🐲 Dragon and Phoenix (Path of Light and Fire Book #2) (Completed) 🐲

Chapter 25

"You can go, Turrent."

That was too easy.

Turrent sighed. He'd followed Alaina into one of Zannick's spare rooms, away from the others. It wasn't too different from the master bedroom, a circular straw mat, dyed blue or purple (it was hard to tell in the lack of moonlight) sat in the center of the room. Stacks of books lined one wall and if Zannick expected his guests to be as bookish as he. A single bed pressed against the opposite wall, with a single window cut into the back wall.

Alaina sat on edge of the bed with her legs crossed and arms folded.

"I didn't realize I'd begin my first adult-year stabbed by someone I once considered a friend."

Ah, there's the anger.

"Congratulations. You now have the misfortune of being an adult like the rest of us." "Not yet," she said. "When the sun rises. It's the Second Skysday of Birth Cycle."

Turrent walked over and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry-"

She shrugged his hand off. "Touch me again and I'll blow you."

"That doesn't mean what you think it does, pup."

You couldn't hold your tongue, could you?

Alaina grimaced. "Why are you still here? I've given you permission to go on your suicide mission. Go and convince Yulan. Leave me alone."

"You were never in any danger."

"You just don't get it!" She stood, walked over to the window and looked outside.

Turrent wanted point out that people thought she was dead and it was not the best place to be, but he didn't have the capital to say it. She would probably throw the curtains aside to spite him.

A few moments passed before she spoke again. "It isn't about you stabbing me, though it wasn't pleasant. It's that you did not trust any of us with your plan. Even now, you've decided that going undercover alone is the best option."

Turrent nodded. "I get it. But look around, pup. Every one of you have something to return to when this is all over. Family, friends and loved ones. When this is all over, I have nothing. If my gambit fails, no one will miss me."

"You know the worst part of what you've just said, Turrent?"

"What?"

"It's that you honestly believe that to be true. Talk to Yulan. We're done."

Turrent nodded once more, and turned away, ignoring the tears that threatened Alaina's eyes.

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"You called me brother, Yusabin."

Sabin gritted his teeth. He knew this conversation was coming although he held a small hope Yulan would give him a moment to process everything.

In truth, he'd only called Yulan brother to stop him from killing Turrent.

"I will leave you two alone," Kaita said. She walked out of the room and left the door slightly ajar. "Try not to kill each other."

That shouldn't be as hard of a request as it is.

"I'll do my best," Sabin said.

Yulan pressed his advantage when her footsteps faded. "Our father always spoke of you as if you were a demon. It is a claim that your current visage only bolsters. Even now, after hearing what the Chanyu and Staff Maiden have told me, two people are have learned to trust, there is a nagging voice that makes me wonder if you simply are not waiting for the best opportunity to murder me and take my place."