Violet Detours (BOOK 2) : Badly, Madly, Deeply

OFF TO ZEN

"What? No! You're not bringing her into this, Granger!" Gusion protested about Granger bringing Guinevere with him to Zen. "In fact, no one but Venom squad is going into that city!"

"Harley's gonna bring me." Lesley joined in.

"Not you, too, Les!"

"Gusion, if you're going to get this Cube, you're going to get every help you can get!"

"It's a fight between us and the Saber squad."

"Then whatever. I'll be there to help Granger get Rafaela back." Guinevere said stubbornly.

Gusion sighed in frustration. "Don't you get it? Rafaela doesn't need saving!"

"You know Rafaela and didn't even mention this to us?" Hanabi asked him.

He turned to her direction, an apologetic look in his eyes. "I just didn't see the need to do so."

"You have to bring us, Gusion." Granger insisted.

Gusion looked at him in disagreement.

Guinevere and Lesley came behind him, and the three of them stared at him in determination.

"No." He enunciated.

"We'll follow you until you bring us there." Guinevere said.

Gusion knew she was not joking or bluffing, and he also knew they would do anything to get there.

So he sighed in surrender. "Fine."

The three of them broke out in triumohant smiles.

"But in one condition."

"What condition?" Granger asked.

"You have to listen to me. You can't get in trouble in a different dimension."

Their brows arched up.

"That's quite easy." Guinevere muttered.

"Right. Is that even a condition?" Granger agreed.

Gusion scoffed in bitterness, knowing he had just brought  even more trouble than the City of Zen could handle.

"So when are we leaving?" Lesley asked.

"Tomorrow. Get yourselves some rest." He said and headed near the fire.

"Don't even try sneaking out on us, Paxley." Guinevere warned as she and the others went to find comfortable spots for them to sleep.

Gusion stopped in his tracks and turned to her direction, his brows frowning. "Why do you say Paxley as if it's an insult? You do realize it's going to be your family name sooner or later, right?"

His heart skipped a beat the moment he heard himself, everyone around suddenly turning to his direction with looks of disbelief.

"I-I was r-referring to Vermilion." He cleared up. "She's marrying Vermilion, so she's going to be a Paxley, too!"

He caught Guinevere's gaze, and he could've thought he saw a strange glint on those green eyes before she looked away.

Gusion turned his back on everyone and decided to settle on the spot farthest from everyone, feeling like he had just bared out his real feelings in front of them.

He forced his eyes closed, wanting to smack himself in the head for being such an idiot.

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Gusion swam through the wider part of the river, trying to clear his head.