Trials in Walls of Ivy (Triskelion Trilogy Book 1) by Deborah Jayne Pye Page A

battle? I thought you were, I don’t know, something like body guards?”
    “The official title is Custodian . Basically we’re to be trained in combat, infiltration and your basic under the radar black ops. Kind of like what you’re training in, just more physical.” He smiled at me like there was nothing wrong with his revelation.
    “What I’m training in? It’s completely different. How could you be having military training here? This is a university. I know Llamp said it’s part of the government, but I thought she meant desk jobs and things like that.”
    “It’s not military,” he shot, before turning and continuing down the path.
    I ran to catch up. “Hey, I wasn’t trying to be funny with you.”
    He sighed and shook his head, but didn’t slow his pace. “I know. I just… never mind. But really, what are you studying in sociology?”
    “Just the basic stuff. What crowds of people are like in different situations and cultures.” It felt pathetic in comparison.
    “Learning how to manipulate social groups of people and how to blend in plain sight? Aren’t you doing the same subject as me then?”
    “In what way?”
    “I use my physical skills, you use your brains. It’s all to the same effect. I infiltrate when force is needed. You infiltrate where stealth is needed. You’re a Mole, just like I’m a Wolf.” He stopped to shift Bree’s weight in his arms.
    She was still snoring soundly, her head resting against his chest.
    “Which house is it?”
    I hadn’t realised we had arrived at our makeshift street. I pointed toward house G and dug my keys from my bag. I was about to unlock the door when I took a sudden step back.
    “Oh no, I forgot. We can’t go in there.”
    “Isn’t this your house?”
    “It is, but. Well, when I left, our housemate was in the process of shagging some girl on the settee. Why do you think I went to the pub alone? I couldn’t stay here.” The words fell from my mouth in a flood of panic. What if they were still writhing there in the middle of the living room? I did not need to see that part of Warwick again.
    “Ha, is that all? Get the door open. Come on, she’s not as light as she looks.” He used Bree’s feet to nudge me toward the door. I twisted the keys and thrust the door open. Ash barged in ahead of me, walked straight to the living room and lowered Bree to the chair.
    “They must have finished. That, or moved into the kitchen.”
    I cringed and shut the door. “Do me a favour? Go check. I don’t want to walk in on that again.”

CHAPTER SIX
     
    Ash didn’t stay long. I left Bree curled up on the chair, dead to the world. I thought about staying with her a while, but couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same room as Warwick’s lusty residue. I woke in the morning with a fiery determination to set some boundaries in the house. I wrapped my dressing gown around me as I marched down the stairs. Owen was already sat at the breakfast table, newspaper propped in front of him. Karissa was sat beside him, reading over his shoulder. Sat at the far end of the table was Bree. Her head propped on one fist, she was inhaling deeply from her steaming black coffee.
    I slammed the button down on the kettle and almost made it tip up.
    “Steady now,” Bree whispered.
    I looked up to the ceiling. “Is he up yet?” I snapped.
    “I’ll presume you mean Warwick, since I’m the only other he living here?” Owen said, with an overly bright smile. “Not seen him yet.”
    I stormed to the bottom of the stairs. “Warwick, get your arse down here now!” I screamed, then returned to the kitchen and stood by the sink, arms folded.
    Owen, Bree and Karissa watched me with open mouths. None of them seemed to know if they should laugh or be afraid.
    “I just need to set out some ground rules,” I said, to the room. “If we’re going to live here together, we have to set the boundaries.”
    Owen shrugged. “If you say so.”
    I heard stomping footsteps