Page 80 of Dark Princess Emerging

The thought made his next punch a bit harder.

"Your left hook is improving."

Rob turned to find Arwel behind him, his arms folded across his chest and a smile tilting up his lips.

"Thanks." Rob steadied the bag. "What's up, Arwel?"

The Guardian leaned slightly forward. "We should schedule the induction ceremony. You are more than ready."

That caught Rob off guard. "I'm not in a rush," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It's not like my residency status in the village depends on it. I'm a confirmed Dormant."

Arwel shook his head. "It's time, Rob. You're human, so you could train for years and still not last more than a minute in the ring with me. I'm a Guardian, and I've been training for centuries. There's no point in waiting. It needs to be done."

Rob's stomach tightened. "When do you want to do this?"

"I suggest we do it this Saturday evening."

Rob's gut twisted as anxiety took hold.

"Where? And how does it work exactly? I've never actually been told all the details." Or any at all.

People must have assumed that he knew, or maybe they were waiting for him to ask, but he'd been too much of a chicken to do so.

"It's usually done right here in the gym." Arwel leaned against the wall. "In the sparring ring. I'll put up a notice on the clan's bulletin board so people can attend if they want to. Kian needs to be informed since he's the leader of this community and the master of ceremonies, and you should make sure your sister, Gertrude, and your other friends come to cheer you on."

Another wave of anxiety washed over Rob, more powerful than the first. "What else is involved in the ceremony? I mean, apart from the match itself?"

"Nothing too elaborate." Arwel shifted his weight. "Kian says a few words, and his butler distributes ceremonial wine in tiny cups. He'll ask if you accept me as your mentor, then he will ask me if I accept responsibility for you, and lastly, he will ask if anyone objects to our match." He lifted a finger. "Oh, I forgot that he will ask who is presenting you and vouching for your worthiness. Mia and Toven can be your presenters. Then we fight in the ring, the crowd cheers you on, I take you down to the mat, bite you, and you're out for a few minutes or longer. An hour at the most."

"And then?"

"Hopefully, the transition will start the next day or two days later. If it doesn't, you might need another round, probably with someone else." Arwel scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Toven would be your best bet since he is a god, and you can't ask for more potent venom. Or you could ask Negal. Actually, maybe you should just go with one of the gods as your inducer in the first place. There's nothing like a god's venom to ensure a smooth transition. I have no problem stepping aside."

"No." Rob's response was immediate and firm. "I want you as my inducer. Unless you've changed your mind about doing it?"

"Not at all." Arwel clapped him on the shoulder. "I'd be honored. Just wanted you to be aware of your options. If it doesn't work, Negal would be a solid backup plan."

Rob nodded, turning back to the heavy bag to hide his relief. Having Arwel as his inducer felt right. The Guardian had beenhelping him train and offering guidance both in and out of the ring. Plus, there was something reassuring about his steady presence. Maybe it was his empathic ability and his friendly demeanor, but Rob had felt comfortable with him from day one.

"Saturday," Rob said, testing the word. "That's soon."

"Too soon?" Arwel asked.

"No." Rob threw a combination at the bag, his form better than ever. "It's just getting real, real fast."

48

ANNANI

Diffused by the marine layer, the morning light streamed through the dining room windows as Annani watched her brother and sister and their mates gather for breakfast. These morning meals had become precious moments, opportunities to observe her newly found siblings settling into their new lives. The Odus moved around them, serving coffee and fresh pastries.

"I plan on visiting Roni today," Jasmine said, accepting a cup of coffee from Ogidu. "I want to go over the information he's gathered about my family. I just wish he had time to dig into the rebellion in Kurdistan and find some clues for us, but he is busy with a big project, so he only has a few minutes to spare."

Ell-rom's wince meant that her brother was well aware of what was occupying the hacker's time these days. Roni was hacking into the pedo networks, as Kian referred to them, and preparing for the Avengers' first mission on Tuesday. The closer they came to activating the new division, the closer Ell-rom came to testing his deadly ability on actual humans, and the thought troubled him deeply.

Annani needed to change the subject to disperse the dark cloud hovering over Ell-rom's head.

"This evening, we're all invited to Syssi and Kian's for dinner. It has become something of a family tradition, their Friday dinners, though they do not always work out, and sometimes we have to gather on another day. We try to have the family together at least once a week. It is important for the children." She smiled. "And for me. This is one of the main reasons I stayed here so long instead of going back to the sanctuary or visiting Sari more. I feel a little guilty about that, but not enough to make me leave."