Page 67 of Phixmery

The three of them start speaking all at one.

“Okay. No. We aren’t doing this. I’m not interested in him like that. I’m leaving, remember?” I whisper, raising my brows. “Which is something I wanted to talk to you guys about actually. Roz, can you go find Lennox? He should be here too.”

Roz nods and runs into the castle.

Ember goes to open her mouth, but I shake my head. “Just wait. Let’s practice some combat until they get back. I know the yard is practically empty but we should keep up appearances, and I could still use all the help I can get.”

Nero takes off, gliding over to Mel’s shoulder while he waits for me to be finished with my turn.

She nods and we move over to the sandpits that are thankfully still uncovered from snow. She and I get into position, and this time I strike first, but she parries the blow, taking a swipe for my face, which I block with my forearm. Using my small size to my advantage I go to swipe out her ankles and she falls but rolls away and rises back on her feet, hopping away while she searches for an opening.

We go back and forth, each of us getting hits in, but making sure to pull our punches.

After a few rounds with both of them, Lennox and Roz show back up, the latter looking relieved to see me okay. We move off to the side of the sandpits to greet them. Nero lands back on my shoulder and Mel passes me her canteen of water which I gulp down greedily.

“So what was it you wanted to talk to us about? You’ve got us a bit worried,” Melissandre asks as I hand her back what’s left of her water. She takes a few swigs herself before topping it off with fresh water she pulls from the snow.

I take a moment, searching each of their faces. They need to have this choice, I tell myself. I want them to come with me, as selfish as it is, but I won’t force them to leave, and it’s close enough to The Choosing that I can’t put it off any longer.

Taking a look around, I make sure no one is in hearing distance. “You know that I plan on leaving,” I whisper and they nod. “You can say no,” I state before continuing. “But I want to be selfish for a moment and ask if you four will leave with me. I still don’t have a plan on where I’m going. I’m thinking the most northern part of the Gratandi Mountains—I know them well. But if you want to stay here, I completely understand.”

I bite my lower lip, waiting for their answer, when Rozen laughs.

“I thought it was obvious we were going with you. Voids, Mel and Lennox have been stealing dried meats from the dinning hall and storing them in their bags for the journey,” he says, nudging the male next to him.

Ember actually smiles. “And it gives me every excuse not to go back home. I’m up for an adventure with you.”

Nero caws and nips my ear. “I told you so. They’re good fae, Rav.”

A warm feeling spreads through my chest. “You guys actually want to come?”

“Of course, Ravina. We told you, we got your back. I thought you knew that,” Mel teases and for the first time since Gretchen and Nero, I let myself feel the absence of loneliness and the hope that comes with it.

“Well if that’s the case, I’m going to need your help with one more thing before The Choosing.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

GETTING BACK TO MY CHAMBERS after lunch, I notice a small roll of parchment resting on my pillow. The ominous tanned scroll, wrapped in a black ribbon, taunts me as I move towards it. Could this be what I’ve been waiting for? I haven’t heard a peep from the infamous pirate crew since we met with Jesper’s brother almost a month ago, and there’s about a week left until The Choosing deadline. I’ve been worried I would have to follow through on my threat, which would be easy enough but would mean I failed Cyn.

My lungs freeze in my chest as I pick it up, loosening the ribbon, and it falls lightly to the floor as I unfurl the scroll.

The cinders burn brightly beneath the flames.

~E

Breath whooshes from my lungs and I laugh in relief. The crazy bastard actually did it. There’s a reason why Evander was recruited by The Safir Raiders, and whether Jesp wants to admit it or not, his brother is one talented pixie. Never have I met a fae that was so good at sneaking around and thieving. My brother-in-arms may have never seen it coming, but the rest of us did.

My eyes run over the parchment again and again. My father has held her over my head for years, since I was old enough to understand a threat. Now he doesn’t have anything to hold against me, not even the lordship title. Maybe in a different lifetime I would have wanted that, but there are more important things than a role that seems more like a curse these days.

Perhaps his threat was a blessing in disguise, because now, I have more freedom to do what I need to without worry. I should have done this years ago. Maybe I was naive to think she was safe from him. He always seemed to dote on her, but then again, maybe it was all part of his games.

A knock sounds at my door and it could only be one of four people, only two of them I care to see. The other two in my wing I couldn’t care less about. Sure they’re great warriors, but I trust no one outside my inner circle.

“What?” I grunt as I open the door to Killian’s burly frame.

His eyes narrow slightly as he thrusts a letter towards me that’s etched with the Lord of Allondë’s official seal. He jerks his head in a quick nod before heading back to his chamber on the other side of the common room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Kill has been even more waspish then usual since Jesp dropped the bomb about what he thinks about Cadet Solace. I have to admit, the crazy Szellemi male usually doesn’t make a lick of sense when it comes to his suspicions. He’s typically paranoid about others because of his past, but this… maybe it’s because I’m hopeful. That twenty years ago—almost twenty-one now—our group felt like we lost a piece of us. We may have only been fledglings, but some bonds live through the sands of time.

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