“A long day,” Salem commented. “You will forever be running catch up on sleep if we don’t let you rest.”
“I need no special treatment.”
“It is not special treatment. You travelled here for four days, you’ve had what?” he glanced at her, “four hours sleep?”
“That’s what I am used to.”
“Perhaps, but I need my Elite alert.” Salem clasped his hands behind his back as he walked, it reminded her of her father Leonid, and she felt a pang in her chest as she thought of him.
“I will not fail,” Tegan grumbled.
“No, you probably won’t.”
They both froze suddenly at a movement in the shadows in the trees, Tegan’s eyes were already in the treetops. “It climbs,” she whispered to Salem. She moved forward stealthily with Salem beside her. “You are familiar with my father’s teaching? You still remember your training?” she asked the Principal quietly. Salem winced at her reference to Leonid but nodded sharply. “Good, follow my lead.”
Salem almost protested at an eighteen-year-old Akrhyn tellinghimhow to patrol, but instead was forced to follow her as she suddenly burst into a run for the perimeter.Is she going to… yes, yes she is, she’s scaling the fence!He watched in alarm as Tegan effortlessly scaled the fence, seemingly oblivious to the sharp bursts of spells that she was setting off. As he followed her ascent he scowled as he realised that when she breached the security the day before she had ascertained that the spells were detection and not deterrent. She was merely alerting the other Sentinels that there was a threat by the most direct method possible – setting off the wards. In an impressive time, Tegan was over the fence and had descended the other side. As Salem reached the top, he heard her land and then she was running again, having no regard for if he was following her or not. Hastily following her and wishing he had more than a few knives on him, he heard the alarms going off on the grounds.
Salem had lived in this Estate his whole life, he was familiar with the topography of the land and the knowledge that hestumbledon an upturned root had him cursing his softness that he had acquired behind the desk. Hearing the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn, he slowed, he didn’t want to distract her by bursting upon her, but he also didn’t want Tegan too far in front of him.
Tegan was in a clearing, lit by moonlight, with three Drakhyn in front of her. Salem watched as she moved forward, she seemed to engage them all at once. He stood by helplessly as she pivoted between the three monsters, her movements fluid, her strikes hitting their mark each time. Salem realised he couldn’t even enter the fray or he would be in danger of causing her harm. Movement to the left drew his attention, the darker shadow moving into the light slowly. Gripping his knives he threw with deadly accuracy and the fourth Drakhyn stumbled just as Tegan decapitated one of her three, effectively breaking their combined attack. Salem distracted the second with a knife to the arm. It wouldn’t kill it, but it would slow it down – giving Tegan the time she needed to dispatch of the other Drakhyn.
Salem heard the approach of more Sentinels just as Tegan took down the Drakhyn he had slowed down with his knife. As a handful of Elite Sentinels burst into the clearing, swords drawn, Tegan looked up from her kills and beamed at the newcomers, before turning to him her smile bright. The resemblance to her mother in that moment, tore at Salem’s heart.
“Principal?” one of his Elites gasped. “You should not be out here.”
“Field exercise,” he answered tersely, as he continued to watch Tegan pat down the corpses of the Drakhyn. She was completely unconcerned at their death or touching them.Fearless, he thought. He had seen Sentinels older, more experienced than her, turn their head away as they performed the task. Not Tegan, she was thorough, exploring every inch of the body.
“She took all three?” Bryce, the Commander of the Elite Sentinels asked quietly, as Tegan began to drag the corpses into a pile. She dropped a lit match onto the lifeless bodies once she had quickly doused them in what Salem could only assume was lighter fluid.
“Without breaking a sweat and in a remarkably short time,” he answered Bryce as he continued to watch. Tegan stayed throughout the burning, even as more Sentinels searched the woods, she did not move from her vigilance to ensure that the Drakhyn were ash. When the fire consumed itself into nothing, she walked over to where he waited.
“Do you wish me to accompany you back, Principal Elder?”
“Commander?” Salem asked, finally looking at his Commander for the first time since he had entered the clearing.
“We will continue the search,” the commander answered. “Headquarters were not breached.”
“Today,” Salem answered as he turned back to Tegan. “They weren’t breached today.” She met his stare unwavering, her confidence shining through. “Come, you can walk me back,” Salem directed as he headed back to Headquarters, never doubting that this fierce new Sentinel was at his back.
“You were impressive,” Salem said quietly after they had walked for a few minutes. Tegan said nothing as she walked beside him, not that he had expected her too. “Shall we try the front entrance to Headquarters?” Salem asked with a small smile. “I think you should maybe try the conventional way of entry.”
Tegan smiled at his humour and nodded. “I suppose I could try it at least once.”
“You shouldn’t leave your partner so far behind when you hunt,” Salem reprimanded her quietly. “It leaves you exposed.” He glanced at her, seeing her frown, he continued, “It also leaves your partner exposed. You can be the best of the best, Tegan, but you are still responsible for who you’re hunting with, as they are you.” They walked together in silence, as they approached the driveway for Headquarters, Salem noted Tegan’s silence and possible resentment at his words. “You have hunted with a Vampyre, you are used to Leonid being immortal and damn near invincible when he hunts. Not all Sentinels are Vampyres, just as not all Vampyres are Leonid.”
“You’re right,” Tegan was thoughtful as she walked. “Father has told me the same thing, but you’re right, it is easy to forget that I am not with father.” Tegan looked at the Principal Elite. “I will bear it in mind, Principal.”
“You can call me Salem,” he said as they approached the door. “Most people do, especially my Elite guard.” He added on hurriedly as he saw Tegan’s reaction to his request. “I’m quite relaxed and I don’t call for people standing on ceremony so much.”
“Oh,” Tegan looked away as they reached the door to Headquarters. “If you are sure. But be prepared for me to slip.”
“It will take time, Tegan,” Salem said quietly.
Tegan nodded, unsure; she knew the Principal meant more than the conversation they were having. The unspoken fact that they were father and daughter had been unaddressed but was lingering over both of them. She walked back to his study with him, anxious to be away from the situation.
“Everything okay?” Tegan hadn’t noticed Michael approach and mentally berated herself for the slight.
“Drakhyn,” Salem answered. “Tegan had them handled.”