Heart Over Sword
Chapter 198: [Bonus - ]Group Shenanigans (2)

Chapter 198: [Bonus Chapter]Group Shenanigans (2)

Blue flames crackled against the small twigs and branches the group had collected throughout the day. The fire itself did not glow as brightly as a normal fire; it was created by none other than fae magic. Fiza’s powers had returned.

It turned out the fairy had been in a weakened state. Whatever the goblins had done to her wore off, and it took all day for her to ’recharge’. Though she helped with the fire and occasionally engaged in conversation with snarky comments, Fiza still remained at the edge of the group circled around the fire.

"I will be the first lookout," Fiza said quietly, standing up after eating some unknown meat Axel had roasted over the fire. Unknown because they did not wish to tell Evanna what it was they were really eating. But the princess guessed when part of this ’meat’ was a little gooey. She put the joint down and decided she was rather full, glancing around at the noise of crickets chirping.

She’d eaten a large bug, right?

Evanna knew she couldn’t be picky in the wilderness, but she’d eaten enough to keep any hunger at bay.

"Do not be offended, little fairy, but there is no way we will allow you to be on guard," Ronan stood then, his hands on his hips. "You could slit our throats while we sleep." His gaze lowered to the throwing stars clasped down the sides of her thighs.

They had rummaged through the goblin’s stuff once it was official that Fiza was coming with them. The group got their weapons back and some food that would last them for a while. It turned out Fiza’s weapon of choice was throwing stars, impressing Evanna further. She had yet to see her use them, though there was no doubt she could aim well.

Fiza rolled her eyes. "I could do that now without blinking. But I see mentioning that will not help my point.." The fairy then pointed at her eyes. "I’m a night fae.. I can see in the dark."

"Does that mean you struggle during the day?" Evanna perked up, crossing her arms over her bent knees and resting her cheeks on her arms. Fiza’s lips twitched in response to the princess’ question.

"You cannot see properly.." she added, remembering the fae squinted more than anyone else in the group. The sun was partially hidden behind clouds all day, and the long grass blocked most of it out.

Evanna had noted how Fiza frowned in annoyance whenever the light hit her features. She would shade her face with her hand. Fiza narrowed her eyes subtly, then looked at her sharp nails, feigning disinterest.

Does she sharpen them on purpose? They looked lethal.

"Do you normally sleep during the daytime?" Evanna questioned further, hoping to change the growing frustration in Fiza at Ronan’s comment and the slight tension stirring in the air.

Ronan sat back down beside Axel, his eyes flicking between the two women. Ger shifted slightly; he made it very obvious that he would sit between Arawn and Evanna. Axe cheered in agreement at the time.

Though Ger did sit closer to the princess than the prince. Evanna didn’t mind; they had much to talk about. All of them did, really. But she couldn’t help her curiosity burning about the night fae.

Fiza sighed. "I’ll share my secrets if you share one of yours.." Her eyes flicked up then, a mischievous grin tugging on her lips. Evanna bit the inside of her cheek; Fiza was experienced in not answering questions. That much had been clear all day.

"I was merely making polite conversation," Evanna replied, ignoring what she assumed was some form of a deal, a way to gain information. "I have not met a fairy of the night before."

Fiza sighed then, grumbling under her breath as her fingers brushed against the throwing stars. Was she contemplating killing them after all? Evanna’s back stiffened as a shiver ran down her spine, but it shifted and dissipated. The princess blinked, confused by her body’s reaction.

Evanna eyed the fairy speculatively, noting again how differently she dressed. The navy scale-like material was glued to her legs, revealing the fine shape; they hung low on her hips with the top half of her torso in the same material reaching down to her elbows and was cropped, showing her stomach. Two rows of navy symbols side by side were inked from the right side of her hip bone and up her neck, stopping just short of her jaw. She wore a cloak over her shoulders, but it was something she stole from the goblins, moth-eaten and frayed.

It was certainly different, but she was not judging. What surprised her, though, was how the men’s gazes didn’t wander to this woman’s beautiful figure. But maybe they were all gentlemen?

She crossed that out of her mind. Evanna had caught both Axel and Garrett looking a few times. Garrett had clicked his tongue in annoyance after his eyes trailed over Fiza’s body with a hooded gaze before it sparked up in anger, and he looked the other way. It seemed like he had quite a little battle going on in his mind about the fairy.

Axel was entirely different. He appeared to blush more than anything.

It was the cutest thing. But Evanna understood Axel couldn’t be completely innocent; she wasn’t being nice when she said he wasn’t ugly. Women had looked at him in Kuramji when their eyes were not following Ronan’s backside.

Axel probably blushed because women in Dunhurst didn’t wear attire like that, and unless he had been to a brothel, it was perhaps the most naked skin he had seen before of the opposite sex. Or a woman so openly revealing her skin.. She shook her head; Axel would never go to a brothel. She glanced at him then, their eyes locking for a moment, and she looked away, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment at her wayward thoughts. Definitely not.

"Fine, then I will go to sleep," Fiza sighed and moved away from them even more. Evanna felt terrible but wouldn’t let that guilt her into befriending Fiza. She didn’t know enough about fae, night fae, in particular, to know their temperament. Did she shiver because Fiza had a change of heart, and then when it stopped, the fae had changed her mind again?

If that was the case, then she would keep an eye on her.

There was one thing Evanna wanted to know, though, before the fairy rested, one thing that was still bothering her. The princess pushed off the floor and stepped around the men, avoiding their attention.

How did Fiza know she was part fae? Or was it some sort of a bluff? Did she just want to see her reaction? But mentioning they were both outcasted fae was not something someone would say at random. She psyched herself up to find out.