Telluric: Garrick Tavis

Chapter 10

As we walk back to the courtyard, Garrick would not stop glancing at me.

"Do I have something on my face?" I say, turning my head to face him.

My hood blocked from any other prying eyes.

"No, I just—" he looks away from me, not finishing his sentence.

"I don't blame you if I know what you are thinking. You had every right to be mad for not knowing the reality." I shrug my shoulders nonchalantly.

"You should blame me. I left you even when you never meant to hurt me. You always tried to make me happy but I was the one that betrayed you." He frowns, regret fills his voice.

"You now know the truth. How about focusing on that instead? Let's live in the present, Garrick. There will be many other secrets that might test our trust but challenges will always exist. I don't want you hating yourself for something that you had every right to be angry for." I give him a small smile which causes his eyes to slowly understand.

"You're too good for me, Em. Even if you were burdened with such knowledge you still tried to keep us safe." He runs his hand through his voluminous hair. Making me take in the sight.

His scar across his face made him look more mature, scarier almost. His eyes were fallen in a bit. Does he not sleep like me?

His build, however, was larger than before. His muscles were more pronounced through his jacket, if that was even possible.

He still looked handsome though. Too handsome for me to keep my hands off.  But we are not like that anymore. I can't force him back into what we once had. No matter how much I love him.

Dain announces his entire speech about the wyvern and venin.

The crowd around us bursts into chatter. The only ones not discussing it are the rebels and Violet's squad. She must have told them.

I stand next to Garrick on the dias, my hood over my head. It would cause a lot of confusion if I appear now.

"You're lying!" Aura Beinhaven shouts, snapping my attention back to the current situation as she charges toward Dain, blade in hand.

Garrick steps into her path, drawing his sword. "I have no problem adding to my body count for the day, Beinhaven."

I watch as the scene unfolds.

Heaton draws their axe at the base of the steps, and faces the formation alongside Emery, who already has his sword ready with Canna protecting his back.

Violet shares a memory with the crowd. Realization waves through them.

"Enough!" Xaden bellows, his voice amplified, shaking the very dais under our feet.

The courtyard falls silent.

Shadows recede in a rush, leaving more than one cadet gawking at Xaden.

"Fucking show-off," Garrick mutters over his shoulder, still squared off with Aura.

I can agree with that. He's probably more dramatic than me.

A corner of Xaden's mouth rises. "You are all riders!" he shouts. "All chosen, all threshed, all responsible for what happens next. Act like it! What Aetos has told you is the truth. Whether or not you choose to believe is up to you. If your dragon has chosen not to share what some have seen, then your choice has been made for you."

Wingbeats fill the air, and a murmur rises among the formation.

Astrope. Where is she?

I look to Garrick who is still in front of Aura.