Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Ch. 97 - Branka - His Next Move

"Well, don't you two look like two pretty love birds on a olive branch," I jest to Fauna and Darius as they join the rest of us in the hall. I like using her real name. I always knew Dawn would give her daughter a special name. I wonder if Fauna knows what it means.

"They look pretty average to me." Both of the elemental's smiles fall at Rohana's words. I punch her hard in the arm for them. "Ow."

"You're being rude."

"I'm being honest."

"Then I can honestly say you look like a mole rat," Henry chimes in behind us. I try to contain my laughter but end up snorting it out instead. We both end up getting socked in the arms for it. Her punch was twice as hard as mine, but my laughter makes the pain bearable.

She may hate the man, but he's funny as hell.

Fauna shakes her head as they stop in front of us. "I don't know how we've lived so long with you as our guard."

"How come you guys look so good?" Serephina pouts. "It's only been an hour and a half."

"That would be Kat and Thomas's doing."

"And Willa and a Sitara's," Darius adds.

"Damn healers never have a bad skin or hair day," I complain, recalling my own days as one of them and having made the rather annoying observation.

I step aside and let them lead us through the halls to the Highland Tower and the Ker rulers waiting for our arrival. Rohana takes the Queen's shoulder, and I hers. Just like old times.

"You all seemed to have cleaned up perfectly fine," Fauna says over her shoulder.

I look down at the Ginerva fighting leathers hugging my body. I've missed the itchy feel of them. I didn't bother taking them before I went to Andraste, unlike my sisters. My mother gave them to me before I left. She kept them folded and safe all these years. Locked in a chest she kept in their mountain hideout.

When I saw them on my bed two hours ago, I bathed quickly just to get them on. I forgot how annoying the leather can be to put on, but it was totally worth the jumping, kicking, cursing, and rolling on the ground in the end. I did, however, miss Andraste's shower. The bathing tub just doesn't do it for me anymore. One night in a lavish place and I've become some primped petunia. Ascian's booming laughter came out when I told him exactly that complaint, word for word last night. Apparently, "primped petunia" is hysterical.

We walked the Queen's Garden for an hour or two early in the morning once he returned with the others. We've fallen into somewhat of a friendship, I believe. It's weird to think that considering that when we met we couldn't stand each other, but I suppose traveling with someone through a forest that wants to kill you, and breaking a barrier that's not meant to be broken can do that to you.

I know what my friends and sisters here say about us. No doubt that the snooping staff came up with quite the rumors overnight. I just...I don't know, maybe one day I could lose my mind and think that I could have what my mother once had, but that turned into this. The love of her life turned on her and killed her secondborn. Not sure I'd like to test fate.

Henry and Rohana, however...I think my sister could find some happiness there. If she wasn't so stubborn and thick-headed.

I've been away for a cycle so I have no idea what's going on in her mind. Vanya and Serephina told me about her and Henry's encounter with a Wailing Krov while the three of us conversed before misting back up here. Of how she took every spike that was supposed to land in him and he was furious about it. Then there was the matter of her shaking hands after the two had a heated argument. They didn't know what to make of it, though they clearly had their ideas. They didn't mention them to me, likely because they were afraid Rohana would hear or somehow guess that they think she's slowly beginning to care again.