Child of Ardor

vii

I walked down the deserted corridor in the direction of the forest Xaden told me to head to, so we would have our first "rebellion kids" secret meeting. I wasn't even sure what was going on in this little meeting but I'll show up.

"Hey, are you—" A voice asked as I rounded the corner.

I jumped to the side, my fists up. "What the actually fuck, Garrick!" I hit him on the chest once to really drive my point through.

What was he thinking, sneaking up on a girl in the middle of the night like that?

"Hey!" He cried when I hit him. "I was just going to ask if you're heading to see your brother?"

"Obviously." I retorted as we fell into step beside each other. "Doesn't he mandate that all Tyrians come?"

"Well, it's not mandated..." Garrick started to defend Xaden.

"For me it is."

My brother would be pissed and probably come find me in the middle of his stupid meeting if I told him that I wouldn't be in attendance.

"True. So why are you on Xaden all the time?" Garrick inquired.

I shrugged. "No one else is. Now or before."

Xaden and I didn't have the best relationship when we were kids seeing as he thought he was too cool to ever pay attention to his little sister. But I was always the only one to keep him in check, no one told him no — except me. I assume it's the same here.

"Not even Bodhi?" He asked about our cousin.

"Bodhi and Xaden are friends. They're both just as bad." I took a pause, looking at Garrick. "Are you just as bad?"

He laughed. "Maybe, I wouldn't know. Do you think I am?"

"No." I said, slowly and carefully. "You're different from them..."

"How so?"

"Just ... let's talk about something else." Crimson heated my checks and I shied away from Garrick so he couldn't see how embarrassed I was.

"Alright. Ya know, I don't know how I didn't figure out you were Xaden's little sister when I met him. You two look damn similar."

"Yeah. I don't know how either." I laughed along with him.

My entire life everyone has told me that my brother and I look like twins — despite the obvious age difference. But, I don't know, I kinda like looking like my brother. Makes me feel closer to him when we were so far apart all of these years.

"We're here." Garrick whispers, pulling back a branch for me so I can step forward through the trees.

Xaden and Imogen were already there — in the circle of trees that clearly stood out to the rest of the forest that was all clumped together.

My big brother's lip curled. "You two came together?" Disgust evident in his voice. "Where's Bodhi?!" He barked.

"Right here, Xade. Chill." Bodhi emerged at exactly the right time as my brother had yelled for him.

"I told you to keep a fucking eye on him!" Xaden whispered-shouted to our cousin, jerking his head in the direction of Garrick who stood there with his arms crossed, watching the scene unfold in front of him.

"I—" Bodhi stammered, clearly not understanding what Xaden was saying.

"You need to be watched?" I turned to Garrick, amusement dancing in my eyes.