“Why, sometimes, I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” — Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

  ???

  While there was a stern curfew requiring students to be back in their dormitories by eleven at night unless they were granted special permission, on weekends, that curfew was lifted. Even then, students were still expected to maintain a certain standard of conduct and behaviour.

  As such, no one came to interrupt Yuliana Nightray’s late night training session in one of the training rooms in the Academy’s central wing.

  Twin blades gripped in both hands, Yulia moved fluidly, fighting an enemy that only she could see. Her mind kept replaying the scene in Debate Hall earlier that evening, and how Rem’s argument had most likely turned half the Academy against him in an instant, especially those who had resided outside the Imperial City, and knew firsthand what Alathia was going through.

  ‘He hasn’t changed one bit,’ Yulia thought to herself, falling into a stance that had been drilled into her since early childhood. ‘Still as idealistic as ever, and believing that everything can be solved with words alone.’

  Yulia’s teeth gritted as she moved, her lithe body almost a blur as she did so. Within seconds, five training dummies were knocked to the ground in a single fluid strike.

  Light clapping from the entrance of the training room caught Yulia’s attention, and her head snapped towards the door. Felix Carrington stood at the entrance, a small smile tugging at the edges of his lips.

  Like Yulia, he was dressed in training clothes that comprised of a simple black shirt and pants, being barefoot. His raven hair was pulled back in a rat-tail, and his blue eyes shone with an unreadable expression.

  “Not bad,” Felix commented, entering the room fully and pulling the door close behind him as he did so. “Nightray twin-blade swordsmanship. I’ve seen it in action during combat drills, but never up close.”

  Though they were in the same class, Yulia had never sparred with Felix in the two months since their enrolment. Her regular training partners in combat drills were usually Elias and Gale. And on the rare chance when both Advanced classes had joint sessions, the instructors typically pitted noble students against commoners. And Yulia’s sparring partner during those cases is either Kaela Merrin or Rowan.

  “Heir Carrington,” Yulia murmured, nodding politely. Felix returned the gesture with a formal bow, acknowledging the higher status of House Nightray, one of the Ten Great Houses, while his own, House Carrington, was a minor barony under House Kael.

  “I’m usually here most nights. Didn’t expect anyone else at this hour, especially on a weekend,” Felix commented, heading toward the weapons wall. He selected a one-handed training sword and turned back to her with a slight smirk. “Care for a spar?”

  Yulia sighed, shrugging. She had a feeling that Felix’s visit wasn’t just about sparring. “Might as well,” she murmured, already moving to clear the training dummies. “You’d be a better sparring partner than these wooden targets.”

  Felix grinned. “I like to think I’m somewhat competent with a blade,” he said cheerfully, moving to face Yulia and adopting a one-handed combat stance. His form was, however, noticeably different from the Nightray style. It’s more geared towards defence than outright offence. “When I heard that the Nightray heiress was in my class, I’d hoped for a chance to spar with you. Never got the chance, though. Heirs Valemire and Rovaryn always beat me to it.”

  Without another word, they moved simultaneously, their weapons clashing against each other. Felix grunted as he barely deflected Yulia’s flurry of strikes, dodging some and absorbing others, with several hits landing on his arms, with one just skimming his neck. If they haven’t been using training weapons, Felix would wager that he would be sprouting some serious wounds right now. Or worse.

  “In Debate Hall earlier today,” Felix panted, even as the continuous clashes of steel against steel resounded repeatedly around the training room, moving his sword down towards Yulia’s neck, but had his attack blocked by one of Yulia’s blades, with the other swinging towards his neck, which he barely dodged, “I didn’t expect you to back me up.”

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  Yulia didn’t respond immediately. She ducked beneath a swing just mere moments before Felix’s sword swiped at where her head would have been, somersaulting backwards with surprising agility, before moving forward again. Felix’s eyes widened, and he brought his sword up to block her attack, his arms trembling from the force.

  “I doubt we were the only ones unimpressed with Prince Rem,” Yulia said at last. “With that one debate, I’d wager he’s turned at least half the Academy against him. Or at least, made them question whether he’s ready to rule.”

  “Not the ones raised in the Imperial City,” Felix countered, deflecting another blow and retreating a step. He stepped backwards neatly out of the way of another strike that was aimed at his thigh. “But anyone from outside the capital? Even the neutrals won’t be impressed.”

  Yulia made a sound in her throat, her eyes narrowing, before she flipped the blade in her left hand into a reverse grip. Felix’s eyes widened with the sudden and quick movement, recognising the technique. But before he could react, with a loud thwack, his training sword was knocked out of his hands and sent flying across the room.

  For several moments, only their ragged breathing filled the silence. Felix sighed, raising his hands in surrender. “I yield,” he said simply. He grinned at Yulia. “Lord Kael had always spoken well of your House. And now, I understand why.”

  “You’re not bad yourself,” Yulia commented. “You’ll go far if you take up a military post after graduation.”

  “That’s still up for debate, depending on how the situation in Alathia develops,” Felix admitted, even as both teenagers walked towards the weapons wall to return the training weapons. “Right now, however? It’s not looking good.”

  Yulia didn’t reply to Felix’s statement. “Hopefully, the cafeteria’s still open. If not, we might need to head out to one of the taverns in town,” she remarked. She looked at Felix. “Want to grab supper?”

  Felix nodded. “Sounds good,” he said, slipping into his boots as they stepped into the hallway, only to stop short.

  Nathan Hunt stood across from the door, leaning against the opposite wall, clearly waiting for one or both of them.

  “Isn’t it a little late for you to be using the training rooms now, Hunt?” Felix raised an eyebrow.

  His opinion of the second Hunt son had always been neutral. He neither liked him nor hated him. He has no particular feelings towards Nathan Hunt. But after what happened in Debate Hall? That neutrality was fading.

  “And yet, here you both are,” Nathan said coolly, looking from one to the other.

  “Not by Prince Rem’s side?” Yulia questioned. “That’s usually where you are these days.”

  Nathan’s eye twitched. “Funny you should say that, considering that it’s supposed to be your job to be by his side,” he said snidely. “You’re his guardian, aren’t you?”

  Yulia didn’t flinch with that aggressive tone. She merely raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “My duties as his guardian don’t officially commence until we’re both of age,” she pointed out. “You know that.” Nathan scowled. “What brings you here? I have better things to do than exchange words with you about my duties.”

  Nathan gritted his teeth, like he was barely restraining himself from saying something he might regret. “In Debate Hall earlier this evening,” he said at last through tightly clenched teeth, like it’s taking him everything he could to be polite, “you were challenging Rem. Insulting his authority.”

  Yulia sighed, and Felix barely restrained the urge to roll his eyes. “For the last time, that was Debate Hall. We’re well within our rights to challenge the prince,” Felix pointed out bluntly, growing impatient. “We weren’t insulting him, as we said.”

  Nathan turned his attention towards Yulia. “I don’t like you,” he said bluntly. Felix blinked, but Yulia remained unmoved. Nathan had never bothered to hide his dislike of her since they were children. “But I also know you. You’ve always been harsh. Whether it was towards me, yourself, or even the Crown Prince. You’ve always been harsh, but you were never this much of an ass. Your words and actions towards Prince Rem in Debate Hall… You were never this cruel.”

  Yulia let out a dry laugh. “If you think that was cruel, Hunt, then you’ve been far too sheltered,” she said, her voice almost mocking. Nathan blinked in surprise. “You haven’t seen cruel yet.”

  “But your words did turn half the Academy against Prince Rem,” Nathan insisted.

  “He did that himself,” Felix said bluntly, losing patience with Nathan. “And honestly, all it achieved is just have people questioning the prince. They haven’t turned against the Crown yet.”

  Yulia sighed. “You know, you have this bad habit of having tunnel vision when it comes to Rem,” she said sharply. Both boys turned towards her. Yulia narrowed her eyes at Nathan, who swallowed nervously. “You’ve always been this way. You think that what you’re doing now is protecting Rem? Shielding him? No. You’re harming him.”

  Yulia’s silver eyes were like daggers. “I know Cassian and Lord Hunt have told you this already, and I’m telling you this now as well. There are battles we can’t fight for others. What you’re doing now isn’t protecting Rem. You’re stunting his growth. You’re keeping him from learning what he needs to become a better king.”

  Nathan opened his mouth to argue, but Yulia didn’t give him the chance to protest.

  “Or what? Are you planning to rule for him?” Yulia questioned coolly, and Nathan’s mouth snapped shut. “You’re not doing him any favours, Nathan Hunt. Sometimes, letting someone struggle and learn is the only way they’ll grow. It’s better for them in the long run. That’s all I have to say. It’s not just Rem that needs to learn. I think you need to, as well.”

  Without waiting to listen to Nathan’s reply, Yulia turned and walked down the hallway. Felix smirked at Nathan. “I look forward to our next joint lesson,” he said smoothly. “If I were you, I’d polish my swordsmanship first. Just saying.”

  He then turned his heel and walked briskly to catch up with Yulia. Silence fell between them for several moments even as they walked down the hallway and around a corner, and then passing through the Academy gates into the cool night. The distant sounds of voices floated in from the capital, most likely from the few taverns still open.

  “Hunt… He has no idea of the situation in Alathia right now, does he?” Felix broke the silence, looking at Yulia’s side profile. Yulia didn’t answer, but her silence is telling enough, and Felix sighed. “Certainly didn’t expect that from the younger son of Lord Alaric Hunt.”

  “He’s not involved in his House’s affairs yet,” Yulia murmured. “And I think Lord Hunt and Heir Hunt were trying to protect him from the realities of what is happening in Alathia.”

  “That’s no excuse,” Felix scoffed. “What you said to him is true. He’s harming the prince rather than protecting him. Stunting his growth. Not letting him grow. He’s not helping Prince Rem. He’s holding him back.” Yulia made a noncommittal sound in her throat, and Felix sighed. “In your opinion, do you think that the prince will be a good king?”

  Yulia stopped dead in her tracks, and Felix almost tripped over his feet, half-turning to study his classmate. The Nightray heiress gazed at the distance at something only she could see. Then finally, she turned to face Felix, her expression unreadable.

  “As Rem is right now?” she said quietly. “No.”