"It Feels Like an Eternity, Since I Had You Here With Me" Garrick x Riorson!Reader Part 4
Summary: Being back home in Aretia stirs up old memories and fears for the coming war. Xaden's sister tries to figure out her place and how to be brave like her father.
Part 1 2 3
A steady line of soldiers marching off to our own battle. That was the only thing I could compare it to, but we were never meant to fight. It was the very fate our parents had worked so hard to protect us from. The sound of tiny feet marching across the stage might as well have been a thousand horses thundering across the battlefield for how loudly it seemed to echo across the otherwise silent seaside. A silence that was occasionally punctured by the soft sob of one of the little ones, quickly subdued by another for fear of what the consequences would be. I stood between Xaden and Garrick as we faced our parents. It was intentional, I realized. When they rearranged us into a neat line, they placed us in the same order they had placed our parents on the macabre stage they built. We were meant to silently stare into the eyes of the people who risked everything to protect us and to build a better future for us. Our parents were meant to know that they had failed, not just as revolutionaries, but as parents. As their children, we were very clearly meant to understand the message. If we didn’t fall in line as obedient Navarrian soldiers, we were next.
Last night was awful, though my brother and several others were older than I was, I was still one of the oldest of the 106 children. We had to split up, working our way around our makeshift prison cell, quietly comforting the younger ones with empty promises. It was all a guise to hide the fact that we were actually making sure each of them understood that they were to carry the runes created by Colonel Mairi and no matter what happened, they had to hold them without anyone seeing. We didn’t really understand what they were supposed to do, but no one was better with runes than Sloan’s mother. This was the only plan of our parents that we were allowed to know about, the fail safe they had created as the last line of defense. Now we could only hope it worked.
I held mine clutched in my left hand, letting the feeling of the rough surface of the stone ground me and remember that I had to keep it together. Xaden’s arm brushed against my own as he stood to my left, the front of the line. I glanced over at him. Anyone could see the tilt of his chin and the blank stare on his face as the stoic soldier my father would expect and the steady leader we needed, but I knew him well enough to see the cracks. His jaw twitched with the effort to remain closed, the gold flecks in his eyes shone brighter with the barely noticeable moisture he fought against, and he leaned slightly closer to me. The weight of the unknown rested on his shoulders as the oldest. We didn’t know what would happen to us after this, but we were told by General Sorrengail that we were to stand here and witness our parents' execution. They were every bit the monster our father told us they were. 106 children and one woman who was carrying the final child born from the rebellion. We were spared only to be forced to attend the execution of our parents. The woman, whose name I hated that I couldn’t recall, was only granted a temporary reprieve. I guess murdering pregnant women is too far even for the monsters who were determined to protect their own people at the detriment to the entire rest of the continent.
General Melgren and General Sorrengail stood at the front of the stage as they addressed the crowd gathered in front of them. Gods, these people were absolutely vile. I felt Xaden brush against me again, a silent reminder to stay calm. I tried to take a breath, but it caught in my throat as some of the soldiers shoved my father and General Tavis forward. The leaders and their seconds standing on the stage, one declaring victory over the other. Cheers broke out and my anger surged. Garrick was pulling me back before any of our guards noticed the movement. I looked up at him and saw that he was trying to copy the same resolve that Xaden had mastered, but his sorrow showed more clearly. He stared down at me intensely and he gave a subtle shake of his head. I clenched my jaw as I turned back to face the front. My hands were trembling with the fight to not scream or break something. How could these people be here attending an execution as if it were a play? How could they not see they were being lied to? Garrick intertwined our fingers and gripped my hand in his, squeezing tightly. It wasn’t just my father standing there, but his too.
Melgren seemed to feed on the theatrics as he gave a dramatic retelling of the apostasy or the secession as he called it. His fictitious tale was carefully crafted to paint our parents as the monsters, the enemies that lurked in the shadows seeking to destroy Navarre. Not once did he mention venin, the real creatures we should all fear.
“Today, we shall finally achieve peace, in the years to come we shall celebrate Reunification Day; however, today we have the duty of ensuring that this evil will never again seek to destroy the home we have built.” As Melgren spoke, his dragon moved behind him for the first time. This monstrous beast moved as if he were joyfully anticipating what was to come. He crept closer and I felt the terror overtaking the anger. This wasn’t fair, we didn’t do anything wrong. My father just wanted everyone to have a chance at a home that was safe under the wards and protected from the venin. He wasn’t a monster, he didn’t deserve to die like this. I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. A silent steady stream began to fall as I caught the eye of my father. My throat closed up around the apology, but he gave a small smile, glancing between both of us. Then, just before it happened, his face went blank. I felt the heat instantly, screams echoing around us from the spectators in front of us to the children next to us. Chaos was erupting all around us and I vaguely registered the burning on my left arm, but I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t blink. My eyes hadn’t left my fathers face. The man I’d known my entire life. He wasn’t perfect, but when he was suddenly left with two kids who were lost and abandoned by their mother, he did his best. Even when the apostasy happened, he tried to balance his duties as a general and a father, something I never gave him credit for. He never lied to us, this war was dangerous and he knew he may not survive it, but he always reminded us of how brave we are and that together, we would be okay. I don’t know how he could think that, because even though I could feel my brother next to me, it felt like the entire world was collapsing. Powerful flames consumed the entire stage, mercilessly destroying everything they touched without any resistance. The smell of seared flesh would’ve turned my stomach even if I didn’t know it was the same man who always smelled like leather and mint to hide the smell of the churam we knew he smoked. I kept staring at the space he had occupied, even when there was nothing left.
“You three, this way.” The commanding voice of the guard seemed muffled and far away. When none of us moved, they stepped towards us and forcefully pulled us apart. I only had a split second to shove the rune into my pocket before chains locked around my wrists. Garrick, Xaden, and I exchanged confused looks, but we didn’t dare say anything as we were dragged towards the castle.
They led us through the back entrances until we were far below the main levels of the castle. We finally stopped in what looked to be the Wardens office at the end of a hall of cells. The office was void of any personal touch and the basic furniture had all been cleared from the center of the room where General Sorrengail stood waiting for us. Garrick and I were brought to the back wall where the guards held us including two additional guards on either side of us, while Xaden was shoved to his knees in the center of the room right in front of the General.
“Hey!” I yelled at the guard, the thread of control I held over my anger snapping. The guard to my left acted immediately, striking me hard.
“Stop!” Xaden said, at first I thought he was speaking to me, but when I lifted my head, I saw he was staring at her. “Why are they here? This wasn’t part of our agreement.”
One look at Garrick told me he didn’t know anything about this either.
“You aren’t the one in control here. They are here to ensure that you uphold your end of the deal and that as your fathers were the leaders in your rebellion, that I make myself perfectly clear when I say that at any point, if any of you step out of line in the Quadrant, you will no longer be spared.” Xaden wasn’t looking at us, only at her as she relayed the terms of whatever secret deal they had. “For the last time, are you certain this is what you want, you are willing to bear this responsibility?"
He didn’t hesitate before responding, “yes.”
“Very well.” She turned towards the desk and pulled out a long dagger. Panic filled me once again, as I thought I was going to lose my brother the same day I watched my father burn. Garrick and I both tried to get free, but clearly everyone in the room knew what was happening, but the two of us, that’s why they placed extra guards on either side of us. The chains and the guards had us completely incapacitated, but the guards still doled out a few retaliatory blows as payback for the minimal damage we were able to inflict before the General commanded them to stop.
“You are not to harm them. You are to keep them restrained and nothing more. If you are incapable of peacefully restraining two teenagers then I will replace you with guards who can.” The scathing remark had them tighten their grip, but Garrick and I were left with only minimal cuts and bruises.
The General paused before she brought the dagger to the back of Xaden’s shirt. What the hell was going on? If she wasn’t going to kill him what was she going to do and why did Xaden know about it? What deal had they agreed to?
I gasped as she carefully carved a small cut into his right shoulder. He didn’t flinch as if he was expecting it. She did it again and again, while he gave no reaction. I looked at Garrick in horror. His jaw twitched as he too was losing control over his anger. Methodically she moved across his back, making small cuts the entire way. They were deep, ensuring they would scar. Xaden didn’t react until she moved closer to his spine, she had left 27 marks so far. His small flinches and subtle intakes of breath became more and more pronounced as she mercilessly continued to mar his back with her hatred. At 52 he groaned, though I could tell he was holding back.
“Please! Stop it.” I implored her, causing her to pause and look at me. I could feel the blood running down my face from the cut on my cheek, but if it was mercy I was hoping for, she wouldn’t give it. Xaden kept his gaze on the floor and I watched as a few drops hit the ground in front of him. I didn’t know if it was sweat or tears, but I wanted so desperately to stop this, to do something. 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76.
“Why are you doing this?” Garrick spoke for the first time, his question directed at both Xaden and General Sorrengail, but neither of them answered.
His question triggered a memory and I suddenly gasped, understanding at least part of the deal Xaden made with her. It was an ancient Tyrrish custom, a blood oath. He was bearing the punishment of each and every child of the rebellion in exchange for our lives.
“You monster!” I screamed at her, hurtling the accusation with the ferocity I wished I could shove the dagger through her heart. She was taking our own customs and using them as an excuse to punish Xaden. “Why do you hate us so much?” She froze, as if the words had some impact on her, but the mask was quickly sealed into place as she continued her mission.
By the time she reached 107, I was crying and pulling as far forward as the guard allowed me to, as if I could just get close enough I could help take some of the pain. Xaden wasn’t moving aside from the tremors rippling across the muscles in his back. The pain had to be overwhelming, but he was silent.
“Let them go.” The General said and the guard holding me immediately let go, causing me to fall forward. As quickly as I could I crawled on my hands and knees until I reached Xaden. My hands were shaking as I gently cupped his face.
“Why would you do that?” I whispered, though it held no accusation, only admiration and fear. He was my big brother, so he would always be my hero, but today he saved the lives of 107 innocent children. He didn’t respond and I didn’t need him to. Garrick had a bowl of water and a rag from somewhere. He looked at Xaden with a grimace before beginning to clean his back as best as he could. I ran my fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him, even though I knew there was no taking away the pain. He leaned into the touch. I remember only a few weeks ago when we stood in my fathers study, arguing that we were old enough to fight, but today didn’t feel like it. Today felt like we were just kids and we were completely outmatched. Silently we sat together on the floor in the depths of the castle, clinging to each other and trying to hold ourselves together.
“They’re here for the girl.” One of the guards informed the General. I looked up at her, shaking my head and pleading. “The others will be here shortly for them.”
“It’s time to go.” She said, her face resolute and void of any emotion.
I turned to Xaden. “I don’t want to go, please.” His face looked tortured.
“You have to be brave. Okay? We’ll see each other soon, I promise.” His voice broke at the end, betraying what we both knew to be true. Five years wasn’t soon. “I love you.” He pulled the three of us into a hug. A hug I so desperately needed, we all desperately needed. It let our enemy see us in a moment of weakness, but without it, we wouldn’t survive. “Don’t let them break you.” He whispered quietly so no one could hear, but the three of us. “It isn’t over.”
I felt the guards pulling me away and I snapped. Screaming and fighting with everything I had left. I screamed for my brother and I screamed for Garrick. I kicked and scratched and thrashed, but the guards hauled me away as if it didn’t matter. I screamed for my father even though I knew he was dead and he was never coming back. I was alone. Xaden couldn’t help me. Garrick couldn’t help me. General Melgren and King Tauri won. They dragged me down the halls and tossed me into the back of a cart. I continued to fight, but now the General wasn’t around to give them orders, so as the driver pulled away, the guards in the back beat me until my world faded to black.
I woke up gasping for air and dripping with sweat. As I sat up, I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. My entire body hurt from the bruises the guards left behind. Panic surged as I thought about how bleak the next five years would be all alone.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re home. We’re okay.” Garrick's voice cut through the confusion and I became aware of his arms around me, pulling me back against his chest. “It’s just a dream.” He said.
“No, it wasn’t. It was Calldyr.” I didn’t need to say anything more than that, he knew.
“I’m right here,” he said, planting soft, soothing kisses against my neck. “I missed you so much. Not being able to talk to you or be there with you was-” He stopped short.
“Torture?” I supplied, knowing that’s what he was going to say, shifting my head slightly so I could look up at him.
“When Xaden told me Violet was missing, I told him we had to stop. We couldn’t just leave and attack the school, we had to think and make a plan. Then, when he said you were missing too, it didn’t matter. I couldn’t fucking breathe and there was no thinking about anything other than you. Nothing else mattered.”
“I thought I was going to die there.” His fingers froze in place. “I had to make it up to Xaden and Violet for how awful I’ve been to them, so I wanted to protect her. I knew if I taunted Varrish, I would buy time for you and Xaden to find us.”
“You made a mistake. A mistake that was pretty understandable. No one wants you to torment yourself for it.”
“I’m so scared they’re going to take everything from us again.” Something about the quiet and comfort of my old bedroom opened up a vulnerability I hadn’t allowed in years.
“They won’t.” He was always so confident and sure.
“You don’t know that.” My voice rose slightly.
“I do. We have more dragons, more soldiers, and we can fight. We can beat them.” I groaned and stood up, turning back to face him.
“You sound just like him.” His face softened as he stood up and came around to cradle my face, immediately knowing I was talking about my father.
“It’s not going to be the same. We can win this time.” I stepped back and shook my head.
“No, Garrick, you don’t understand!” I shoved against his chest and he let me. “It doesn’t matter, not when they can take it away in a second. All the power we hold, the signets we have, every single advantage that you say is what my father was missing, they have the power to take it away.” I was yelling at him, angry that he didn’t get it. He didn’t try to stop me as I turned away from him, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. “I couldn’t do anything! They were torturing her and I couldn’t do a damn thing to stop it. She was screaming and being tortured just because she was protecting our secrets.” The memories and feelings came rushing back. Suddenly the familiar walls of my childhood bedroom disappeared and I was bound to a chair far below the ground. “I was completely useless and powerless. Now we’re home. It’s you and me, Xaden, Bodhi, Imogen, and now all these new people that I care about. All of the things I never let myself think we could have again and there’s nothing I can do to protect us. We’re going to lose it again.They’re going to burn us all.” His arms came around my stomach, pulling me back against him as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “I don’t want to lose you.” My voice came out in a whisper as I let my head rest against his bicep, clinging to him.
“You’re safe here and I’m not going anywhere. No matter what happens I’ll never let you go. We’re in this together, wherever it takes us.” I turned around in his arms, reaching up to kiss him, savoring the moment.
“What are the chances they let us skip this meeting?” I proposed. He smiled against my lips.
“While I was afforded the privilege of joining you in your bedroom, I think skipping the meeting to have sex would be pushing the limits of my very scary best friend.”
“You could totally kick his ass.” I teased, eliciting a smirk from Garrick.
“Let’s save that particular battle for a different day.”
I sighed and stepped back, but kept his hand in mine as we made our way down the hall to Xaden’s room.
I didn’t bother knocking, knowing they were all waiting on us. Violet was sitting in the chair while Xaden and Bodhi were both leaning against the desk.
“We need to talk before we go down to meet with the Assembly.” Xaden said. “Violet said she had something to share.”
“Brennan said they’re getting reports that we’ve completely caught them off guard, but Melgren is demanding a meeting with Xaden, myself, our leadership, and you.” Violet’s eyes catch mine.
“Why does Melgren want to meet with my sister?” Xaden was immediately defensive, his eyes shifting between Violet and I. He and Violet were the most fearsome duo of our generation, clearly our leaders, but Xaden couldn’t see a reason why Melgren would want to meet with me.
“He knows.” All eyes snapped to me. Garrick grip on my hand tightened.
“What the fuck? How does he know?” Xaden’s voice held no anger, as he stood up from the desk and closed the space between us. He wasn’t angry, he was terrified because he knew the same as I did, Melgren wasn’t going to give up until I was back under his control. He would have the same idea of trying mind manipulation on the venin that anyone here had let me try.
“I had to. The night we were taken, I tried to make Nolan go back, but I already had too much of the serum. Then when Varrish was torturing us, I used it as leverage so he would leave Violet alone.”
“Did you tell him how it works?” I nodded. He groaned and ran his hands through his hair.
“FUCK!”
“I’ll go-” Bodhi didn’t even let me finish my sentence.
“You’ve done enough self-sacrificing. We talk to the Assembly and then we make a decision as a group, but no part of that will involve you going to Melgren.”
“Agreed.” Garrick’s grip let me know that even if I tried, there was no leaving him behind.
“Xaden?” I stepped toward him, reaching out for his back, but he spun around and pulled me into a hug so tight I couldn’t breathe for a moment. His chin rested on top of my head as he held me as tight as he could.
“I love you.” I didn’t know what to say, so I just hugged him back. I knew he felt overwhelmed and this vulnerability wasn’t something anyone outside of this room would ever see. We were the few he could trust and he would need our support to make it through this. We are preparing for a war and in all likelihood, not everyone in this room would survive it. It was one last hug as the children of Fen Riorson. Now, we had to make our own destiny in our war. Our father had trained us to be battle smart and tough, so moments like this were rare, but treasured and remind us what we are fighting for.
The arguing began the moment we walked in the door. Garrick, Bodhi, Imogen, and I stayed silent while Xaden and Violet tried to reason with the Assembly with the support of Brennan. They didn’t trust Violet, the Scribes, Dain, or any of the cadets we had brought with us. It was a massive security risk and they weren’t prepared to be a school. It was all just a lot of complaining to me and I was forever thankful Xaden was born first. He made it all seem so easy. They are all so much older and more experienced than he is, but they follow him, not just because our father was King, but because he never faltered in his duty to lead or his confidence that he was the one for the job. As a result they eventually conceded, allowing the professors to use the extra rooms for classes. The very crowded guest wing was also now functioning as barracks for all the cadets. It wasn’t perfect, but I smiled walking through the now over crowded halls alongside my brother.
“He’d be proud of you, of this.” I bumped against his shoulder and gave him a smile.
“Says the badass who withstood days of torture and nearly dying.” I could hear the slight edge to his voice.
“He would’ve chewed me out for how I’d treated you and Violet. He always hated my more hot headed tendencies.” I had spent more than a few times getting yelled at in my father’s study for being unable to keep control of my anger.
“That’s because you two are the same person.” He pointed out.
“Yeah right!”
“No, I’m being serious, that’s why your marriage to Drake was supposed to be a contingency plan. He always knew you were in love with Garrick and he knew you’d never be happy with anyone else.” I stopped and so did he.
“What? He never told me that.”
“He didn’t want to get your hopes up, but he would’ve done anything to make sure you could be with Garrick. He never wanted you to have the life he had.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?” I asked, though I already knew at least part of it. We never mentioned our mother that left in the dead of night when we were 8 and 10 or our parents political marriage.
He laughed. “I was more than a little jealous that you were going to steal my best friend.”
“I am not going to steal your best friend.” We still hadn’t really addressed our fight after he found Garrick and I sneaking around.
“I was mad at first, but more so because you didn’t tell me. I know things have been different between us lately, but knowing you didn’t feel like you could share something so important with me really hurt. Then when you went to him first about your signet, I realized just how far apart we’d grown.”
“Gods, she really has turned you into mush, hasn’t she?” I teased him, eliciting a very dramatic eye roll from him.
“I’m trying to apologize here!” He groaned.
“Oh is that what this is. Maybe people are right, you really are kind of emotionally stagnant.”
“We were raised in the same household, do you really think you somehow managed to learn emotional intelligence when I didn’t?” We both laughed, something it had been far too long since we had done together.
“I’m happy you have him. I’m sorry I couldn’t or wouldn’t be there for you like I should’ve been.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t exactly the easiest to deal with and I was pretty awful to Violet.”
“Truce?” He stuck his hand out and I took it immediately.
“Truce.”
“Now get to class before you get in trouble for being late.” He shoved me along and I followed with the rest of the crowd until I caught up with my squad for our runes class. Runes were something I learned about as a child from my father, since it was part of our culture which made me leaps and bounds above the rest of my class.
I’ve never excelled in class until now, so I spent most of the class day dreaming about the perfectly sculpted specimen that was somehow my boyfriend. He was unfortunately out with Xaden on scouting, so I wouldn’t see him for a couple days. I decided to seek out Violet who was with her sister Mira acting pretty suspicious. She was giving me very short answers, which was new, since our bonding session in the torture chamber, we had actually become pretty close.
“Why are you trying to get rid of me?” I inquired.
“I’m not.” Even Mira grimaced at how obvious the lie was.
“Right, well if you think Xaden is annoying as a bodyguard, you’ll find I’m worse. You can tell me or not, but I won’t be leaving your side.” She groaned, but didn’t try to get rid of me until we had made it to the field that was currently our makeshift flight field.
“You have to promise not to tell Xaden, he’s going to be pissed.” She begged, once it was just the three of us.
“I thought you said this was a family mission, Violet.” Brennan was approaching with a couple small packs.
“It was, Riorson was just not minding her business.” Mira hadn’t warmed up as much as Violet, but honestly, I didn’t dislike her. It took guts for her to leave her post and her mom.
“Let’s not forget you’re all here at our home, that we have so graciously opened to you.”
“An offer we are eternally grateful for; however, I belive this plan in particular is-”
“You sneaking behind my brother's back to get the luminary because he’s ridiculously overprotective of his lightning wielder girlfriend?” I interrupted Brennan. I glanced at each of them with an eyebrow raised. “Great, well either I’m coming with or I’m telling Xaden.”
“Why should we let you come with us? Until a few weeks ago, you hated Violet.” Her sister’s tone of voice and glare made it clear how little she trusts me.
“Hate is a strong word, besides, turns out she’s pretty badass. Plus, Xaden is right about Tecarus. He will hold you to anything you say and do everything in his power to make sure you don’t leave. I know how he thinks, you could use my help.”
Brennan sighed, “she’s right. We could use her help.”
I looked to Violet, since this was clearly her plan. “Let’s go.” She smiled, which I returned.
The flight to Cordyn was short and we were met with a drift before we even landed. The lead flier came close enough that I could see his smirk before making a sharp descent.
“Show off.” I muttered, rolling my eyes.
“He is no more so than the mate you have chosen.” My dragon annoyingly pointed out.
“That’s different.”
“Why, because you love him?”
“Why don’t you focus on a more gentle way to land.” I suggested after dismounting.
“They were expecting us.” Brennan notes while Mira helps Violet.
“I’ll see what they have to say, make sure she knows what to say and what not to say.” I added the last part quieter, so the three fliers in front of us couldn’t overhear.
“Hello there, gorgeous,” Drake greeted as I approached closer. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?” He gave a very overdramatic bow.
“We’re here to negotiate for the luminary.” I replied, crossing my arms across my chest in a very undiplomatic gesture.
“I do believe that Xaden made it quite clear that he was not willing to meet my uncle’s demands.”
“Do you see Xaden anywhere?” He laughed, but stopped short when I didn’t join in.
“Oh this will be fun.” He teased, stepping to the side to reveal my very pissed off older brother.
“You aren’t where I left you Violence,” he directed the comment at Violet who had come to stand by my side.
“She isn’t some obedient dog, Xaden. We are more than capable of-”
“Capable of what? Stupidly leading people into danger? You nearly died a couple of weeks ago, are you really ready to risk your lives again?” He shot back at me.”You’re unbelievable!"
“United front, guys.” Brennan growls, reminding us all that this isn’t the place to publicly argue.
He follows behind me with Mira while Xaden and Violet walk side by side to argue quietly, leaving me to walk with Drake, my ex-fiance.
“Stop looking at me like that or I will ensure that you will never feel pleasure again.” I threatened him as I took in the smirk still plastered on his face.
“Kinky, not sure Garrick would approve though.”
“Did you know about that as well?” I asked.
“That you were in love with him or that your dad always wanted you to marry him, not me?” Of course he knew.
“I didn’t want to make the choice for you. Plus, I tried tell you several times that you two were in love, but it usually ended with you hitting me and then using me for sex to forget that you were in love with someone you couldn’t have.” He groaned as my fist found the very parts he was accusing me of using.
“You were using me just as much. It was always the agreement. We had to be together, there was no point in being miserable.”
“It was a joke, princess. The point is, yes, I always knew you loved him and you didn’t ask, but I’m happy you’re with him now.” His smile was genuine and I couldn’t help but return it.
“I’m assuming you don’t have anyone and that’s why you’re staring at my future sister-in-law’s ass.” I whispered, so that she wouldn’t hear. His only response was a wink. “She’s definitely your type.”
“Equal parts devastatingly attractive and terrifyingly lethal.” He looked me up and down as I laughed. I never loved him, not in the same way I loved Garrick, but I did miss him and maybe now we can be friends.
“You’re good with shielding, right? So Cat doesn’t drive you insane?” I tried to keep my voice light and quiet as I kept one eye on Xaden who was walking far enough ahead and very immersed in his conversation with Violet. Drake nodded slowly. “Good, keep them up. I have an idea that I want to try. I need you and Cat to help me, but absolutely no one can know. If it works, I think we have a chance against the venin.”
“If it doesn’t?” He prompted.
“Then I’ll burn out and die.” I was going to try this with or without his help. The venin were far more powerful than us, but I’ve been trying really hard to master my mind manipulation. My theory is if it works on humans, then maybe I can try it with venin. The only way to know was to try it, for that I would need Drake and Cat was the best person to help with mind work.
“Of course, don’t all good plans have a possibility of not only failure, but death.” I sighed, realizing I would have to figure something else out. “I’ll do it.”
“Really?” I fought to keep my voice low and not draw Xaden’s attention.
“You’re going to do it no matter what anyone says, because you’re a Riorson which means you’re stupidly reckless and impossibly determined. I might as well help so I can at least attempt to keep you from throwing yourself off a cliff.” His tone was joking, but I could see the apprehension hidden underneath.
“If it means there's even a small chance it will save everyone, I have to try.”
He looked over at me and smiled, “it will be an honor to serve my princess.”
A/N: This took ages and I'm so sorry. I rewrote it so many times and really tried to make sure it is canon compliant even with adding in some more details around the events. I do have more ideas, but feel free to send in requests for this series or anything else.