Page 71 of Ares' Shield
We’re going to have to try to work together with Draven and if we are constantly fighting, it’s not going to work.
“You need to back off,” Draven snarls.
His magic glows in his palms and my own magic responds to the threat, crackling beneath my skin.
“Everyone needs to calm the fuck down,” I yell.
“Beth, go up to your room. I can handle this.” Jayden reaches a hand to move me back.
“No, this is stupid. You both remember what happened last time. I ended up getting caught in the crossfire.”
“I know. That’s why I asked you to go up to your room. I don’t want this idiot using deadly magic on you again.” Jayden nudges me again.
Draven scoffs. “That’s bullshit. It was your fault. The magic wouldn’t have gone wide if it wasn’t for your stupid shadow chains.”
“I was supposed to, what? Just let you attack me and not retaliate? You started that pointless fight, just like this one. Get out of here. You aren’t wanted.” Jayden glances over his shoulder at me and his eyes are black.
Shit. We need to get out of here and get him calmed down before he really hurts someone.
“Jayden, come on, let’s just go. He can’t get in my room unless I allow it.” I tug on his arm, but he doesn’t budge.
“No, I don’t want him up here at all, especially after what he did to you on these exact stairs once before.” Jayden holds his hands out, his shadows swirling around them at his command.
“Draven, just go,” I growl.
“No, I’m a part of this.” Draven squares his shoulders. “I deserve to be a part of the planning.”
“You don’t deserve shit. When are you going to get it through your thick skull that being an entitled dick doesn’t win you anything?” I scream, stepping around Jayden to get in his face.
Jayden’s arm snakes around my waist and tugs my back to his chest. “You’re right, let’s just go.”
“Finally,” I say and turn to go up the stairs. “Don’t follow us, or I’m going to fucking zap you.”
I grasp Jayden’s hand in mine and lead him up the stairs. My shoulders slump as the adrenaline from the fight leaks out of me. Why does Draven have to be such a jackass?
There was a time I thought we could be friends, but he’s shown me his true colors over the last few weeks and being in his presence is just exhausting.
“How are we going to get through this mission with him?” I ask mostly to myself.
“We’ll manage it. We’ve been through worse.” Jayden squeezes my hand.
“How can you be sure? We can’t even be in the same room for five minutes without him spouting off.”
“We’ll manage because we don’t have any other choice. We have to try to work with him for the greater good,” Jayden says as we get to the top floor.
“Wow, your attitude changed quickly.” I place my hand on the doorknob and push my bedroom door open.
“No, it didn’t. I would still much rather punch him in the face and leave him wrapped in shadows than talk to the guy, but we have to at least try.”
I wave the others into the room and stroll to the closet to grab the map. This has to work. Adrian has to be able to find Sparta on the map so we can figure out a general direction to go.
I grab the map and bring it out to the desk, spreading it out.
Adrian rolls his shoulders back. “I’m not so sure about this. How am I supposed to make things reveal themselves?”
“Um, I don’t really know. Maybe you could just hold your hand over it and direct your magic to uncover Sparta? Trying to find Sparta on this map ourselves could take hours and if it’s a small town, it may not even show up.”
Jayden claps Adrian on the shoulder. “You’re our best shot of finding it quickly.”
