Chapter Seven

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Declan

Declan waited in the courtyard with the other students and Damien. Nigel sneered openly, but with Damien present, he wisely kept his mouth shut. It was a good fact to know about the boy- that he had boundaries even he wasn't willing to push.

"So, how is this going to go? Will it be purely physical or will we be using our abilities in this fight?" Declan asked as the crowd around them parted to make way for the approaching Guardians.

"It would do no good to train only the physical," Damien replied, his gaze latching onto the man leading the Guardians. "It's a chance to learn for both of you. You'll need to be prepared for anything someone can throw at you."

Declan nodded. He'd expected that answer, but something bothered him. "Are we expecting to fight against our allies?"

His nephew tensed before turning his attention to Declan. A glimmer of something- worry, maybe even fear- sparked in the man's blue eyes. "The Fae were born from Cauldron, and from the Cauldron the Holy Grail was formed-"

"And the Holy Grail is how the Guardians gained their Talents," Declan finished. "So their powers mimic the Fae."

"Exactly. I thought you said you graduated."

"Jokes, ladies and gentlemen. The man has jokes."

Damien playfully nudged Declan as he stepped forward to greet their guests. "Calum. So glad the storm didn't stop you all from coming."

"It might have if we didn't have someone particularly skilled in Atmokinesis. You know I couldn't miss out on a chance to spar with your newest pupil," Calum replied, settling his dark eyes on Declan as he spoke.

Declan lifted his chin and studied his opponent. Physically, they were well-matched. Their frames were similar. Long and lean limbs roped with muscle. Calum might have an inch-maybe two- on Declan, which was surprising. He didn't meet many men who topped his height. 

Even with the knowledge that the man had at least one secret, supernatural power, Declan believed he was capable of beating Calum. Until he dragged his eyes up to meet his gaze. What he saw left him cold.

There was confidence- the same confidence Declan felt- in spades. In fact, he almost seemed dismissive as if a fight wasn't worth it because the effort required to win was so little. Declan wasn't offended. There was no cruelty or arrogance in Calum's expression. His assurance stemmed from some place deep inside of him- a concrete belief in his power and prowess.

But none of that would have worried Declan. He'd fought many opponents with as much self-assurance as Calum. If anything, it made him eager to unravel that mettle.

No, it was the emptiness beneath the confidence. Only a man who believed he had nothing to lose would look so hollow. Those were the most dangerous enemies because there was nothing they wouldn't do to win.

"Calum Knight," the man said, extending his hand to Declan. The scar running from his eyebrow across his nose bunched as he smiled. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I suppose waking up from a hundred year coma is newsworthy," Declan replied, stopping himself from adding that he'd heard nothing about the Guardian before this morning. And now, he really wished he'd had time to gather a bit more intel on his opponent. Like what darkness hid behind the forced smile on his face.

Declan's comment didn't earn the laugh he expected. Instead, Calum nodded grimly and brushed a strand of almost black hair out of his face. "There aren't many things that surprise Guardians, but hearing that caught us off guard. There are those among us who have the Sight, and it's been said your awakening signals the beginning of the next war."

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