CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
ONYX
Asharp, cold breeze whipped past Onyx’s face as his eyes met Martin’s. The boy was positioned well, one foot behind the other, as they watched each other. Martin raised his staff, carefully easing it into the correct position.
They were up on the palace roof, the highest point for miles around. Coming here for training every morning had almost become a ritual for them.
Onyx advanced, his feet moving in a sequence like a dance. Martin used the same steps to move backward, spinning the staff to deflect Onyx’s blows.
The focused concentration on Martin’s face made Onyx’s heart surge with love. Before, the kid had always looked sullen. The set of his shoulders and jaw told the world that he gave no fucks, and it was as if he had braced himself against a cold and cruel existence that had no love in it.
For several weeks now, Martin had been in training, as well as attending sessions with scholars for tutoring. Onyx conducted many of the lessons himself, especially combat. Onyx had suspected football was the wrong game for this boy from the very beginning.
Too brutal, too chaotic. It doesn’t require much discipline.
Weapons training, on the other hand, demanded focus and attention. It was physically challenging and also engaged the mind. Martin had taken his training very seriously, and it showed as he improved every day. He deflected most of Onyx’s attacks and even tried a few of his own.
“Okay,” Onyx said, grinning. “That will do for now. You have to get ready.”
“I’d almost forgotten,” Martin said with a hint of his old attitude.
“You’ll be fine,” he said. He squeezed Martin’s shoulder gently. “I’ll be right behind you the whole time.”
Martin gave him a grateful look before heading down to change. As he went through the door, Azura was on her way up, and they hugged briefly before parting.
Onyx was shocked to see Azura in tailored slacks and a fitted suit jacket. She laughed at the shocked look on his face.
“What, you didn’t expect me to wear clothes?”
“It’s been a while since I saw you in Earth clothes, that’s all.”
“Well, I couldn’t wear a Nova Aurora-style gown to Martin’s court day.”
They both fell silent, looking out over the kingdom. Onyx knew that Martin was a different boy altogether now. He was not the same angry, desperate kid who had acted out before.
Azura reached for his hand. He squeezed it briefly, giving her a smile.
“It will be okay,” he said, hoping his optimism would translate to victory. She nodded.
Onyx hurried downstairs to change into an Earth-style suit, meeting the others at the wormhole. The trip was not too jarring, and they managed to make it to the court without incident.
They paused on the steps out front, Martin turning all shades of green. Azura tried to comfort him, but he could see the kid was being eaten alive by nerves.
Gerri approached them, her long silvery hair tied up and her dark gray suit magnificently tailored to her slim figure. She touched Martin on the shoulder and stared into his eyes.
“Calm down,” she whispered.
To Onyx’s surprise, Martin did. He took a deep breath, blinked, and relaxed from head to foot.
“My lawyer is inside,” Gerri said. “You’re just in time. Let’s go.”
Martin followed directly behind Gerri, and Azura reached for Onyx’s hand. He noticed that her fingers were ice cold. She looked calm, but she was obviously very upset.
They milled in the foyer area with a few others who looked as nervous as Martin. Some of them were well dressed like them, calmly talking about strategy and answering questions. Others were in untidy clothes, and their bad attitudes matched their lackluster personal grooming.
“None of them are getting out of this,” Gerri muttered, shaking her head. “You have to show respect to the judge.”
Onyx nodded, not really listening. He was watching Martin. The kid was turning white again.