Bonds of Light and Fire

35. Reasons to Live

    Luciana twisted out of reach of Aeron's blade with a delighted laugh. Snow sprayed beneath her feet, dusting Aeron's clothes white. Aeron straightened and brushed the snow away, then hid his face in his elbow as he coughed.

    "I'm surprised no one else is out training right now," Luciana remarked. "It's so bright and sunny, if a little cold."

    "Snow will come again tonight," Aeron replied. "Most of the others are preparing for it. Fixing damaged barracks, stocking up on coal and firewood, laying up food stores, and so on."

    "Smart." Luciana rolled her shoulders and fell into position as Aeron took his own. "Vaughan said I should stay with you if it starts snowing while I'm here."

    "All right, but I have to warn you, the hut isn't in the state you left it," Aeron laughed.

    Luciana rolled her eyes. "You need to learn to clean up after yourself."

    "I usually do, but I've been so busy lately that there was no time."

    "There was time while it was snowing." Aeron's wooden sword glanced off of hers. Luciana squinted, then grinned. "You're blushing. Why?"

    Aeron broke away, averting his eyes. "I wasn't home while it was snowing."

    "Oh?" She arched a brow, shooting him a suggestive smirk. "Where were you then?"

    "Nowhere important."

    "Liar."

    "Vaughan is talking to you again?" Aeron asked abruptly, all too eager to change the subject.

    Luciana let the matter drop, although she had every intention of bringing it up again soon. Hopefully, sometime when Kyllian was around. If Aeron wouldn't tell her what happened, perhaps he would. He seemed eager to befriend her, now more than ever.

    "He is," Luciana replied. "We talked things over a few days ago and it's helped us start moving forward again. Vaughan is doing better, and so am I."

    "Good. You didn't deserve the way he was treating you. I let him know that."

    Luciana bit her lip. "No, I didn't deserve it, but I do understand why he was acting that way. Hopefully it will be less of an issue if he keeps letting me help him."

    "Will you let him help you?"

    "I'll try. I haven't heard Mother or Father's voices in a while, and I haven't had a nightmare since that last one."

    "Do you still dream about that strange male?"

    Luciana nodded. "At least once a week."

    "Maybe you should talk to Vaughan about that."

    "Maybe."

    The thought had crossed her mind before, but she was choosing to keep the dreams to herself for now. Luciana was beginning to develop her own theories about who the male was and why she kept dreaming about him. She didn't know anything definitive yet, but the answers were sure to emerge eventually.

    "I have another question," Aeron said, catching her attention.

    "What?" Luciana rolled beneath his next attack and shook snow from her hair. It burned against her warm skin, leaving her flushed and shivering.

    "What do you want for Yulemas?"

    "Yulemas is still over a month away," Luciana giggled.