Painfully slowly, knowing pain awaited me, I dragged my gaze towards him and… my blood stilled, freezing to ice.
Hesmiled.
Lionel was smiling at me.
“You look rested, I’m glad.”
What?
The corners of my eyes burned treacherously, the relief hit me harder than I had imagined. He wasn’t mad, not visibly at least.
Lionel didn’t ignore me, or leave me because of my choice.
He simply smiled.
“Yeah,” I stammered forcefully, feeling awkward.
“Hmm…” Malakai hummed, placing his chin in his hand, resting against one knee as he studied me. “More like glowing, kitten.”
My eyes slid to his, which were faintly glowing red, and he leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice just for me. “I’m glad you finally stopped running, though I don’t mind chasing you.”
“Arrogant demon,” I murmured, my leg nudging against his.
Nate and Ashley placed themselves on the empty log, staring into the fire.
“It’s odd,” Eve sneered, glancing over us all. “We’re all actually getting along for a change?”
“Don’t jinx it,” Lionel sighed, rubbing his forehead.
“What, this is you guys being friendly?” Jaden asked curiously. “Now I kind of want to see you all mad.”
“No,” Ashley and Lionel echoed.
The fire crackled, slowly devouring the rest of the wood.
“So… after all this, what will you all do?” Jaden asked, while sculpting something in the earth by his feet.
“Maybe I’ll open a gunsmith,” Ashley pondered. “Without a war there won’t be much use of explosives, except for mining perhaps…”
“I want to go see the sea,” Nate said quietly, throwing a branch into the fire, causing it to spark.
Ashley looked at him, her hand opening and closing as if hesitant, before she placed it on top of his against the log.
Mey had wanted to paint the sea; since she was a water mage, she was naturally drawn to it. Maybe he wanted to do it for her. Or perhaps just to feel close to her one last time.
“Hmm… I wouldn’t be able to leave all the action behind,” Jaden confessed. “I’d probably become a hunter, setting traps with my magic that blend in perfectly with nature.”
“That’s… smart,” Ashley nodded, conflicted.
“Yeah, I might want to teach others how to handle a sniper, for hunting or something,” Eve shrugged. “I wouldn’t be able to put it all behind me so abruptly but… it wouldn’t be all bad to have a normal life.”
“What’s normal to you?” I asked, arching a teasing brow at her.
She glared at me. “You know… settle down, get married, open a small family business perhaps…”
“Eve with kids,” Ashley tasted the words, before shivering and Eve snorted at her reaction.
“Really, though, why do you like shooting so much?” I asked Eve, and even Lionel shifted to look at her, waiting for her answer. Eve stilled, her whole body hesitating.
