Ginn Hale - Lord of the White Hell Book One

The Sagrada heir was not restrained in any such manner. He had left his academy days far behind him. Kiram thought suddenly that Javier too would leave the academy. After next year he would be free to bring hundreds of people to their knees with his mere presence. Kiram wondered if he would choose to do so.

Prince Sevanyo's pale skin and dark eyes were testaments to his close relation to both Javier and Fedeles. There was resemblance in his long build as well. But the prince was not a young man; deep lines creased his forehead and the corners of his mouth. The sharp bones of his cheeks jutted up over gaunt hollows. White streaks shot through his black hair.

As he shifted, surveying the gathered crowd, his entire body seemed to glitter. The crown on his brow shone, gold stitching flashed up and down his dark violet clothes, and dozens of cut jewels gleamed on his gloved hands.

He hardly moved, but his mount immediately drew to a halt. For a moment, the prince surveyed the bowed heads of his gathered subjects up in the stands. His expression was distant and contemplative, as if he were regarding a foreign landscape. Then his gaze shifted to the students kneeling in the arena.

Kiram quickly bowed his head, as the prince looked his way. He didn't dare to look up again.

"Ybu may rise, faithful subjects." The prince did not need to raise his voice. His words carried effortlessly through the silence.

As everyone straightened, the pages standing behind the prince opened the gold spheres they held, releasing dozens of white doves. The royal prince sat in gleaming gold and darkest violet as white wings rose all around him, ascending into the heavens. It was a startlingly beautiful image, but also obviously contrived.

"Where's a cat when you really need one?" Javier whispered. Kiram stifled his laugh. Javier smiled at him with such open affection that Kiram had to look down at his feet to keep from blushing.

"Javier Tornesal," Prince Sevanyo called out over the noise of beating wings and dove calls.

Javier stepped forward. His uniform was gray from road dust and blood and dirt clung to his hair. Still, there was something in his bearing-his utter ease-that made Kiram think he looked as regal as the prince.

He paused to allow the prince's stallion to nuzzle his bare hand. The horse clearly knew him.

Prince Sevanyo smiled at him benevolently. "Well, cousin, I understand that I am to offer you a favor, but I cannot imagine what the Duke of Rauma would want for."

"Nothing so much as the royal prince's health and happiness," Javier said.

"I am both well and greatly pleased," Prince Sevanyo said. Then the prince pulled a massive ring from his right index finger and handed it to Javier. "Attend me for a little time."

Javier inclined his head slightly.

"It would be a pleasure, but I beg for a dismissal. I have an obligation to the academy."

"The nature of this obligation?"

"This is my third year and I am required to mentor an underclassman, my prince." Pride carried through Javier's voice. Prince Sevanyo's expression showed both surprise and amusement.

"You have an underclassman?" The prince raised his dark brows. "Is the boy without human fear or an unmitigated idiot?"

"I assure you, he is no idiot," Javier replied with a pleased smile. The prince studied Javier as if he had offered him a challenging riddle.

"I must see this underclassman," Prince Sevanyo pronounced at last. "Bring him. You will both attend me."

Kiram's stomach clenched like a fist. Nestor gave a quiet gasp and Kiram looked at him.

"As you wish, my prince." Javier turned back to Kiram and beckoned him with a gesture, appearing utterly unconcerned.

For a moment Kiram felt too afraid to move. All he could think of was King Nazario, and the countless Haldiim he had murdered. But then he forced himself forward. Javier watched him intently, as if his mere gaze could draw Kiram to him.

He walked to Javier's side and bowed deeply before the resplendent prince. The prince blinked at Kiram for a moment and then laughed.

"A Haldiim! How clever." The prince swung down from his saddle and a page led his horse out of the pavilion. Just standing near the prince, Kiram was intensely aware of the dust, sweat, and grime that clung to his own body. While a rich fragrance of vanilla wafted off the prince, Kiram was sure his own scent was much more rank.

Fortunately two of the prince's pages brought basins of water and washcloths. Javier and he cleaned up quickly. The half-healed laceration running across Javier's right ear and up into his scalp stood out strongly against his clean, white skin.

"Let us take our seats," Prince Sevanyo said. For the first time he seemed to take note of the pavilion of silent onlookers. "Certainly a tournament should be getting underway in this arena."

The words released everyone from their frozen silence. The war masters called their students to attention and marched them off the arena grounds and into the low stands reserved for them. There they hurriedly stripped off their uniforms and pulled on their leather fencing armor. Master Ignacio shouted out the orders while grooms handed out blunted dueling blades.

All flurry of action and noise seemed muted and distant to Kiram. The prince's guards surrounded them and they ascended the stairs up into the stands. The pages trailed behind them.

The seats in the prince's box were padded with purple velvet. The surrounding wood walls were gilded and painted with images of horses and armored men in battle. As soon as the prince seated himself, a page knelt to wipe the dust from his boots, while another page brought wine and a small pastry of some kind. Javier sat beside the prince and pulled Kiram down next to him.

Not wanting to be caught staring at the prince, Kiram averted his gaze down to the arena below. First-year students from both schools assembled for the first contests. Six fencing rings had been drawn up and Kiram guessed the fights would be quick. The best of the first years would go on to challenge the second-year students.

"So how did this come about?" Prince Sevanyo asked Javier, though he indicated Kiram with his wine glass.

"This is Kiram Kir-Zaki. He won the Silver Leaf Challenge last year." Javier stretched out in his seat. "Scholar Donamillo was so impressed with him that he petitioned for Kiram to be invited to attend the Sagrada Academy. Kiram accepted and now he's my underclassman."

"I had heard that a Haldiim won the Silver Leaf, though I hadn't imagined that he would be so young. " Sevanyo studied Kiram, frowning slightly. "You are young, are you not? It's hard to tell with you Haldiim. You all look like boys."

"I am seventeen, sir-Your Highness." Kiram was horrified at his own gaffe but the prince just laughed.

"Now, why do I know the name Kir-Zaki?" the prince asked.

"His family makes the Kir-Zaki candies in Anacleto," Javier replied.

"Of course." Prince Sevanyo looked delighted. "I am told that I have them to thank for the proliferation of Grunitos throughout the kingdom."

"Yfes." Kiram tried to sound steady. "Nestor Grunito says as much himself."

"You must get Javier to eat more of those candies, then. We are in need of Tornesal heirs, you know."

"The world needs more Tornesals like it needs another great flood," Javier said.

"I would be greatly displeased if Rauma fell into my brother's hands, Javier." The prince sounded suddenly very serious. Javier nodded.

"It will not. Fedeles is my heir."

"Fedeles is not fit."

"He's improving steadily," Javier replied. "And I have no intention of dying any time soon.When I do, Rauma will pass to Fedeles' children in the Quemanor house. Your brother, the royal bishop, will not have it."

Prince Sevanyo sighed. A page refilled the prince's wine glass. He offered a glass to Javier as well but Javier waved it aside.