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Kala frowned as she peered at Jade’s retreating back. Nerethian females weren’t usually so bold. In fact, poor Kala was probably shocked that Jade had dared to approach her without an escort. I was currently waiting on my brother, Lex, to collect me. Father wanted us to spar, a feat that I wasn’t looking forward to.
“She will attempt to make her own dresses?” the seamstress inquired, doubt in her voice.
“We believe so,” my father said as he strolled into the room, followed by a smug-looking Lex. The guy enjoyed knocking me off kilter. He was envious of the fact that my Hyndroyl crystal gave me access to useful abilities. I reminded myself of his insecurities, dreading what he was going to do because of them.
“Lord Peirc,” Kala cried as she dipped into a flawless curtsy. Since I was one of his offspring, I didn’t have to show him such formal respect.
“Kala, allow Jade to take as much fabric and materials as she likes. My lady and I want to see if she can actually construct a gown. It’s been a tiring trip. We need entertainment,” he said. Lex rolled his eyes, not seeing how any of the conversation was interesting.
“Gwen, can you please stop playing dress-up. I want to prove to Father once and for all that having a gift isn’t going to save any of you ladies from a strong man,” Lex taunted. I scowled at him, disgusted by the glee Lex took in taking us down.
“Right,” I muttered as Kala helped me down from the pedestal.
“Let me help you get out of the gown,” Kala offered.
“Why don’t we leave Gwen in that dress,” Father suggested. “It will give Lex an advantage, since Gwen can read his mind.” The bastard was testing me. Tingles formed up and down my spine, the knowledge that I could compel Lex into losing. But Lord Peirc had ordered me to keep that aspect of my ability a secret. Father was testing me to see if I would disobey his orders by displaying the power.
“Sounds fair,” Lex agreed, a snarl curling his lip. At that moment, I wanted to quip that he was still sour from how David had handed him his ass. But I wasn’t stupid enough to further provoke Lex. He was cold with no conscience, able to blow up someone’s house without blinking.
“Okay, then,” Cala responded, her eyes briefly staring at the gown, concern and regret in them. The seamstress was probably worried about the dress. I couldn’t blame her but hated that she didn’t show an ounce of worry for me.
“Let’s get this show on the road. The trainers, your siblings, and my wife are waiting.” By siblings, he meant the ones that were useful to him. Lady Valera made it clear that she wasn’t going to mother any of her husband’s children, which meant that she had a special distaste for the children that came abord the ship without a mother.
We traveled down two levels and entered another onyx corridor that was wider than most. There was a looming door that led to the testing room. Lex grinned as we approached the door, aching for a win. My father waved a hand and the double doors opened and we entered the room. It reminded me of a high school gymnasium with the shiny floor and bleachers. But there was no basketball court, and each wall had white, circular crystals that snuffed out fires, in case someone developed an elemental ability, which was unheard of. That’s why I wondered why father had bothered with the unnecessary expense.
Sitting on the bleachers were four of my siblings: Karen, Lena, David, and Anastacia. Our mothers were seated in the middle row. My father probably hadn’t mentioned that Mom was watching my sparring match with Lex just so he could see my look of shock. I forced my eyes to leave my horrified mother. Even Lady Valera was there to witness the fight, in her customary seat in the top row. David looked bored with it all, like he would fall asleep at any moment. He definitely didn’t approve of what his father did. But he would do anything to protect Jenny, his soft-spoken mother. The petite woman always went beneath my father’s notice, so I didn’t think that David had much to worry about. I wouldn’t dare to tell him so, since I was in no mood to insult him.
“All right,” my father said. His voice beckoned our trainers, Ken and Berg. The two were tall, thin, and wore decent enough clothing. They were brothers, and the only thing that distinguished them was that Ken had a scar on his forehead. The twins had black eyes and hair as pale as sand. I sighed and waited for them to take their customary seats in the front row. Their jobs were to push us physically and mentally. I recalled the time when Molly grew agitated with one of the trainers and actually gave him a broken nose. He had said something insulting about her departed mother to get a reaction out of her. He had been hoping for a magical reaction, not the physical one. Thanks to her, we were restrained for the mental sessions.
“Let’s make it interesting,” my father decided. Goodness, was this man going to add a wager to this humiliating match? “Lex, if you win, the useless ones will no longer have access to the trainers,” Father said. “But if you lose, the throwaways will receive all of your training time.”
“If Lex wins, the throwaways should also have their dresses taken away, since Jade has insisted on making them all dresses,” Karen smugly added.
“Agreed,” Lord Peirc declared. “Anything else?”
“If Lex wins, one of the others should marry Lord Shreeves,” Anastacia added. “He may be rich, but that guy is old and ugly. I have no interest in marrying him.” Well, it was obvious that my sisters didn’t believe that I could beat Lex. Despite the fact that we all had to work our own agendas, I was still a bit hurt.
“Great,” the lord responded. I made eye contact with my mother, who seemed horrified by what she was hearing.
I stepped onto the mat with Lex, who sized me up. He rushed forward and tossed a punch at me. I ducked it, and barely avoided the kicks to my legs. The dress was heavy, and didn’t give me a free range of mobility. I dove to the ground to dodge the roundhouse kick that Lex was planning on using. I quickly rolled to my feet, and couldn’t avoid the punch to my jaw. I was just too slow. I saw stars as I stumbled back.
“What’s wrong, Gwen? You can’t take a little pain?” Lex mocked as he delivered a blow to my face that shattered my cheekbone. I collapsed to the ground, pain radiating in my face. “What’s wrong, Gwen, you thought that you could beat me?” He delivered a kick to my ribs. I sucked in a breath and attempted to roll away. But Lex kept on kicking me until everything went black.
***
“I have no idea how she’s still alive,” Anastacia said. “The doctors were sure that she would drop dead soon. But Jade is still healthy. That means that David won the bet.”
“People don’t usually survive a Hyndroyl crystal implant as an adult,” Karen added. I blinked and forced my eyes open. I was in the infirmary, resting in an elevated full-size bed with black sheets. Aside from a slight ache in my body, I felt all right. My sisters were sitting on the two recliners that rested side by side across the room. There was a concealed area with medical tools.
“What happened?” I rasped out. Karen, who was wearing a lavender ball gown, spoke.
“Lex nearly beat you to death. He would have continued beating you if Anastacia didn’t toss him against the wall with her telekinesis. Father gave her a two-minute punishment,” Karen summarized. I made eye contact with my shallow sister and she nodded.
“I wasn’t going to let that monster kill one of my favorite sisters,” Anastacia declared. Karen sighed.
“He was a bit much. But I guess he really wants to become a knight,” Karen said.
“Was Jade told about her foster parents?” I questioned.
“No, not that I know of,” Anastacia said. “I wonder what she will do when she finds out.”
“She is kind. But with nice people, they also express their anger in a more savage way,” I warned, and Karen shrugged.
“Lex was the one that set the explosives. I told him to leave the couple alive. But he said that he wasn’t going to suffer a punishment for people that he didn’t know,” Karen explained. “I have a feeling that we made a mistake. I can feel it.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me,” I told Karen.
“Me too,” Anastacia said as she rubbed her forehead.
“How long have I been knocked out?” I wondered.
“Three hours. The mender healed you well,” Karen replied.
“Lex will pay for this,” I vowed.
“I have no idea why he went so crazy. He is full of hatred, which is strange, because Lucy is really nice,” Karen said.
“We’ll figure out something when we’re on Neretha. Don’t you worry, sis, we’ll come up with something,” Anastacia assured me. In that moment, I was extremely grateful to have Karen and Anastacia. Karen could be competitive and annoying, but there was some good in her.