Remarkably, Trey made it through the rest of the weekend without a visit from the headmaster telling him the gig was up. His heart did get an extra jolt when the Grand Oracle showed up to weapons training.


    “Greetings, my fierce null guardians,” the esteemed mage announced, standing beside Jeffers and Karl. I regret that it has taken me this long to join you in a training session; it’s been a busy few weeks. We, myself included, must remain in our peak fighting shape, ready to face whatever comes our way.” His speech was enthusiastic, but Trey couldn’t help but sense an ominous undertone in his voice.


    Trey and Nora paired up to clash swords, purposefully setting up on the opposite side of the training area from where Jeffers and the Grand Oracle were practicing.


    As the two trainees squared off with their swords poised, the clashing sounds of training filled the air around them. Nora had a determined look on her face, but Trey could see the slight grin pulling at the corners of her mouth.


    “Ready to taste defeat, noble warrior?” she teased, her voice light, yet confident.


    Trey chuckled, taking his first swing. “I don’t know why you keep partnering up with me. You can flirt all you want, I’m not going to let you win.”


    With a quick flick of her wrist, Nora parried his strike, then lunged forward. Trey quickly sidestepped, spinning to deliver a counterstrike, but Nora was fast, ducking beneath his swing and jabbing her sword at his side. Trey turned, angling his body so his opponent’s blade ricocheted off his armor.


    “That’s why I have to partner with you,” Nora shot back. “I know that when I beat you, I can beat anyone else.” She unleashed a series of attacks that Trey defended against.


    “Also,” she said through heavy breathing, “the flirting is not for nothing. You certainly like taking it out on me later when we are alone.”


    Trey delivered a powerful blow aimed at his blonde opponent, and although she got her sword in position just in time, the sheer force of the hit sent her sprawling backward, landing roughly on her ass.


    “You really can''t get enough of my sword, can you?” he quipped with a mischievous grin, helping her back up. Trey dodged the punch that Nora threw, and soon the pair were back to clashing swords.


    ***


    Trey strolled into the cafeteria, his growling stomach announcing his entrance. He eagerly piled a mountain of various slices of meat onto his plate—sizzling sausage, tender chicken breasts, savory lamb chops. As he turned to find a seat among the guardians, he found a small, but intimidating figure blocking his path, her arms crossed and brow furrowed.


    “You,” Dana said curtly. “Come with me.”


    Trey opened his mouth to playfully greet her, but she had already spun around, her dark hair whipping behind her as she strode off. He shrugged and followed her to her usual corner. Reaching the table, he finally found the opportunity to use his witty greeting. “Glad to see a little competition can’t ruin a great friendship.”


    “Ah, I see your confusion, “ Dana retorted, doing a nearly perfect job of hiding a smirk. “I didn’t invite you over here because I enjoy your company. Tell me about the sorceress.”


    Trey scratched his head. “The sorceress?”


    “I’ve been hounding Professor Adams, trying to figure out how a water sorceress deflected one of my best fire spells. She, surprisingly, said that I would need to talk to you.”


    “She said that?” Trey said with a frown.


    “This was after I wore her down for three hours,” she admitted, then leaned in closer, her intensity sharpening, “which makes me more intrigued as to why she would suggest talking to you.”


    “I don’t know what I can say,” Trey said, keeping his cool. “She’s a good sorceress, but there was probably some luck involved.”


    “Luck?!” Dana exclaimed. “Can she even do fire magic?!”


    “Maybe,” Trey replied, putting up a confident front while trying to avoid painting himself into a corner. “Water magic is her strength, but she has an interest in fire magic.” He then switched topics, not giving her a chance to respond. “Your dark-fire combinations were absolutely wicked, though. I still don''t know how I managed to defend against that.”


    “But you did,” Dana said bitterly, “and it got me kicked off the team.”


    “What?!” Trey shouted.


    “Shh!” Dana said angrily. “I’m already embarrassed enough without you shouting it to the entire school.”


    “You get embarrassed?” Trey asked, raising an eyebrow.


    A reluctant laugh escaped her, a sound that seemed to surprise them both. “Fayette informed me this morning. Apparently, the whole team unanimously agreed.”


    Trey’s jaw dropped as threads of anger and irritation began swirling in his chest. “You''re the best player on the team. Fuck! You’re the best player at Windrake! Why did they kick you off?”


    “They’ve always just tolerated me,” Dana said, her tone devoid of emotion though her shoulders slumped slightly. “None of them approved of my background. My magic won them matches, so they looked the other way. My last performance gave them a reason to boot me. I was the reason we lost.”


    Trey continued to shake his head in disbelief. “I’m still waiting for you to tell me this is a joke, but I know you don’t do those.”


    Dana glowered at him.


    “What are you going to do now?” he asked.


    “I don’t really enjoy capture-the-flag, anyway,” Dana said nonchalantly, though Trey’s mind magic was not fooled by her blatant lie. “It will be better for me to focus on my magic—so I don’t get beaten by a water sorceress.”


    “Goblin shit,” Trey said, leaning forward. “You’re joining my team. You were practically playing for us in the last match anyway. May as well make it official.”


    Dana shoved him playfully and made a weak effort to conceal the smile that tugged on her lips. “I can’t just join another team.”


    “Why not?” Trey asked, undeterred. “If you can get kicked off a team, then you should definitely be able to join another one.”


    “That sounds like a hassle,” she said, not letting herself get excited.


    “It’s already done,” he declared.


    “Are you the team captain?” Dana asked, crossing her arms.


    “No, that’s Sk… Actually, I think I am the team captain. I’ll still talk with Skye, but you better be prepared to show up to our next match.”


    “And when is that?” she asked.


    There was a long pause. “I’ll ask Skye and get back to you,” he finally answered.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    “And then you’ll ask her how she redirected my fire spell?” Dana threw in.


    “Uh, yeah,” Trey replied. “I’ll be sure to ask her that, too.”


    ***


    Jeffers marched along the front of the null guardians, his boots stomping into the dirt floor of the training grounds while the morning sunlight flickered faintly on his onyx steel armor. Each guardian stood rigidly at attention, eyes forward, waiting for their leader’s announcement. “I have a few missions to assign, including the first one for a guardian initiate. I will start there.”


    He halted in front of the group, his gaze piercing as he surveyed them. "Trey! Professor Kalo wants you for an escort mission at the end of the week. Be sure to report to him by day’s end." Jeffers snuck a glance at Trey. There was a hint of amusement in his expression, knowing the assignment was purely a formality needed to get the young guardian out of classes.


    “Marcus, you’ve been assigned a bounty mission…” Jeffers continued to dole out missions to other guardians. After he concluded, their training carried on as normal.


    Trey was heading off to lunch, wondering what Marvin had in store for him when Nora pulled him aside. “What are you doing with Marvin?”


    “I don’t know,” Trey answered honestly. “My guess is Marvin found new information and wants to jump on it.”


    Nora grabbed his arm, a serious expression covering her normally cheerful face. “Trey, promise me you’ll keep my dad alive.”


    Trey’s heart began beating faster under her steely gaze. “I don’t know if I can—”


    “Trey,” Nora said with desperation leaking into her voice. “I need this.”


    “I promise,” he said, mustering up as much sincerity as he could. He knew disaster was going to strike eventually, but he was hoping to evade it for at least a little bit longer.


    Nora nodded, his words sufficient to temper her fears. “Let’s go eat.”


    Trey huffed. “Don’t forget, we have our lunch meeting with our capture-the-flag team in the cafeteria.”


    “Do you know what it’s about?”


    Trey nodded. “Let’s just say if Skye’s talk with Professor Mavery was successful, we’re about to be the biggest boys in town.”


    “There’s a majority of women on our team,” Nora argued.


    “Do you want to be the biggest girl in town?”


    His comment earned him a slug on the shoulder.


    Trey and Nora entered the cafeteria and quickly grabbed their lunch before making their way to a table where members of their capture-the-flag team were already digging into their meals.


    “Alright,” Skye announced, “I’ve gathered you all here because a… situation has come up that might affect the composition of our team. There’s someone who wants to join our team from the Wyvern team, and after discussing it with Professor Mavery, she’s agreed to let it happen as long as we trade them a mage from our team.”


    “The Wyvern team wants one of us?” Jeremiah asked, his interest piqued.


    Mako jumped in. “I would very much prefer to stay on this team.”


    Trey regarded Mako with interest. The dark mage had light brown hair and dark brown eyes that darted back and forth among the people at the table.


    “You guys wouldn’t be too mad if I volunteered?” Jeremiah asked hesitantly.


    Skye shook her head. “Not at all. We wish you the best of luck. Our two teams won’t play each other again, so we will be cheering for your success.”


    “Thanks,” Jeremiah said. “Sooo… Is that it?”


    “Yes,” Skye replied. “You should find Fayette. I’ll let Professor Mavery know we came to an agreement. Trey, you let Dana know she’s on the team.”


    Trey nodded and returned to his food.


    Most of the other teammates left after the meeting adjourned. Nora ate a bit longer and left as well, leaving Trey and Skye behind at the relatively empty table.


    “I’m glad Mako chose to stay,” Skye said. “We’ve been talking a lot. She takes Papa’s dark magic class.”


    “Yeah,” Trey responded. “She’s an interesting one.”


    “Marvin hasn’t given you any more strife, has he?” Skye asked.


    Trey smirked at her. “No, you scared him straight.”


    Skye gave him a satisfied grin.


    “How long have you known?” Trey asked.


    “Known what?”


    Trey tilted his head, giving her a sly look.


    Skye tried and failed to maintain a straight face. “You think I didn’t notice you trying to learn fire magic?! You had the most impatient teacher ever, too!”


    Trey winced with agreement. “Marvin wasn’t the best at teaching fire magic,” he said.


    “I heard you two arguing through the walls,” Skye said, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you’re surprised I knew.”


    Trey froze for a split second. “You heard us arguing about fire magic?”


    “I couldn’t hear specific words,” she clarified, “but I would go check the cellar after you were done and you always left scorch marks and the lingering smell of smoke behind.”


    Trey began breathing again. “It’s not like you to keep something that to yourself.”


    “I still don’t know why we’re keeping it a secret,” Skye scoffed. “We are at a magic academy. You should be learning magic.”


    “I can’t talk about it yet,” Trey said, “but do you know what we can talk about? Your birthday!”


    “That is an acceptable change in topic,” she said with a bright smile.


    “Are you excited?” he asked, leaning toward her.


    “Very much so,” she replied.


    “Do you know what you want?”


    “Yup,” she replied quickly.


    “Care to clue me in?” Trey asked, taking a bite off his plate.


    Skye blushed slightly, but then recomposed herself. “I have a request for Papa and a request for you.”


    Trey raised an eyebrow. “It’s your birthday. Let me know what you want and I’ll make it happen.”


    “Promise?” she asked giddily.


    “Promise.”


    “Perfect,” Skye said enthusiastically. “For my birthday, I want you to take me on a nice date in Greshelm—”


    “Soup and breadsticks with dancing after?” Trey interjected, proving he knew her well.


    Skye’s eyes lit up. “That sounds amazing! And then after our date, I want you to make me a woman.”


    Trey choked on the food in his mouth, pounding his chest a couple of times before nervously glancing around to see if anyone was listening to their conversation.


    “Skye, I don’t think you know what that means—”


    “I know exactly what it means,” she said dryly, her face firm with stubborn determination.


    “Skye,” Trey said, lowering his voice, “I can’t do that. Our relationship is… different.”


    “I know it’s different,” she shot back in a frustrated tone. “That’s why I’m using my birthday wish to change it. You said you’d make it happen. You promised.”


    ”I can make the date happen,” he countered. “The other stuff? That’s a line I don’t know if we should cross.”


    “Why do Nora and Eva get to cross that line while I have to sit by and watch?” Skye pouted.


    “One, I hope you’re not watching, and two, I haven’t had sex with Eva.”


    “Really?” Skye said, tilting her head. “She asks questions about you all the time. She’s definitely interested in you.”


    Trey chuckled despite the situation. “I don’t think her interest is romantic.” He then scrunched his face. “You haven’t told her about my magic, right?”


    “Of course not,” she answered. “I protect your secrets with my life, which is why you owe me. Would it be that much of a chore to take my virginity?”


    “Skye!”


    “Trey, pleeease? I’ll act more like Nora. I won’t pay attention at all in our next History of Magic class. I can suck your dick in the back of the class—”


    Trey placed a hand on her shoulder, interrupting her pleading. “I don’t want you to act like Nora. I like you the way you are.”


    “Even if I didn’t have any clothes on?” she asked, scooting under his arm. “Could you like me then?”


    His shoulders sagged under her persistence. “Surely there’s someone else…” He paused, not liking the direction he was headed, which Skye astutely caught onto immediately.


    “If you won’t do it, then you have to find someone who will,” she declared.


    “No,” he said simply.


    “Actually,” she said while holding a finger up. “I’m going to pick someone and you will set it up.”


    “No,” he repeated adamantly.


    “If you don’t want me, I’m sure Derrick will.”


    “No!” he said, more force creeping into his voice than he intended.


    Skye rose from her seat. “It’s either you or Derrick. Your choice.” She turned and left the table.


    “I know what you are doing,” he called after her. “It’s not going to work.”


    There was no response as the sorceress disappeared in the crowd.


    Fuck! It’s totally going to work.


    Trey was certain—well, almost certain—Skye would never go near Derrick in a million years, but even if it was another guy, he knew his feelings would still be tangled and messy. He found Skye attractive, but he prided himself on his ability to govern his feelings for her. He had always known Skye would eventually find someone else and he would have to let her go—that is, until he pulled a rather salacious vision out of Nora’s head.


    Trey decided to distract himself with something else that was pressing. He needed to tell Marvin that there was another assassin targeting him.