The Red Heart (The Krystal Knights 1)

Chapter Nine

Besides my companions all I can see for miles and miles is trees.

I see so many damn trees that I once used to think nature was so beautiful and now I just want to chop them all down, cause I am sick of the sight of them.

I see these gorgeous, vibrant, large green trees and not a single living person or a tavern.

I just want a drink.

Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love nature, I adore it.

But it has been five days into our little assignment and next to no alcohol to get me through like usual.

Generally, on an assignment like this the king wouldn't need all six of us to go, maybe just two or three, but because this is so high profile with us all gone all of my alcohol supplies are gone.

And even I can admit that I'm a bit more grouchy and ruder than usual.

My friends have started to notice and are poking fun at anything and everything in sight just to try and get a rise out of me.

It's their own fault for drinking all of my drink though, it's the only thing that can help me keep my sanity when I'm trapped in such close quarters with all of these crazy people.

Some honourable mentions of things they've been doing are: "Kali, thank you for being on this assignment with us, your particular skill set is so useful, your head is the best armrest." This came from Alistar this morning and Killian quickly chimed in and said that I could just as easily be a footrest too, so yeah, that was delightful.

Another time Aaliyah and Phoenix were just singing this one pretentious and overall so bloody stupid song over and over again.

All. Freaking. Day.

And I love them both, I do. But while they are both incredibly talented on the pianoforte, I feel as though they should leave the singing up to just about anyone else.

Overall my experience on this trip has been just stellar, but the next time one of them says something I might just have to punch them in the face.

Holding the front of the lines of our group and not bothering to contain their smiles and bright and awake eyes from the rest of us is none other than Princess Nailah-Grace Asteria and Lord Alistar Larmalart.

Al's photographic memory and incredible wilderness skills are, in fairness, probably the only reason we've made it this far without dying.

It may or may not have been my job to bring the map, and I may or may not have forgotten to pack it.

But that's beside the point.

The middle of our pack is a flurry of emotions.

Sometimes it is just pure optimism and happiness and glee and other times if you so much as look at them they might then look at you like they're about to snap your neck in half.

And this third is being held by none other than Lord Phoenix Mailon and Princes Killian James Asteria.

The rear of our group, well it isn't hard to figure out what type of mood is being brought in following the two lovely ladies back there.

Fatigued and in dire need of alcohol, these beautiful creatures happen to be none other than Kali and Aaliyah Suva.

We don't have any fancy titles attached to our names right now but that's perfectly fine cause our names are pretty cool as is.

"Alistar, is there an inn in this village?" Phoenix asks, mood undetermined at the moment.

Aaliyah retorts, "Or a tavern perhaps?"