Page 122 of Revenge of the Forgotten

Khort laughed. “Yeah, I was gonna say something about that,” he joked.

“Ha-ha.” Vega rolled her eyes. “I’ll catch you for dinner?” she asked, already heading out the door. She barely heard him agree as she broke out into a sprint to catch Urban.

“Urban!” she called when she saw his bouncy gait and red hair turn a corner.

He popped his head back around, his body following as he stepped back to meet her.“Is everything alright?” he asked, his eyebrows creased with worry.

“Yes, sorry. I almost forgot to ask you, and I don’t know when I’ll see you again.” Vega made her smile relaxed, like the question she was about to ask was no big deal.

“I’m hoping very soon,” Urban said with a snorted laugh. “I don’t want to wait too long to get this started or I might lose my nerve.”

Vega cocked her head.

“Kidding, kidding. Really, I’ve made up my mind.” Urban didn’t have a funny bone in his body. “What did you want to ask?”

Vega took a quick breath, pushing away the nerves that settled in the pit of her stomach. If he said no… She didn’t want to think about that. “Do you have any allies in Littera?”

Urban’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve talked to her, but yes. I suppose you could call us that.”

Vega’s heart thrummed with excitement. “Do you think you could get in touch with her? I really need to make a visit. A secret visit.” She whispered the last part through pursed lips, hoping the guards around the corner were far enough away not to hear her.

Urban turned his eyebrow up. “I think I can have that arranged.”

Vega released a happy sigh. “That’s fantastic. How soon?”

“Vega, for you, I’ll make the call as soon as I get back to Solum. I’ll be in touch.” He winked and dipped back around the corner, disappearing from her sight.

Vega’s chest warmed, and a smile so wide her cheeks hurt spread across her face. There it was, that feeling she’d gotten in the car driving to the portal with Arlet.

Hope.

Hope that she could break this fucking curse.

48

“Stop going so easy on me!” Vega ranted, lightning dancing from her wrist to the tip of her fingers and then back in a rapid twitch.

“I’m not!” Khort responded quickly.

Vega glared at him, shooting a bolt of lightning at his head. He dodged, blocking the blow with a roll across the mat. “You are, and you know it.”

“Gods, maybe I’m going a little easy on you, but do you have to try and take my head off for it?” Khort shot up to his feet, eyes slitting with the anger in his tone.

“At least then I’ll get to use my full power,” Vega sneered, and sweat rolled down her brow. She wiped it with the back of her hand as the timer for their match went off.

Khort let loose a breath, obviously happy about the end of their training for the day. “Vega, you’re training multiple times a day. Don’t think I don’t know you and Leo are meeting for early morning sparring. You’re going to wear yourself out.”

Vega rolled her eyes, grabbing her water and taking a long chug. “I’m fine.” She couldn’t help the thoughts that slinked into her mind, the voice that sounded so unlike her own. Bridger never made you feel weak, never made you become less than yourself. Vega couldn’t rid herself of thoughts of him—that kiss had done her in, and she was working on clawing herself out of the depths of her heart every day because of it.

Khort leaned against the ring. “I don’t mean physically. I mean mentally. You’re not sleeping, you’re overtraining, and any free time you have, you’re buried in a book you’ve read a million times.”

“What else do you expect me to do? Knit sweaters and tell ghost stories around a fire?” Her brows furrowed.

“I expect you to take a break every once in a while. That’s all.” Khort sipped his water, eyeing Vega as she exited the ring.

She slung her bag over her shoulder. “I just got back from a fifteen-year vacation. I’m still making up for it.” Vega nodded in his direction as she turned. “I’ll see you later.”

Khort meant well, Vega knew that, but his constant need to protect her was starting to wear on her nerves. Despite what some might think, Vega wasn’t some stupid kid who needed to be put in a bubble forever.

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