Whirl (Ondine Quartet Book 1) (24 page)

"If ondines are interested, I believe there's
no harm in training them."

A twitter broke out at this statement.

"
However
," he emphasized, "I don't
think it's wise for ondines to participate in the same classes as
current recruits until they've attained a certain level of skill.
Otherwise, they'd hold back the development of the demillirs in the
program and that doesn't do any good."

A few of the Redavi, as well as some of the
gardinels and chevaliers lining the walls, murmured in agreement. I
grudgingly admitted he had a point.

"Prince Belicoux." Rhian turned to him. "What
are your thoughts on the matter?"

Tristan's face was carefully composed.

"I agree with Chevalier Renard." His slightly
accented voice reverberated in the Chamber. "I also don't think
it's wise for ondines who haven't received a proper magic education
to jump headlong into the chevalier program. It's important for
ondines to remember their magical legacy, even if they choose to
pursue battle training." His eyes briefly rested on me.

It's both. Magic and fighting
.

"The time has come."

The back of my neck prickled. At first, I
couldn't tell who the haunting voice had come from, but then I
realized the words had echoed from Jourdain. A faint, yellow light
glowed around her, tinting the water in the glass box to a
fluorescent green. Her voice was neither male nor female, but
something so ancient it went beyond categorization.

"The end of our war against the darkness
draws near," she went on. "Ancient though this law may be, we must
be willing to reconsider if we wish to prevail. The Warrior Prince
spoke well." Her creepy black eyes momentarily twitched to Tristan.
I suppressed a shudder. "So long as ondines never forget the
magical legacy I have bestowed upon the race, there is nothing to
prevent us from considering other options."

"But ondines don't
need
to learn how
to fight!" Marquisa LeVeq interjected with an ugly sneer. A hot,
dangerous anger flared inside me. "We accomplish important and
great things with our magic. That's why we have the gardinels and
chevaliers to protect us!"

My stomach clenched and the words flew out of
my mouth before I knew what I was doing.

"How much of a coward are you, Marquisa?" I
taunted.

Marcella shot me a warning look and Aubrey
whispered, "What are you doing?"

I ignored them both. Marquisa LeVeq stared at
me, indignation on her arrogant face.

"You're so willing to let others fight and
die for you while you do nothing. You say ondines are magic users
and protectors. So, tell me. What do you protect?" My voice rose in
disgust. "It sounds to me like you don't protect anything except
yourself. You want the gardinels and chevaliers to do all the work
for you."

So many people had already died and I would
do anything to have changed that. And this bitch was going to sit
there and insist that others continue dying for her?

Marquisa LeVeq opened her mouth to
respond.

"That's enough." Rhian's eyes bored into
me.

Marcella lifted her head and addressed the
Chamber. "Haverleau itself has been breached. A horrible attack
within our very own community. Would you still deny the need to
alter this law? Times have changed, the situation has changed. We
must adapt, as well."

Two bright spots colored Marquisa LeVeq's
cheeks and fury burned in her eyes. "This motion is an effort to
continue a ridiculous idea first presented by an unstable woman.
Now, it's being perpetuated by her sister and daughter, who is
clearly…volatile." Contempt dripped off her words. "I do not think
it's even worthy of debate."

That did it. Chloe and Ryder tried to hold me
back, but I yanked myself free and gripped the railing.

The Marquisa looked a little frightened by my
expression. Well, she did call me volatile.

"My mother was a powerful ondine, a
Clairvoyant who saw that our future demanded change. I am not just
her daughter."

I leaned forward.

"I am also the
sondaleur
." My voice,
cold and hard, sliced through the air.

A hushed silence fell. Hundreds of people
stared at me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a series
of expressions cross Tristan's face. Pride. Approval. Exasperation.
For just a moment, I thought I saw a glint of triumph in Rhian's
eyes. Marquisa LeVeq's mouth hung slightly open. And Jourdain's
black eyes focused on me with a weird intensity, as if she were
examining me under my skin.

"I intend to fight alongside the chevaliers
and gardinels like a true ondine. The law,
and you
," I
pointed a finger at the pale Marquisa, "are both fucked up and
everyone here knows it."

Not exactly my most eloquent moment.

Shouts burst through the Chamber. Several
hands grabbed my arms, pulling me away from the railing.

"Get her out of here!" Rhian thundered.

Struggling, I stayed where I was, never
taking my eyes off the Council table.

"Marquisa LeVeq, remember who you are
speaking of when you talk of Naida and Marcella Irisavie." Rhian
glowered, fury and power pouring off every inch of her. The
Marquisa faltered, realizing she may have gone too far.

"Come on. I think you said everything there
is to say," Ryder murmured in my ear. He gently pulled me out of
the hands of the gardinels restraining me and led me up the
steps.

Aubrey rolled her eyes at me while Chloe
looked aghast. Miriam Moreaux gave me a sympathetic look and
Jourdain's alien eyes continued to crawl all over me.

A few of the gardinels and chevaliers on the
lower level looked as though they were trying hard not to
laugh.

Ryder and I headed out to the courtyard.
Carved, stone benches lined the side of the building and we sat. He
stared at me in silence.

"What?" I snapped. "She had it coming."

Ryder's body shook with laughter.

"I thought you were spectacular," he choked
out. "I've never seen a council session like that in my entire
life."

"Yeah, well. I probably blew all chances of
getting into the chevaliers." I sighed, running my fingers through
my hair in frustration.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Ryder said as
the last of his laughter subsided. "After seeing you in there, I
know I would
definitely
want you to have my back in a
fight."

I made a face at him. "Of course you
would."

His smile faded a little. "So I guess you've
fully taken on your role, huh?"

I'd just declared I was the
sondaleur
in front of the Governing Council and the entire Haverleau
community. There was no getting around it now.

"Yeah, I guess I did."

We both fell quiet, lost in our thoughts.
Ryder leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. I broke it off, putting a
bit of distance between us. Disappointment and a shadow of hurt
flickered in his eyes, but he let it go, respecting my
decision.

I wished I could return the feelings he had
for me. He deserved that. But I couldn't.

The hard truth was that I'd just seen Tristan
on the Council. One word from the Warrior Prince could calm,
strengthen, or inspire others.

Looking at Ryder now, all I could see was a
boy. Somehow, this pained me most of all.

The building's heavy doors opened with a loud
clatter and Chloe and Aubrey raced down the front steps. From the
streaming crowd of people behind them, I assumed the session was
over.

Chloe sat next to me and grabbed my hand. An
excited, almost goofy grin was plastered across Aubrey's face.

"What?" I asked, bewildered.

Chloe smiled. "You're in."

EIGHTEEN

The vote had been seven to five in favor
of changing the law. Tristan, Rhian, Jourdain, Gabe, Marcella, the
Desmarais, and Moreauxs voted for it. The Rosamunds, Genevieves,
Blanchards, LeVeqs, and Rossays voted against.

I was lucky that Gabe had a separate vote as
the Demillir representative. Unlike other Council couples, the
Irisavies got two votes — one from Marcella and one from Gabe.

By lunch the following day, I boiled with
irritation over the snide looks thrown my way all morning. The news
had predictably spread like wildfire and the Academy was feverish
over this new piece of gossip. Something this tantalizing hadn't
happened in years, and the rumor machine was running rampantly out
of control.

Chloe and Aubrey refused to tell me what was
being said, dismissing it as nothing more than Redavi bullshit. But
I managed to pump Alex for info. Apparently, I was a boy-crazed
slut whose desire to join the chevaliers was nothing more than a
desperate attempt to sleep with more guys.

Lovely. I had no doubt Amber had something to
do with that story.

My tantrum in the Council Chamber had also
earned me a screaming lecture by Pelletier and a personal visit by
my grandmother in his office this morning.

Pleasant was not the way to describe my
day.

I finished lunch quickly and made my way to
the cafeteria exit. Gabriel had likely returned to his office after
morning patrol, and I wanted to catch him before afternoon classes
resumed.

Dylan Rosamund, Bernie LeVeq, and Andrew
Genevieve blocked the doorway. Guess they hadn't forgotten about
our little poker game. I pushed my way past them, but three pairs
of arms pulled me back.

Oh, for crying out loud. I so didn't have
time for this.

"Heard you want to join the chevaliers
because you like taking on several guys at once," Dylan said. "You
should've just said so, Kendra. We can provide you with all the
services you need."

Andrew came closer, sliding an arm around my
waist. "Why would you want those guys, anyway? We can show you a
good time."

Bernie checked out my chest and ass before
letting out a whistle. "Man, I definitely want a piece of
that."

I jerked out of Andrew's arm and glared at
them. My temper, tested all day, was on the verge of exploding.
"Listen to me," I ground out. "You don't want to do this. Not if
you don't want me to break something."

"Come on." Andrew laughed. "You're begging
for it."

"Leave her alone." Ryder's angry voice
suddenly came from behind me. What was he doing?

Andrew backed away a little, no doubt
remembering his previous fight with Ryder. But I recognized the
gleam in Dylan and Bernie's eyes. The need to push to the next
level, the obsession with winning. Risk amped up their adrenaline,
encouraging them to continue their stupid, reckless behavior.

"Go away, DePaul," Bernie sneered. "Stay out
of it."

"Walk away and I won't have to kick your
sorry ass."

"Upset because you're the one doing her?"
Dylan smirked. "Come on. A body like that should be shared."

The air crackled with tension. I fought the
urge to roll my eyes at all the drama.

Dylan took a step toward me. Too close. "You
like it hard or easy, baby?"

I kneed his crotch as hard as possible. A
very unmanly squeal came out of his mouth as he doubled over and
dropped to the ground. Bernie's eyes widened and he lunged. Ryder
punched him hard enough that his head snapped back and he fell.

Frozen, Andrew watched his two friends writhe
in pain on the floor. The entire cafeteria had gone silent.

"Oh, I like it hard,
baby
." I scowled
down at Dylan, who was moaning and clutching himself on the
floor.

"You...bitch…" he breathed, barely able to
get the words out.

I shot him one last dismissive look before
deliberately stepping over him. Once Ryder and I cleared the
cafeteria, I turned on him.

"I didn't need your help."

"A simple thanks would be enough."

"I had the situation under control! You had
no right to jump in like that."

"But you do? You jumped in when I fought with
Andrew."

"That was different. You were fighting about
me. I had a right to step in. This," I gestured back at the
cafeteria, "had nothing to do with you."

"Nothing to do with me?" He paused, hurt
flashing through his eyes. "The three of them were on top of you. I
was trying to help."

"I can handle three idiots."

"Yeah, well I don't like seeing you
manhandled by three idiots," he pointed out. "I'll always have your
back, Kendra."

His cute face shone with earnest sincerity.
Damn it. Noble men and their honorable intentions. I didn't need
him to have my back. I didn't need some hero. I was perfectly
capable of looking out for myself.

But seeing his adoring expression, I couldn't
tell him that. I felt sad and guilty all over again. And to be
honest, I was pissed off at Dylan and his friends, not Ryder. He
didn't deserve my bitchiness.

I swallowed a sigh.

"I…appreciate it." It was the only thing I
could say.

He beamed, his face lighting up from my
acknowledgment. We talked a bit more as we crossed the Quad and I
coaxed him into sharing more school gossip. The recruits were
divided over the Council's decision. Half of them thought it was a
good idea, while the other half felt offended at the concept that
an ondine could be one of them.

The school was also divided over the whole
sondaleur
thing. Ryder assured me that more people were
convinced of it, especially since I'd declared it so openly in
front of the Council. But there was a small core group, mainly
Dylan and Amber's Redavi followers, who still thought it wasn't
true.

At this point, I really didn't care what
anyone believed. But knowing what was being said was important.

After wishing me luck, he left for the
demillir dorm and I went off to the Training Center. Gabe's office
was located on the first floor, at the very end of the hallway. As
I'd suspected, he was already there, going through papers with a
hassled frown on his face.