The Heir of Moon-Fire

Chapter 37

Elentiya's POV

I watched Mal and Ladon duel. It was evident that Mal was the more skilled swordsman. However, it was also obvious that he was going easy on Ladon. Mal threw a lot of blows his way that, should he have put a little more speed and power into them, they would've found their mark. Either way, I found myself thinking about how stunning Ladon was.

I shook my head, effectively dislodging my thoughts as Mal finally knocked Ladon down, a smile gracing his lips. Ladon smiled good-naturedly as he took Mal's outstretched hand.

"Good job," Mal told him, patting his shoulder.

I smiled at Ladon. We had quickly become best friends over the past two months. He smiled back. "Thanks, Mal." He caught my gaze again. "I'm going to go see if I can't find Luna," he told me as he walked out the door. I followed him with my eyes until he disappeared, only facing Mal when I heard him give a small laugh.

"Try to be a little more obvious, why don't you?" he told me with a smirk.

I blinked, turning to face him. "What are talking about?" I asked him as my brows furrowed in confusion. 

He shrugged. "I'll let you figure that one out for yourself," he stated as he patted my shoulder. "Hey, I'm going to the East wing. Care to join me?" he asked as he picked up his shirt and started putting it back on.

"Umm... sure," I replied as I continued to try and figure out what he was talking about.

"Hey, can you promise me something?" he asked suddenly as we walked.

"Sure," I replied.

He hesitated. "If Vincent asks to trade my freedom for you... promise me you won't take his deal." I opened my mouth to protest, but he stopped dead. "Promise me, Elentiya. I don't care what the circumstance is, I won't allow you to go back to him."

"I can't-"

He glared at me, his lips twitching into a snarl. "Promise me, Elentiya." I stopped. Hard. He had never directed this kind of anger at me... And it was terrifying.

I shook my head. "Please, Malatyr. I- I can't-"

"Elentiya. I'm not letting him take you away again. Promise me."

I looked over his expression carefully. His jaw was still tight. And his eyebrows were still lowered. But his eyes had softened. My eyes landed on his shaking hands. "Please, 'Tiya," he begged, his hardened facade falling completely. 

I swallowed thickly as I nodded. "Okay... I promise that I won't take that kind of deal with Vincent..."

"A-and..." he asked me.

"And I promise that I won't make that kind of deal with Vincent..." I paused. "Or any of his soldiers..." I murmured in defeat.

He nodded, pulling me into a hug, satisfied with my response. 

My mind fell into worry over the promise he had begged me to make. So, it wasn't until he pushed open a door in the East wing that I even began to wonder what we were doing here.

He was smiling as a half-dozen small children attacked him upon entering the room. "It's good to see you guys, too," he stated. The children were definitely all between the ages of nine and thirteen. 

"Who are these guys?" I asked him.

He was being dragged farther into the room as they started bombarding him with questions. He somehow managed to answer them all.