Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~TWENTY FIVE~~

Franx. Just Franx.

"Oh." I deflated somewhat.

"Wow, okay, that's a new way to be greeted," he said with wide eyes. He feigned a stab wound to the chest and knelt on the ground. "How dare thee wound me with such a word?"

I grinned and pulled him up by the shoulders. "Okay, hand them over. I need to see what they feel like."

Franx, with his shaggy brown hair and large green eyes, was about as much a blacksmith as a sheep was a wolf. But while he didn't have the same strength or abilities as his father, he had a voice that could make men weep and a way with words that would trick even a King.

He held out the brown package to me and I cradled it to my chest. "Thanks. Let your father know I'll be round when I get back to tell him how they go."

He gave me a salute and ran off, followed by my laughter. I headed back inside and almost leapt out of my skin.

"Leraj?! Did you climb through my window?" I screeched, glaring at him.

He lounged on my bed, face blank. "How else would I have made it in if you were blocking the door?"

I grounded my teeth together and lobbed the vambraces at him. He caught them against his stomach.

"You have some nerve, showing up here," I growled, walking over to my bed.

He moved the vambraces out of the way and sat up. "Don't pretend that you didn't want me to."

"After what you said to me, you bet your ass that I wanted you here just so I could scream at you again for how- how completely and utterly dumb you are being."

I glared at him from above, he glared up. For a few tense seconds this continued before he stood and cupped my face and ran a thumb along my lips.

"You have to understand, Estra. I'm not saying these things to keep you from getting revenge. I just... I don't want you to get hurt."

I dropped my head onto his shoulder. "I know," I murmured, giving him a playful nip at his neck.

"Promise me. Promise me you won't do anything reckless. That you'll come back to me."

"I promise," I whispered. I sealed the deal with a kiss, my fingers feather light on his neck. He gathered me into his arms, kissing me long and hard, both gentle and rough.

He held me tight all night, one hand over my waist, the other holding tight my left hand, foreheads touching. He always looked so peaceful when he slept and I left feather kisses on his nose and lips. He barely even stirred and the faintest smile graced my lips.

I was lucky to have him. Luckier than I should be. Friends for nigh on five years now, it was him that kept me going through all this. When at last my eyelids fluttered shut, it was to drag me into my one living hell.

"Mum! Dad!" I screamed, tripping and stumbling through what remained of the courtyard. Water sploshed through my boots, water tainted red from the broken bodies lying face down.

I tightened my grip on my small sword, heart beating faster. The houses around me were burning, the world was burning. It was so hot I couldn't breathe, the smoke taking away all my oxygen.

They couldn't be dead. They just couldn't.

I shouldn't have left this morning to train. I should have stayed home.

I rounded the corner and stopped short. My eyes widened and a tortured scream left my throat. The sword slipped through my fingers before my knees hit the ground.

A roaring inferno engulfed the house, the wood black as the darkest night. Framed by those flames stood a man with a broken sword in hand. He took a few steps back then turned to face me.

I woke gasping, my hand clutching at my chest. My heart fluttered quickly before reverting back to a normal, fast paced rhythm. Hands clutched me and I sunk into his arms. Leraj held tight, soothing me with soft murmurs and kisses.

I sobbed into his chest, holding at tight as possible.

It had been some time since that nightmare. I'd stopped having it the day we set foot within the academy grounds and I'd sworn to destroy the sins.

For even though I could not remember his face, I could remember the tattoo on his shoulder. The dragon eating its own tail.

The Dragon's Sin of Wrath. 

A/N: Hey guys, we are gearing up for the showdown between Estra and the sins so stay tuned for the chapters to come! 

Let me know your thoughts below on the chapter - I appreciate everything you have to say about it.