Chapter 77

For a brief moment, Natalie considered turning the conversation back to Camille’s offer. But she wasn’t sure it had been genuine, and when it came to Camille’s endless teasing, it was better to not give her more fuel. So instead, she dropped it.

“I really don’t,” Natalie said. “I know who House Parda-Halt is, though.”

“I would hope so,” Camille said, giving her another odd look. “Anyway, there’s not a Parda-Halt out there who isn’t a prodigy. Won’t be surprised if she’s at the top of the class. As in, top-top. Number one.”

“Which one is she?”

“Red hair. Over there.”

A few sparring pads away, Natalie saw who Camille pointed at. With long red hair, the same vibrant color as Natalie’s, and piercing green eyes, Natalie placed the woman in an instant. “Oh,” she said. “She’s in my barracks.”

“Poor you.”

“Poor me?”

“She hasn’t been awful?”

“Haven’t exchanged two words with her.”

“Suggest you keep that up.”

“Why?” Natalie had formed an immediately poor impression of the woman, because her first experience had been Elida giving a mocking, disdainful look toward Liz, clearly finding her sociable chatter as ... Natalie didn’t know. Childish? Embarrassing? She supposed she was making assumptions. And that had been a while ago, and a rather minor incident, but now that Natalie liked Liz, the event bothered her more. Still, she wanted to hear Camille’s thoughts on the matter.

“Always a good policy to keep thirty feet away from any Parda-Halt. Bunch of snakes, them.” She grimaced. “Don’t tell her I said that, though. Or anyone. My house is technically on good footing with hers.”

Which made the point even stronger. “That bad, then?”

“Haven’t talked to her,” Camille admitted. “But really. Parda-Halt.”

Natalie knew Parda-Halt had a poor reputation. Not more than a century ago, they’d tried to overthrow the monarchy. It spoke to their cunning their House hadn’t collapsed for the failure. Hatred obviously lingered between Beaumon and Parda-Halt. Since Natalie had made friends with Liz, and Elida hadn’t set a great impression in the first place, it was obvious which side of the line Natalie stood on for that rivalry. Not that she ‘stood’ in any meaningful capacity; she was a nobody.

“Huh,” Natalie said. “And Johanna? I think Liz has mentioned her.” She was pretty sure she’d heard the name once or twice.

“Not surprised,” Camille said. “They’re probably best friends. Johanna Valeria?”

“Ah,” Natalie said. House Valeria and Beaumon were inseparable. Valeria had effectively led the military for generations; they were the Beaumon family’s right hand. “Don’t think Liz’s talked about her that much, though.” Then again, Natalie had hardly spent any significant amount of time with Liz. They’d made friends, but not to any deep degree. “She’s in class twelve, too?”

“Over there,” Camille said. “Blondie with the short hair.”

Natalie placed her in a moment. She was in a two-on-two spar against Sofia. Johanna Valeria looked like a military woman. The effect was amplified by being in active combat, but her short hair, carved-from-stone expression, and powerful build radiated “soldier”. She filled out the Tenet uniform in a way not many others did—and that was saying something, considering where they were.

“Don’t stare too obviously,” Camille said, amused. “She’ll catch you. But yeah. I agree.”

“Tank?”

“Fighter. Tough as nails. Takes a hit better than most tanks, and’ll tear other fighters apart limb by limb, too. That’s a Valeria. Like Elida, I’ll eat my foot if she’s not in the top ten when rankings come out. Top five, probably.”