The next Ranks were difficult. Again I had back-to-back Ranks. I Ranked first in both of them. Byron started to date some girl from a different school so I barely saw him on the weekends. She didn't visit him but I knew it was a matter of time before we met her.
For Ranking first, Henri and I were invited to a small party for Counsel members. It would be on campus but it started late in the night.
"No" I laughed, pushing Henri away. He took my hands and held me against him. We hadn't talked about that night. It was the pink elephant in the room. He was careful when he put his hands on me. "We are not going"
"Yes" Henri nodded enthusiastically. "It will be so much fun and besides you are my girlfriend so you are expected to go"
"You know I can't. I have a curfew" I lowered my voice. Henri rolled his eyes.
"Nobody is going to know. You aren't going off campus. We are just going to a small get together"
"It isn't a small get together" I pushed him away. "It is a party; a ball, Henri, for Counsel members. I am not getting repetitions again"
Henri gave me a stern look.
"Please, come with me" Henri's lower lip started to tremble. He was giving me giant puppy eyes.
"No...NO!" I laughed at him.
"I hate you" I put on my masquerade mask. "If I am caught. I am breaking up with you"
"No you aren't" Henri held out his arm which I took. We hid in the dark corners of the castle as we made our way to the party. Luckily, Byron wasn't in the Counsel or he wasn't the son of a member so he couldn't go.
It was a masquerade ball so the girls were wearing elaborate giant dresses and gorgeous masks. Henri was wearing a black suit and a black mask. We had figured out how to tie his bowtie so Byron wasn't needed this time.
My dress was ivory and I was wearing a gold mask.
"Can we not stay very long?" I took Henri's hand. "If I am caught, I might as well sign up for my own repetitions for a month."
"Sure, we can leave in about two hours or so. I just have to make sure I attend" he winked. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Fine, it isn't like they are going to recognize you. You are wearing a mask" I poked his cheek.
"Henri" someone called to him as soon as we walked in. Henri smirked at me. I tried to make a face at him under my mask.
"I'm recognizable, mostly because I've been wearing the same mask for the last couple of years" he chuckled. He took my hand and pulled me along.
"I told Ronan that you would wear the same mask again this year. He owes me a couple of gold coins."
"Ha, tell him to pay up" Henri chuckled. "Fred, this is my girlfriend Iris"
"Hi Fred Dean" he held out his hand. "So you are the Immortal girl that this pathetic goblin is dating"
"Shut up" Henri smacked him with a chuckle.
"It is just weird you know. Goblins usually don't get to hook up with Immortal girls" Fred winked at me.
"He paid me" I joked. A look of disbelief crossed Fred's face. "I'm joking" Henri and I both laughed. Heads turned our way.
"Henri" we turned to a tall guy with a white mask.
"Ronan, hows it going buddy?" Henri gave him a one-armed hug.
"Damn how much do I owe you?" he gave Henri a nasty look. "So who is this?"
"Iris, Ronan Stevenson. The best goblin racer this school ever has had."
I was slightly confused by what he was talking about. I did not know anything about what kind of racing or any other kind of sport the school had.
"Yeah tell that to my parents. They think I'm wasting my time" Ronan rolled his eyes. "A pleasure Iris. Immortal?"
"Yeah, I know" Fred put an arm around Ronans' neck. "Since when do Immortals date Goblins. You have any friends you want to introduce us to?"
"Umm, yeah" I remembered Carly and Irma. "I have two actually and they are Immortals. You guys should join us for breakfast in the morning and I'll introduce you"
Fred and Ronan looked at each other.
"Dude, I love your girlfriend" Fred released Ronan. He hugged me tightly. "Bring her around more often."
We left them talking amongst themselves.
"Why is it weird that we are dating?" I asked him in a low voice. Henri waved at a few people. There were others that were staring. I realized that most of the people at the party were Goblins.
"Years ago one of your old kings created a law banning Goblins and Immortals to get together. In fact only Immortals and Wizards and Witches were allowed to get together and since then we haven't"
"I see" I cleared my throat. I guess it would explain a lot since my grandmother was thrilled that I was dating Henri. "Will it matter that I'm here?"
"No, it won't." Henri leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "It shouldn't bother anybody else if it doesn't bother us." He wasn't quite convincing. I felt like if we were being watched the entire night. His friends seemed to be fine with it but there were others that didn't approach us.
I had a feeling that many weren't tolerant with us dating.
"What do you mean you don't know anything about racing? What rock have you been living under?" Ronan laughed. The boys were drinking. They found it amazing that it wouldn't affect me.
"Under a really heavy Immortal rock" I responded which made them all laugh.
"You should come to some of our practices, we start training once the snow melts. Races start in April. Bring her along, Henri"
"They are a lot of fun, what about Broomsticks versus Dragons is that going on this year."
"If we find enough players this year. Headmistress Allison was upset that so many players got hurt last year but those are the risks" Fred shrugged. "Anyway, have another drink."
"I can't" I told them. "My mentor would have a fit if he found out that I'm drinking besides I could easily drink all of you under the table" I teased.
"Yeah that's not cool. What is your track?" Ronan asked.
"Guard" I responded in one word. They raised their eyebrows. They also lifted their cups up to me.
"That's quite a load for a girl" Ronan teased. I gave him a dirty look. "Whose your mentor?"
Henri's jaw hardened which Ronan noticed.
"No" Fred's eyes widened with amusement. "Not"
"Byron Enden" I answered trying to hold back a smile. They all groaned with dislike.
"That stuck up jerk is your mentor?" Ronan made a face. "He tried to fail me in two classes. He thinks he is the man now that he is a professor."
"Nobody likes Enden here" Henri whispered in my ear. "There is one thing that Goblins can agree on and that's that we all hate Byron Enden."
"Yeah especially since he is the biggest prat in the world." Fred lifted his mouth in dislike.
"Why don't you guys like him?" I asked interested. I had never gotten a clear answer from Henri or Byron. Byron had to have done something to have so many people dislike him.
"He's a dick" Fred answered. "A stuck- up dick"
I snorted into my hand at the really bad pun.
"We were fourth years and Byron was you know tolerable. Anyway, the big fight between Henri and Byron got the whole school involved. It got to the point that either you were for a Goblin or Immortals. So a group of Byron's friends and in my opinion, I'm sure that he was involved, they played a prank on us. Henri was poisoned days before the tournament, he almost died."
"Byron, he wouldn't do that" I blinked in surprise. I knew him well enough by now to know that he was a goody-two shoes. He would never do anything to sabotage a match.
Henri rolled his eyes.
"He is the only one besides me that could get into Dr. Nan's storage room." Henri responded. "I know it was him and he threw the match off anyway. It was him he probably felt guilty afterwards." Henri made a face of dislike.
I opened my mouth to argue but I settled on shrugging. From the sounds of it nobody knew what Byron was like. It made sense to me that Byron would have taken the money if he needed it.
"I spend almost all day with him, can we not talk about Byron." I grumbled lifting my drink to my mouth. I was only drinking a lemonade much to the boys' dismay. "Tell me more about the races?" I smiled taking Henri's hand.
We ended up staying more than two hours. Henris' friends were too drunk so we took them to their room. I followed Henri to his room. I figured I would take an alternate route to my room.
He lifted my mask from my face. His thumb brushed my lower lip.
"You are amazing" he whispered. I turned my face slightly from him. "Everything about you is amazing"
"You are just wonderful" I replied. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. "What would I do without you?"
"Probably sleeping instead of being out here with me" he shrugged with a grin. "Thanks for easing the tension tonight"
I lifted the mask of his face.
"Is that why you brought me along?" I lifted an eyebrow. "You should have just told me. My job is to make as many friends as possible"
"You charmed your way towards their hearts so it wouldn't have mattered if I told you or not." he shrugged. He opened the door to his room. I followed him inside. I was in his arms as soon as the door was closed.
His lips moved urgently against mine. He had forgotten about being cautious around me. He pushed me against the edge of his bed and I fell backwards. I tugged him down with me.
He put my arms around his neck. I closed my eyes wanting his lips against my neck. His lips against my skin made me melt.
His hand brushed my side and I heard the zipper of the dress. My hands started to push back his jacket. I fondled with his bowtie trying to loosen it.
He lifted me up slightly and started to pull down my dress.
I bit my lip backwards feeling his fingers on my skin. His lips met mine and I opened my mouth obligingly. My heart was speeding up at the thought of us together. We hadn't discussed it but right now-
His fingers touched my right side and I let out a loud gasp. I felt him smile underneath my lips. He was mistaking my reaction.
He tugged on my dress. Again, his fingers touched me but this time his fingers dug into my skin. I squirmed uncomfortably.
"Henri" I lifted my mouth from his. It didn't sound urgent, my voice sounded breathless and moan-like. I pushed on his chest. "Henri" I lifted myself up. He yelped jumping off of me.
He flickered the light on. There were burned hand-prints on his white shirt.
"I'm sorry, Henri" I shook my head frantically. My hands were burning up. I waved them trying to die down the flame. I started to zip off my dress.
"Iris"
"No, I-I" I started to panic. My head was starting to spin. I could feel fingers digging into my side. I hurried out of his room.
"Iris" he yelled behind me. I hurried away turning into a different hallway. I hid around the corner. I held my breath trying to catch my breath and trying to calm my mind down.
"Calm down" I breathed. "Its okay" I shook my head.
"Iris?" I turned to find Byron with a bag in his hand. I wiped my face. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing" I had been wandering around the school. I knew Henri would be waiting by my room.
"What's wrong? What happened?" he looked shocked. My fingers were black so I probably looked like a crazy woman. "Come to my office"
"Byron, no. I'm perfectly fine" I sobbed trying to stop the tears.
"Either you come to my office or I give you repetitions for a month for being out after curfew" he replied meaningfully. "You decide"
He handed me a cup of tea. He was clearly spending a lot of time with Professor Curt. I took it without arguing.
"Why is your hair a mess and your dress?" I adjusted it. I shook my head in response.
"Tell me, Iris. Something is bothering you" He pointed at my torso. There was a singed mark. I cringed in response.
The tea was too hot so I placed it on the desk. Instead of sitting across from me in front of his desk he sat down next to me.
"It is embarrassing" I admitted to him. I grabbed my hair and tried to fix into a bun. "I can't tell you about it"
"Iris you can tell me anything, I thought we were friends, remember?" he leaned on his hand waiting for me. I grabbed my hands holding them tightly. I glanced down at my hands remembering that I had burned Henri.
"I burned Henri" I grimaced.
"What?" he sat up. "Did you burn him? How much?" he didn't seem concerned about him. He actually sounded rather pleased. I gave him a dirty look, he put his hands up but didn't bother hiding the smile.
"We were kissing"
The smile fell off quickly.
"in his room and he" I cleared my throat.
"Did he hurt you?" Byron got to his feet angrily. "What did he do to you?" he towered over me. I cringed away from him.
"No. Oh my god, NO!" I exclaimed knowing what was running through his head. "It was nothing like that. I wanted to be with him too" I admitted out loud. Byron's mouth fell open. I made him sit back down. "We were kissing and you know things were getting erm, um interesting" I cringed. Byron made a face at me. I rolled my eyes at him. I knew he was sleeping with his new girlfriend, he had been in such a good mood lately. "He touched me"
He gave me a look like duh-dummy.
"My scar"
His face slowly cleared up.
"He touched my scar" I pointed to my right side. "It scared me- I felt like if" my voice trailed off. "It was real again"
"Oh" Byron cleared his throat. "And you burned him?" his lips twitched. He looked amused by the thought. I reached over and slapped his knee.
"It was on accident. I didn't mean to do it. I just" I put my hands around myself. "It just happened."
"Did you tell him that?"
"No, I started to panic and I ran out" I shook my head covering my face. "How embarrassing"
He put his hand on my shoulder, which made me drop my hands.
"No, it isn't. It is perfectly normal."
"Ezra and Thomas have touched the scars" I whispered. They had helped clean up the wounds when they were still fresh.
"That's because they are connected to you" Byron brushed a few strands of hair away. "You trust them with your life. With Henri it is different- he is your boyfriend." He shrugged.
"But, it scared me" I admitted to him. He took my hands and held them in between his.
"Sleeping with him" he tilted his head.
"No, yes. I don't know. I wanted to sleep with him" I shrugged, my eyes dropped to our hands. "But the idea of being that close to someone scared me. I was scared of having someone touch my scars"
"Iris" his voice was soft and gentle. I couldn't look at him. I felt like if I was bearing my soul to him. "If you aren't ready to sleep with him then tell him. He has to understand if he doesn't, he isn't worth it."
"I know" tears came to my eyes. I blinked them away quickly. "But what if I wont' ever be ready?" I finally met his dark green eyes. They were soft and full of understanding. "The thought of him putting his fingers on my skin- where he will feel the scars scares me."
"Iris, we all knew it was going to take time to heal. It only has been a couple of months not even a full year. Talk to him just like you are talking to me right now. Tell him you are scared. There is nothing wrong with that"
"I just" I hung my head. "Byron, what if he doesn't understand?" I lifted my eyes so I could look at him. "When I imagined sleeping with someone, it wasn't him. It was always"
"Me" his cheeks turned slightly red. He didn't lift his gaze from me.
"Always with you and when he put his hands on me. I realized that it wouldn't happen with you and that sucked because I thought and I have been trying to get over you" My hands turned to fists.
"Get up" he motioned for me to stand. He had me lean against the desk. He started to unzip the dress.
"What are you doing?" I didn't stop him.
"Proving something" he lifted my arm out of the way. He pulled the dress slightly aside. He had seen the scars before but he had never touched them. He gently placed his fingers on my skin.
My skin started to crawl but it wasn't bad. Chills ran down my spine.
"You and I had something, Iris. You trust me because you know I would do anything for you" he held my arm. He eyed the tattoo momentarily but didn't comment on it. He zipped up my dress. "and I know you would do anything for me. Trust him too, he isn't going to judge you or the scars. He knows what happened to you."
"Yes" I dropped my arm. "I trust you completely as much as Ezra and Thomas. But"
"Don't you trust him? Or what you said a few months ago- that you trust him as much as you did me; Was that a lie?" he arched an eyebrow. He put his hands on either side of my shoulder. "You like him. I see it, Iris. What are you afraid of?"
"I don't know" I shrugged. "A lot of things"
"Getting physical with him?"
"No, that's not it" I grabbed his jacket. I picked at the button. "Getting heartbroken again" I tugged on his jacket. "It hurt, Byron. He means so much to me and when I'm with him I forget about everything and everyone" he added pressure to my shoulders and I looked up at his eyes. "He is wonderful and fun but when we kiss- I am afraid of getting hurt again. Because my anxiety kicks in" I sighed frustrated. "I am scared of letting myself fall for him like I did for you and then having him leave for the Counsel or just decide that I'm too much of a hassle because I'm a Guardian." I admitted my fears to him. "It is going to hurt, Byron. I know it because the more I try to push myself away and try to set up lines- the more I realize that I am falling for him. I want to be with him but if he goes" I stopped talking. I had expected an annoyed jealous look on his face but there was something unexpected. It was understanding. His face was warm and full of understanding which was something I wasn't expecting.
"Tell him everything you told me" Byron brushed my cheek with his thumb. "Tell him what you really feel because I know that he will understand. He is a good kid, Iris. So are you"
I left his office slightly disoriented and disappointed. I wasn't expecting it to go the way it had gone. I thought he was going to tell me had feelings for me. It was even more frustrating that while I had feelings for Byron, I was really falling for Henri.