The Phoenix

Surprises

    Peyton heard Hunter describe a woman to Capitan Reed and remembered the woman in the main city that day trying to stop her that day, she couldn’t have been from camp no one knew she left. It didn’t matter who ever she was she helped save Rebecca, Peyton will need to thank her if they ever meet. She knocked on Graham’s door hearing him scramble around shuffling papers before stumbling onto the door opening it so fast her hair blew up a little. He smiled at her holding the door closed slightly so she couldn’t come in and she looked over his shoulder confused shaking her head looking at his 2nd day in a row outfit and scowled at him.

    “What?” he said looking down and she noticed he hadn’t washed his hair or shaved his face at all. Then he looked at her with the cake in her hand and it hit him. “Oh, bullocks I forgot about your dads. okay just one moment I’ll get ready faster than lightning.”

     He leaned out the door kissing her closing it behind him, so she walked into Hunter’s open room as he was picking stuff up growling to himself. He jumped a little when he noticed her before going off like when he was living at home complaining about Sean. He didn’t want to sleep on the couch at her father’s, so he has been staying in Hunter’s little room on a murphy bed Capitan Reid gave them and apparently making amess of Hunter’s room. Peyton couldn’t help but laugh, Hunter finally got out of his house and now he’s stuck not only in the same home area with Sean but in the same room which was way worse than they ever had. It’s not extremely funny but considering he barely gave her alone time in her room there and now alone time with Graham it’s funny to her.

    “So, I take t you’re not coming to dinner tonight?”

      “No, I couldn’t even if I wanted to Rebecca s coming over.”

      “So-” she started

      “See fast.” Graham said sliding his arm around her kissing her cheek making her smile then he looked around. “What happened here?”

      Peyton turned her around walking out before Hunter started to shout, she could see the look on his face where he is so beyond done with his brother. Graham didn’t seem to care that he didn’t get an explanation he walked with her out the barracks talking about the book they were reading slipping in to a new conversation so easily, must be a gift from growing up like he did moving a lot would make someone great at small talk or great at not talking at all. Since he has to teach a class in every camp and be the son of the great Capitan then he has to learn to do a lot of small talk.

When they got to the house it was like things had never changed just the house. The dinner table was in the middle of the living room because it wouldn’t fit in the tiny kitchen her father has but they were talking like their house wasn’t just ripped to shreds and their life was just completely changed. Nora as to carry a charm with her so she doesn’t look like herself at work and Dr. Nikos has to be a doctor in this hospital here because they needed a good one and he can’t be in his normal one. Once Seaton comes together, he will come straight here and he will figure out who all of them are. They both are realizing magic not only exist but their best friend from kindergarten is able to control it, he’s practically a master at sorcery now everything has completely changed but they don’t seem to notice it or care.

   Nora hugged Peyton taking the cake asking about Hunter as Amethyst ran up to hug her, she had to give more than Rebecca was coming over and not bring up his annoyance with Sean otherwise she will feel bad. Graham stepped in saying the plumbing in the hotel suites are still not working yet so Rebecca has to shower, and she’s been though a lot, so she probably wanted to be alone not in a big group. Peyton looked up at him and he said he helped her family move in and she told him, so her shock wore off as he walked into the house to greet everyone else.

      Hunter felt like there was no way to get comfortable, he wished she told him she was taking a shower, he forgot he offered it when Graham was telling the family about the plumbing. Mr. and Mrs. Masterson are showering at Doyle’s, but she said she knows him more than Doyle, so she asked him, and he was more in shock and happy she was alive. How should he be waiting on the bed is weird, but he doesn’t have space for a chair. He can’t be standing around he doesn’t have space for that either because it will look like he was waiting the whole time like listening to her which he hasn’t he’s been walking around trying to find a way to relax and act natural he can’t even remember what he does when he’s just hanging out in his room. he sat at the edge of the bed opening a book Graham lent to him and couldn’t focus when he could hear her start to sing a little he threw the book onto his tv stand turning it on while he started to play with his walkie talkie trying to make it have a camera and able to be hidden. He’s going to figure it out one day just need to figure out how they make the walkies and the video feeds, it won’t take too long.

      Hunter pulled out all the parts of it laying them on the bed ready to grab his video talkie to do the same when Rebecca came out asking him how he would know how to put it all back together again sitting at the other end of the bed. Hunter just shrugged unsure how to answer her question, it’s just something he does it, he just does. She turned away from him looking up at the TV while he collected the pieces tossing them in his nightstand drawer, so Sean doesn’t destroy all the little pieces when he comes crashing in after dinner. Hunter sat back against the headboard looking up at the TV listening to her talk not noticing she was going through his movies trying to pick one. It was like old times talking to her and watching movies made him wonder why he was feeling weird before it’s just Rebecca. After she put in a movie Hunter expected her to sit on the other side of the bed again but this time, she sat next to him, and he didn’t mind at all.

      “You know I thought I wouldn’t care but I do, scoot away from my sister right now dude!” Hutch shouted sounding like he was right behind him. It made Hunter jump a little.

      “It’s not that scary, calm down.” Rebecca laughed as the opening of the movie started and he saw she did put on a scary movie; she must think he’s a wuss now.

      “HA! She’s probably thinking you’re a wuss now. I think I’ll just sit here the whole time making you jump when you least expect it and then I know she will be untouched by your filthy hands.” Hutched laughed making Hunter wish he could get whatever that was out of his head.

      “I wasn’t jumping at that; your hair tickled my arm.” He said rubbing his arm next to her that her hair was actually touching so it wasn’t a full lie, Rebecca looked over grabbing her wet hair pulling it over to the other side looking slightly bummed out. Hunter did the 1st thing that popped into his head and reached that arm over her shoulder feeling her damp hair start to get his shirt a little wet, but he didn’t mind that, “Now let’s see who jumps 1st. Also, when you do don’t worry, I’m right here.”

      “Why would I jump 1st?”

      “Well one I’m in an army and fight wars no jumping so I doubt a movie could scare me now but also you’re a girl they always scream in the movies.”

      “This isn’t a movie and I just went to face to face with the king, nothing could be scarier so ha!” She said smiling up at hi before laying her head back down on his chest tucking herself into him a little more than before.

      “Your right we are both brave.” He laughed adjusting his arm to hold her a little more.

      “I’ll pretend for you if it helps you feel more masculine or whatever.” She said.

      “Ugh kill me again I can’t listen to this cheesy disgusting display of affection.” Hutch said making Hunter laugh a little pulling her in some more grabbing her hand his other hand putting it on his chest.

      “Tell yourself whatever you need to.”

      “Well now.” She laughed pushing off him.

      “No, no, no come back.” HE said lifting his wet shirt and she shook her head throwing the blanket over them looking up at the screen.

      He heard Hutch say things sounding like he was behind the bed but not near them. This felt like normal, whatever made him freak out before was completely gone. It was easiest thing in the world hanging out with her talking, he didn’t have to second guess himself or worry like he did talking to Peyton. He always wanted to be as smooth and cool as possible with Peyton is was hard work hanging out with her. Hunter cringed at the gore of the movie, it wasn’t scary just disgusting and it just started. He looked down at Rebecca holding the blanket up with her knees curled into her peeking over the blanket, so she was both looking and not looking at the scary movie at the same time and Hunter just laughed a little putting his arm over her again. It was cute and then he thought how crazy it is, he might actually be able to really fa…

      “Most boring dinner EVER!” Sean said slamming into the room interrupting Hunter’s thoughts. “It was all ‘Move this, move that’ blah bah blah why invite me over to join that nonsense? Oh my God Dude put on my Favorite movie without telling me?” Sean said in his ramble while jumping on the bed laying on Hunter’s legs with his head by her curled-up knees. Hunter was ready to fling him off when Rebecca did the tiniest little cough drawing Sean look up at them. “Oh hey.”

      Sean went back to watching the movie like nothing and Hunter lifted his legs up untucking the blankets as he flung his brother off the bed and onto the floor. Just as Peyton and Graham walked in, as an instinct Hunter retracted his arm from behind Rebecca’s neck and jumped out the bed pulling the blankets with him a little. Sean bumped into him as he was getting up off the floor and then quickly ducked out rushing to the folded-up murphy bed sitting in it. Peyton said something to Rebecca with a big smile and her face, but Hunter didn’t hear it. Suddenly his anxiety from when she was in the shower came back but this time his room was full, so it was awkward.

      “Sorry we interrupted your date we can go its late.” Peyton said sliding her hand into Graham’s starting to walk out.

      “Date? No, it’s not a date we are just hanging out watching a movie.” He said hearing the anxiety in his voice.

      “Yeah,” Rebecca said making him feel a little insulted he didn’t mean it when he said but she just said it too, “I just came because our water isn’t on still, I was just leaving.”

      “You were?” He asked while Rebecca calmly slid out of bed nodding as past him without eye contact or a goodbye and Hunter looked up at Peyton and Graham holding hands and felt stupid. He walked past them and rushed after Rebecca down the stairs stopping her just outside, pausing as he grabbed her not sure what to say. Rebecca just look at him for what felt like an eternity while he searched for anything to say at all. All he could muster up was, “I’m sorry” which was something he should have never said.

      “Sorry for what exactly?”

      “I don’t know I just feel like I need to apologize.” He said again stupidly he knew what he needed to apologize for he just couldn’t say it. Why? What’s wrong with him?

      “You don’t, then.” She said turning around and he couldn’t stop himself he ran in front of her ready to say everything, a real apology instead again he was frozen without words. “There’s nothing to apologize for it was my fault for thinking anything has changed since high school.”

      “What do you mean?” He asked not knowing this time.

      “Your still in love with Peyton.”

      “I-”

      “Why did you start freaking out then? Was a coincidence that she just walked in when you had your little jumpy freak out.”

      “Actually, I had a similar freak out when you were in the,” He paused not sure he should finish that sentence “that’s not important. Peyton had nothing to do with… I don’t know what happened. There was a lot of people in my room and I had my arm over your shoulder.”

      “Yeah, and?”

      “And that’s not what we do.” He said hearing it come out more like a question than a statement, it looked like it added fuel to the flame.

      “we were just doing though so what you can be all sweet and cuddly behind closed doors but with people around we can’t.”

      “Yeah. I mean obviously no that’s not okay but-”

      “Yeah you didn’t nail that apology.” Hutch’s voice said with a laugh.

      “Wow okay, goodnight.” Rebecca said walking away.

“No wait.” He said but she didn’t.

“we are fine goodbye.” She said not looking back.

He just watched her, he can’t stop her without a good apology or possibly argument. Hunter knew what he should say and what he wanted to say but none of that came out and doubts it will right now. What is wrong with him!

“Are you Hunter Nikos?” He heard a man’s voice say that gave him chills it sounded so off. Hunter turned unable to see the man looking around seeing all the lights around are out. When he smiled showing a smile as evil looking as his vice felt, crazy because everyone here is great just a creepy feeling he had to shake off.

“I am, you are?”

“A fan, sorry to bother you just wanted to say ‘hello’ I just got here.”

“From?”

“Everywhere, I think I’ll stay too.” Hunter took a step back reaching for a gun he wished he had but he shouldn’t everyone here is safe.

“What’s your name?” Hunter said trying to find any light to shine on him.

“Amazing the power of name, right? You’d be amazed at what a name can show or hide. It’s the essence of someone and that leaves marks and sometimes even tracks to be followed, not many know about.”

“That didn’t-” Hunter started to say and then stopped himself, what was he going to say? Talking to himself again, this time no Hutch excuse just him alone in the dark talking out loud how stupid! He’ll have to apologize to Rebecca tomorrow somehow.

      Peyton flung herself out of bed feeling the urge to rush over to the dragons, Graham was close behind her which she will have to explain later, it’s just a bad feeling. There was a really loud roar like the day she found all her dragons when she got into the forest. Peyton felt a pull inside of her and next thing she knew she was at the dragons and paused for a second shocked at how she was pretty sure she just teleported for the 1st time. As the excitement wore off, she saw a person wearing hooded red animal scale looking jacket with a bow pointed at Tamilla. Peyton loaded her bow and pocked the tip of it to the hood pulling it off pushing the arrow tip into the bleach blonde hair just as Graham came up pulling his gun out c*****g it aiming it at the girl as well.

      “You see what this is right?” Her voice said not lowering the bow but at least Tamilla was calm now.

      “You can feel this on your head, right?”

      “Want to tell me why you are protecting a dragon prophecy girl?”

      “It’s a long story lower your weapon.” Graham said coming around to put himself between Tamilla and this crazy blonde woman.

      Then Peyton looked at her a little harder; short bleach blonde hair from here she could see a little blue blowing in the wind, a scaled jacket with a hood. She lowered her bow letting Graham cuff her and Peyton saw her face with a long scar from the left side of her forehead, over her eyebrows just the inside of her eye across her nose stopping midway through her right cheek. “It’s not the 1st time I’ve been-”

      “You tried to stop me in the Main City square that night.” Peyton said cutting her off.

      Her father teleported in rushing over to Peyton pulling her away looking at the dragons then her bag. He said something about seeing an explosion just as a rock fell out her bag. The girl gasp with her hands behind her back-yanking Graham around. Peyton watched her spin pulling him and spin again to hold her back to the flames blocking Graham with her and in shock Peyton watched very her father’s shoulder as the flames go over them both. Her father looked around just a s shocked and Peyton wanted to ask him why he looks shocked because he had to have stopped the flames Peyton sure didn’t. Just as it went away Peyton made sure Tamilla was okay as she rushed to Graham looking at nothing burnt on him at all. She looked at the girl after seeing her hands slightly burnt and went to help her when her father lifted the bag grabbing the cuffs pushing her towards camp.

      Peyton helped Graham up following them wondering how that happened, and Graham as in front of her following after her dad straight into the empty jail cell of camp. Capitan Reid was already outside of it, when did her dad even call him?

      “What’s in the bag?” Capitan Reid said slamming the cage closed not listening to Peyton trying to stop him. “How did you make a bomb like that?”

      “It’s not a bomb, its magic I’d assume you being the protectors of sorcerer and” she added looking over at Peyton and her dad. “being sorcerers yourselves, of course,” she winked before going on looking back up at Capitan Reid, “that you would know the most fundamental forms of magic.” She said rolling her eyes and Peyton could see she wasn’t going to be helpful to them if they are grilling her. “Why are you protecting beast?”

      “We are protecting loving caring animals and I’m not sure I’m even comfortable with that word for them they are like humans.” Peyton said defensively.

      “Wow prophecy girl you really care about them, does it bother you I have a closet that’s full of dragon scaled jackets or do you only care about your blood thirsty fire breathing beast?”

      “My friends call me Peyton and I know some dragons are bad, but some are actually really amazing creatures maybe if you are nicer you will get to see for yourself, dragon killer.”

      “I don’t mind that name, what do you think about it hot stuff?” She asked biting her lip a little as she looked over at Capitan Reid which made him look uncomfortable before asking for her real name. “It’s whatever you want it to be mainly because I’m not going to tell you anything might as well kill me.”

      Capita Reid shook his head snatching the bag telling Peyton’s father to look into it with Uncle prophet who walked in so silently that she has no idea when he actually came in. Graham followed them leaving her alone with the Dragon killer. And Peyton took a seat at the bench by the prison bars and wondered how hard it would be to pick the lock with magic on the cuff and the lock here. While she thought about it Peyton stood up walking behind the girl who went to move slightly away until Peyton touched her hand through bars healing the burn marks from today seeing a few more scars underneath the tattoos. Burns are easy to heal wherever she got the scars on her wrist look like they would be harder to fix.

      “You tried to stop me that night.” Peyton said as she forced the cuff open hearing the fall to floor. “How did you get here after that and how did you know where I would be? Hunter told me that a girl who looked like you helped that day with Rebecca.”

      “Those two love birds happy to be alive with each other?” She asked avoiding the question as Peyton just looked at her. “I have ways of tracking Seaton I followed him here found you guys and you should teach your dragons to be careful I track them down and I enjoy killing those beasts, but I’ll stay away from yours unless they cross me.”

      “What do you have against dragons?” Peyton asked as she stood up grabbing the bars tilting her head other side, so her hair fell away from her face showing the scar. Peyton realized her hair style was meant to attempt to cover up the scar. “Did they give that to you?”

      “They did something worse,” she said twisting her hand on the bars showing off a red ruby ring with to diamonds on either side. “killed my fiancé.”

      Peyton reached her hand up over the lock feeling all the twist and turns of it in the palm of her hand she might as well have been holding the mechanism rather than placing her hand over it. as it made a loud thud unlocking it and the gate door swinging open Peyton smiled at her to lighten the mood that was just created.

      “If I had any friends, they would call me Sara.” She said coming out of the cell.

      “Nice to meet you Sara.”

      Doyle was fighting with the stones in the bag wondering how any of them worked because nothing was doing anything like the stone in the forest. He tried to toss one in the field behind his house and nothing. Joshua even tried to figure some of them out but nothing. It can’t be fundamental if Joshua has no idea what form of magic these are or how a regular little girl knows how to use them. Joshua’s seems more upset with himself having studied magic his whole life, but Doyle was frustrated with the stones. He hasn’t read nearly enough to be mad at himself yet.

      Peyton walked in just as Joshua gasped running towards Amethyst and the girl who’s bag this is shouted something about the rock in Doyle hands just as it heated up blowing fire all over the place. He was ready to feel the hot burn of it only to look up at no real damage yet accept a burn mark on the rug in front of him. Looking up he saw Peyton with her hands out shaking a little, turning back to the stone he saw a ball of fire get smaller and smaller until it was just a stone again and she gently places on the ground over the burnt carpet. She took a few steps back and sat down the arm of the couch.

      He could have burnt the house downplaying with these. Amethyst, his brother and himself could have possibly died. He needs to find the books that describe the stone magic. He also needs to focus on this girl make sure she’s really on their side seeing as she seems to close to Peyton already.

      Peyton brought Sara up to her room she never stays in here anyway and they talked the whole way over. Sara seems to avoid everything involving how she found them and how she has the dragon scale jacket. She was open about all her suitors and her world travel. How one person could go so far so fast is the question she has. Rebecca ran into them on the way and at the site of Hunter stayed close following them into the room. Peyton wanted to ask the problem with that, but she knew what it is and didn’t how to fix Hunters crush so now they were both asking questions about Sara.

      “I’m sorry I’m going to be blunt what happed that gave you the scar?” Rebecca said seeming frustrated at Sara’s silence. “Was it a dragon?”

      “It was my father.” Sara said with a sigh.

      Sara thought back to her childhood unhappy about that memory, but no one has ever asked not even her fiancé, so she never had to tell anyone about it. She never really had friends before she can’t lose the only people who seem to genuinely want to be around her, so she told them. She was 10 years old and living in the Main City, her parents were the worst people she has ever known. Her father a fat drunk always stumbling about the place when he wasn’t doing other things. The king had placed the beautiful girls almost of age on stage and her father looked down at her as they were shot. He said one day she was going to be up there because of how beautiful she was, and he didn’t want to lose her. She could still feel the tight grip he had on her arm as he dragged her back home her feet sliding in the dirt from time to time because she was pulling so hard and fast. They got home, and he tied her to her bed, she feared something else would happen again. Instead he took a long gulp of something brown he ripped labels off, so she never knew which alcoholic drink he would be consuming at any given time, then he could lie when her mother nagged that it was soda or tea. She was ready to close her eyes and try to be anywhere else when she saw him grab a knife off the counter that’s when she started struggling. His strong chubby finger held her head down and the pain was indescribable. He went from her forehead down and the blood rushing down her face was got and fast. Next thing that she remembered was waking up in the hospital her face coved in bandages. She went in and out for a while until the bandages came off. While she wasn’t locked in her home anymore, she decided she couldn’t live there anymore. The night before they would send her back home, she decided to pack a bag and run away.

      When she knew her, father would be passed out or gone Sara ran back into their home grabbed all her things and ran out. Men didn’t seem to mind her scar it didn’t seem to stop her “beauty” from attracting the opposite s*x so in fear she decided the best way to avoid the king was to get out of any known town. She got what she needed from her admirers the only way she knew how, and when she would go into towns it was easy to stay out of the way and hide from him. When she was 17, she ran into a boy about the same age. Beautiful in every way blonde hair pale green eyes, big lips for a man but they were softer than a rose petal. That was the 1st time she was with a man and truly wanted him and didn’t want to use him and lose him. She grew to love him and stopped running thinking she found her new home in him. He told her about being a sorcerer, he showed her the camp he lived in. She told him her secret but left it out of her retelling, they can’t know, not yet. They were in the sorcerer’s library safely hidden when Seaton found the camp. They watched in horror through the portal window as he killed everyone even children. He slaughtered them all and enjoyed it, like it was some kind of game to him. Sara couldn’t take it anymore and flung open old books, she had to find a way to follow him like a shadow he could never kill them if they were always one step ahead by staying behind him. Her love learned the old magic and they started collecting the stones needed. He even managed to create a mirror that showed Seaton, so they could see what his plan was before anyone else. They watched him talk to someone with a smile that creeped her out and every time he would disappear the people in the room -if there was someone else in there that didn’t die- would forget. Sara wouldn’t forget the conversation, but she did forget everything about his face accept that smile that showed pure evil and the amber eyes that pierced into hers, like he knew they were watching and wanted to scare them. Seaton called him the secret weapon and Sara wished she could follow that instead. Even after watching the slaughters Seaton would do this, man felt more dangerous. Sara told them about him as well and felt like she still wasn’t describing him correctly because she had no proof as to why she didn’t like this man.

      She went on to tell them how she watched Seaton kill a dragon and that’s how she learned they aren’t completely impervious. Sometime between watching Seaton kill and their 1st attempt her love proposed and she accepted. On her 1st attempt to kill a dragon he died, she watched him burn into nothing but a pie of ashes. That’s when she learned how to…. That’s when she was able to kill the dragon walk right up and shoved her sword into its brain. That was the jacket she made of dragon sales, black like the ashes of her fiancé. She used the stones to travel as fast as Seaton staying behind him and killing every dragon she met. When she was in a small town, she would stay in the castle which is where her clothes are right now, this castle doesn’t have a wife anymore. After seeing Peyton in the Main City Sara has been following Seaton until he found her. Peyton is impervious to being tracked like Seaton it seemed. Sara looked at Peyton’s shock at that comment and wondered why a sorceress like her should have known and cast the spell herself one would assume. Sara looked at her and thought about how she isn’t like most sorcerers they all wear the robes, her fiancé only had robes she never saw him in anything else after they went into camp, he only wore normal clothes outside of camp. Then she looked around this room books on the wall not about magic and the room was neat but not 100 % it was a normal room an average girl would do. Every sorcerer she knew has the most minimal of things and they all keep everything completely eat and the most of their books are about magic they don’t have much else to learn or read because their goals are purely to find ways to stop Seaton’s rule.

      “When did you find out you could do all this?”

      “About 6 or 7 months ago.”

      “So, do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Sara shouted grabbing her hand yanking her out he room. “You need to train, or you will never win.”

      “Okay Traqin you ready?” Graham asked adjusting his riding suit looking at the crowd of soldiers he gathered. Peyton hasn’t shown up yet. “Just like we practiced.”

      Traquin Bent his head down so Graham could pet it then said in the deep voice sounding like he was smiling hard to see a smile on dragon’s face “I’m ready if they are.”

      “I’ve been thinking of how these dragons could be an asset and with help of Mr. Quinn we have created a way of fighting that will eliminate the king’s men, so the war is only him at one point. It might sound crazy and I know that a two of you aren’t comfortable with the dragons yet, but I want to show you why we should be.” Men who volunteered please come up for your bullet and fireproof uniforms we will begin as soon as you are all safe.

      They all dressed and got by their weapons. Graham took a deep breath watching Peyton just before Traquin took off, she’s not going got like this. They darted straight up in the air and he heard his father shout to fire at will at him. None hesitated Graham herd the bullets going on off and saw a few bullets bounce of Traquin’s neck making him duck down. He was protected they can’t kill him in this outfit, but they can hurt him it’s not the official outfit just a prototype. He saw a missile coming up and shouted to Traquin and they started Graham kicked off the saddle free falling into the clouds. He watched Traquin turn to face it the missile seeing flames for a brief moment as it was exploding on his chest before Traqin seemed to disappear in the clouds. As soon as Traquin disappeared the bullets started flying but Graham opened his arms feeling the wind pick up under his wings and then he felt the bullets bounce off of him. His neck and arm pits were the only thongs not covered by bullet proof something so that was all he worried about. He heard a loud exposition and closed his arms rolling in the sky feeling Traqin snatch him out the sky liftin him up and tossing him again and Graham looked through the clouds seeing the men below looking like ants and he pulled his gun out shooting back at them seeing his bulled hits the cannons blowing up from her he could see Traquin shooting thorns at them all and blowing fire taking them out. Graham opened his wings to slow down and let a bullet graze his neck he wasn’t ready for that much pain he wondered how deep it was, but it made him start to spiral again but then Traqin came up tossing him on this back and as the flew by getting the last of the men out Graham saw Peyton she’s not happy. Graham hopped of and everyone was in shot in the 1 minute the two of them were in the air they took out 100 men this war just took a new turn and he could see it in their eyes. Peyton’s eyes told him a little something different than everyone else’s.

      Peyton asked her dad what was going on showing him the note Graham left her then she saw him and Traquin take off and she dropped the note completely worried. She shouted a little when she heard the missile goes off and felt her dad hold her in with magic. As it exploded on Traqin she felt her heart sink into her chest are they okay? That’s how Lirik and Kari died what if he’s not old enough yet? Peyton felt relived after she saw they were okay, but it wasn’t over yet. Peyton could not even look anymore until she heard Traquin flying back. Graham landed on the ground with a smile on his face until he saw her. She did not like this surprise at all.

      Graham followed her back to camp as the men al talked to her father and Capitan Reid, she heard him tell people he couldn’t talk and just kept walking home almost running to get away from him even with his shooting after her. she went to close her door and felt his hand grab the door asking her to talk. The guys in their group all looked over at them and Sean looked like a deer in headlights and backed into Hunters room closing her door. Peyton shook her head pushing ahead of him to his room seeing Sara come up the steps with Rebecca, so Sara had a place to go.

      “Look I know your mad but-”

      “I’m mad you didn’t tell me what you were planning, not that you did it. You could have died, and you didn’t warn me it was a surprise I mean come on look at your neck!” she said touching his wound going into his bathroom pulling towel out wetting it down. “I don’t want to lose you, I can’t.”

      “I understand.” He said looking down at her as she wiped his neck. “But I do have to risk my life from time to time, we are in a war you know?”

      “I know and I’m ready for that I have to know when you are going to do something stupid, okay?” he smiled holding her waist and she wrapped her free arm around his neck keeping the other on his neck. “That was really awesome though, did you make the wing outfit?”

      He smiled nodding opening his arms showing off the wings and she saw his shirt was covered in blood, when he looked down because of the look on her face from all the blood she saw dripping on off the wings and he quickly unhooking his contraption. After he took off his shirt checking under his arms in the mirror, nothing, thank goodness. Peyton looked at his neck making sure it wasn’t deep or bleeding anymore.

      “Looks like a scratch now hard to believe your shirt had so much blood soaked in it.”

      “Were you really that worried? It seems you should know that I’m better than that I’ve made it this long in the war I can’t die in training.” He smiled his crooked smile and she leaned in feeling his forehead on his hers. “You must really love me.”

      “Just a little bit” she said tilting her head up to kiss him feeling his hand run up her back as he pulled her closer.

      The kiss didn’t end like normal he slid his hand down her back lifting her off the floor wrapping her legs around his back as he laid her on the bed. She didn’t know if she was ready for this, but she also didn’t want to stop, and she ran her fingers into his hair feeling his muscles move under her arms as he slid them up the bed a little. Then he heard the door banging and he got up fast opening a drawer to slide a shirt on before Peyton even got off the bed. She went to open the door, while he picked up his wings looking nervous. She smiled when she saw Sara and Rebecca outside ready to work out. She apologized to him for being mad and said she told them she would train.

      After their run Peyton looked up and saw the guys come out starching getting ready to run and wanted to talk to Rebecca about the other night with Hunter but didn’t know how. She never hung out with girls, but she wants to try and help if she can.

      “So, I don’t have any girlfriends or anything I’ve been alone my whole life but isn’t this where we gush about your boys over there or talk trash about the dumb one for doing something stupid with you Becca?” Sara said nodding over at Hunter when she said dumb one.

      “I can’t talk trash about Hunter he’s my best friend and I don’t want to gush about Graham.” Peyton shrugged looking up at him, he did look really amazing right now though.

      “No one calls me Becca but my brother.” Rebecca said actively avoiding the view of the guys. “I don’t want to talk about Hunter, its complicated.”

      “It looks like they are talking about you.” Sara said, and Rebecca looked back, Peyton smiled hoping Sara might be more helpful than she ever could be with girl talk.

      “They are probably talking about Peyton.” She said looking back and Peyton sighed hoping she was wrong about that and that Sara was right. “Why don’t we talk about you Sara?”

      “Well you see I’m awesome.” She said making them all laugh and forget about the guys.

      Hunter and Averie were lifting weights when Graham joined them talking about how Peyton was so mad but how she loves the idea now. Averie brought up Rebecca after Graham said Peyton and both of them looked at Hunter after everything that happened the other night. Hunter got nervous then looking over at her stretching with Peyton and the new girl, looking away really fast before she saw.

      “She’s nothing special just a friend. He said looking at Averie not looking away and felt jealous a little he shouldn’t have. “It’s not my choice who she dates.”

      “So, you don’t care if I ask her out then?” Averie asked still not looking. Hunter wanted to shout, “Yes of course I care, don’t ask her out!” But he had no reason to tell him not to, so he just shook his head looking over his shoulder at them looking over. He should have said not to.

“Why was she showering at our place the other night?”

“Her shower is broken.” Hunter said getting ready to run just to end the conversation.

“if she was at my house showering, I would have joined her if you know what I mean.” He laughed elbowing Graham and Hunter huffed running off just as the girls came up good. He wanted to punch him the face for that, but he can’t, so he has to run.

“Did we scare him off?” Sara asked.

“No, I did.” Averie said.

“with something dirty I hope.” Sara said running her fingers over his biceps.

“That’s our cue to leave.” Peyton said taking Rebecca’s arm with Graham quick to follow them or maybe chase after Hunter.

“Did it work?” Sara asked making sure they all left.”

“he gave me permission and didn’t punch me, I wanted to punch myself for saying what you told me to.” He sighed. “How do you even know about him and her? Why do you care”

“It’s obvious doesn’t take a mind reader to see that.” She said. “Why did you agree to help?”

“He’s a good friend I wanted to help not lose him.”

      “You won’t I know what I’m doing.” Sara said looking at him run. Rebecca will be easy to crack to admit it Hunter is the challenge she should see why.

      Hunter rolled his eyes when he heard little footsteps behind him on the track telling Peyton he was just fine only to look back and see Sara on his trail. She smiled speeding behind him not sweating or out of breath after running before. She was peculiar popping up out of nowhere and befriending everyone so quickly. He ignored her not talking just running side by side in silence until he got tired of it and picked up his pace to try to lose her but nothing. Hunter picked up his pace until he thought his legs would fall off and he stopped running falling to the floor rolling onto his back. She leaned over him still nothing not out of breath or sweating the most that happened was the short hair on her neck fell out the ponytail.

      “What do you want?” He panted.

      “To properly introduce myself. Also, to talk about the beautiful brunette I helped you save.”

      “She’s my dead best friends kid sister why do you care? Trying to get with her too?” He huffed pushing off the grass.

      “I’m trying to keep friends I made so I’m going to stop myself from stomping on your face for that but why did you say too finally ask her out?” she said leaning in a little.

      “You know I don’t think we are close enough for you to be in my personal space like that.” He said crawling backward a little before standing up. “Again, why do you care?”

      Before she could answer there was a loud roar making them both look at each other and ten watched the crowd run towards it. he rushed back behind them feeling Rebecca run into his arms watching Sara give him a look as she went past him to Graham handing out weapons taking one from him.

      “Stay here.” He said pulling her arms off rushing over to Graham.

      “No.” she said pulling his arm giving him a look.

      “Rebecca stay here it’s safe here I have to go.”

      “Then I’m going too.”

      “You could die!” He shouted walking her backward, so they weren’t fighting in the way of soldiers rushing past them.

      “And so, could you!” she said lifting his arm walking under it for a weapon. He grabbed her arm pulling her back against the wall again hearing Graham call. “I’m going or your staying since I know you’re not staying then just agree that I’m going.”

      “You do not leave my side you got it?” He said leaning into her wishing she'd stay here.

      Rebecca’s hand felt little shaky on his arms and he leaned his head on hers wishing she’d admit she’s scared because he’s more scared for her now. She slid her fingers into his hair a little and thought this was probably a good time to try this pulling her closer feeling excited for a second then he felt a yank at his arm hard enough to rip him away before they could kiss hearing Capitan Ryanns yelling at him.