The Rider's Truth.

Morning

*Unedited

Chapter Sixteen - Morning

I woke up to the sound of Jamie's shouting.

Metal banged together, followed by a loud and brash beat of her fists off the doors. The dregs of another nightmare still stucck hazily to my mind, making me slow and confused. Sleep-clouded eyes found trouble sourcing the door before it swung open-  bringing with it a vicious flood of light.

"Jamie..." I whined, sinking my cheek down onto the pillow. "I am sleeping."

I knocked my blanket over my shoulders, a single leg curled up to my chest. Sleep clung to the edges of my vision, my muscles heavy and lazy. I rolled onto my back, feeling the press of hard-skin against the blanketed ground. I had slept well: Nethore had listened with rapt attention as I read to him, intrigued by the world being spun by words alone.  We had to stop when my voice kept cracking and I slurred the words as sleep hunted me.

"Close my door." I whined.

She nudged my ribs with her toe. "Why are you sleeping on the ground?"

I merely grunted at her, rubbing the heel of my hands into my eyes.  Jamie's eyes glowed in the dawn's light, her mouth thin.  She sighed down at me. "I made waffles."

I peeked at her. "With chocolate?"

"This is breakfast, Neely."

"Then, I'm not getting up."

"Fine. I actually do have melted chocolate waiting for you."

"Thanks for that."

Jamie tutted something about me being a creep before leaving the room to go and assault Dem and Peter. Once I got myself up, I dressed quickly with thoughts of waffles and chocolate quickening the pull of jeans over my legs. Since becoming a Rider, such treats were reserved for Jamie's cooking. We weren't put on a diet but we were expected to keep good care of ourselves.

When I left my room, Peter was leaving his and was dressed in nothing but his jocks. He just blinked blearily at me but it was Dem, who staggered from the room with dark hair stuck up wildly and dried drool clinging to the corner of his mouth that made me smile.

"Food?"

"Do you need a hairbrush Dem?" I laughed.

He touched the stiff stalks of his bed hair, before glowering. "Peter! You said I looked fine!"

"You do."  Peter grinned boldly at him. "You look really good."

Dem glanced down at himself; silken pyjamas clinging low to toned hips. Bare feet resting on thick carpet and then his sleep sunken face and mad bad hair, in a need of a cut. He looked so different from the polished Dem we knew, always so well kept.

He glowered up at his boyfriend. "I actually detest you."

I had to look away, my cheeks going red when Peter hauled him close with a grin. Jamie's nose was wrinkle before she motioned for me to follow her.

"The others are already downstairs-  I didn't want to leave Gabriel alone with the Ithrall Riders for too long."

"If someone has murdered someone else, don't blame me." I pattered down the stairs, relishing in the smooth, varnished wood of the castle's many spiralling stairs.

"No – I wouldn't fight in front of those twins. They are fierce fighters." Jamie whistled. "I know you aren't training with us yet, but Odette hit me so hard that I puked. Me!"