Bonds of Light and Fire

60. Moving Forward

    Luciana's sword met Aeron's with a loud shriek. Thinking quickly, Luciana twisted behind her brother and jabbed her elbow in between his shoulders. Aeron yelped and staggered forward.

    "I think I liked sparring with you more when you didn't know how to fight," he chuckled, swinging his sword in a lazy circle.

    "But it's so much fun now," Luciana protested. "You just don't like that I can kick your ass."

"That's a naughty word." Aeron wagged a scolding finger. "I think your lover has proven to be a bad influence on you after all."

Luciana ducked her head as heat flooded her cheeks. She still wasn't used to people referring to her and Vaughan in that manner. It was true, she supposed, and yet, she'd never thought of them as lovers. Lovers did...more. They had never even spoken about taking things further. What if Vaughan wanted to? Luciana wasn't sure she could say yes. Not after...

She gasped and lifted her sword in time to parry Aeron's blow. "Are you all right?" Aeron asked. "You seem distracted."

"I'm just thinking about a lot of things," Luciana replied. "You're leaving. Vaughan is busy with his students. I'm trying to decide what skills I should work on."

"Are you sure that's all that's bothering you?" Aeron arched a brow. Luciana didn't answer. "Vaughan told me you still aren't sleeping well, and that you haven't said anything about what happened in Rifthold."

"He hasn't asked." Luciana lowered her sword, looking away.

"He hasn't asked because he doesn't want you to feel pressured to talk if you aren't ready." Aeron sheathed his sword and crossed his arms. "I think you should talk to him regardless. It might help."

"Have you talked to Kyllian yet?" Luciana countered. "Have you fixed things with him?"

"There's nothing to fix."

"I know you were going to make your relationship official. You shouldn't let what happened to me come in between the two of you. You're about to leave for what will soon become a war front. I've told you for months that I want you and Kyllian to have time together. You're about to lose what little time you have left."

    "It doesn't mat..."

    "Don't say it doesn't matter. It does." Aeron muttered something inaudible. "What?" Luciana prompted.

    "I don't want him to get hurt," Aeron repeated, louder this time. "I distracted him and you were hurt. Next time, it could be him. I won't take that risk. I can't. I can't be responsible for his...death."

    "You won't be."

    "It feels like I will. It feels like I'm responsible for everything that has already happened."

    "But you're not." Luciana rested her hand on Aeron's shoulder. "None of this has been your fault."

    "You wouldn't be here if I hadn't responded to your letters. Brye wouldn't be allied with the Revolutionists. He wouldn't have sent Kron and Malik after you. Kron and Malik wouldn't even have been a threat to you if they hadn't known you were related to me."

    "Kron and Malik were cruel males who just wanted to pretend they were powerful," Luciana replied. "And our father's choices are his own. We can't be certain that he wouldn't have allied with the Revolutionists even if I hadn't left. In fact, I might have been in more danger with him than I ever was here. He would've used me against you and Vaughan, and through him, Aelin's Court."

    "And," Luciana continued as Aeron opened his mouth, "I would rather be here than back in Wendlyn with him, no matter what happens. If I had known what would happen to me before I left, I still would've left. I still would've come to the Bane. I still would've found you. I would make the same choices that I did then, because they brought me here. They brought me somewhere I am loved and safe. They brought me to you and Vaughan."