Flaming Hearts - Fourth Wing

Chapter 25

It's been a couple of days since they talked, and they have been sharing bits and bobs with each other. Xaden, like Rhiannon before, was asking a lot of questions about her world. Some she would answer, some she would only smile about and shake her head. She'll tell him some other time.

This morning, Ace woke up in a sad mood. Though she tried hiding it, Xaden knew something was bothering her. But she wasn't sharing what, she didn't want to talk about it. The whole day, she was passive. In the beginning, her friends thought she was just tired, that Xaden kept her up all night. Which he did, but that wasn't why she wasn't really talking.

When she didn't show up for dinner, Rhiannon was worried. Ace never skips dinner. She doesn't skip any meal, but today she barely ate. She waited a couple more minutes, before she got up, walking towards the leadership table. She stares Xaden down, who's looking at her with raised brows.

"Where is she?" Rhiannon demands to know, earning raised brows from Bodhi and Garrick.

"How would I know?" Xaden asks, but Rhiannon just rolls her eyes.

"Maybe because of the fact that your dragons are mates? Or the fact that she sleeps more in your room than in hers?" She hissed quietly. Xaden narrows his eyes at her, before he shakes his head.

"She has her shields up. And Crith isn't telling me. But I can feel that she's sad. I don't know why though."

Rhiannon nods, her thoughts running wild. Before her eyes widen.

"It's her birthday." She whispers, shocked. Xaden sits up.

"I don't know how much you know about her, but she misses her family. And today is probably a lot worse than usually."

Xaden gets up, rushing out of the cafeteria. Rhiannon looks at Bodhi and Garrick in Question, who just shrug.

"Can you let me know if you find her? Or if he does? I'm worried."

Both nod, getting up to walk out of the cafeteria with Rhiannon as well, to look for their missing friend.

Xaden pulls at their bond, walking through the hallways towards the flight field. Her shields a shut tight, meaning she is most likely masking her aura, and he can't get through. Frustrated, he slams the door open, it falls shut with a loud band as he strides up the stairs. He reaches out to Crith.

Can you please tell me where she is? I'm worried. I know she's outside somewhere.

"No can do, wingleader. I promised her."

He rolls his eyes, before coming to a stand. Closing his eyes, he tried sensing her. Trying to find her aura. He concentrates hard, blending out everything around him, trying to find her. Focusing solely on her. The way she looked. The long, wild black hair, the dark eyes with the red hue, the freckles splattered around her whole body. Each of which he kissed more than once. The curve of her breast and hips, which he loves feeling against his body.

"Where are you hiding, Freckles?" He mumbles quietly.

She'll be somewhere that he reminds her of home. Close to water maybe? But there's no huge body of water close. Maybe a cliff?

His eyes travel to the field where they held Threshing. He groans frustrated, walking closer towards the cliff. She's nowhere in sight, but he feels like she's close.

He stands at the cliff, closing his eyes again. Searching for her. Quieting down everything around him, focusing only on finding her. And then he feels it, a sensation he has never felt before. Like hearing again after being under water or seeing again after being in the dark. He faintly feels the dragons, in the vale. And he feels her. She's close. Somewhere behind him, towards he left.