“Oh?” Amestele tilted her head, a mocking smirk spreading on her lips. “Sending them out while you enjoy yourself with ademon?”
Malakai took a step forward and my hand lunged for his shirt to hold him back. His eyes began glowing and Amestele noticed as she became silent.
“I—”
“At least we have crossed the border, haven’t seen your ass out there yet,” Malakai growled low. “What’s your excuse? Couldn’t pick the right dress for the occasion?”
Amestele’s eyes flickered, rage coiling inside of them. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
Malakai chuckled dryly as he took another step forward, standing in front of her. “I’ll make sure you’ll be remembered for bravely watching over the camp, while we went through an army of demons to save all of you.”
Amestele glared at him, but no words left her.
Malakai shifted, grabbing my wrist and tugging me along with him, leaving her behind.
“I can’t believe you picked a fight with another leader,” I mumbled behind him. “Do you want the alliance to fall apart?”
“As if she can withdraw now,” he huffed. “They can’t back down before the Ashen Corps, or they’ll be branded as the weaker faction, doomed to face the demons all by themselves, a fight they wouldn’t survive.”
Not long ago, I would’ve hated this arrogance of his. Now? I was reassured by his words, because I knew he rarelysaid things without having thought through every possible outcome.
It didn’t stop me from questioning him from time to time though.
“You’re overthinking it,” I heard a new voice, and my eyes darted to a figure stomping through camp.
“Ashley!” I shot out, happy to see her alive and… completely combusting with rage?
“Oh really?” Nate snapped, chasing after her. “You were distracted by the dirt-guy molding stupid birds out of mud.MUD. What a lousy way to flirt.”
“It was notflirting,” Ashley hissed back, eyes shooting daggers at him.
Yikes.
“Could’ve fooled me,” Nate snorted. “What do you call it then? Playing with dirt together?”
“Gods, Nate!” Ashley barked, stopping in her tracks.
I saw how Nate took a heavy breath, his expression shifting. Suddenly all his anger was washed away. “I just… don’t want you to get distracted out there.” He cleared his throat, the following words seemed harder to push out. “I… I can’t lose you too, you know.”
Ashley stiffened, her fingers curling for a moment before her shoulders sagged.
“Then maybe,” she said quietly, “you should stop treating me like I’m already gone.”
With that, she continued walking.
Malakai let go of my wrist. “You go defuse the bomb; I’ll pick up the shattered glass.”
I glared at him for comparing them to objects, but still turned on my heel and went after Ashley.
“Ashley,” I shouted after her, but she kept storming away, towards the outskirts of camp, until finally going straight into the woods. “Hey, stop or I’ll shoot you in the foot!”
It had no effect at all.
Shit, she must be really pissed off.
“You stop right there, or I swear I’m going to rearrange your explosives and put the wrong tag on them,” I barked furiously.
She stopped almost immediately. “You’re a monster to even threaten me with such horrible things.” She sniffled between her words.
