The Five Manors

Chapter 7 My Strange Sleeping Quarters

I freeze and feel heat suddenly rise up to my cheeks. I forget about everything around me. What did she mean? Had Queen Krea been talking about me to these people?

I never got the answer to either of my questions because at that moment Delia pulled back as if she hadn't whispered anything in my ear. I look around, and no one seems to have noticed. Maybe I just imagined it? I still feel frozen.

I was so baffled that I hardly noticed when Sir Alvarez was now standing only three feet from me. I shake my head. The others had already gone with their trainers. I could see them making their way behind the big building.

"Ready?" Sir Alvarez asks. I squint to try to see him more clearly like I was able to see the other two trainers but I can't seem to grasp his features. It's like the shadows are hiding him and yet he stands right in front of me.

Instead of answering his question I ask a different one. "Where are they going?"

There's a pause. "To their sleeping quarters."
    "Well, shouldn't we be headed that way too?" I ask. Why were we still standing here?

Another pause. "We would have been by now if you hadn't been standing here for the past three minutes," he replies in a humorless tone.

Oh. Wait, three minutes? Had I been frozen that long?

I roll my eyes. "Yes, I'm ready," I respond.

He turns around on his heel and gestures for me to follow him in the same direction the others had gone.

"First orders," Sir Alvarez starts. "Only when we are around any one else will you call me Sir Alvarez. The rest of the time you will call me Varez. Don't question this order."

O-kay. Tense much?

Clearly. We were walking side by side and I could practically sense the tension rolling off him in waves. He clearly had his reasons for such an order though, so I would respect his privacy.

"Yes, Varez?" I say. It meant to come out has more of a "Sir Yes Sir" but instead had probably sounded more like a question. Oh well.

Varez seemed like a more fitting name. "Sir Alvarez" sounded too much like an adult's' title for him.

We walk in silence for about half a minute and it gets uncomfortable so I finally decide to say something. Well . . . ask something.

"So . . . why do the four of us all have different uniforms?"

Why was this guy so tense?

"You will all be training in different environments and will be learning different skills."

I think for a moment. Out loud. "Avery and Jasmine both looked like they were wearing exercise clothes. So they must be training in some gymnasium. Zarina looks like she is wearing business attire so . . ." What were her clothes for? Zarina had always been the brains. Always great with electronics. "Lady Delia will be teaching her more in . . ." I drift off not sure what to call it.

"Electronics and Humanities," Varez says blandly.

I glance at him, shocked that he would respond to my wandering thoughts.

"Than what type of training would my uniform be needed in?" I ask puzzled.

"Did you not hear anything Lady Estrella said about only speaking when you're spoken too?" Varez asks. Was that a hint of amusement in his voice?

I glare at him. He didn't seem like the following the rules type and yet he was giving me a hard time.

He sighs. "I will be training you in pugnae."