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Landing on my feet, I straighten my back and crack my neck. With Tairn and Violet joining the riot, my normal spot next to Xaden had been usurped, leaving me to his left and flying at an uncomfortable angle. Making an already long and awful flight, even worse. A wonderful way to begin War Games.
I turn to see Xaden leave Violets side and make a beeline for myself. Bodhi is heading my direction as well. It’s good to see I am still popular. My eyes stay glued to Xaden, I watch as Sgaeyl strolls behind him warding him from Tairn and the lake.
“Sorrengail is one of us now is she?” I ask Xaden once he is within distance. He looks away from me, a sigh escaping his lips.
“I couldn't…I had to bring her. It was for her safety.” Xaden almost let it slip, but as always, he's hard to catch out. He does look at least a little embarrassed, which is refreshing and something I definitely plan to utilise next time we’re drinking.
Chradh chuckles in my mind, “You are cruel to the leader”
“I never pegged you as a romantic.”, Chradh was a lot of things, but sensitive wouldn’t be one of them.
“Sure, she'll be extra safe sleeping all tucked up in your arms tonight. Safe and cosy. Cosy is the right word, Bodhi? Isn't it?”. Bodhi comes up behind Xaden, concern and worry crossing his face. Bodhi has not been the most thrilled about Xaden’s little obsession with the General’s daughter, but very little seems to thrill Bodhi when it comes to anything that could endanger the revolution or Xaden.
“Definity, cosy is the exact word I would use for those two.” Bodhi replies as he scans the area, he is on unnecessarily high alert…As though our dragons would not inform us the second something enters our sphere.
Xaden leans forward, his voice low and rushed, “What do you suggest I do? Leave her with Dain? Leave behind Imogen and Liam?”
“I have no problem with Sorrengail joining us. In fact, I quite like her, and I think I speak for everyone when I say you're in much better spirits with her around.” I drop my voice and step closer. “but we have a drop to complete tomorrow night and I'm fairly certain your little bràmair doesn't know anything about that. You don't want her to find out by accident, you especially don't want her to panic and do something regrettable for us all.” I look pointedly at Xaden. The embarrassment of earlier has been erased, every hint of that he has normal human emotions drains out of him, leaving his face as unreadable as ever.
“I will tell her. I am just waiting for the right time. We were busy last night.” he grits out.
His explanation is laughable, so indeed I do laugh. “Half the forest beside the healer wing was on fire. I have no doubt you were busy.” Before I go on and rib him further, Bodhi manages to intervene and tries to defuse the stress.
“Maybe just give her a small hint about the Venin, so she won't be so surprised.”
Wow, what a genius little idea from the smaller one. Chradh is as always, charmingly sarcastic.
“She knows all about Venin” Xaden says, although not in the delighted tone I would expect from that statement.
“That's great Xaden, one step closer!” If Bodhi is anything, he is an optimist to a fault.
“No, she thinks they're make believe monsters to scare children.” Xaden rubs his eyes as he says this.
“She's got that about half right.” I reply weakly, this situation is not ideal.
“But she's half way there, just tell her you believe they're real. Then you can judge that response and reveal more.” Bodhi chirps in.
“Ever the idealist”, chradh murmurs.
“Maybe we need some idealists around here.”
“With the leader and you in charge of the humans, perhaps.”
Bodhi and Liam, despite all that has happened to us, never lost their spirit. If anyone needs to survive this war, it is those two, they’re the only ones that could ever give it a positive or happy ending. Xaden and I are realists, jaded might be more accurate, we just have no energy left to coddle the people of Aretia. Honestly I can’t be fucked coddling anyone.
“Just not tonight, I'm looking forward to another few hours of peace and quiet before we land and I want to enjoy my peace with my, with Violet.” Xaden looks across the lake, likely looking for the very object of his affection.
A large smile breaks across my face as I coo at Xaden, “Ohhh my my my Xaden. Is she your girlfriend? Are you K.I.S.S.I.NG?”
“I don't fucking know, okay?” Xaden looked like he was itching to leave, his patience with us must be wearing thin.
“Well I know, I know you better tell her before she finds a fuck load of imbued daggers in your room and thinks you're a lunatic.” I follow Xaden’s gaze across the lake to see Liam and Violet come back out of the forest.
“Yeah, yeah I fucking know and I will.” Xaden ends the conversation there.
Sadly for Xaden, I continue, enjoying this a little too much. “Good, I'm glad you know.”
“You are?” Suspicion edges Xaden’s tone as he looks back at Bodhi and I. Xaden chafed at the implication, he reverted back to his broody teenager ways and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he began to shift impatiently. For all that he presents himself as this tough unemotional guy, he has clear tells when you're close to him. And clearly, his relationship with Violet has brought back the bashful side of him I thought long lost.
“Yeah we both are. You improve each other.” Bodhi says earnestly, he looks ready to pull Xaden into a hug.
“He certainly improved her a lot, who knew you just had to want to sleep with someone and they become one of their year's most deadly and powerful riders? But really, fucking finally! Now just don't fuck it up because having her stuck with us and pissed off at you will make the next however many hours/days/weeks we have left alive painfully annoying.”
“You deserve a nice girlfriend”, Bodhi pats Xaden on the shoulder. Xaden actually smiles at that sentiment, looking back at both of us appreciatively. The man is truly evolving.
“After the last one? He deserves a bloody angel and a devil in the sheets.” I laugh at the thought.
Xaden’s stare turns mock icey. I know he isn’t serious. “Fuck off Garrick.”
I throw my hands up, still laughing at the absurdity, “Hey hey I'm not the one setting forests on fire.”
“I'm happy”, Xaden smiles looking over to the side of the lake where Liam stands with Violet. “She loves me.”
Simultaneously, Bodhi and I respond “We know.”
“What?” Xaden actually has the audacity to look shocked.
“It's been kind of obvious for a while but yeah she very clearly adores the ground you walk on. And word to the wise? You aren't much fucking better.”
Xaden hmphs and without another word, walks away. Hardly a mystery as to where he is going as only a second later he is taking Violet by the hand and leading her back into the forest.