Dating a Half-Demon

Meet My Kingsmage

Bree sends texts to a few of the hopefuls trying out to be her Kingsmage, trying to get to know them better. If someone is going to be bonded to her for life, she might as well like them right? She sighs as she puts her phone back on her bed, trying to focus on her homework, which just seems to keep growing.

After a while she hears a ding, and sees that Kit Brown has replied:

'hey briana!! i would love to meet, are you free later?'

Bree quickly thumbs a response: 'Hi Kit! Thanks for getting back to me so quick. How does the cafeteria at 6 sound?'

They almost instantly reply with a thumbs up, leaving Bree to cram in as much homework as she can until she has to leave.

She walks towards the cafeteria looking around until she notices someone who is also glancing around as cluelessly as her.

'Kit?'

They look up and smile enthusiastically at Bree. They have a shaved head, bleached blonde and freckles dotted all over their cheeks, along with a nose ring that Bree decides she definitely has to copy one day.

'Briana! It's an honour to meet you' Kit chirps

'Please, call me Bree!' She indicates to sit down at the table and Kit takes their leather jacket off, slinging it across the chair next to them. She looks up at their eyes and feels a pang of something- longing? Familiarity? Fear? She didn't know. They're the same amber as Sel's.

They make the usual conversation about what they're studying, favourite shows, and good spots to eat near campus. When the conversation comes to natural lul, Kit pipes up-

'I've had some training from Sel himself actually, our times at school crossed over. He's an excellent teacher'. Bree nods in agreement, remembering how he helped her train the night before the combat trials. She also remembers the way he looked, his black t-shirt pulling tight across his chest and- again? Seriously Bree?

They eat the food from the cafeteria which is miles better than their high school food and after a few more minutes of easy conversation, they wish each other goodnight.

She checks her phone and she has messages from another few Merlins- Ryker Barrett, Theo Darbis, and Marcella Rosing. No Vaughn, of course, she wasn't expecting anything else, and quite frankly was relieved she wouldn't have to spend any time one on one with him. She replies to all of them, suggesting to meet at various times before the trial on Wednesday.

All the meetings seem to go well, all the Merlin hopefuls are nice and polite, but she doesn't have the same connection to them as she does with Sel. She can feel them all looking at her, but burning doesn't quite feel the same- it's so much more numb. She feels this way until she meets the last of the Merlins- Corrinne Haynes. Her look feels like home, like family, and instead of burning she feels a calmness. 'I like her' Vera emerges. 'Me too' she thinks. Corrinne looks like her too, but Corinne's curls are in braids instead of Bree's puffs. She already knows if she picks her the Chapter will make the same comments that have already been made towards her.

She turns to Sel-

'What do you know about Corinne?'

'Powerful Merlin. We don't know much about her parents though, they seem to have abandoned her as a baby, so the Regents at the Southern Chapter took her in.'

Bree thinks back to her memory walk and how her ancestors reacted when they gave birth to a baby with those same amber eyes, how they called them a 'crossroads child'. She feels a spike of guilt as she remembers the way she used it against Sel just weeks ago, when she found out about his half-demon nature.

Sel leads her up to a box, looking across the same field that she did her first trial in.

'Like last time, I will be running the trial, but Nick will be joining you up here during it- he also knows what to look out for, so by the end of the night you will have made an informed decision. All of the Merlins are good to be your Kingsmage, but you need to choose who feels right.'

She nods in understanding, and starts to say something else when Sel's arm grazes hers, creating sparks under her skin. She gasps, causing Sel to quickly pull away, just before Nick makes it up the stairs.

'He's not causing you any trouble is he, B?' Nick asks, ready to argue with Sel.

'No Nick, he's fine. He's actually being helpful for once.' She remarks, sticking her tongue out at Sel. He quickly turns around before Nick can see his reaction.

'Got to go set up' he mutters, before practically running down the stairs.

'What was that about?' Nick asks, his eyes full of concern. Bree simply shrugs in response.

A horn sounds, signalling the start of the trial, and the pair scramble to their seats. On the field, there are 3 zones, all with an identical set up of trees and bushes to imitate a forest, with a dummy in the middle. Her heart pounds as she realisation settles that the dummy is meant to be her , they're all competing to protect her. In a way, Nick had it easy- he was prepared for this role since the day he was born. But Bree has been thrown into the deep end, head first, and she can barely keep afloat.

The other Scions and their Squires take their seats around Bree, and the tension with Bree as the Scion of Arthur has generally settled, even from Tor, with thanks to Sar, who didn't think Bree deserved the role. Well, Bree didn't necessarily disagree with her, but she could use her help. Nick and William had been great helps too, filling in the gaps in her knowledge and helping to prepare her for the upcoming war. Even Sel had been great, a huge change from his attitude when they originally met at the quarry that night.

Sel explains the rules of the trial- the Merlins have to fight fake demons and Shadowborn that Sel will make with his aether- if they let the dummy get attacked or if they tap out, they fail. Bree glances at the hopefuls, and only counts 6- where did Vaughn go?

As if on cue, he storms up the stairs.

'Not like you were gonna pick me anyway. There's no point.' He thunders at Bree.

Her lips draw into a thin line- she couldn't argue, he was right. She was never gonna pick him, not after the way he'd treated her during the trials.

'Why did you sign up then?' She retorts.

'Got no choice in the matter. You've met my mother.' She thinks of Mrs Schaefer shouting at her, telling her she stole her son's spot when Nick chose her as his squire. She nods slightly in agreement and the tension between them eases slightly. He stands there, staring angrily at her for a moment, until Nick starts to move towards him, and Vaughn marches off towards his seat.

Sel's voice boomed across the field, introducing the candidates, and drew the names for the first 3- Kit, Ryker, and someone she hadn't met before- a small, agile girl called Tamara Weathers. They all look nervous, but determination marks all their faces. She remembers carrying that same look just weeks ago.

It was time for the trial to start.