Chapter 65

"Um... who the fuck are you?" A gorgeous woman sits on a chair. Her one leg crossed over the other appearing stoic. Damn, she looks like a warrior goddess - but who the fuck is she, and why is she sitting in my hideout like she owns the damn place?

"I am Aurora, Nymph of wind," it suddenly clicks who she is - she's the one Kyro mentioned. In less than a second, her nose is just inches from mine.

"So... your Brother Kyro's Kufta?" She murmurs, assessing me carefully.

"Um, yeah - I guess. As nice as this meeting is, shouldn't you be fighting a war about 30 miles west from here?" I drawl. Aroura blinks and pulls away.

"Ahh, yes. Though Kyro didn't need to blackmail me into it, I would have willingly fought alongside him. But it's said and done now, and I really can't see a better way of getting back at him than to kill you," she states as if we're discussing the weather.

I smile, "but you won't."

"You are his Kefta - there is no honour in playing dirty," she announces. There's an air of Loyalty, leadership and strength in her. It feels comforting to be around.

'Is Aroura by your side?' Kyro's voice suddenly awakens in my mind. I almost jump out in shock.

'Um... yes?' I reply, staring at Aurora. She seems to understand I'm talking to someone.

Within seconds, he's in the cave with us. His dark skin stained with blood, and his gaze, extremely annoyed. "I didn't call you here for a heart-to-heart. There is a war!" He grumbles - Aurora seems unbothered.

"One that you help build," Aurora drawls. Kyro's eye twitches out of annoyance.

"Don't start with this Aurora-..."

"If you're going to state the obvious, then I don't see why I shouldn't either," Aurora argues.

I don't know what to say, so I decide it's best to keep my mouth closed.

"I see you two are as annoying as ever," Emree grumbles, sitting in Aurora's seat not a drop of blood on her, as she sips from her cup of tea. "Nice of you to finally join us Kyro, was the dark side too much for you?"

I roll my eyes - she was crying over him less than 12 hours ago.

"Aww, we're having a family reunion, and no one cared to invite me?!" A new voice interrupts, and I suppress the urge to rip my hair out.

There is a war happening, people!

"My apologies, who are you?" Aurora asks. I reel back, trying to determine if she's serious. It seems she is.

"I see you still have the memory span of a goldfish," Cyrus scoffs, running his hand through his butt length long black hair.

"Why would I waste brain cells remembering an idiot?"

I have a feeling this is going to get out of hand.

"Says the one who tried to fight my flames with wind," Cyrus cackles.

I don't want to be here.

"If I recall, it wasn't a fight. You were trying to set Aurora on fire during training," Emree intervenes.

What the fuck kind of relationship is this?!

"I don't see why you're complaining. Didn't Aurora try to stab you the night before?" Cyrus snaps.

"In my defence, she broke Cutter," Aurora defends.

Cutter?

"Ah yes, your precious sword. Well, you should have thought about it before you decided to poison my tea," Emree sneers.

"I'm starting to think Kyro's the only normal one here," I murmur to myself, but they all hear.

"Oh really?" Aurora says, raising a brow as if challenging me. "He buried me alive, and forgot about me."

"Yet, you survived," Kyro sighs, bored.

"He threw me in the sirens lake," Cyrus scoffs.

"And you fucked your way out."

"He threw an active volcano on my head," Emree says.

"Minor."

"Now I'm starting to understand why you guys rarely see each other," I grumble.

Suddenly, warm arms curl around my waist to pull me close. Jaxson's warmth seeps into me like a soft blanket, and I welcome it, "maybe this conversation is better suited after the war, don't you think?" He growls.

"Buzzkill," Cyrus murmurs.

"Hmm, you're right. Maybe the war will tame my desire to kill Cyrus," Aurora comments.

"Ah-ha, so you do know who I am!" Cyrus yells, triumphant.

"There's a war - get your priorities in check," Aurora scoffs and disappears.

"As you can determine, no one likes her," Cyrus comments before leaving.

"Qusayr, Valerie - good luck in your fight against Freya," Emree nods respectfully and also leaves.

"What is your plan?" Kyro asks, keeping his gaze trained on Jaxson.

"We will go to Caiden, protect the flame and stop Freya. We have an hour before the three kings align. Holding Freya off will be our main priority. After all, once the kings fall out of alignment, then she can't reach the power for another two thousand years, am I wrong?" Jaxson drawls.

"No, that sounds simple enough, but I have a feeling it'll be anything but that," then Kyro's eyes meet mine, understanding flashing in his eyes. I feel his emotions inside me - he fears losing me.

"Kyro, I'll be fine..." I try to reassure, but his gaze turns to Jaxson.

"Protect her, don't let her do anything stupid," Kyro grits, the walls of the cave crumbling around us. Jaxson just nods, and that seems to be good enough for Kyro as he leaves.

I turn on my heel and wrap my arms around Jaxson's neck, "please don't do anything stupid to stop me from doing something stupid," Jaxson lowers his head and buries his face in my neck.

"Then don't do anything stupid," he murmurs, his warm breath tickling my neck.

I scoff, "please, when have I ever done anything stupid?"

"Unless you want to be here all day, we don't have time to answer that question," Jaxson says. He pulls back as his pale eyes peer into mine.

"Well, that's just extremely rude," I grumble, pulling away after unconsciously pecking Jaxson on the cheek, "come on, the others are waiting to leave."

I start to leave to the exit, but Jaxson whispers my name, "Nieve..." I stop and turn around to meet his eyes. I pause in shock, my heart running wild in my ears just watching the soft smile displaying on his lips.

"Promise you'll come back to me after this."

Promise? I can't make that promise because I don't know where this road ends.

"I promise," I didn't even mean to say it. Jaxson's smile knocks the breath from my lungs. I want to come back to it - I want to see it every day from now. I want to be its cause - it's so genuine.

"Oy lovebirds, we need to leave - it's now or never!" Grayson interrupts our moment, and I take Jaxson's hand as Sophia and Charming also come strolling into the cave.

"You guys ready?" Sophia asks.

"As ready as I'll ever be."