Before Dorian could stop himself, he was talking about his sister with a voice that didn't seem to want to stop. He didn't go into detail about any of the last year. What he told her were stories of his childhood. How Aydra had always taken care of them and shown them the love that their mother hadn't. How he and Nyssa looked to Aydra for everything and idolized her. He told her about the fights they had as all siblings did. He spoke so much about her that by the time he stopped rambling, he realized his cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling.
"She sounds amazing," Reverie concluded after a while.
Dorian toyed with the blanket over him. "Yeah. She was," he said simply.
A knock sounded on the door, and Corbin stuck his head inside without bothering to wait for an invitation. His brows elevated playfully, and Dorian threw his shirt at the door, knowing what the Belwark was about to say.
Corbin grinned. "Rev, Katla was looking for you," he told her.
"Oh, shit—“ Reverie bounded off the bed and pushed her boots on her feet. "She will murder me—Sorry, Prince—“
"Whoa, what has she got you doing?" Dorian asked upon seeing the franticness in her eyes.
"I've been training with her company. If I'm late, she'll have my head.Fuck, I'll have to do laps again—“
Her voice trailed, and she bounded out the door, leaving both Corbin and Dorian to stare after her. The pair exchanged a concerned gaze.
"Glad to know she's making friends," Dorian said.
"I don't know that I would call Katla torturing her, her being her friend," Corbin countered.
"Actually," Hagen's voice sounded as he stepped inside the room. "Torturing is exactly what Katla does to her friends."
He smirked between the pair and leaned against the door. "How are you feeling?" he asked Dorian.
"Like a bear tried to kill me," Dorian mocked.
Hagen scoffed. "Can you walk?"
Dorian started to move, but Corbin pushed him back down. "He's not going anywhere, Elder," Corbin insisted. "If you all expect him to be ready in a week for another round, he'll be in this bed until that day."
"Came to talk to you about that," Hagen said. "I've convinced them to give you two weeks to recover and train before the next one. Your bruising should heal in a few days with the tonic and paste. The rest of the time, you'll have to prep yourself. Maybe once you can walk, you'll join us at the tavern."
Hagen moved then and settled in the other chair. Dorian saw the tap of his heel on the ground, and his eyes squinted.
"Something on your mind?" he asked.
"I have a job for you after the trials," Hagen said.
Dorian exchanged a look with Corbin. "What kind of job?" Dorian asked.
"The dangerous kind," Hagen said.
To this, Dorian forced himself upright. "More dangerous than these trials?"
The answer came in the form of a slow nod.
"What's wrong?" Corbin asked.
"When you two went to the Bryn weeks back, did everything seem... Normal?" Hagen asked, gaze darting between them.
Dorian tried to remember it. "We didn't exactly have anything to compare it to. The place is harsh. People aren't very friendly. I'm not sure if that's what you mean."
Hagen fumbled with his fingers. "I think the Infi have infiltrated the whole of their people."
Dorian froze. "What?"
"You vanquished Infi in their streets, correct? Took them to the caves?"
