Bounded To You (Star-Crossed)

Chapter 40 - Risks

"Fine." Lucius glared before sitting back, arms folded over his chest as he glared at the seat in front of him. After another five minutes Lucius turned to Noah again as he said, "I can't sleep alone, Noah, and you know that." After a moment Noah turned to look at Lucius who was glaring at him. Noah gulped before he let out a heavy sigh.

"If there were guns..."

"I will run the other direction." Lucius finished for Noah.

"Swords?" Noah asked.

"I will fight till my arms can't hold one then escape." Lucius said.

"Arrows?"

"I'll duck." Lucius said.

"Magic?" Noah asked.

"I will use you as shield." Lucius said with a snort.

"And if I say something for your safety?"

Lucius rolled his eyes as he said, "I'll listen... Or at least try to." He smirked. Noah looked at him for a moment longer before he held a hand out for him, but Lucius didn't take it, instead moving closer to his side, wrapping his arms around him as he nuzzled his neck. "I really just wanted to be with you." Lucius whispered.

"I know." Noah breathed, tilting his head against Lucius's, "I do. But I can't help worrying."

***

"Atrabilious, go bring them back." Lazarus said once he stopped pacing, Ira had woken them up when she felt them pass through her barrier.

Atrabilious was about to head to the door when Logan grabbed his arm, saying, "No."

"I thought I was clear, Logan. What I say goes. No questions." Lazarus glared.

Logan nodded as he replied, "And I will follow your command to the letter. But not this one. Have you ever wondered why dragons are extinct?"

"They kept losing their mates?" Tobias guessed.

"The dragon slayer." Edmur corrected.

"He killed 35 dragons in his lifetime." Logan said, "Have you ever wondered why his name wasn't mentioned?"

"There better be a point to this." Lazarus said.

"Because they didn't want to validate any of the mad mages, especially after their capture. That is why not a single mad mage's name is remembered to this day. But I remember. I remember because when I was the general of the king's army I had put away more than 2 dozen mad mages. I remember because the strongest between them, Ruben, the dragon slayer was one of them." Lazarus's frown deepened when Logan's eyes met his, "The reason Atrabilious isn't dead, the reason he didn't know I was entrapped in the Guntler of Ruin was because he was banned from any battles fought against the dragon slayer. The king wanted his dragon to stay alive, knowing he would need his power elsewhere. I will not allow putting his life at risk-..."

"I wouldn't want that either, but they will be in danger if we don't bring them back and he is the quickest way to get to them." Lazarus said.

"Forgive me for saying this, but if King Lucius dies he will be reborn, unlike Ray. We will need him, but not at this moment. He is powerful. Very much so, but he needs the backup of a strong mage in order to defeat that man. That is why I didn't argue with him going out on supply runs because Noah is with them. Ruben commands a creature that is more powerful than a dragon, summons it with his magic. He calls it the shadow beast. I have seen it with my own eyes, and it is so powerful it took down an entire city in a night." The grim look on Logan's face made Lazarus hesitate.

"Perhaps he is right, Lazarus-..." Ira started saying when he turned to her with a glare.

"I will not sit by this time merely waiting. They went for a fight! They will get hurt if not worse!" Lazarus exclaimed, "It is as if none of you care about yourselves enough to understand the risk! Stop doing whatever the hell you want! It is not a game!" He groaned loudly before he marched out of the room, grumbling profanities as he went.