The Lovenina princesses: New Beginnings (Book 1)
Chapter 8

~ Lucy & Hunter ~

Hunter walked her into a huge gym, the floors were slippery vinyl. The walls soared high, where they met with moderate windows. The shimmering light from the stars shine through and into the room. Every surface of the walls was covered with weapons, spells, potions, and references of fighting stances. On the other side of the room near a changing room, Practice dummies lined the space.

“Lucy, are you ok?” He asked placing a hand on her shoulder, “You are being really quiet—”

“Worry about me? I am ok just searching for a knock-out spell to use on Marcus. Some pay back on that witch.” She explained, taking her eyes off the walls and toward him.

“Lucy, as much as I want to get revenge on Raven and the witches we cannot stoop to their level. It will make us want to have uncontrollable power and turn our raw magic dark. We would end up being as evil as them.”

“Oh, but I want to give Marcus a taste of his own medicine. I bet you want to get Jackie back too. How bad could it be?”

“Extremely bad! I had a taste of it and allow the darkness in; it is dangerous to yourself and others if you get sucked into it too much or too long your dark side begins to take over. Usually, it is activated when you experienced an intense event where you don’t know how to react, causing your powers, emotions to be out of control. However, there are stories about how some create it thinking it would level up their raw power or they are cursed with it.”

“Your dark self is the worse part of you and after you let it feed off your mana it never leaves you alone.”

“Please, don’t let revenge fog your mind; don’t allow the darkness in,” He begged, gripping her shoulders.

“Ok, I won’t.”

It must be a terrible thing with how shaky and serious he is.

“Good, ok go change in the bathroom I will be right back,” He said as he pointed to the changing room.

💖

Lucy waited for Hunter in a chair near the changing room, lacing up her boots.

I wonder if Rose had gotten a lecture too. She is probably worried about school underneath all the excitement about finding out about our past. Being a princess wasn’t really on my list of life goals, I’m way far from the classy, perfect, and elegant princess you heard about. Rose on the other hand is made for this. Well, the royalty part. I can get on board with the fighting with our power part, but I can’t lead anyone. If we get to that part of this crazy thing, I know it is usually the oldest, but if we end up having to step up to rule our kingdom. That we supposedly own through our bloodline. Rose should totally lead. She has a gentle heart for anything and anyone. I don’t trust anyone and only need to look out for Rose.

“Is he ever going to come back?”

She questioned, getting out of her head to search the giant area.

“Aaah!”

Leaping off the chair she tried to jump out of the way of a chair flying toward her.

“WHAT THE HELL HUNTER!”

She hit the wall painfully landing on her arm.

“Lucy, sorry, it wasn’t supposed to be that forceful. I was trying to demonstrate that you have to be ready for anything,” He said running over to help her get to her feet.

“WITH A FREAKING CHAIR!” She shouted, punching him in the face.

Her strike was so firm his face quickly turned a bruising red.

“Are you ok? Your landing looked painful.”

“What do you think!” She barked.

He hesitated following her as she slammed the door behind her.

“Great,” excellent job she, totally hates you now.”

💖

“What a freaking jerk!” Lucy shouted as she clean the blood off her arm.

“I know he didn’t like me; he made that clear at the beginning, but then he seemed worried when I got knocked out… he is so confusing, UGH!”

“He hates my guts, but then he acted so worried in that fight, and just now he ran over…so maybe he cares just have a weird way of showing it.”

“Lucy, you dumbass he hates you and was just worried about losing someone that can help in the battles against King Raven. He wasn’t worried about you.”

“I don’t hate you and I was worried about you then and now,” Hunter announced, turning her away from the critical room counter.

“You really like the color red,” He stated, pointing at his bruising face.

“Uh— sorry about that.”

“It’s ok, I am a freaking jerk sometimes, I deserved it.”

“Y-Y-o-u heard that?”

“Wait, how much did you hear?”

“Well… um, I teleported here but didn’t want to intrude after what just happened. Sorry about that, I will figure out a new technique. I am, also sorry about you feeling like I hate you, because I don’t and you were right I was crying when you were knocked out. I was so scared. It seems like I am cursed to lose everyone I care for, so I push people away more than letting them in.”

“I knew it you were crying—”

“That was not the point…the point is I do care for you, and I want us to become closer as friends of course. So, if I work on letting you in…will you try too?”

“Sure, it’s a deal,” She replied, shaking his hand.

“Uh, we weren’t making a deal—”

“I was messing with you Hunter,” She said as she went back to cleaning her scrape.

“Oh, um can I help you, uh, clean your scrape?”

“It’s a boring activity, but if you want to I would love some help,” She added with a smile, causing him to slip on the wet cloth she had dropped, when he turned her away from the counter.

“Are you secretly a klutz,” She chuckled, helping him up.

“No, you distracted me,” He said tossing the soaked washcloth in the hamper.

Lucy giggled, “My smile distracted you…you better not be falling for me.”

“Trust me I am not.”

💖

“There we go how is your arm feeling?’ Hunter asked as he finishes bandaging Lucy’s arm.

“Still a bit sore, but better thanks.” Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Well, it was my fault you got hurt in the first place.”

“No, it wasn’t it was the chair’s fault.” She replied.

He laughed, “Ok I am fine with that.”

“Good, back to training.”

“Are you crazy you need to rest your arm.”

“Yes, and I am feeling well enough to continue, trust me.”

“But you landed on it—”

“Trust me?”

“Maybe…”

“I will let you know if I need to be bench coach, so trust me when I say I am feeling well enough to continue.”

“You better, let’s go,” Hunter agreed grabbing her hand to teleport.

💖

“Uh, sorry I should have asked first skin contact is needed to teleport more than yourself,” Hunter explained as he dropped her hand.

“It’s ok, I didn’t mind it,” She replied as both of their faces grew red.

“Uh…anyway, I am going to bring a dummy to life. I want you to focus on two things, not getting caught and, knocking it out.”

“Ok, LUCY PRINCESS OF LOVE—!”

In a blink, she was shoved to the ground hitting her back against the cold floor.

“Ow! What the heck didn’t we just have a whole conversation about not doing stuff like this,” She said, looking up that him, “Was tackling me really necessary?”

“Sorry, My fault again I wasn’t clear I don’t want you to transform; I want you to fight with your physical muscles only.”

“You are joking I just got hurt, and you want me to fight without transforming.”

“Yes, you need to learn how to use your physical muscles and strength in a fight, before you start studying magic so you aren’t depending on your powers every time.”

“That is why I always start a fight without transforming; you want to keep your magic intact and strong for the last defense.”

“Are those from fighting?” She asked, noticing all the cuts and scratches that marked up Hunter’s arms.

“Yes that is the worst thing that will happen if you don’t use your transformation at the beginning, you just obtain a few extra battle scars.”

“Try your best to not transform right away, I promise I won’t fling you into the wall this time.”

“You better not,” She added as he pulled them both off the ground.

“I promise I won’t now focus on the task.”

In a flash the once still dummy was now glowing and pulling itself off the wall.

“Hi, how are you doing?” Lucy asked the dummy, while she backed away.

“Lucy don’t talk to it fight it; also, don’t be scared the spell I use made sure it can’t fight back, so you can just work on your stance and your fighting reflexes,” He informed as he study her.

“I am not scared, and I know I am working on it!” She shouted, grabbing the dummy’s leg, and flipping it over slamming it to the ground. “See told ya, I was working on it.”

“WOO! YEAH, I DID THAT! With just one hit!” Lucy sang as she started to do a victory dance in the middle of the gym.

“I don’t remember making it that easy, but good job, see you are much stronger than you think!” Hunter cheered from across the room.

“Ok, you got a pretty good punch already; my bruising face can prove that. Let work on making it less slobby with the next warm up,” He said as he searched the closet for boxing gloves.

The room went uncomfortably silent and dim as the only sound Hunter heard was his own breathing.

Was Lucy done celebrating her victory? “Hey, Are you ok…Lucy?” He asked, exiting the closet, and seeing what made her silent.

“H—un—ter…this dummy is a little too alive,” She choked out clawing at the dummy’s hands.

…but it wasn’t giving up.

“Lucy!” He panicked abandoning the boxing gloves.

“I AM YOUR MASTER PUT HER DOWN!” He demanded trying to command the dummy.

“HOLD ON!” Hunter closed his eyes and started to chant a million different reverse spells.

…

Finally, the dummy glow a fiery red and turned to ash.

The room was covered in smoke as the spell took over the disobeyed dummy.

He slowly swayed as he opened his eyes, hearing gagging.

“Lucy, are you ok?” He asked tackling her into a hug.

“I think so I just need to catch my breath,” She rasped out as they both collapsed. “What about you are you ok?”

“Yeah, that reverse spell just took a lot out of me. I don’t know what went wrong when you knocked the dummy out it should have disappeared.”

I never had issues with bringing dummies to life before, something is wrong.

He struggled to stand to inspect the area for anything unusual.

“I don’t know, but let’s stop having moments like this every time we are together,” she suggested with a smile.

“I second that.”

“Aw, you two are so “cute” Isn’t it obvious I came back to claim what belongs to Raven.”

“I DO NOT BELONG TO ANYONE!”

“Oh, little L you are so wrong,” Jackie snarled grabbing her by the chin. “Raven gets what he wants always.”

“GET OFF OF HER!” Hunter shouted as he struggled to rip her hands off.

“Oh, shut up little H that reverse spell really drained you,” She cackled flinging him across the training deck.

He slammed into the ground with a cracking noise. His body twitch as he try to force himself up getting on his elbows. but he cried out as he realize he couldn’t pull himself up as he fell against the vinyl floor again.

“HUNTER!”

“Shh, he will be ok, now are you going to make this easy or hard?”

Turning away from the broken boy. Lucy lifted her wounded arm and jammed her nails into the witch’s forearm, drawing blood, and forcing the hands away.

“I guess hard.”

“You really think I will just let you take me to your asshole of a boss!” Lucy yelled getting on her shaky legs and raising her fists to block Jackie’s blows.

“Most royals aren’t stupid enough to challenge me!” Jackie shouted forming a fireball in each of her palms.

“Well, I am the stupidest I suppose, also boring is that all you got?” She mocked, while she avoid a million clones of the same spell.

The fireballs slowly formed together to create a huge meteor.

BOOM!

BAM!

The whole room went up in flames.

I just had to ask.

I need to get Hunter out of here he didn’t look good. I feel like I’m going to pass out any minute myself, but maybe I have enough energy left to transform and upgrade my mana and toss this witch back into oz.

“PRINCESS OF LOVEN—AAH, you didn’t let me finish,” Lucy groaned as she put pressure on her side that just collided with the painful concrete wall.

She know she had to get up, but she smell smoke as she blinked trying to get her vision to clear up. She saw blurs of red and orange. Not good. Where is Hunter I can’t see him through this curtain of flames!

“Are you done being cocky little Princess,” Jackie growled grabbing her by the throat.

“Time to go,” Jackie announced opening a portal.

This doorway didn’t look fun or magical like the one she and Rose had opened. This one had no color; and just with it open Lucy felt like her air was being sucked into it, she could feel the dry, wet air and heard the screams and pleads of others.

“Sassypuss, what is taking you so long?”

“You got to be kidding me,” Jackie sighed, shoving Lucy against the wall, letting the girl crash to the floor.

“What do you want Marcus?!” Jackie shouted into a walkie-talkie she took out of her pocket.

“That is not my codename Sassypuss.”

“UGH, Mongoose what do you want?”

“Master wants to have a meeting and you know he doesn’t like to wait, so head back from wherever you ran off to, quickly. Mongoose out.”

“Ok, bye.”

“That isn’t right.”

“Ugh fine, Sassypuss out,” Jackie groaned sliding the walkie-talkie back into her pocket.

Fucking Marcus!

“Well, you are in luck princess I got to go, but just remember Raven always gets what he wants, always,” Jackie repeated as she teleported away.

💖

Nearly passing out on my 2nd day in this new world. I am not doing my best this week.

She tried to push herself up, “Come on your arm and whole body might be broken, but you are alive, so hurt that damn arm one more time, and get your ass up!”

Her eyesight was foggy by how many tears covered her face as she got herself to sit against the wall.

“Ugh, damn it that hurts, She winces as she lifted her shirt and saw the greenish, purple bruises around her bleeding rips…

“Hunter! She shouted as she got a glimpse of his unresponsive figure. “I’m coming, slowly, but I am coming ok, hang on.”

Ripping the bottom of her shirt she forcefully applied pressure on her rips, and tied the material tightly against them.

“Ok, time to get Hunter.”

Getting on her wobbly legs she made one step…

Before her vision failed her…

💖

“Lucy! No, he got her and it’s all my fault!” Hunter screamed as he tried to sit up, but just ended up groaning in pain.

“Hey, lover boy, calm down she is ok—”

“Where is she?” Hunter asked struggling to sit up.

“Stay laying down, she is resting. her arm, rips was bleeding, and she had some pretty nasty-looking bruises around her throat and rips.” Ella answered.

“I have to see her.”

“You two are meant to be she said the same thing. She literally dragged you in here then collapsed refusing to leave until you woke up, I carry her to the other critical room. She is exhausted and so are you.”

“She did that.”

“Yup, now rest.”

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