“I knew you were hiding that Syngeneia strength,” Heidi said in a rare compliment.
“Percy, stay behind us,” Ana commanded as I struggled onto my wobbly legs, my vision blurred at the edges, still nauseous from using my own magic. What was happening? Why was the Academy Guard attacking us?
“I’M WARNING YOU!” Ana called, her voice cold and assured, but I could hear the slight quiver at the end. I saw the nervous way her hands flexed at her sides.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
There was no answer. A gun was fired—the sound loud—and I was back at the river’s edge, running for my life, heart pounding, a fog of panic descending over me.
Ana screamed, but not in pain—it was high-pitched, something that sounded unnatural and hurt my ears. My chest felt tight. Two guards collapsed, falling forward to their knees. Another stumbled back, hand to his chest, before falling.
“Ma’am!” a voice called to me, and I turned as one of Selene’s Royal Guards ran towards me, his weapon raised and aimed.
“Are you all there is?” Heidi asked, her voice strained, jaw tensing with effort as she kept half the guards blind and lost.
“OPEN FIRE!” one of the Academy guards shouted.
“ENOUGH!” came a roar. I clutched at my tightening chest, and the Academy guards stood down.
The royal guard reached me and took hold of my wrist, pulling me behind him. I clutched at the back of his Borealis-blue uniform, the thick fabric scrunched in one hand for support, my other hand gripping my chest as I struggled to fill my lungs. Fear consumed me—I felt like I was on water, swaying.
“I radioed for backup. Don’t worry—I will keep you safe,” he told me. I looked at him. He seemed young, a new face I was unfamiliar with. It was a distraction in the chaos that I clung to, desperate to feel like I was on solid land. I wondered when he had joined Selene’s personal guard. How did someone even go about becoming part of the Princess’s personal guard? His eyes were focused ahead, watching the Academy guards—his gun raised, ready to fire.
I saw it then, the blood. The Academy guard that had clutched at his chest. A pool of red stained the dead grass where he lay on his back, unmoving.
“What is happening?” I asked, confused and scared. How had we gone from practising the harnessing and storage of my magic to being under attack by the Academy? Selene—where was she? Was she safe?
“We need a medical team—now,” the woman, the owner of the voice who had commanded the Academy guards, instructed. “Miss Coactus, please release your hold on the Academy guard,” she continued.
“With all due respect, President Minerva—no,” Heidi answered.
The older woman, with long grey hair tied back in a bun, was the Sanguis Academy President. I had yet to meet her personally, but I recognised her from her portraits and photographs displayed around the school buildings.
“Miss Coactus, please do not escalate the situation further.”
“Me? Escalate? We have been attacked unprovoked! How dare you! The nerve—when my grandmother hears of this, you best pray to whatever gods you follow that they can protect you from her wrath,” Heidi warned. I had never witnessed her so angry before. A vein visibly pulsed at her temple.
“I believe it is my wrath that should be feared,” Selene said loudly as she crossed the lawn towards us.
I sagged in relief at the sight of her. She was safe. For a horrible moment, I had worried that some sort of simultaneous attack was taking place—that at the same time as we found ourselves in danger, so did she. My lungs filled; I hadn’t even noticed how shallow my breaths had become.
“My Royal Highness and Marchioness of Ardens, a delicate situation has arisen, and I believe it is in everyone's best interests that we proceed with caution and in good faith. As such, I suggest that all parties stand down and disarm,” President Minerva said.
Selene locked eyes with me briefly, her gaze travelling down my body.
“My Pet has been injured. Who is responsible?” Selene demanded.
“The big oaf, unconscious over there.” Heidi pointed towards the guard who had thrown me to the ground and had subsequently landed on me when Ana struck him unconscious.
“Thank you,” Selene answered, giving a slight nod.
The sound of the Royal Guard that I continued to cling to, discharging his gun into the head of the unconscious Academy guard, ricocheted through me. The shock rattled my bones. The smell was both sweet and acrid like burning plastic. The guard'sbody jolted once, then stilled, his chest no longer rising and falling.
I stared at the body. For a moment, there was silence—at least for me. Everything seemed very still. When I looked away from the guard and back to Selene, her lips moved as she spoke, but I couldn’t make sense of her words.
Movement in my peripheral vision captured my attention, and I saw the Royal Guard—all twelve members of Selene’s personal guard had surrounded me, Ana, and Heidi.
‘Percy, are you all right?’Heidi’s voice shocked me out of the silence.
