“My question still stands.”
I shoot her a warning look. She chuckles, parting the dresses hanging in her wardrobe.
“It’s like babysitting two toddlers. They’re constantly bickering. I thought I was going to have to banish them to opposite corners of the ring.”
Although to be fair, Jace and I would also benefit from separate corners.
“They don’t get along? Hmm. I wonder why.”
Scowling at her less than subtle implications, I flop down on the bed, face first.
“Serena…” She turns to me, suddenly serious, and says, “Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into with this plan? Or lack thereof?”
The velvet comforter muffles my morose response. “I never knowwhat I’m doing until I’m doing it.” I force myself to sit up. “This is my mess. All this shit with Kylian is happening because of me.”
“No, it’s because Kylian is a monster who happens to be obsessed with you. None of this is your fault. Not to mention he would have marched on Aegar with or without you just to acquire more power.”
“Yes, but now he’s unhinged.”
“Wasn’t he always?”
“But even more so now. Running from him was a bruise to his ego.”
“Males are so fearful. They see a female with power to rival their own and seek to either contain it or crush it when they cannot.”
She’s right, but it doesn’t change anything.
“Either way, I’m the one he wants, which means I need to be the one to do this. I just wish the guys would back me up on this.”
“Why would they? They’re petrified of losing you.”
“I don’t want to leave them, I don’t want to leave any of you, but Mar, you see what I’m seeing, right? That right now I am our only bargaining chip.”
Dropping her stormy eyes, she gives me a reluctant nod.
“We can keep searching for ways around this. Two weeks isn’t nothing,” she says quietly, resting a hand on my shoulder.
“Less than two weeks. And instead of spending it beating our brains out trying to dodge what’s pretty much inevitable, I would much rather just enjoy my time with all of you.”
Mar purses her lips, then yanks me up by the wrists. “Get up. Come on.”
“What are you doing?” She fishes a hand into the wardrobe and pulls out two cloaks, tossing one to me.
“We’re going out. We need to clear our heads. Maybe an idea will come to us if we stop thinking so hard.”
Sliding off the bed, I ask, “Where do you suggest we go?”
She shrugs her slender shoulders. “Shopping, of course.”
“Thisiswhat ladies do in times of crisis?” Zadyn mutters under his breath as we make our way through the sunny streets of Iaspus. Diamond City is a madhouse, bustling with vibrance and life.
“Did you know that procrastination is one of the most useful tools for brainstorming? Proven fact,” Mar tosses back, her arm linked through mine.
“I’m sure.” He shakes his head, keeping close behind us.
The smell of chocolate hits me as we pass by a sweets shop. With a dubious look, Mar tugs me through the door. We emerge minutes later with bags of chocolates and candies and macaroons.
“You want one?” I offer Zadyn a caramel, chewing through the gooey texture. He declines, a grimace on his face.
