Betrothed

|| C h a p t e r 7 ||

  "It's just you and me babe," he grinned although it seemed almost animalistic. "This is way too easy!" I growled.

  "I'll show you what's 'way too easy'!" I snarled.

  "What's wrong?" I prodded gently as I made my way down next to him. "We've been looking everywhere for you." Caspian avoided eye contact with me, looking anywhere but me actually.

  "I don't know," He replied sadly. "I'm just not feeling well." I tilted my head to one side.

  "You're still feeling overwhelmed about that 'task' we had to do in the Acier Kingdom aren't you," I offered. Caspian rubbed the nape of his neck although for why, I couldn't fathom.

  "Uhh," He stammered. "Something like that..." I hugged him, his chest was warm and my head rested perfectly on his heart. Caspian was flustered before hugging me back.

  "We had no other choice Caspian," I whispered, tilting my head up so that my lips brushed his ear. "You'll always be a hero in my eyes."

  "How can we take the leader down from the inside?" The Resilient Leader questioned.

  "By the very thing that the Royaume Leader is abusing," Caspian replied instantly. "His power. It is said that he keeps his magical staff, along with his potions in a secret underground lair while asleep." The Resilient Leader nodded, eyes shining with the new information.

  "I knew that you liked us but I didn't know that you couldn't live without us," Jason teased gently. We all laughed.

  "Oh please," Archer laughed. "She obviously came back for me and the private tour that we planned together," Kishan and I laughed whilst Tess, Jason and Duana all rolled their eyes.

  "You mean," Kishan started dryly. "She obviously saved the world overnight and came back to gloat about it." Everyone laughed apart from me. 

  "I wish that were the case."

  "In all seriousness, we heard that you were an incredible fighter!" Duana changed the topic smoothly as she always did. "I'm so proud of you that I want to cry!"

  "Thank you Duana!" To me, Duana was like the sister I never had.

  "I always knew you'd make a good fighter," Tess said quietly. "Especially after our encounter." I smiled.

  "Thank you Tess! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known that I had it in me," I smiled upon seeing her face light up just a little bit in the dimmed temple lights. "Thank you for that." Tess smiled and looked away.

  "You do have a point," Duana said.

  "Tess discovered your mad skills!" Archer chimed in. Everyone laughed apart from me who was still unused to the foreign vocabulary.

  "What is..." I trailed off, trying to word it correctly. "'mad skills'?" Everyone continued to laugh and after a while I joined in.

  "We are all gathered here today to choose the Resilient Team to join Caspian, Kaden and Damakos," The Resilient Leader greeted everyone. I was seated in between both boys and the levels of serenity coming from both of them was peaceful although I knew that it wouldn't last.

  "Look no further! I'm right here!" Archer called out from the back row.

  "With careful consideration," The Resilient Leader replied in an almost condescending tone. "I have chosen the team." Everyone remained silent, wondering who would be chosen. "Duana!"
"Yes!" Duana called, tensing her fist in excitement.