The Night Marchers

Chapter 6

The next time her eyes opened, it was to a white ceiling and noise flittering about. "What did I tell you! It's not our job to protect the teachers when they leave or when their important guests come in! Layla is our first priority. And, now because of your obnoxious orders, our client was attacked!" Char's voice boomed as he got in the face of someone she didn't recognize.

The male wove a black beard down his chest. Then, his wrinkled face turned towards Layla so she noticed his red eyes. "Commander William," his rough voice broke through Char's rant, "I suggest you heel your dog before I do."

"Hmm," Will's voice sent shivers down everyone's spines, "I really don't think I need to. Five of my officers were poisoned general. An ambush during the competition that I didn't hear about it until someone kidnapped Layla. Do you think I care about how you feel while my men are in the hospital because of your actions? You took away my men who protected themselves and my client. If you weren't so stingy with your men then this wouldn't have happened and your men wouldn't be so worthless." Ice weaved across the ground.

At this reaction towards protecting his men, Layla smiled. Her hand rose up in the air as the general spoke again. "Be careful who you're speaking to commander."

A blue light brightened the room casting shadows on the faces of everyone in the room. Around the walls were the five men directly under commander William; he stood behind Char, who was extremely close to the general. She finally remembered who he was. "You see General Maddox," the soldiers' eyes widened at the mention of the general's name, "you are a bright star among your peers. But alas, there is still darkness outside of your reach." After lifting the hand with the light, she created a snowflake that emitted a blue glow. The shadows disappeared altogether. "Yet, here we have someone of marginal reach suppress the darkness This can only work if you both work in conjunction." Moving the two lights closer, the darkness reappeared. "If you take away your support system, you can't reach everything."

"Let's get right into business then, shall we?" General Maddox leaned over the bed railing; he eyed the girl with a smirk. "You either tell us who you are and what you know or we'll cut you lose."

First, my family is killed then I am chased across the world by the murderers. Nonetheless, my brother is probably the one behind it. Layla's thoughts bursted in her head. A choking sensation clenched her throat. Afterwards, I got thrown into this chaotic mess of a school, which is the epitome of stress. Someone attacked my guards after I made friends against my previous wishes. Then, I almost got killed in some simple duel with a crazy child of a Night Marcher. While saving the school no less! When I finally got to relaxs again, someone kidnapped me in the school and ripped my mom's favorite dress design. Now, this stupid, egotistical male chauvinist comes in here and threatens me. Threatens to take away the protection for me friends! The ones I have put in danger myself.

"No, you listen to me," her voice rough to the ear. "They are contracted through the school to me which means you have to get special permission from the school to take them away. The headmaster gave them specific orders to protect me, not the people you assigned them. Actually, they do not take orders from you unless you were promoted to be a council member of the special ops forces in the last month. I highly doubt you were. The only reason Commander William went through with the orders was because he did not want to cause a ruckus. Unfortunately, that would have been the outcome no matter the course of action. Would you like the high command to know of your abuse of authority general?" Silence deadened the room.

Fire wrapped around the bedframe as the general smirked. "And why would they believe a little girl like you?" His eyes glowed a shallow red.

Breathing in, the light in her right hand cascaded into the glowing snowflake. Lava dripped from her fingertips into her left hand, disappearing without a trace. Small orbs in her eye showed a fiery orange with a hint of red. "Unfortunately for you, you do not remember me but I remember you quite well. Mondd meg Danovin, hogy a nevem Layla. (Tell Danovin [the council's head] that my name is Layla.) He will understand. Now leave before I kick you out."