Heart Over Sword
Chapter 220: Mending Hearts

Chapter 220: Mending Hearts

Down the hill in the small space between the boulders and makeshift shelter, Ger lay there in a numbed state, staring into the blue flames while Axel watched him with concern. They were meant to be sleeping, but with Evanna and Arawn gone, Ger’s mind raced. He didn’t have a say in what the princess did, and they were ’polite’ enough to rub their romance in his face.

But it still stung. Ger kissed Evanna, and for what? Was he really expecting the princess to have a change of heart? He was too late. Before speaking to Nesrin, he didn’t think he had a chance with her.

Ger brought his family’s title back with the blood of beasts and monsters, sometimes even of men. Yes, he was of nobility, but for most of his life, he had been a peasant, a servant, and an oddity to being the princess’ friend. As the years went on, their friendship started to burn into something more, only a little one-sided. He wasn’t fooled into thinking Evanna hadn’t seen more in him than a friend, but she also didn’t take a step towards him as he did not her.

He wasn’t blind to see how comfortable Evanna was around him, sleeping next to him, hugging him, sharing secrets and thoughts others dare not know. This quest revealed how Ger’s presence had affected Evanna; her body revealed it until they were ripped apart, and she was with the elven prince. Since reuniting with Evanna, his heart had been crushed, the pieces dropping and swept away by a broom and swiftly discarded in a bin.

The moment Ger saw Evanna smile and look at Arawn in such adoration, he knew it was over. But he didn’t want to believe it. Not until he saw them together in the morning.

Ger looked up after being struck by a stone. "Get some rest," Axel ordered quietly, his eyes flicking to the others, checking his deep voice didn’t wake them. "You can mope on the walk. Not now, when you need sleep the most."

"So much wiser than us all," Ger grumbled. "I won’t be moping."

"You’re moping now."

"When’s Roach coming back? Maybe I should-"

"Go. To. Sleep. Princess’ orders. Or are you going to disobey now you’re a dispirited man?" Axel was putting his foot down with Ger. He found him earlier, walking in a daze in no particular direction. He comforted him and listened to his story. It was a sad one, really, but if things did work out with Evanna, his friend would be miserable in court life.

Ger despised the nobles that cast him and his mother out when they needed help the most. Despite his ’love’ for Evanna, the monster killer wouldn’t last long without losing his temper at the noble’s backstabbing ways. Sure, Axel hadn’t set foot inside the palace walls, except for the first time he’d met the princess, but he knew the stories.

Axel was happy that Ger was not going to end up with Evanna. Not in some cynical, villainous plot or anything, but because the pair were a little mismatched. The princess was incredibly intelligent, and from what he’d heard from Ger, Cilv and Garrett, she knew how to deal with those backstabbing nobles. It did not involve her bursting into temper tantrums.

The princess didn’t look like it on the surface, but she was a force to be reckoned with. She had her own troubling past with the way nobles, the queen, her sister and even servants treated her. Ger was strong, but Evanna was stronger. Evanna needed someone to be her equal, and Ger should be happy.

With time, his friend would soon realise it was for the better.

Axel watched Ger a moment more, waiting as he wrapped the furs around his shoulders more, eyes shut. His shoulders were tense, breathing still too quick to reveal he was sleeping. Then he watched as a small blue ball of mist hovered near Ger and dispersed over his face.

Axel jolted up, but Fiza’s giggle made him pause. His eyes swept to the night fae; she was sleeping the furthest from the group like usual. Fiza

placed a finger to her lips and then looked at Ger. Axel followed her gaze, then relaxed at seeing Ger’s breathing was longer, deeper, lips parted slightly, and body relaxed. He was asleep.

"Thank you," Axel whispered, then wondered if she could hear him. The night fae nodded once, then turned her back to them. She was a strange creature. A peculiar, sexy creature. One that was most definitely not interested in him. Truth be told, the girl also scared him a little, and so his interest in her vanished just as quickly as his manly urges had sprouted.

With her back to the humans, Fiza observed their surroundings through the tiny crack between the boulders, noting Ronan returning from his watch, cracking a smile, eyes twinkling in amusement. Fiza wondered if he had run into Arawn and Evanna, who continued to cuddle away from the group. She spun around slowly, watching Ronan round their little campsite and started towards her, pausing when he saw her already sitting cross-legged and wide awake.

Ronan flopped down next to her. His furs were the closest to hers but not in reaching distance. Fiza’s lips tugged up slightly, mirroring Ronan’s dazzling smile. "*What has you so chipper? I thought you were also heartbroken by recent events.*" She asked, then switched language, realising he did not understand her.

Tilting his head slightly, Ronan’s grin widened, his dimples on display as he leaned towards her, his hand going to her chin gently. "If my heart is broken, will you be the woman to help mend it?" His voice was silky and smooth.

Fiza giggled but not because of his charm. Ronan was a lady’s man; she sensed that from the moment she laid eyes on him. "Oh, honey." She wrapped her hand around his hand, letting her sharp nails glint in the moonlight. "I’d eat you for breakfast. Stick with a woman your own age."

Ronan blinked back, eyes darting from her nails and to her features. Those starlight eyes glinted dangerously at him, but instead of backing away, they seemed to urge him towards her. Fiza smirked and released him. "Oh, you really do like dangerous women." She leaned closer, ignoring the way his eyes lowered to her lips and returned with his own smirk. Much to his disappointment, though, Fiza put her lips to his ear. "I’ve killed before."

Before Ronan could respond with something about that shapeshifter Fiza heard Axel talk about and how she and Evanna have also killed, Fiza added darkly, "For my own amusement, and others. It was rather thrilling!"

That did the trick. Ronan fell back, eyes wide. Fiza could see the challenge spurring in his eyes, the lust, but her words affected him more. He cleared his throat, acting calm, but Fiza could see the panic settling into his eyes. "If you didn’t want my affection, you could decline nicely."

Fiza grinned, pulling away and standing up, watching the emotions flicker across Ronan’s features. "Sweet dreams, handsome." She walked away, hips swaying dangerously, her hand clasped on her throwing stars by her hips.

Granted, the game they played was roulette, and those who died at her hands were criminals. But Ronan didn’t need to know that. The poor boy needed a nice girl, not her. She was anything but nice, and many of her previous lovers couldn’t handle her or were dead. She liked Ronan. He should live.