Page 45 of Eluvonia
My breath catches as I take in the sight. Declan is curled up on the floor, his head pillowed on his arm, and lying behind him is Kaida. One of Kaida’s arms is draped loosely across Declan’s back, both of them snoring like a pair of contented bears.
I clamp a hand over my mouth to stifle the laugh bubbling up, but it slips out anyway. The sound is enough to rouse Declan. He yawns and stretches, but freezes mid-motion as his eyes flutter open.
“Aw, Aer,” he mumbles groggily, his voice thick with sleep. “Rather sleep with me than the stinky oaf?”
I raise an eyebrow, watching the lazy smile spread across his face as he turns around to face me fully—only to come nose-to-nose with Kaida. His expression morphs into one of pure horror.
“Dude, what the hells!” he exclaims, scrambling back so quickly he nearly topples over.
Kaida props himself up on one elbow, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “What’s wrong, baby?” he rumbles, his voice still rough from sleep. “Morning regret?”
That does it. I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as tears stream down my face. Declan leaps to his feet, muttering curses under his breath as he stomps toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.
Kaida stretches lazily, his muscles rippling under his tunic, then sits up. He smirks at me, cocking his head. “Enjoy theshow?”
Still catching my breath, I nod, wiping tears from my cheeks. “Oh, absolutely.”
He rolls his eyes and stands, brushing off his clothes. “Glad to be of service.”
Finally managing to compose myself, I tilt my head and ask, “So… why were you on the floor?”
Kaida hesitates, his smirk faltering for a split second. “You were sprawled out like some sort of starfish,” he says, pointing accusingly at the bed. “When I tried to move you, you slapped me in the face. Figured it wasn’t worth the hassle, so I bunked with Declan.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I duck my head, feigning interest in the grain of the wooden floorboards. “Uh… sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize,” he says with a shrug. “I’ve dealt with worse.”
The pang of embarrassment fades, replaced by a flicker of sadness as I recall Esra’s teasing during sleepovers. She always said I was a bed hog. The thought twists like a knife in my chest, but I shove it aside and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.
Kaida’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “We’ll head out once everyone’s freshened up. Sound good?”
Surprised he’s actually asking instead of ordering, I nod. He seems to consider something, his gaze dropping to my bare feet. “Before we leave, I’m buying you boots. I’m amazed you haven’t shredded your soles yet.”
I glance down at my feet, dirty and calloused from years of running barefoot through the forest. “Shoes are a luxury,” I explain, keeping my tone light. “Most of our clothes camefrom fallen Dragons. Women’s boots that fit were… hard to come by.”
His expression softens for just a moment before he grunts in acknowledgment.
Declan reappears, his hair damp and sticking up in every direction. I take my turn in the bathroom, splashing water on my face and staring at my reflection in the small, cracked mirror.
“What are you doing, Aeris?” I whisper, gripping the edges of the sink. “You’re laughing with them. Joking with them. They killed your people—your clan. Why are you letting your guard down?”
My reflection offers no answers, only a pale face with tired eyes staring back at me. Turra’s words echo in my mind:Kaida is as much a prisoner as you are.
I scoff under my breath. “Why should I care?”
But the memory of Kaida’s frustration with his father creeps in, unbidden. Is he shackled by expectations and duty, just as I am by fear and survival?
A knock at the door startles me. “Aer, you okay in there?” Declan’s voice is muffled but gentle.
Shaking off the thoughts, I straighten and whisper to my reflection, “Get it together, Aeris. Their smiles are just daggers dressed in charm. Their words are nothing but sugar-coated lies. Don’t you dare forget the blood they spilled. Remember whoyouare, and whotheyare.”
I open the door, stepping out to find Declan waiting with a teasing grin. “You didn’t fall in, did you?”
“Hardly,” I quip, brushing past him.
Kaida is by the window, adjusting his belt. He glances at me, his gaze lingering just a second too long. “Ready to go?”
“More than ready,” I reply, my voice steady but my mind still churning.
