𝐄𝐃𝐄𝐍 The Last Witch

Eighteen

He better treat her right, I'll rip his heart out.

"There they are!" I hear Talon shout from afar.

Jericho and Damien are quick to greet us, a scowl on both their faces as they wait for an explanation as to where these two were.

"Well?"

"Why don't you answer, Eden?" Ciaran laughs, my face turning red at the reminder of the horrors I just witnessed.

"Shut it." Kiana whispers to him harshly.

A huge grin makes its way onto Damien's face. "No way. You two held everyone up to fuck."

"I can't resist her beauty." Ciaran declares in a teasing tone.

"Okay, I've heard enough, let's go inform everyone they've been found and we can move out. We need to regroup and decide when is best to try to take on the mortal kingdom that Aries currently rules." Jericho says sternly, but his eyes tell a different story.

He's happy for Ciaran. I wonder what happened to Ciaran's mate. Him and Talon never did find their mates in time.

He would out live Kiana..

No, stop. If Kiana is happy and aware of what she's doing then I trust her judgement.

I remain silent as everyone but Kiana walks away to inform the others it's time to move on. Once we're as alone as we're going to get a glance over at her.

"Don't grin at me like that, you're creeping me out." Kiana says as she looks at me out of the corner of her eye.

"You and Ciaran, huh?" I say, ignoring her little jab at me.

She begins picking at her nails, something she does when nervous, though it's a rare occasion.

"It just kind of happened.. All the late nights staying up together going over battle plans, writing up treaties and negotiations in order to receive aid from others. We slowly became each other's constant, and despite how he came off when I first met him, he's the sweetest man I've ever met." Kiana looks up at the sky as she speaks, her eyes dreamy and her tone soft.

"I'm happy for you, Kiana." I grasp her hand in mind, giving it a light squeeze to draw her attention. She smiles at me before bringing me into a tight hug.

"I've fallen for a man I can't quite keep, haven't I?" She whispers in my ear before pulling away, her eyes betraying her calm voice.

"Oh, Kiana-"

"Eden! Kiana! We're heading out!" Ciaran interrupts me from afar.

We look in his direction before silently making our way towards the others as we begin our short journey back to the underworld.

Kiana doesn't bring up our conversation, and I'm not sure how to try to strike the subject up again without coming across as nosey. But I worry about my friend.

She deserves a happy life.

The journey back goes without a hitch, all of us arriving back exhausted, immediately going separate ways once all the weapons and animals of various sorts are all back where they're supposed to be.

I meet Jericho and Damien in our room, both of them already stripping down in the bathroom, getting ready to bathe.

I wordlessly join them, my heart still heavy after everything we witnessed.

After our failure.

Jericho turns on the hot water as Damien helps me undress, all of us squeezing into the large bathtub together, sensing the need for simple closeness.