The Blood Rite

Chapter 5

Aster had been having a lovely sleep, the blankets had swallowed her whole and her face had sunk into the pillow. She was in such a deep sleep that she practically fell out of bed when Nyx screamed;

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Scrambling to get up, Asteria rushed out into the kitchen where Nyx's scream had come from.

"What?! What's happening?!" She said, panicked and breathless.

That's when she fully processed the scene in front of her. Silas was huddled by the stove top, a spatula in hand and what appears to be pancakes cooking quietly beside him. Nyx was pointing a kitchen knife directly at his face.

"Oh cauldron! Nyx I forgot to tell you", Aster tried to explain as she rushed over to them.

"Why is this brute in my house?!" Nyx said sounding hysterical.

Silas crossed his arms, "excuse me? This brute made everyone pancakes".

Aster grabbed the knife from Nyx's hand and dropped it in the sink, "relax, I'll explain everything".

Nyx's fierce gaze landed on her, "what were you thinking?! He could've been a murderer!!"

Aster huffed, "let's talk in my room", she said trying to drag him down the hallway.

"You've got some major explaining", Nyx said as he reluctantly complied with her tugging.

Finally Aster had dragged Nyx down the hallway and into her room, softly closing the door behind her. She had gone straight to bed after Silas got settled, the exercise from the day finally getting to her. Aster had completely forgotten to explain to Nyx why Silas was in the house.

Nyx raised his brow, tapping his foot impatiently, "well?"

"He hasn't got a home, Nyx. Not even a tent", Aster whispered knowing Silas would hate to know their talking about him.

"Where was he sleeping then?" Nyx asked, a small twitch of concern in his eyes.

"Outside, in the cold. He only had a thin blanket to keep him warm, I couldn't leave him there, I know you don't like him but try to be nice", she pleaded.

Nyx sighed, "I don't hate him. I just don't know him, I didn't expect to see a stranger in my house this morning".

Aster took a deep breath, "okay, that's understandable. I just don't want him to be left out to freeze every night".

Nyx smiled, reaching forward and giving his sister a hug, "I know, you're too kind sometimes".

Aster chuckled before they broke away from the hug, "well we should go eat some pancakes, and you should apologise".

Nyx huffed in frustration but followed after his sister as they left her room and went back to the kitchen.

                                    —————

The pancakes had been surprisingly delicious for someone who had been living in the wilderness for a few weeks. However, Aster felt she could barely move as they made their way towards the training rings.

"Curse you, Silas!" She mumbled as she dragged herself over towards the weapons rack, "curse you and your fluffy pancakes".

Silas smirked as he trailed along beside her, "I was repaying a debt".

"No", Aster sighed, "I said I would choose how you do that".

Silas smiled teasingly, "I'm not really up for handing out sexual favours"

Aster gasped, "I didn't say anything like that you fiend!"

Her voice had gone far too many octaves high, causing Silas to chuckle deeply. Nyx had already disappeared to chat with Jasper so she supposed she was at least spared some embarrassment.

"I'm joking", Silas said nudging her shoulder as they both grabbed their weapons for the day, "I'd do that willingly".

"Silas!" Aster hissed, blushing a deep pink.

He chuckled again, this time louder as Aster's embarrassment set in. She huffed, grabbing the dagger she choose and stalking over towards an empty ring.

Silas was quick to follow her, a dagger of his own in hand, except his had three prongs and looked far more scary than Asteria's simple one.

"Rematch so soon?" She questioned, spinning the dagger in her hand.

He shook his head, "you're still sore and I wanna challenge you a different way".

"I thought you said you didn't do sexual favours", she replied smoothly, her confidence coming back.

He barked a laugh, "that will only make my next statement so much worse".

Aster tilted her head in question.

"Wings out, Princess", he winked.

Aster rolled her eyes, allowing her wings to appear in a plume of darkness. The sudden cold tickled her wings, making a shiver run down her spine.

"How come you don't usually fight with them out?" He asked surveying her wings.

"They're another weak spot. Why keep them out if I have the option of putting them away?" She replied.

"But you'll have them out during the Rite, otherwise it would be an unfair advantage", he stated.

"I suppose, but they'll be bound anyway".

"They'll still weigh you down".

She supposed they would. She had faught with them out many times before but since she'd arrived at Windhaven she'd been hiding them from the cold.

"Wings are also good weapons, I knocked you on your ass yesterday", he said shrugging.

"So you're challenging me to wield my wings?" She questioned.

"Consider this me paying my debt, I'll help you train for the Rite", he stated.

"Won't you be competing too, I hardly imagine Devlon will keep you out when he could claim you as one of his warriors", she said crossing her arms.

"Yes, I will be competing".

"Then isn't it an unfair advantage if you see all my weaknesses and flaws while you help me?"

He sighed, "I'm not going to hurt you in the Rite, I plan to stick by myself and get to the top in my own time".

"How can I trust you?"

"You let me into your house didn't you?" He questioned, but it was rhetorical.

It was Aster's turn to sigh. She supposed his help could be useful, he was the only other formidable opponent she had fought besides her uncles. Maybe an extra set of eyes on her training was exactly what she needed.

"Okay, fine".

Silas smiled wickedly as he went into a fighting stance.