Heart Over Sword
Chapter 199: Group Shenanigans (3)

Chapter 199: Group Shenanigans (3)

As Evanna approached, Fiza had just plopped herself down on the ground with a slight huff. She looked up, her sharp eyes flicking between Evanna’s, assessing her before her features relaxed and a smile played on her lips. "As much as I am fond of our time together, Raven, I have never been into girly sleepovers."

Evanna’s lips twitched at that as she squatted before her again like earlier that day. "Funny, I’m quite certain that’s all we will be doing until we arrive at Lyvaria." She looked behind her, pointing her chin in the men’s direction. All of them were watching this exchange, they continued their conversations, but their eyes flicked to them every few seconds.

"Fiza.. I have a question," she began, sliding down into a seated position. "You called me an outcasted fae earlier.."

"That is not a question." Fiza fixed her with an amused look, not giving anything away. Usually, people would answer her, filling in the gaps before the question could be asked, but that was not the case with this fae.

"Why? Why did you call me that?" Evanna asked without claiming she was indeed part fae.

"Hmm.. If I answer your question, you must answer one of mine." She held her finger up with a spark of blue light glowing at the end before Evanna could commit to it. "You cannot answer falsely."

Evanna nodded, but Fiza fixed her with a look, waiting for Evanna to voice her answer. "Yes, I agree, but only if you also answer truthfully." She didn’t know much about the fae, but she remained wary of what words to use and how to answer the fae.

There were a million questions Fiza might ask her, and so she decided there was no point not agreeing when something so crucial needed answering. Did others know she was more than human?

Fiza grinned. "Excellent! Hmmm, an outcasted fae.." She scanned her face as though the answer was staring straight back at Fiza. Evanna frowned, then blinked at her hand sliding over Evanna’s and drawing a small circle on the palm. "Why I smelt your magic, of course.."

Smelled her magic?

"Can all fae smell magic? This type of magic? A witche’s? Is it only fairies that can smell it?" Question after question left Evanna’s lips until she felt a warmth blossoming on her palm.

Evanna’s eyes flicked from her hand to Fiza’s mischievous eyes and back down to her hand, where a slight blue glow formed and dulled; in return, Evanna couldn’t help the power radiating under the skin, heating and shimmering, wanting to be released, and so she let it. She released her breath as the beginning of a glowing blue bud slowly opened.

Fiza’s breath left her as she watched with slightly widened and glistening eyes. She muttered something under her breath, something Evanna could not understand. "I have not seen these in some time, your highness," she whispered, ignoring the questions already asked.

Evanna’s attention snapped back to her, another question on her tongue. "Why do you call me your highness?" Did she somehow hear the others call her it earlier? Or was there more this fairy knew.

Fiza chuckled. "Na-ah.. a question for a question-"

"Then ask me two," Evanna challenged with a slight glint in her eyes. Maybe she could find out more about the fae through books. Fiza more than likely was not willing to tell her secrets about the fae even if Evanna was partially fae herself. Or maybe it was something related more closely to the night fae. Either way, the princess had more essential questions to ask than those that could be answered by books.

Fiza’s lips spread into a broad grin, her eyes lighting up, almost in approval at Evanna’s challenge. But the moment was fleeting, and instead, she tutted and shook her head. "I only need one answered. Why are three humans, a hybrid princess and two elves of the woods visiting the snow elves in Lyvaria?"

Evanna started to form a basic answer on the tip of her tongue, but as her lips opened, her tongue felt tied up. Fiza giggled in delight, pointing her finger at her mouth. Evanna frowned and looked down, seeing a slight glow coming out of her mouth. Was she doing this?

"You agreed to answer. Truthfully," Fiza answered her unspoken question.

"We are going to Lyvaria because.." Her tongue felt heavy, but the glowing stopped. "They have something I want back."

Silence ensued Evanna’s answer; the only noise between them was from the crackling of the fire behind the princess. Evanna kept her features neutral as she stared back into Fiza’s stunning and sharp eyes, even though she had the urge to look away. Her stomach twisted in knots, knowing she had just answered truthfully but without revealing anything at all. It was not what the fairy wanted to hear as her eyes glimmered slightly, her face impassive.

But then Fiza clapped her hands and giggled delightfully, startling Evanna. The fae continued to laugh as she lay down on her back, her hands behind her head. "And that right there.. is the fae in you. Well done. Now clear off before your lover’s daggers turn into real ones, and I will HAVE to use my throwing stars." Fiza shut her eyes, finishing the conversation.

Evanna watched her, still flabbergasted, until she glanced over her shoulders and found Arawn glaring in her direction, Ronan and Axel whispering almost conspiratorially, and Ger breathing out smoke, watching them intently. Garrett was the only one nonchalantly sharpening his seraph blade, paying more attention to his weapon than the people around him. Though, Evanna knew he was alert from the way his head moved marginally to the slightest of sounds.

The princess looked back at Fiza; she pulled the cloak tighter around her to the bitter chill in the breeze but kept her lids shut. The conversation was finished, and no more questions were left to be answered. "You can sleep closer to the fire, Fiza." Evanna kept her voice low as she watched the fae a moment more.

"Worry about yourself, your highness. Nothing more," Fiza replied softly, her eyes still shut.

Evanna chewed on the side of her cheek. Fiza called her, ’your highness’ again. The princess wanted to know how the fae knew to call her by her title, but that was it for today. Maybe tomorrow, she could ask? But Fiza only wished to know one thing, was that it then?

Evanna stood and turned away, feeling as though she returned to her spot with so many more questions to ask than sating her curiosity. Ger exhaled smoke away from her before turning in his seat and tapping the bottom of his pipe on the top of her head. Evanna frowned and rubbed at the tender spot on her head, looking at him questionably.

"I was just checking if your head was suddenly empty," he grunted, then chuckled when she clipped him over the head.

Evanna felt someone watching her and looked up to meet Arawn’s burning gaze. Heat instantly rose in her cheeks and butterflies swirled around in her stomach. Gulping, she returned her attention to Ger. There were plenty of other times she could converse with Arawn, but she needed this time with Ger.

Her friend had left her to go monster hunting, returned and spent so little time with her before she was then captured by the Flori. What happened to them in that time apart?

"How come you were prisoners to those goblins? How did you split up from Roach?" Evanna asked, keeping her voice light as she glanced from Ger to Ronan and Axel. The pair across from them shuffled closer to Evanna. A gentle smile began to form on her lips at their eagerness to tell her.

Axel swiped his large hand in a slow motion across his face, letting the shadows of the fire flicker across his features. "It all began when that damned northern Prince arrived in Kuramji.." he began, then winced at the smoking pipe hitting him on the forehead.

"I’m telling the story!" Ger growled, his voice so loud he was almost shouting.

Axel threw his pipe back at Ger aggressively. "Then speak, lad. Don’t get your draws in a twist now! And stop shouting!"

Ger narrowed his eyes at Axel, lifting the pipe from the ground after it smacked him in the shoulder. He dusted it off and placed it back in his mouth, inhaling once more.

"How is that still working?" Evanna heard Ronan mutter under his breath, eying the pipe curiously.

Her gaze then wandered back to the prince, who watched them all with an arched eyebrow, his lips twitching into an amused smile. That was until Evanna caught him in the act, and he cleared his throat, dropping it, responding to something Garrett said.

Evanna couldn’t help but smile to herself. They would get along soon, the divide in the group closing the longer they spent together. She just knew it.

"So.. it all began when that prick, I mean prince, wandered into the Snake Pitt Inn.."