Memories

Chapter 18

Lui's POV

I went into the media room after Vidya left the castle to go back to her temple for a few days. I hated that she had to go so far away, but I knew she was safe at her temple. I saw Yulen looking at his phone with a smile. "Whatcha lookin' at," I asked curiously. He jumped in surprise and quickly tilted his phone towards him, "A uh, photo Bloom and Kora sent me last night." I chuckled fully understanding, "Vidya sends me those kind of photos all the time when she's at the temple. She's going to be the death of me some day. At least I'll die with a smile on my face." And in need of release when I do. "So how is your courtship going with the three of them?" 

He smiled softly as he put his phone away, "It's going really well. And yours?" I nodded as I smiled, "It's going really well." He nodded, "That's good. You two really look happy. How are your wings?" I sighed softly, "They're growing back, but the healer doesn't know if they'll be fully back by the time we have to go to war."  Gods I fucking missed flying. Vidya was enjoying my examinations and my reactions to her touch though. 

Laceria came in looking frustrated. "Stupid fae training shirtless and teasing me," she had mumbled it before plopping down on the couch. Yulen and I chuckled. "You too," Yulen asked her. "Dealing with the torturous teasing from my mate," she questioned and we nodded. She nodded, "Oh yeah. I always enjoy watching Atros train while shirtless, but this time he was ensuring to give me these looks and ugh. Stupid fae." She then crossed her arms, "I'm going to get him back." 

"I plan on getting my mates back as well," Yulen said with a nod. "Just need to figure out the best way possible." Laceria then perked up, "We've just been hit with a really bad heat wave. I think I'm gonna go enjoy the pool, and just conveniently take photos of myself enjoying my time." She then left the room. "I give it thirty minutes before Atros joins her in the pool," Yulen said with a chuckle. I chuckled and agreed. I looked at the time and stood, "I'm going to go give Destroyer his bath." "Good luck to you brother," Yulen said, knowing Destroyer wasn't a fan of his baths. 

I went to my room and changed into my swim trunks.  Chaos didn't want to join me like he usually does, wanting to enjoy the nice air conditioning of the castle. I scratched him behind his ears before leaving the room. 

I got the hose and buckets of soapy water, and the scrub brush. Destroyer gave a low growl. "You know as well as I do, it'll help cool you off, so don't even try it," I said to him. He gave a huff and I rolled my eyes. Throughout his bath, I ended up getting soaked during his tiny tantrums when he didn't want to move. 

"You're a big ass baby," I said to him before going over to my stuff that I sat down far from the splash zone. I saw I had a photo from Vidya of her in her very small and thin nightgown that had me hard at a simple glance. She was on the other side of the world, having traveled quickly thanks to the teleportation circles here and close to her temple. It was only an hour drive from her temple to the closest circle. Since she was on the other side of the world, it was currently night time, hence the reason she gave me such a beautiful photo before she went to bed. 

I shook my head and gathered up my stuff before going inside to change. I had just pulled my pants up when I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine. I left my fly open as I grabbed my phone and sent her a photo. Two can play this game darling. 

Laceria's POV

My time being alone in the pool only lasted me twenty seven minutes. "Enjoying yourself mo leughadair," he asked me. My reader, is what he called me. The way he says it was a term of endearment and I really loved it. "Certainly mo ghaisgeach," I said to him. He was my warrior. 

I let my eyes travel over his shirtless body that was in swimming trunks. He got in the pool and came over to the floaty I was lounging on. I slipped into the water and he pulled me to him. "I truly enjoyed the photos you so thoughtfully sent me." I smiled as I wrapped my legs around his waist, "I would be offended if you didn't." "So what made you think it would be a good idea to tease me," he asked me curiously. "You were doing plenty of teasing when you were training," I said to him. "So I thought it was fair that I get you back." He gave a low chuckle, "Is that so?" 

His eyes then traveled over me, "If only we were in private. Then I would properly teach you what it's like to be teased." I bit my lip, "Is that so?" He nodded, his eyes watching my lips, "It is." He then lowered his head to kiss me and I was all for it. 

The kiss had just deepened, when there was screaming coming from the castle. We turned and saw that the windows had completely blackened. We got out of the water and ran to the castle. The castle was pitch black and those things that had attacked Lui were everywhere. I summoned my wind magic, and dove into battle while Atros had to find a weapon. Just how in the hell did this even fucking happen? 

Balthazar's POV

My sword slashed through another one while Azula froze a handful of them and shattered them with her staff. "How are they even here and what happened to the windows," she asked with a growl. "My guess is my brother," I answered. "That much is obvious mo ghoal," she said. "What I mean is why?" "That is a good question," I said to her. We cleared out our hallway and found Yulen, Lui, and Laceria fighting in the foyer. Atros and Terris were taking out some in another part of the hallway. Azula's brothers were most likely scattered about. 

Most of the Legion were at the war camp we had set up not far from the castle, but those that were here were helping as well as the guards. Soon animals, no shifters, were assisting. I recognized the dark brown wolf of Mokoto. He had a wound in his shoulder, but he was still pushing on. As I fought, I looked back to the kids, and I saw Yulen received claw marks in his side, Lui had them in his left leg, and Laceria on her stomach. They were still fighting though. 

Azula and I also had received minor injuries. By the end of the fight, it was a blood bath. Luckily though, none of us were dead, just injured. Our windows were still dark though. Everyone who fought had gathered in the foyer for assessment. "Very impressive," a familiar voice said. We snapped our eyes to the direction it was coming from. Deckland was floating above us, lounging lazily. I growled and launched myself at him without thinking. He was gone a second later. "Careful Balthazar. This is just a projection of me," he said with a chuckle, appearing behind me from where I flapped, hovering in the air.

I turned to face him. "What was the meaning of this," I asked him. "I wanted to test all of you. You're all very impressive, I will give you that. But the question is, will you be impressive enough by the time the war comes? I guess we'll have to wait and see." Then his projection left and the windows went back to normal.

We had to find him before it was too late. If this was just a taste, I didn't want to know what the war would be like.