Trevor soon emerged through the brush, stepping past Thea and Velea before stopping beside me and sinking down with a heavy sigh.
“You’d think you all hadn’t seen each other in months… or years,” he said with a chuckle, though the sound carried a quiet thread of relief.
I matched his tone with a faint smirk. “Yeah, I guess. What about here? How’s everything been?”
He leaned back, palms pressing into the forest floor, fingers shifting the dirt into small uneven piles. “Not too bad. I’m being treated like some kind of actual architect.” He scratched at his arm, a bit sheepish. “I appreciate Marcus’s trust, but really… I’m just taking things as they come.”
“Trial and failure?” I offered.
He nodded once. “Pretty much. Still, it’s better than the training he’s been running us through.” He nodded toward Velea. “The senior apprentice and I haven’t gotten a single break.”
“Yeah?” I asked, mirroring his relaxed posture as Thea and Vel drifted aside, chatting idly about their time here and the trip. “He said before that you were improving fast. Still true?”
Trevor shrugged. “Hard to compare to the others, but the foundation’s solid on my end. Marcus has been pushing combat training lately though, so progress has slowed.”
It was nice, talking like this again. So much had changed in our lives that even reunion felt fragile, as if the weight of everything that had happened to our world still sat between us. A distance lingered.
Though, I didn’t think it was just me. Even before I left, there’d been something in his eyes when we talked about power that made me uneasy.
“He’s worried, you know?” Trevor said suddenly, cutting through my thoughts. “Marcus, I mean. With Drake here, and all the suspicions around royal and noble assassinations, they both think there’s a nonzero chance we’ll be pursued.”
That didn’t sound impossible. Still, I tried to sound calm. “We’ll be fine for at least a couple of weeks. I found some protection for us.”
His eyes widened slightly. “You brought people here? From where?”
“The other side of the planet, I think,” I replied without pause. “There’s a lot we’ll need to talk about, but—”
Before I could finish, movement caught my eye. Drake strolled into view, his gaze locking straight on me. “Elric mentioned some newcomers!” he announced, raising his voice as he stopped beside Vel and her sister, utterly ignoring their brief scowls.
Everyone turned toward us, gathering as he approached. Thea sat down next to me, while Vel wedged herself between us with a gentle shove, looking up expectantly. Somehow, I doubted her interest had anything to do with Sei, Synthia, Rojin, or Mei.
Drake gave me the same questioning look, and I sighed, scratching the back of my neck. “Gotta build up that puppet state of yours.”
He nodded approvingly, though his tone didn’t match his expression. “No, really. Who are they?”
It was reassuring, in a way, that he cared enough to ask. People called him a soft prince, but I’d never agreed. Though, my comparisons were lacking. “It’s a knowledge exchange, more or less,” I said. “We teach them, they teach us.”
His shoulders eased as he lowered himself to sit across from me. “And it’s worth it?”
“Yes,” I said simply, certain.
A soft nudge against my arm drew my attention. Velea had turned toward me, eyes bright.
“Ignore him,” she murmured, her voice carrying quiet insistence. “I want to show you something!”
She sprang up with sudden excitement, hand shooting toward me.
Why did she always have that odd little habit?
Thankfully, Thea stepped in for me.
“Vel, we need a little rest first,” she chided gently. “And besides, wouldn’t you rather talk to him than show off?”
Vel blinked, visibly puzzled by the distinction, as if the line between talking and showing off didn’t even exist in her mind. Still, her hand lowered, and she mumbled, “You’ll look soon.”
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Letting out a quick breath through my nose, I smiled faintly. “You’re my student. There’s no way I wouldn’t want to see what you can do. And I’ve got plenty to teach you, too. But later, alright? Promise.”
Turning back to Drake, I said, “I’m assuming you’ve had some training in receiving guests?”
Almost on cue, faint rustling rose from the forest behind us, new arrivals and Griffith coming through the undergrowth.
Drake interlaced his fingers and stretched them, each knuckle cracking in a crisp series of pops before he finally replied, “I’m a politician at heart, Peter. Leave it to me. They’ll hand over everything before we have to tell them a word.”
That wasn’t exactly what I’d meant, but I decided to let him handle it, giving only a quiet warning. “One of them’s a Guardian—the same status as Serith. Don’t be an idiot.”
He barely reacted, dismissing the caution with a flick of his hand. “Go do whatever you want. You should check out the new homes. This kid—” he gestured lazily at Trevor, “pulled off some real fine work with Marcus.”
I didn’t bother with ceremony, though I did rise, extending a hand to Thea. She took it, fingers warm as she pulled herself up beside me.
“I’ll show you!” Vel shouted suddenly, already spinning on her heel and darting ahead, quick steps carrying her toward the trees.
We followed her lead, leaving Drake to his political games. I felt a brief twinge of guilt, but honestly, I’d done my share of work for the day. Delegation was part of the job when you were a puppet leader, after all.
As we crossed the tree line, the canopy above softened the sunlight into gold-tinted streaks. Velea slowed her pace until she was walking beside me. “What are the others like?” she asked, curiosity brightening her tone.
I rolled my neck, easing out the stiffness. “There’s a girl just a year younger than you. Strong, too. I’d like you to get along with her.”
It was a genuine wish. Both of them could use a friend their own age. Vel probably rarely interacted with peers, and I suspected Mei hadn’t had much chance either.
“How strong?” Vel pressed, interest flaring.
“With training, you’ll catch up,” I said, making the gap between them clear.
She didn’t pout, just nodded as if my confidence was fact. “Since you’re my teacher, it’ll be easy.”
That was… unexpectedly heartwarming. The corners of my mouth tugged upward before I could stop them, a quiet smile spreading as the large earthen dome came into view through the trees.
Mei pointed ahead, her voice bubbling with excitement. “They’re in there! I—umm… I’ll see you later!”
Before either of us could respond, she bolted back the way we came. Maybe she was just that eager to meet the newcomers, or maybe she wanted to give us some space. Probably both.
Thea’s hand tightened around mine, steady and reassuring, pulling my thoughts back. Her eyes met mine, the grey storm within them stirring with a mix of curiosity and concern.
“What’s wrong?” I asked softly.
She shook her head, glancing away. “It’s just…”
“What?” I pressed, keeping my tone light.
Her gaze flicked back, hesitant but earnest. “I—The outfit looks nice. On you, I mean.”
A quiet laugh escaped me. “Thanks. Next time I get the chance, I’ll find something for you, too.”
She nodded without a word, color rising up her neck. A faint pink deepening to crimson across her cheeks and ears. I couldn’t help but laugh again as we walked.
“We’re kinda weird.”
Thea shot me a sideways glance. “Yeah?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I think so. I get a little shy too, you know… whenever we say nice things to each other.”
She opened her mouth immediately, flustered. “I don’t mean—! Or, I always want to… I just—” she groaned softly, “I suck at it.”
I shook my head, smiling faintly, and leaned in to press my lips to her cheek. “Wasn’t a complaint. Just an observation. Besides…” my voice softened, “you’re not shy all the time.”
“What do you—” she started, then cut herself off mid-thought, realization dawning. “That’s different.”
We reached the dome’s entrance, peeking inside as we talked. “Still not complaining,” I added with a small grin, taking in the sight before us of triangular log cabins with frond roofs and walls blended from clay, packed earth, and some glossy layer of slime. I couldn’t help but wonder if the Royal Goldmane had lent a hand.
The makeshift dirt shelters from before were gone, replaced by these sturdy, almost elegant dwellings. Thea and I made our way toward the one built where our old hovel once stood.
Stepping inside sent a strange pang through me, maybe nostalgia. But the feeling faded fast as the sight of an actual bed greeted me, promising rest in place of the usual slab of hardened soil and woven plant cover.
“Home sweet home,” Thea sighed with palpable relief.
We moved forward, and I eased myself down first, the bed creaking lightly beneath me. Thea followed, slipping in beside me and turning to face me.
For a moment, silence settled between us. Nothing but the slow rhythm of shared breath, the faint hum of the forest just beyond the dome.
“You look uncomfortable,” she teased at last, breaking the quiet.
I chuckled and pulled her closer, wrapping her in an awkward but earnest embrace. “And now you have to suffer just like me.”
She wriggled a bit, shifting until she found a spot that suited her. “I’m sleepy,” she murmured, her voice already soft with drowsiness.
“Yeah,” I whispered back, my eyes growing heavy. “Me too.”