44-

She drags me to her quarters after hearing I'm sharing a room with Hetta. " There was seriously no one else you could've bunked with?" She muttered as we just walked into her quarters.

" Why do you sound so disgusted by them?" I counter crossing my arms giving her a look.

" Oh.. I don't know.. maybe because they tried starting a Revolution?!"

" Their parents did. Not them." I correct.

She blinks a couple times her face straightening, " Your telling me you actually like them? Or Riorson is corrupting your head-"

" THEY aren't corrupting anything!" I snap.

She pauses, before a sigh escapes. " I see you still have your temper, I told you.. you can't let your emotions get in the way here.. Especially for people like them-"

" - They've been there for me! Since the first day. They're my friends."

She laughs shaking her head, " Friends.."

" Yes Mira.. friends."

" Are they actually? Or are they because Riorson told them to?" She says a little louder staring me down. For some reason that hurt, it always lingered in the back of my mind... and I know they would.. just for him..because like they said and Hetta explained.. They'd do anything  for him.

My face tightens as I look at her. " Then I guess I have no one."

Her brows furrow just a bit, " You have Dain Freya."

" Yea, I thought I did." I admit.

" You thought?"

I nod, " Yea, but whatever I did it wasn't good enough, and he never defended me and would always sell myself short!"

" It's Dain Freya! He'd-"

" He would Mira.. He did alot of stupid shit! Xaden and all those ' marked ones' have helped me more then he ever did. Because of him I'm alive. Not Dain! Xaden, Liam, Hetta and Imogen. They've been keeping me alive."

She shakes her head sighing, " You know what..whatever. I don't want to fight with you Freya. Just.." She takes a breath trying to calm herself. " You said your top of your class?"

I sigh, " Yea. I am."

A small smile played on her lips. " Good. I knew you'd do great things, still best in fighting?"

I nod, " My specialty."

" Good, you've always been fantastic in combat. Once you get on the front lines I'm sure you'll be crawling through the ranks like crazy, especially with those dragons of yours... You just need to get over your first kill-"

" I already killed. 3... I think." I answer, almost hesitantly. Sure it's a normal thing considering what Quadrant we're in.. but killing is still.. " And I never thought it was hard, let alone feel anything." I admit.

Her face falls as she looks at me, " Oh." She answers, " Well.. How did they die?"

" They were all..kill or be killed situations."

" So they at least deserved it." She says quickly. Almost trying to justify my kills, almost making herself look at me like I'm redeemable in some way. Now thinking about it.. I'm not sure how that makes me feel.

" I mean, they did deserve it right?" She says again looking at me intently. 

" Yea. I mean they all came at me first."

" Have you wounded?"

" To many to count, some multiple. Quite a few older then me, I even almost got Riorson a few times."

This seems to make her satisfied,  " Speaking of Riorson.." Her eyes narrow again seeming to examine me. " How is being bonded to..him."

I glance around the room, her lights are way dimmer then ours..perfect for him to be listening. I look at her just as quick, she's to smart..she'd know something was up if I looked around to long. And I wouldn't take it she'd take lightly to his power listening in.

And if he is listening... what would he even want me to say?

I don't even know what his feelings are for me..at all.. sure he tolerates me, he needs to stay by me, he's always sarcastic, but he kissed me.

Once. 

But he said it was the bond but what if it was otherwise, though he's made no move to prove it was otherwise...

" Complicated." I finally spit out looking at Mira. 

" Complicated?" She repeats. " That sounds... like a summed up version. I mean I told you to avoid him at all costs and here you go bonding his dragons mate... You didn't need to rebel that hard.."

This makes me laugh, " Well, you know I was never one with rules." My smile fades a little, wanting to tell her, I mean she's my damned sister... but with everything it's just to much, to heavy and I don't want to say the wrong thing.

" We're learning to co exsist. Doing it for the dragons obviously...."

" Is he as much as a dick as he seems?"

I nod making ' a little' gesture with my hand making her chuckle. " But he's not as horrible as you get to know him, he's sarcastic-"

" Like you? You drip sarcasm."

I roll my eyes, " Yea.. But I need to give it to him, though he's near insufferable at times.. he does make a good protector."

Mira flahes a look of annoyance and relief, " Well, I guess I'll let him live this time."

" He's not as bad as you think he is." I answer a little quieter making her study me again. " Don't tell me your falling for him in some sick and twisted way, he sure as hell better not be feeding you lies-"

" He's not. I'm just saying... he's not as evil or bad as mom or anyone else made him, or even all of them to be."

She leans back nodding her head a little, " Fine, your were always half way decent judging character. But I still don't like them."

" You don't know them, if they were really that bad, you think a dragon would choose them?"

Her lips turn into a think line, knowing damn well i'm right. " Yea..yea... You haven't told me what your signet is yet."

I frown, " Don't have one yet, it's been a few months.."

I trail off, both knowing what happens when the time runs out. " You will." She assures, " Just remember it's you, your power."

I roll my eyes, " I'm well aware, I've been told they expect me to have powers as great as yours and Brennan. Carr has been on my ass everytime I step in that class, I met mom one day and besides being..mom.. she acted like she didn't even know let let alone want to even tolerate me."

Mira was quiet for a few minutes, her face reddening just a bit as her expression is taut. " We knew she wouldn't talk to you before these 3 years are over. But.." She looks at me now, " Maybe your signet hasn't maifeted because maybe.. your holding it back? Somehow, some way.. Your afraid you won't be as good-"

" - I've never been as good as you Mira! Or even Brennan!" I snap out of no where making Mira pause. I take a breath looking down at my hands, " Sorry.."

" We both were never top of our class." She says quietly squeezing my arm just a little so I look up at her, " We never had 2 dragons, and not just any two dragons and white and gold. Ones I forgot even existed. I heard he's the fastest dragon to date?"

I nod, " Yea, we also won the racing part-"

" See?! Your so spectacular and you barely see it Freya." Mira says lightly, " You don't need to compare yourself or let anyone else compare you. Your doing just fine, even better."

This coming from her felt like winning the whole world, I smile " Thank you." 

She pulls me in giving me a tight hug once more, " I can't even begin to describe how much I missed you."

" Me too. Find out I guess I do get in alot of trouble without you watching my back."

She laughs, " How did I know you'd be getting into so many situations?"

I shrug, " Well, maybe less now seeing I have my own personal guards."

She raises a brow, " Yea?"

I nod, " Xaden assigned that really tall one has my guard-"

" Liam Mairi?"

I nod, " He's one of my favorites. But now Xaden took over the roll."

She hums, " What, got jealous?"

I scoff, " No. He just values his life."

Mira looks over at the clock, " I should probably get you back. I was surprised Pike actually let me take you, but I shouldn't push it keeping you past your curfew."

" Will I see you anymore?"

She nods, " Hell yea. You think I wouldn't see you when we're on the same base?" She stands hoisting me up, " Did you get taller?"

I shrug, " Maybe."

" I can see why you absolutely kick ass, look at you being a literal warrior over here. Come on.."

She makes sure the both of us were pretty quiet as she got me back right in time. " I'll see you later?" I ask.

She nods, " Tomorrow." She gives me one last hug, " I love you."

" I love you too."

With that she gives a small nod stalking back to her room.

" You know breaking curfew here is alot worse then back at Basgiath? Even if your just touring."

I jump, whipping around to see Xaden leaning in the corner, " How-"

" Do we need to go over this every single time Fury?" He asks holding up his hand lettign the shadows fall like a black mist. " Shadows... shadow wielder.."

I take a breath, " And.. Your not in your room because?"

He shrugs, " Just thought I'd take a walk."

" Right. Right by my room?"

" It's on the way." He flashes his stupid smile, " So.. how was your little girl talk with your sister?"

I send him a look. " None of your buisness."

He takes a step forward eyeing me, " I don't think you want to tell her the whole truth."

My face stiffens, " The hell is the matter with you?!"

" I'd keep it down sweetheart... if someone comes out here I can hide you.. no so much." He warns with a teasing smirk.

" You don't need to be monitoring or protecting me every damn second Xaden!" I hiss trying to keep it down. 

" Oh.. but I do. I have others I need to protect, like the little ' marked traitors' your sister likes to call them. She really sounds like she doesn't like me... you made it sound like it too."

I srunch my expression " What was I suppose to say?"

He shrugs still grinning, " Could've flattered me. She could've said ' oh what's he like?' and you could've said ' Well... he's cocky, controlling, his hair is way nicer then mine and is a badass rider' and gave me a little more justice Fury I mean I am a great protector and all."

His instance annoys the shit out of me but also makes me chuckle. " Sounds like you really put effort into thinking about that whole little....conversation."

" Not much."

" Makes me seem like I really do like you."

He tilts his head, " I mean... I think you liked running your hands through my hair... and you can't deny that you don't."

I raise my brows looking up more at him now squaring my gaze, " Nah... He likes himself to much. There would be no room for anyone else."

His face stiffens a little as he looks at me for a few seconds, " I'm a damn good ' protector' as you call it.. for a reason." He takes a couple of steps back, " Also... turn that light off in your room once you get in there and turn the one in the bathroom on... Hetta hates sleeping in the dark. And yes, I still need to keep an eye on you. Don't you dare turn that light on again."

" Or what?"

He crosses his arms blowing out some air,  " Well... I could take that light, or drag you to my room to sleep on the hard ass floor in between mine and your ' favorites' bed, or I'll go get Hetta up and she can watch you for the whole entire night- which she will.. because like she told you in her little story time... she owes me. Pick your poison Freya."

I knew he wasn't joking, and now pissed.

" I'll turn that light off."

" Good choice." he takes a few seconds to look at me, his eyes trailing from my eyes to my lips then back up walking away.

" How much did you listen to on that conversation?" I say suddenly, knowing about what Hetta said about him and his feelings towards me. He seems to pause for just a second before banging on one of the rooms... no, Dain's door. Forcing me to go into my room.

Bastard.. a simple no would've sufficed as well..but heaven forbid Xaden Riorson talks about his feelings.