Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 93: Teach Me

Chapter Ninety-Three: Teach Me

"Breakfast is ready!"

Those three simple words, as they always did, had an instantaneous effect on Ella's brain.

Sitting up like a mummy, she blinked blearily at the wall, then turned with sleepy eyes to see Amelia spooning food onto some dishes. Beside her, Sinmir let out a small grumble and deftly rolled to his feet, cracking his back with a yawn. Gus and Vrael were both already up.

Getting off the furs with a tired sigh, Ella stretched and flattened her messy hair, then glanced around for Xaphile as she always did each morning.

She felt her heart sink a little when she realized he wasn't there, but then she caught herself and froze, feeling a stab of irritation.

I must have it bad if him not even being around upsets me, she silently muttered. Shite.

"I take it he's left again," she said aloud, furrowing her brows. "I hope whatever he learns is enough to work with after we take our leave."

Vrael's ears flicked and he looked up at her with a slow smirk sliding across his mouth.

"Well, if you want to see how he's doing, you can take his breakfast to him," he slyly proffered, making her glance up in confusion. "After all, he's training on the island today."

Ella paused, processing that.

"He's training on the island?" she finally asked, staring at him in confusion. "What's he doing?"

"Flapping those big old wings of his," Vrael cheerfully chuckled. "He's really, really strong, by the way... much stronger than I'm sure any of us were aware of. He's already gotten the hang of getting himself off the ground, which is pretty impressive, but even more impressive was the fact that he managed to hover in the air for ten minutes while working against the wind!"

"What's that mean?" Sinmir asked, glancing up in curiosity; his deep baritone came out even deeper with sleep. "Hovering in the air for ten minutes doesn't seem like it would be so hard."

"You should see him in action," Vrael gushed, leaning forward with bright eyes. "He's really working as hard as he can! You can tell just by watching him that he's pushing his limits!"

Ella stiffened, feeling a pang of worry that bled into yet even more irritation.

"That idiot," she growled, letting out a sigh. "I told him to do his best, not go overboard!"

"Oh, stop it," Vrael scolded. "He seems to be enjoying himself, and since we all know how little that happens, you shouldn't get upset over it. In fact, I think you should go watch him and see for yourself. Go take his food to him. He hasn't eaten."

"Excuse me?" Ella scoffed, cocking her hip. "What makes you think I should be the one to do it?"

"Well, you're the one who claims you're going to marry him someday," Vrael innocently shot back. "No time like the present to get in the habit of being a good little wife for him, right?"

Mouths fell open all over the room when her face turned bright pink with a hot flush.

But when Sinmir threw back his head and let out a booming belly laugh, the flush tinting her cheeks deepened to a deep scarlet. Her irritation flared up so much in that moment that she found herself needing to hold her temper.

"You know?" Ella seethed, clenching her fists and stomping over to the plate Amelia held out to her, "you are very fortunate that I'm trying to behave like a proper lady these days, because I'd have punched your smug little teeth in for a jab like that a few months ago."