Sawyer pulled me in a little tighter and I laid my head on his shoulder. “Because you make sacrifices to protect the people you love.”
Love.
“Didn't you want to go so that you could be with Jocelyn? Why didn't you argue with Sebastian when he asked you to stay?”
Sawyer sucked his lips in, releasing a sigh before he said under his breath, “Love.”
Chapter
Thirty-Two
“Have you heard anything?” I asked the same question I'd been asking every day for the past month.
Sawyer shook his head, as usual, and I scowled at his lack of knowledge, as usual.
I groaned, grabbing my rucksack from my bed before storming out of my room. I hadn't heard anything from Sebastian since he left. Not even a letter. Pia assured me that writing a letter was not the number one priority when stationed at an outpost fighting a battle, but whatever.
King Hawthorne had postponed our meetings until further notice. He had been too preoccupied dealing with the Draemor and Craterra issue to have time to bicker with me. I was not complaining. The less I had to see that man, the better.
A week after Sebastian left, King Hawthorne announced to the kingdom that Draemornian troops were seen moving in on Craterra, which confirmed his rejection of Beaumont’s final offer. It had been a month, and no official declaration of war had been made yet. I could only assume that meant goodnews out of Craterra, and that maybe our army was able to keep the Draemornian soldiers at bay.
The hope was to stop Craterra from becoming a pile of ruins, and destroy enough of the Draemornian troops in the process that King Beaumont rescinded his threats against Caelestis.Thanksto King Hawthorne’s orders placed on anyone gifted, Caelestis’ army was much stronger and larger than it was two decades ago, so we had a good chance at being successful.
I walked alongside Sawyer while he escorted me to the academy for my classes. He’d been keeping incredibly close tabs on me due to Sebastian’s orders. I didn’t mind, though. What I heard in the archives that night frightened me, and for the first time, I felt that the extra protection was truly needed.
The air had warmed with spring, making a cloak unnecessary on most days. The sun shone with the promise of the ocean being ready to divulge in soon. Although I had trouble being excited with everything that's been going on.
“Not to be dramatic,” I started.
Sawyer huffed a laugh. “Oh right, because Maevey Baby isneverdramatic.”
I punched him in the arm. Hard.
“I think I’m going through the stages of grief.”
“By the way you just hit Sawyer, I'm going to guess you're in the anger stage right now?” Pia caught up with us, hugging me from behind as we walked.
Sawyer rubbed his arm. “You don't have to guess about that,” he mumbled.
Pia moved to my side, taking my hand in hers and swinging our arms as we trailed through the freshly grown grass. She beamed from ear to ear as she pointed her face towards the sun.
“What are you so happy about?” I raised an eyebrowof suspicion.
“Oh nothing,” she hummed, her smile widening even more.
“Tell me. I need some happy news so I can move onto the bargaining stage.”
She gave in too easily. “Okay fine. Since you asked, Kohen and I just had the absolute most mind blowing?—”
Sawyer flashed an expression of disgust and cut her off, “I don't want to hear this.” He quickened his pace, his leather pants reflecting the sun as he moved to walk in front of us.
I chuckled. Sometimes I forgot that Sawyer had known Pia almost as long as he'd known Sebastian. She was like a sister to him.
Pia rolled her eyes. “Anyways, best sex ever.”
“I should have known that's what you would say. You tell me this every day, I swear.”
When I had told her about Sebastian and I finally getting together, she was ecstatic, to say the least. I could only imagine what she would have said if I told her the details of what we did in the archives.
