“Now, we will start by getting you to place a saddle on your horse and learning the correct way to do this. We will end our lesson with a little race between each other,” Professor Nina comments, and then she hums a song as she walks into the stables.
Angel Academy is deadly.
And we have to survive, no matter what.
“Brilliant, each of you has learnt and picked up everything I’ve taught you today. Next, let’s get you in pairs for a race,” Professor Nina cheerily comments, and I want to reply that the only reason everyone has behaved is because they are shit scared of you, but I don’t, biting my tongue instead as people start to pair up. Riley and Vesnia bring their horses over to me, and I look between them awkwardly.
“Erm, why don’t you two team up, and I will find someone else?” I awkwardly state.
“I will race with you, darlin’,” Henry proclaims, and I turn to see him walking over to me, his majestic as fuck horse behind him. His horse is pure black with long legs, which have a bit of hair around their ankles, and a massive mane of hair that touches the ground. Next to my horse, they are literally black and white.
“Wouldn’t it be a little unfair, considering you are a year older?” Riley asks as I can’t take my eyes off Henry to ask that logical question myself.
“Do you want to ask Professor Happy-to-snap-any-neck Nina?” Henry questions with a smirk. “Go ahead. It will be fucking entertaining to see her kill you.”
“It’s cool. You two race, and I will race Henry,” I cut in before Riley actually replies to that taunt. Ves nods at me, turning her horse around, and after a few seconds of Riley glaring at Henry, and Henry smiling back, he leaves with her. I let out the breath I was holding and go to Ayda’s side. Placing my foot in the stirrup, I pull myself onto her back and hold her reins close as I get comfy. Henry simply uses his wings to fly up off the ground and swing his leg over his horse.
“What’s your horse’s name?” I ask.
He watches me for more than a second under those dark locks of hair. “His name is Maze.”
“This is Ayda,” I reply. “Why did you offer to race me? Surely you have better things to do.”
“Well, actually, doing you would be a better thing,” he drawls, and I laugh against my better judgment.
“That isn’t happening, Henry-boy,” I warn him.
“Trust me, I’m no boy. Tell you what, if I win this race, you go on a date with me,” he darkly suggests.
“And if I win?”
“I owe you a favour. And trust me, a favour from a king is priceless,” he replies, and I don’t doubt it.
“Deal,” I say before I can stop myself. Shut up, Kaitlyn. He is clearly going to beat you, and a date with a dark angel is a bad idea.
“Gather around in a line next to your partner!” Professor Nina shouts. With a click of his tongue, Henry moves Maze, and I follow him right to the front of the line. When another guy on his horse tries to move in front of us, Henry only has to look at him, and he decides the back of the line is cool. Professor Nina smiles warmly at Henry as she stops in front of us and points off the edge of the island. “I have placed magical rings in the air, and you have to pass through each of them until you get to the end of the race on the other side of the academy. When you finish the race, you’re free to undo your horse’s saddle and then have the rest of the day to yourselves. We will race one at a time. Are you two ready?”
“Ready,” I answer, leaning up a little and swallowing any fear I have about this.
“You know the answer, Nina,” Henry replies and smirks at her. Urgh, guys suck.
“On the count of five. Five, four, three, two, one and go!” Ayda clearly has a competitive side, the same as me, as she takes off and then spreads her wings out as we get to the end of the cliff and dive off. I lean down close to her body as I blink away the tears from the cold, biting fresh air to see one of the large rings in the air. It’s a glowing circle full of symbols, just hanging in the air. I grab Ayda’s reins tightly as Henry simply flies through it, and we follow just after him. His horse has serious speed as we follow right behind them around the bottom of the rocky academy. I’m inches away from Henry when a gust of wind blows us both a little to the left, and I scream as I slam into some rocks, cutting all my arm and cheek. Ayda cries out, and I look at her side to see she is bleeding, but then it heals before my eyes. Henry turns around, looking back, and I nod once. I don’t need his help.
“We can beat them, right, girl?” I ask Ayda, and she turns back, meeting my eyes, and I swear she all but says yes before we are flying fast after Henry, ducking around the academy and going through two more magic rings. It takes me a second to see the rings are making us head up, and we need to do something to catch up. I spot a gap in the rocks, small enough to just get through. I tug Ayda’s reins to the side and force her up through the gap. We speed out of the top and spin around, heading for the circle. Ayda rushes through it a second before Henry does, and then we fly to the ground, and I grin as Henry lands next to me.
“Smart move. I’m actually impressed,” Henry breathlessly states, and it’s only then I see he is a little pale.
“Are you sick?” I ask, and he glares at me.
“Okay, okay, you won, no need to be a dick to me,” he says with mock indignation.
“And you owe me a favour,” I remind him with a wink as I get off Ayda. I flinch as I touch my cheek, feeling the shallow cuts there. I lift my arm, which is covered in blood from a leaking cut, and Henry jumps off his horse. He reaches into his horse’s saddle bag and picks out a small jar of red leaves.
“Here, put a few of these in your bath, and it will help you heal,” Henry tells me, dropping the jar into my hand. “And don’t think it means anything, as it doesn’t. I will take Ayda to remove her saddle. Bye, darlin’.”
“Thank you, Henry,” I say.
“The king can’t let his subjects bleed out everywhere, can he?” he dryly replies as he takes Ayda’s reins and leads her away.
“Maybe the king isn’t such a dickhead after all!” I shout, and his laugh haunts me as I walk away. I’m still smiling as I get to my room and open the door, locking it behind me.
“Blood does suit you.” Ren’s voice makes me jump and nearly drop the jar of leaves. I turn to see him sitting on my bed, his arms resting behind his back, his legs crossed. His black shirt is tight against his chest, his tie hanging low, and it’s messy, but it suits him.
Why am I checking out a ghost?
“I would beg to differ,” I reply, placing the jar on the side. Ren’s eyes focus on it as he sits up.
“Dwine leaves, a rare tree in this world. Who gave you such a gift to heal with?” he drawls.
“A guy named Henry,” I reply, not knowing why I’m telling the ghost this as I pull my riding boots off. “And why are you sitting on my bed?”
“I was bored. Ghost problems and all,” he replies with a cocky grin. “Tell me, Kitty Kat, have you asked any angels about vampires yet?”
“Why would I?” I reply.
“To find answers. Don’t you think it’s strange you haven’t seen another ghost around here yet?” he questions. “I hoped just seeing me and knowing about vampires would get you to ask someone, but it seems you are smarter than I thought.”