Born By Moonlight by Krista Street

Chapter 5

~ AVERY ~

My final full week at the SF passed slowly. If I wasn’t training, I was in the library searching for anything I could find about the Safrinite comet, but the only info I discovered was the date of its last arrival. That was it.

So on Wednesday, I went back to the fae lands, to the exact same spot on the field where the comet had attacked me, desperately hoping that a return visit would magically reverse the comet’s poison.

It didn’t.

But even as I sat there amongst the wildflowers, in the same space the comet had infected me, not one memory was triggered. I’d also been hoping that perhaps remembering the actual event would reveal its clandestine motive, but similar to the library, a big fat nothing had resulted from that venture too.

Sighing in frustration, I’d returned to earth, knowing that I couldn’t spend much time in the fae lands anyway because of the time fluctuations, and I resolved to continue searching in the library.

So, the week carried on.

I attended all of my healing center check-ins and scans. I trained. I researched. I did everything I was supposed to do.

But nothing changed.

And each morning as my last week drifted by, those colorful lines and graphs from the healing center’s morning scans didn’t bolster me with any hope. Because each day they fell a little bit more, and none of the experimental spells and potions the healing center was trying were reversing it.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, I also had the insufferable nagging emotions of acknowledging what Wyatt had done for me before he left. He’d gone out of his way to retrieve my car, he’d checked in on me, and he’d told me the truth about what had happened to me.

Nobody else had done that.

And it had been bugging me ever since.

His actions reminded me of the Wyatt I’d known from high school. Back then he’d been so kind, yet strong and unyielding. The Wyatt I’d seen on Saturday was a whisper of that person—the person I’d fallen in love with.

But that didn’t jive with the Wyatt I’d come to know over the past months—the one who’d played me and discarded me as if I were easily disposable.

I took a deep breath. I needed to remember what he’d done, because the concern I’d seen in Wyatt’s eyes before he left . . . that kind of look could be my undoing, and I’d worked too hard to erect a protective concrete wall around my heart. I couldn’t let a few soft words and nice gestures from him crumble it down.

I needed to remember that.

“Meyers, pay attention!” Major Armund called from the sidelines.

I snapped my attention back to the petite vampire I was sparring with. But I was too late. The female vamp came at me at a dizzying speed, once again landing me flat on my back.

Damn, that hurt.

She helped me up. Even though she stood no more than five feet tall and had thin limbs, as if her bones were made of delicate china, she jerked me to my feet with no problem. I’d come to learn that looks could be deceiving.

“All right. That’s enough for this morning,” Major Armund called out when the clock struck noon.

Reese stood at her side, a concerned look on the sorcerer’s face. Not surprising given how poorly I’d performed today.

I groaned and stretched while the vamp merely studied her fingernails before dusting them off on her impeccable cotton shirt.

“Thanks for stopping by,” Major Armund said to her. “I know you were supposed to head out this morning.”

“Not a problem.” Her thin lips parted in a smile. “I shall send my bill to Wes, and best of luck to you on your final test, Private Meyers.” With that, she bid us a pleasant day before gliding out of the training room.

My trainers turned to me with crossed arms as I blurted out, “Her bill?”

Major Armund nodded. “She’s a consultant, not a fully employed SF member. When we use her, we pay her for her time.”

I winced. “Hopefully it wasn’t too expensive. I’d hate for the SF to spend thousands for me to merely have my ass kicked.”

“Nothing Wyatt can’t cover.”

Hearing my commander’s name brought a flip to my stomach, but so did her statement. “Wyatt’s paying for my training?”

Instead of answering my question, Major Armund stroked her chin, her dark brown skin blemish-free as usual. “You did okay with the vamp, all things considered, but I thought you would do better, even though you were near the exit several times before she pounced on you.”

“I know. I’m sorry, ma’am. I did my best, but she was so damned fast and my spells weren’t strong enough to hold her.”

Reese rubbed his jaw, his concerned expression still in place. “I was thinking the same. She broke through your spells a bit sooner than I would have liked. How’s your magic feeling?”

Since both he and Major Armund had been asking me that all week, I gave them the answer I always did. “I don’t know. Okay, I guess? My magic’s still there, but whatever the comet’s doing to me—” I shook my head. “I just don’t know.”

“No worries, but perhaps we should spend the afternoon reviewing your spells,” he replied. “Perhaps it’s just nerves from all that you’ve experienced.”

I nodded and grabbed my water bottle. “Can we break for lunch first, sir? I’m starving.”

“That’s fine,” Major Armund answered for him. “You’ll need your strength up, because after you finish refreshing your spells with Reese, I’m bringing another male wolf in.”

Her comment reminded me of the last wolf I’d battled—Wyatt.

I took a drink of water before saying hesitantly, “Hopefully whoever this wolf is wants to help with my training, ma’am?”

Major Armund cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

I thought back to when I’d sparred with Wyatt, the day of the Safrinite comet last week actually, and how angry he’d been at being roped into it. “I just mean how Major Jamison didn’t enjoy sparring with me, ma’am.”

She eyed me, her expression impossible to read. “Is that how you interpreted it?”

“Well, yeah, I mean he was pissed off the entire time.”

Her face remained impassive. “I suppose that’s one way to see it, but I saw it differently.”

“You did? How did you see it, ma’am?”

She gave me a brittle smile. “Let’s just say I now understand why he asked me to give up a trip to the Caribbean to be your instructor.”

I sputtered, nearly blowing water through my nose. Coughing, I replied, “You gave up a trip to train me? Why?”

“Because I owed Jamison a hefty debt. He called that debt in when he asked me to train you.”

“You mean your private training isn’t something that’s done for all ambassador recruits?”

Major Armund barked out a sharp laugh. “No, not at all. In fact, you’re the first ambassador recruit to ever get one-on-one training.”

My mouth opened then closed as I gaped like a fish. “I don’t understand, ma’am. Why would Major Jamison ask that of you?”

She arched a brow. “I don’t know, but it does make you wonder, doesn’t it?”

Her cryptic words made my nerves tingle. I took another drink. This time I actually swallowed, but as the cool rush of liquid filled my mouth all I could think about were Wyatt’s actions last weekend and how during all of these months, he’d had me specially trained, while letting me think he wanted nothing to do with me.

That, quite simply, didn’t make sense.

∞     ∞     ∞

I headed back to my apartment later that afternoon, a frown tugging on my lips. Since it was already Friday, I only had days before my final test. Come next Wednesday, I would be in the ring and my three months of training would be on display for all to see while the judges assessed my every move.

And that scared the shit out of me.

Not because I feared the test, but because I feared my ailing body. Each day this week, it felt as if I’d grown a little bit weaker.

It didn’t help that I’d had a particularly bad day at training today. After that vamp this morning, Major Armund had brought in three different species for me to spar with, and I didn’t get anywhere near the exit door with any of them. Not even close.

Both she and Reese had shared more than a few concerned looks at my horrible performance, because I’d had a hard time with my spells, whether it be from nerves, fatigue, or the comet’s effects on my magic, I didn’t know, but I gave both of them shaky smiles and apologies, telling them that I would do better next time.

Only thing, there weren’t many more next times.

In five days, I would have my final test. There was only so much time left for me to train and prepare.

“Hey, girl, why the sad face?”

I stopped mid-stride on the sidewalk, nearly plowing into Charlotte. She peered down at me, her light-brown eyes alight with curiosity while her auburn hair blazed around her in the autumn wind. The shade of those strands matched the leaves turning on the maple trees.

“I had a shitty day at training.” I forced a smile.

“Oh damn, what happened?”

I sighed. “Where do I start? Let’s see, I couldn’t properly use my spells. Each opponent brought in to spar with me kicked my ass. It’s Friday, which means we only have two more training days before our test, and if today is any indication of how I’ll do, I might as well accept my resignation now.”

She gave me a sympathetic look. “So what you’re saying is that it went really well?”

I couldn’t stop my laugh.

“Seriously, though, girl. That sucks. I’m sorry it was a bad day.”

“Thanks.” But it was more than just a bad day. It was because of my dying magic. I knew that was the true reason. I could thank the Safrinite comet for my crappy performance.

I nibbled my lip, once again wondering if I should tell Charlotte and Eliza what was going on with me. But like I’d felt earlier in the week, I still didn’t want to speak about it, because if I did this would truly be real.

“Anyway.” I shrugged. “I’ll get over it, but what about you? How was training for you today?”

“Not bad.” She tried to avert her gaze, but I still saw the excitement dancing in her eyes.

“Okay, spill. What’s got you so excited?”

She clapped her hands and gave a little jump. “I mean, I know you had a shit day, so sorry if this sounds insensitive, but can you believe that this time next week I’ll be an official SF member of Squad Three? And despite what you think, you’re going to pass your test, which means you’ll be in Geneva, probably jet-lagged and just settling into your new position.” She gave another little dance. “How can we not be excited about that?”

Somehow I managed to keep my smile in place because Charlotte truly thought today was simply a bad day, but it was so much more. “Well, you’re right. You’ll definitely be the newest member to Squad Three, but I won’t be in Geneva unless I pass my test.”

She swished her hand. “Oh pshaw, easy-peasy. You’re totally going to pass it.”

A snort of laughter flew out of me. “Did you just say pshaw?”

She cackled. “I did, didn’t I? How hoity-toity of me.”

“And now you just said hoity-toity. What has Major Fieldstone done to you?”

She bit her lip, her eyes filled with mirth. “Major Fieldstone, ah yes, he can talk as funny as Eliza, but he’s still a nice piece of ass that I would tap in a heartbeat.”

I grimaced. “Always so descriptive.”

“I know, right? But seriously,” she said, latching onto my arm and tugging me toward the barracks. “Have you seen him shirtless? The man is built like a god. And he’s so freakin’ strong. None of us can come close to touching him in the sparring ring.”

“That makes two of us.”

Her eyes popped. “You’ve sparred with him?”

“Yeah, last week. Major Armund isn’t going easy on me.”

“Oh, right! You had to bake him that cake when you lost.”

“Yep. I’ve also been practicing with vamps and male wolves.”

She scrunched her nose. “That’s brutal. Sorry, friend.”

I shrugged. “What doesn’t kill you—”

“Makes you more bruised?” Eliza’s cheery voice called from behind us.

We twirled around to see the purple-haired fairy hurrying toward us.

“Um, no, that’s not really how that saying goes,” Charlotte replied.

But Eliza didn’t seem fazed. Instead, she said to Charlotte, “Sorry I didn’t follow you out right away. Major Fieldstone promised to show me that tuck and roll maneuver.” Her cheeks glowed pink.

Charlotte snickered. “Is that all he showed you?”

She swatted Charlotte’s arm. “Of course. What are you implying?” But the blush on her cheeks darkened.

The three of us carried on toward the barracks, and my roommates’ chipper attitudes and easy banter helped disperse the gloomy cloud that had rained over me all day.

By the time we were inside our apartment with our shoes kicked off, I was feeling positive enough to head into the kitchen to pull out my recipes. I owed Bavar a tart, after all. And now that it was the weekend, I finally had an idle moment to make it since I’d spent every night this week in the library.

“Whatcha making this time?” Charlotte asked as she plopped down on the couch and turned the TV on.

“I was thinking of making a rhubarb and custard tart. I did promise Major Fieldstone that I would bake him something before I left the SF.”

“Ooh, think you can make a double batch so we get some too?” Charlotte waggled her eyebrows.

I laughed. “I suppose.”

Eliza slid onto the stool at the counter and toyed with her hair. “Will you need help carrying it over to his barracks after you finish?”

I knew I would have no problems carrying a tart, but from the eager look in Eliza’s eyes, which reminded me of a love-starved puppy, I couldn’t stop my, “Most definitely. I’ll probably have at least a few plates to carry.”

She grinned and hopped off the stool, and I quickly let the magic of baking soothe away my concerns as I began measuring sugar and sifting flour.

But it didn’t stop the ferocious itching that began in my chest halfway through my endeavors.

By evening, it felt as if it was on fire.