The Midnight Watch

Chapter 17

"How about this one?" Ben suggested, holding up a long standard-issue katana.

"How about a real weapon?" Becky retorted. She picked up what looked disturbingly like a medieval sword.

"You're welcome to a broadsword..." Kai took another of the swords of the rack and flipped it in his hand. He lifted it into a defensive position, pushing against the bare steel in Becky's hand. In a single motion that I couldn't follow with my eyes, he disarmed her and pointed her own blade to her stomach. "As long as you know how to use it."

She frowned and took the katana from Ben. "On second thoughts, I'll go for something a little smaller."

"Whoa there," Alex interrupted. "Firstly, how do you how to swordfight? And secondly, can you teach me?"

Kai grinned, returning both swords to their proper place. "That depends. Do you have several months of spare time? I nagged my trainer into showing me a few things last summer."

"I have five minutes for the basics," Alex said hopefully.

"Well that's easy enough," Kai replied. "The basics of sword fighting are to hit them with the pointy end and do your best to keep your intestines inside your body."

Alex snorted, visibly disappointed. I couldn't deny that I wasn't a little sad as well. Learning to swordfight had been on my to-do list for as long as I could remember. It just looked like a lot of fun.

"Patrol eighty-nine, report for duty!" The bellow came from the courtyard and sounded an awful lot like Zara. Oh damn, didn't we have to do the rest of our training with her?

I sheathed a hunting knife over my shoulder and followed the others out of the armoury. The sun shone on the morning dew, reflecting off the grass in a thousand pinpricks of light. It seemed to shimmer and sparkle as I walked across to where patrol eighty-eight waited.

Along with the hulking Tobias, the moody Eric and the smirking Zara, there were an additional two girls I hadn't met yet. Zara introduced us to both of them, but I forgot both of their names as soon as I'd heard them. I had far more important things to think about, like going out on my first patrol.

"So by ancient Moon Guard tradition, you spend the first shift in the palace. It's our way of terrifying the new recruits. We'll even introduce you to the King, the Queen and the prince– Oh shit, I'd forgotten you were here, Kai. Well, I suppose you can all meet the younger prince and princess, anyway," Zara said.

"Really?" Kai asked excitedly. "You'll really introduce me to the royal family? This is such an honour!"

I slapped his chest. "Stop that. You know she's not talking to you. Personally, I think that if Leah and Logan are anything like their big brother, they aren't worth meeting."

Kai looked genuinely hurt. "You don't mean that."

His eyes were wide and I felt l myself drowning in those hazel pools. No, Sav, damn it. Don't fall for it.

Fortunately, I was spared the need to answer by Becky. "Quit bickering, kids. I want to get going."

"Right," Zara continued. "Just stand up straight when you're with royalty, for God's sake. Try not to show up the guard in front of anyone particularly important. When you're first presented to the King and Queen, the correct mode of address is 'Your Majesty.' Sir or ma'am is fine after that. Use 'Your Highness' for lesser royals, and for high ranking nobility — especially heads of houses — just mind your manners."

I nodded, trying to take that in. It was a lot to remember all at once. Kai didn't seem that worried, probably because he'd been trained for this since birth. And Ben had spent a lot of time at court. For us lesser mortals though, it was quite an experience.