Chapter 32 - Leristith

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Cayden awoke a few hours later as a gentle touch from Rena sent lightning through his body. 

No, he corrected himself, blinking furiously to regain his orientation. He'd been struck by a lightning Mythic before after Nazine had gone and offended her. This now, Rena's touch--it was far, far stronger than anything he'd ever experienced. 

It was strange. The bond had changed things between them. After the initial high, Cayden found it awkward to simply talk with her, and he suspected that, had they not been in the middle of a crisis, he would have actively avoided her because of it.

Though her touch had the ability to shock him, his overall emotions seemed relatively stable and he was thankful for that. Nazine needed him now more than ever, and the Order wouldn't appreciate exactly how far Cayden had gone to keep him alive if the consequences of his actions came between him and his ability to perform his duty. 

"We're over Leristith's boundaries now," said Rena. "Just a few more minutes until we land." 

"Where are we landing?" Cayden asked the violet-skinned Mythic.

"Within the Order's headquarters, close to one of the heartland's entrances." replied the Mythic. "There aren't many zones big enough to land four pegasi and their carriages, I'm afraid. It was the best we could do without rehoming several Mythics." 

"It'll have to be good enough," muttered Cayden. 

The carriage lurched forward as, presumably, the pegasi prepared to land. Cayden gripped the edge of the seat as the carriage dropped through space once, twice, three times before connecting to the ground with a jolting thud. Pleased neighs accompanied the hoofbeats, replaced by voices a few seconds later. 

"Ha, we did it! Told you the new landing procedure would work!" 

"I swear, I'm never flying with you again. My wings are so sore from carrying your weight." 

Pegasi, thought Cayden as he opened the carriage and indicated that Rena and the other Mythic exit. Heads permanently in the clouds. 

Cayden picked up Nazine's limp form for what felt like the millionth time that week. The phoenix groaned, and the slightest amount of expression across his face gave Cayden hope that it hadn't been for nothing. 

"C'mon, buddy," he said, opting to cradle Nazine in his arms. There hadn't been any Order in the countryside to see their phoenix slung over a shoulder like a potato sack. "Almost there. You'd better not give up on me now, or I'm going to jump into the portal to drag your sorry ley back into your body, understand?" 

He didn't, and continued to remain unconscious. 

A large group of Order crowded the small clearing, and once they caught sight of Nazine, Cayden found himself central to the group, being pushed and prodded and guided by several pairs of hands, more than one of which tried to take Nazine from him.

Cayden pushed them away with his elbows, his shoulder, anything he had free. 

"Back off!" he called, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I am the phoenix's ley guard, and I will be the only one to handle him. Is that understood?" 

One of the Order members, a man in a robe marking him as one of the cardinals had the gall to look offended. "I do beg your pardon, ley guard, but--"

"Have you been through chaos and back to get this phoenix here?" said Cayden. "Because the only one that knows exactly what we've gone through is the kitsune that was with me. You'll have to excuse me if I don't exactly trust anyone but myself and her with the phoenix." 

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