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“Get your things. You are leaving.”
“What?!” I asked, startled. “Look, I didn’t mean any disrespect, but I apologize anyway,” I blurted, pulse jumping. Damn, talk about toxic masculinity. He really didn’t like dealing with his emotions, did he? “Please don’t throw me out of here, I have nowhere to go.”
Wait. Was that amusement I saw twinkling in his eyes?
“Get. Your. Things.”
Nope. It was definitely not humor.
Fuck! Turning, I reached for the few folded clothes I had on the shelf, which included my old jeans, and slipped my feet into the boots again. “I’m sorry. I lost the spear during the fight with the four-headed beast, and I have no idea where it ended up.”
“You won’t need it anymore.” Whirling around, he began to walk away.
Damn it. I should have kept my fucking mouth shut. What the hell was I going to do outside the mountain now? Without Vyper—because I doubted that they would allow him to go with me—and without knowing how to survive in this strange realm…
Unable to say goodbye to Evie.
Taking a settling breath, I accepted my situation for what it was, fucked up, and crouched next to the bed, taking the letter Mom had left me from under the mattress.
With each step I took out of the room, my gut tightened, screaming at me to fight back. Not to leave this place. Every cell in my being said I belonged here, with Evie.
When I finally stepped out the mini privacy maze at the entrance of the room and into the main corridor, I found Evie hugging Kingston so tightly I doubted he could breathe. By the sheen her blue eyes reflected, I realized she had heard us. His arms wrapped around her eagerly, as though he needed the exchange as badly as he needed oxygen, and his chest sunk in relief. They remained in the silent embrace for a few minutes, and my attention shifted to the Elevated Warriors standing along the hall.
All ten men and women were there, their eyes trained on me, and something suddenly occurred to me. Had they seen Evie and I kiss when she got me off Spartan’s back and took me to Luna? Was that what this was about? The kiss had been brief and so natural we didn’t even think about the consequences… until it was too late. I’d just needed her so I could feel safe again after what I had gone through, as pathetic as that might sound.
I needed to feel her, and now I was paying for it.
Silently, I cursed, but I didn’t regret sharing that kiss. The truth was, I couldn’t regret anything when it came to Evie. She woke me up to a life I never even imagined. She had saved me in so many ways. I would find a way back to her, no matter what it cost me.
When their hug ended, Evie looked at me, noticing the distress coursing through me, even though I tried to swallow it. Her urgent eyes fell to the few possessions in my hands, if you could call it that.
“What is going on here?” she demanded, her voice rising as she glanced at Kingston again. The look she gave him said she was a second away from strangling him, if he dared give her the wrong answer.
Humor returned to Kingston’s gaze, unmistakable, but he scowled at her. Ignoring her question, he faced me again.
“Formal introductions were not made. Meet theland riders—” His hand lifted towards the warriors on his right, and he began to gesture to each of them. “Harrison, Finn, Islay, Hannah, and Fletcher.” The men and women smiled, giving me a firm nod of acknowledgement. His hand shifted to the other half standing across from them. “Asher, Harper, Arlo, Penelope, and Elijah. Asher is their commander and my right hand. When I’m not around, his orders are as good as mine, and as such, they must be followed. Understood?”
I wanted to say yes, but I hadn’t been so confused in my entire life. I just nodded, not wanting to instigate the giant.
“We are the first line of defense for our people,” Asher explained. “We command the Skyborne Legion, and we are also the princess’ private guard. Now, you are one of us.”
Holy hell.
“What?!” My head whirled towards Evie to see a brilliant smile capture her gorgeous lips, and she jumped her guardian, kissing his cheek enthusiastically.
The sound of chuckles was lost among the thunderous beats of my heart, and I glanced at Asher once more, to find him smirking. “Ready to go to the sixth floor?”
“Say what?”
With a stern breath, Kingston took a long look at me and nodded to himself, as though asserting his own decision. “If you are ready to learn now, I am ready to teach you.”
“I’m ready,” I blurted, my mind going a million miles a minute. Had Kingston just made me an Elevated Warrior??
His attention left me, focusing on his commander. “Braxton will train with me each morning, and with you every afternoon. He has good instincts and reflexes, but you need to keep him out of his head. He knows our maneuvers already, but I need you to help him perfect them, refine his movements and hone his skill untilheis a weapon.”
Speechless, I watched him talk to his commander like I wasn’t even there.
“Will do, Chief.” Asher’s satisfied smirk turned into an almost malevolent one that said he might be worse than Mr. T.
