“Of course you’d have them fighting over you.” A woman's voice suddenly pierces the air, startling me. The sound of boots crunching against the gritty dirt follows Lykia as she strides up beside me, dressed in battle gear similar to ours.
My brows knit together as I cross my arms over my chest defensively. I’m annoyed that she is even here… talking to me. “They are not fighting over me. It seems as if they have issues they need to work out on their own.”
“If that helps you sleep at night,” she retorts with a sly smirk, her hand resting casually on her hip.
My lip tugs upward at her response, watching Florian and Koen still beat the shit out each other. “Guys, enough,” I shout, striding toward them purposefully. With a swift kick to Koen’s rib, I manage to grab their attention. They pause mid-swing as they gaze upward at me.
“Damn, Serene.” Koen grabs his ribs, catching his breath as he still pins Florian to the ground.
The loose strands of my hair dance in the gentle breeze as I glare down at them. “You two are acting like fools. Get up and resolve whatever the hell this is without beating each other to death.”
Blood trickles down Koen's split lip and brow, mingling with the white dust that clings to his brown hair, now freed from his messy bun. His tousled hair has always been my favorite look of his, especially when we galloped across the fields on our horses bareback. My hands reached for the clouds as I rode next to him. His curls danced wildly in the breeze, and I always remember my eyes watching each curl brush against his neck, melting at the sight of it. Or when we lay in bed side by side, and my fingers wove through his soft hair, gently brushing them away from his face and letting my fingertips glide along his skin.
Those moments used to fill me with warmth.Safety.I never thought he would ever hurt me.
But right now, that feeling feels distant, replaced by an agitating sense of betrayal. Anger simmers within me.
Consuming me.
He led the fire darkling to me.
What else has he done?
Florian grunts as he rises unsteadily, shoving Koen off of him and wiping away the bloody stream that flows from his nose.
“I don’t know what has gotten into you today, Florian,” I scuff, “but whatever this is, needs to end.”
“Does she know what you did!” Florian yells, veins swelling against his neck while blood trickles over it. “Does she, Koen?”
My chest heaves as I watch Koen rise slowly, tossing his hair out of his face. He grips the sides of his hips, catching his breath before spitting blood against the ground.
“Do I know what?” I cross my arms, the dragon scales shifting with the movement.
Koen's eyes dart away, his lips pressing into a rigid line of tension.
Florian storms towards him, shoving his shoulder with brutal force. “Tell her! I’m sure she’s going to hate you for this.” He cracks his knuckles, scuffing before he rubs his lips forcefully together. “I can’t believe you held this from us this whole time.”
“I can't!” Koen spits back, raking his bloody hands through his hair frantically. “Does she know that you sit outside her room every night, fearing for her life, when you know damn well she can handle herself! You are vowed to marry Skie, yet all you do is worry about Serene, following her every damn move!”
“You were vowed to Lykia!” Florian takes a powerful step, and he deliberately points towards Koen. “And look where that led you!”
“You sit outside my room?” My eyes lock onto Florian, brows caving in.How the hell did I not know this?
“If we are all telling our truths, tell her how when I said I should take her out of her misery, that later that night you agreed with me!” Veins bulge against Koen’s tan skin, the sun hitting him just right. “Then Itold you I couldn’t. I didn’t have the balls to do it, because a day without her would be like a life without the damn sun!”
“You agreed with him?” My voice trembles, eyes puddling with tears. “You said you wanted to keep me away from all of them?”
Florian holds his hand up, head hanging low. “I was confused. Skie was telling me one thing, my heart and the Gods were telling me another.”
I scoff, letting my head fall back. “Yeah, okay, let's start listening to Skie all of a sudden… the woman who wants me dead, because you can’t keep your eyes off of me!”
Florian freezes, his chest rising and falling. He knows I’m right.
“Seriously, how foolish can you be!” I bolt, screaming so loud I feel the heat radiate up to my head.
“I was wrong, I never knew what magic the Gods would give you. I just feared they would be dark, and they would control you. But they haven’t.” Florian folds his arms across his broad chest, swallowing hard as he stares at the ground. “We can’t read the book of Azure, because we don’t have the Deskyiara bloodline. I feared no matter what, we were going to lose you. Either from death or dark magic.
“Yet, here is a Deskyiara,” I hiss violently, under my breath so only Florian and Koen can hear.
