Over the last few days, they’d established somewhat of a truce. The snarky comments had dropped to a minimum. He’d finally given up on theLightning Girlmoniker when it no longer provoked the response he was evidently looking for and had instead switched to calling her by her normal nickname. Theyate meals together—albeit in relative silence. He still followed her around like the shadow he’d deemed himself to be, but the awkwardness of having someone trailing her had abated…somewhat.
She’d even come to appreciate his presence at times.
Aiden always seemed to know when to give her space to think and was there to draw a laugh when she needed it most. If he hadn’t been such an ardent asshole to her best friend, she might have even liked him.
Auraelia blew out her breath, the warm air fogging up the glass, then turned to where Aiden stood patiently in the doorway. “I just need to put my boots on and grab my weapons. Can you go down to the stables and ensure the horses are ready, please?” Whether it was the calmness in her tone or the fact that she said ‘please,’ she wasn’t sure, but the surprised look on Aiden’s face brought a small smile to her own. “What?”
He shook his head, a matching smile tugging on his lips. “Nothing. Ten minutes, okay?”
Auraelia nodded and turned back toward the window, her fingers absentmindedly sliding the sapphire pendant along its chain in a rhythmic motion.
The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle by the time Auraelia made it outside, the droplets bouncing off the shield of air she’d conjured to keep herself dry. They had a long ride to the army’s training field, and the last thing she wanted was to make the journey in soaked fighting leathers.
As she crossed the field and the stables came into view, the sound of arguing reached her ears, prompting her to hasten her steps. The closer she got, the more distinctive the voices became,and she stopped in her tracks to let out an annoyed sigh.Piper and Aiden.
She managed to keep their interactions to a minimum while Aiden was there, not wanting to be in the middle of whatever was—or wasn’t—between them. But the inevitability of them running into each other without her present had finally happened.
Piper had explained why she was annoyed with the man, but Auraelia had assumed that her disdain had waned…and evidently, she had been severely mistaken.
“Piper—”
The pleading sound of Aiden’s voice made Auraelia stop just outside the door to the stables.
“Why can’t you just leave me be!?”
“Please. Just let me explain.”
“I don’t need your explanation! I don’t want it! Goddess. I don’t want to play these games with you anymore! Just… Gohome, Aiden.”
Footsteps echoed through the stables, and Auraelia backed up a step as the sound drew closer. When Piper stepped out, her gaze clashed with Auraelia’s, and her shoulders dropped in exasperation. “How much of that did you hear?”
Auraelia gave a nonchalant shrug and closed the distance between them. “Are you alright?”
Piper blew out a breath through her nose and briefly turned her face toward the rain. “I’ll be fine. I just…I need some air.” When her eyes fell to Auraelia’s once more, there was a heaviness in her gaze. “Be careful today, okay? And try not to make our soldiers look too bad. Not everyone grew up with one-on-one training from the greatest warrior in the realm.” Her lips pulled up at the corners, but the movement didn’t reach her eyes, exhaustion clinging to the swirls of green and brown.
“Do you want to come? You seem like you need to blow off some steam.”
“Goddess, no.” Piper huffed with a small laugh. “I’ll be fine, really.”
Auraelia hugged her, then released her to go on her way. When she was a few feet away, Auraelia yelled, “I love you!”
Her friend turned, walking backward as she yelled back, “I love you, too! Now go show them who’s boss!”
“I think they already know that!” Auraelia retorted with a laugh.
After a blasé shrug, Piper waved and turned back toward the castle, and Auraelia chuckled to herself as she turned to head into the stables.
Aiden was leaning against one of the posts that separated the stalls, his hands tucked into his pants pockets, head hanging in defeat. “That friend of yours is pure fire, you know that?”
Auraelia scoffed as she stroked Jasira’s nose. “Are you trying to get burned?”
“I wastryingto apologize.”
“Oh?” Auraelia asked, quirking a brow in his direction.
“Yeah. Come on, you’re going to be late.” Aiden pushed off the post and grabbed the reins of his borrowed horse, leading the stallion out of the stables.
They traveled in tense silence, the heaviness of Aiden’s attempted conversation with Piper hanging like a weight between them.
