"What do you mean by she has ' beasts?' hmm?" Layla asked, her mouth filled with food. They had seen left the building that now house Rhea and even though right now, they were together and still speaking, they knew that the wound that ran deep was a pain that only Xavier felt and it had deeply affected his persona." It is exactly how you perceive it Layla" jimin said, irritation crawling into his voice. He forked his food around his plate without touching it and caught a glimpse of Layla giving her signature eyeroll."But, how?" She asked again. Jamie still had nothing to stay and wisely steered clear of all forms of conversation."When we…" Xavier began and looked at jimin, realising for the first time that there was no longer a " we". He cleared his throat."When we went in search for jimin, believing that he had been captured by calistè, we encountered some footprints at the base of the mountain, footprints that clearly belonged to beasts" Xavier paused just in time." Let me gues
Jamie couldn't stand the thought of too many eyes on them and now, with the way Layla had screamed, the whole bar had paused. Music that had flowed from organs that rested at the side of the bar had stopped and now it was obvious that everyone had heard exactly what she had said.Jamie held Layla by her forearms and dragged her outside, nodding awkwardly to ward off the impending embarrassment that lurked at every nook and cranny.When they finally hit the outside of the bar with less people, Layla behaved like a spoilt brat and snatched her arms from the death grip Jamie had placed on her."You shouldn't talk like that" Jamie quietly put, it was a contrast to how he had held her hand in a tight grip as though he was a totally different person that he was minutes ago."You can't tell me what to say and what not to say. You're not the boss of me" she said, again the brattiness seeping into her voice.jamie knew he wasn't the boss of her but that didn't mean she had to act like a brat an
There was an obvious change in the air the next day, Xavier was calmer and for the first time, so was Layla. They had both had time to think, mostly Layla.Jamie had appeared out of nowhere, map in hand as he suddenly cleared their breakfast off of the table that had seen more of the good life than the ugly.He spread the map evenly and Xavier glanced at Layla just in the nick of time to see that same excitement he couldn't deny made him feel a spark." Xavier, lead the way" Jamie said as he stepped away from the map. Xavier who had been seated stood up and so did the rest. With their necks outstretched, they gathered around him like a flock of flightless birds in need of direction."We go through the Rocky mountain which should take a day but now that we have no means of flight or how to get there asides from our obvious walking, we'd have to take nearly two days to get there," he said, pointing at some steep and yet pointy figures that made its way to the map."What about going arou
"What did you find?" Layla said with all seriousness. Jamie had so much excitement in his eyes as he jumped up and down." I found a shelter and jimin found food, we could make a camp fire later tonight" Jamie replied. Xavier nodded his head in agreement."Lead the way" Jamie was more than happy to do so.They walked together under Jamie's direction and lead, he would lead them to a path that had a sheltering , like a makeshift house but with tents. Jimin was bent over a hurdle of stacked sticks and on closer inspection, he was currently striking two stones together in order to produce fire."Jimin, let me help you with that" Layla said and walked ahead of the men to help jimin, in seconds she had done that which jimin had struggled with.With food on the raging fire, each of the flame licking a bit of the left over meat, night had quickly fallen on them."I have a question Xavier" Layla suddenly said, everybody's attention focused on her , the illumination the fire casted around the
"Calistè?" Jamie asked, astonished.layla didn't know what to say or how to respond, the whole world felt like it went silent and collapsed."She gathered up every last woman and child and took them with her alongside some beasts" a man spoke up." You've got to help us sire. You're our only hope now" the first man said. Xavier came out in front of jimin, his hands still placed on the scratch he had obtained."We journey to my Homeland, the black wolves" people began to murmur." We plan on taking back our Homeland and we plan on defeating calistè once and for all" Xavier said with an air of finality.The crowd stopped murmeeing and cheered a bit." Can we come with you?""Oh... Let us come with you!" Another said." Let him rest folks, wherever he goes, we go. We pledge our loyalty to you sure" the first man said again. Xavier didn't know what to make of all of these information and all of these kinds of response. He just gave a Curt nod and that was it. The men dispersed out of the h
The fight took a lesser time to finish as they had gotten that source of information, blood and splatters of beast remains stained them and the very earth that they walked on. Layla couldn't help but feel very dirty about the whole scenario that played out in front of her."We've got to help the women and the children Xavier" she said while Xavier turned back into his human form.Xavier didn't utter a single word as he walked past her and back to where a horse had galloped to."Xavier!" She called for him, her feelings out on a platterXavier stopped walking but didn't turn to look at her."I'm talking to you. We should help them out Xavier" she said, her voice sharp and firm and this got Xavier turning to look at her square in the face and Layla was able to see just how much anger resided in his little orbs of crystal clear darkness."No" he said, a Huff if air coming out of his nostrils with his finality."What?" Layla asked, baffled by what the heck he could mean."You heard me rig
Xavier looked from jimin to Layla with so much surprise."How did you know that?" Jamie asked the man in question but he didn't reply.He gestured to his fellow elders and they all went to take their various seats at their high tables."So tell us, Xavier. Why have you come back?" The eldest elder asked again.Xavier who was still managing to recover from how they knew about Rhea snapped out of his head and stepped forward in the council."I have lead this kingdom for a while and everybody can see my works" Xavier began and some of the elders nodded their heads to what he said but not Marcus."I have been away for quite some time" he looked intently at everyone" And I bring you news from the snowy mountains and others... Calistè is alive and well" the elders gasped in shock." And what's even more? — he paused Ashe examined each and everyone one of them including Marcus — she has beasts of her own"Gasps rang out from every corner and Xavier liked the fear it impacted on them, it was
"You can't believe you can ever defeat me, right?" Calistè said with vigor and a growing grin coming up on her face."Just wait till I smack that stupid grin off your face" Rhea said, her brows nearly touching from anger."Make me?" She challenged.Rhea rushed at her, her hands holding two daggers now, her feet swift on the ground and her stance defensive even though she was the attacker now.Flames went up in different directions and Rhea glanced quickly to see that Layla had her hands on Xavier as he steadied his breath to catch his breathing and stop the bleeding that was now obvious.Rhea got even more angry as she dodged the attack on time, her face nearly been dissected by calistè's sharp sword."You know how I got this sword? Huh!" Calistè boasted and struck again, missing Rhea immediately from her swift and tricky movements."I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway, so do" Rhea said and took another stance.With two of her fingers she gestured for calistè to meet her a