Four Suits (Book 1)

Day 38-2: Conditions

DAY 38-2: CONDITIONS

   Brightening, she yanks the plants from a dazed Avel and tosses them to him.

"Ro, save me!"

His fingers leave the sword he has slung against the straps of his hip in time to catch the plants. He blinks carefully when he receives them but right as they try to bite him too, his eyes narrow into slits. With that dark look alone, the plants flail and leap to the ground, crawling their way into the bushes of the forest around them.

   Leda releases a breath of relief and meets Ro's gaze with a smile.

   He shifts his gaze in the other direction.

   Her heart sinks in her chest.

   "'Ro'?" Both of them train their gaze onto Avel, who's suddenly gained an edge—a hostile one Leda doesn't expect. Nor does she anticipate the ink black serpent that has somehow worked its way around his shoulders, hissing maliciously. "So you're the Spade Leda wanted to save."

   Ro shuts his eyes. "I did not need 'saving.'"

   Avel's brows scrunch together, in a heinous scowl. "Huh?"

   "Master Avel," his serpent's hiss fills the air, "he's the—"

   "Ro! You should be thanking him," Leda interjects.

   He scoffs, "Over my dead body."

   "You would be a dead body if Avel hadn't helped you! He's our ally now. We're cooperating."

   Ro doesn't do more than stick out his chest in that typically proud manner of his. She sends him an incredulous look. Why is he back to being stubborn?

   "Zaire... is this Spade insulting me?" Lips pulled back, Avel raises his head. Cackles pools from his mouth as he juts his chin, the flecks of insanity not leaving his widened-eyes. "Do you want to die right now? Give me a minute; I'll revert you back to that beautifully incapacitated body you want so badly."

   Ro reaches for his weapon. "I'd like to see you try it if you can."

   Leda forces both men back by placing her palms at their chests.

   "What the heck? You two are princes, not little kids!"

   Neither are willing to drop their offences nor bloodlust. However, Ro relents against her push.

   "This insanity driven suit is a criminal, not a leader of his nation."

   Avel, on the other hand, stops dead in his tracks. "Wait, prince." His jaw plummets. "'Ro'... Ronan? As in the third prince of Edaps, Ronan III?"

   Leda's hands fall to her sides. "You know each other?"

   "Nice to see you're still the fool I remember," Ro responds.

   Avel goes back on guard, Zaire hissing on his shoulder. He reaches for her and she shifts into a long staff—his wizardly one. "You are that bastard! Leda had to suffer with such a vile suit this entire time? And I of all people aided a member of that royal family back to full heath?"

   "And?"

   "That's it. I'm murdering you. You're dead to me. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead—"

   Blood beginning to boil in her veins, Leda grounds her teeth. She slams her fists into both of their heads before they can dare lunge for the kill. "Dumbasses!"

   They recoil with similar shock etched into their faces. But Leda isn't close to done.

   Stabbing her finger into Ro's chest, she shouts, "Do you know how much trouble we went through just to get you to Avel and have him cure you? You barely escaped death the first time so why the hell are you complaining and trying to get yourself killed a second time?" She swivels so fast Avel stumbles over his feet. "And you! You need to learn to keep your damn insanity in check! You're a flippin' doctor for cripes' sake!"