GRAVICTA

CHAPTER 25.

Closing my eyes as I fly slowly, letting the cool air brush against my skin. We've been flying for almost the whole day and yet no one has made any attempt to talk. Zed has successfully kept his distance from me so far and it stings. Even Puffer has decided to remain quiet since we caught up with the three yesterday.

I try not letting it all get to me. Instead, I wonder how the City of the Fallens will treat us. I have a feeling they will hate us for everything we've done to them. I haven't even asked Mrs Purplestorm if she'll maybe cast the same spell we used in sneaking out of the City of the Frees.

"Hey uhm, how are you?" I hear Zed's voice whisper in my head.

"Look who decided to check up on me." I place my palms together and reply sarcastically, opening my eyes to glare at him.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to say or do." He sighs, not breaking eye contact with me.

"Maybe a hello?" I say and he looks away briefly, facing the ground.

"I was just trying to keep you all safe," he says faintly as he looks back at me.

"I don't need you protecting me always. All I want is to spend time with you but I guess it's too much right?" I watch as he flinches slightly, his flight speed reducing a bit.

"I'm sorry Eve. I can't handle seeing you, knowing you are mad at me," he says and I shake my head.

"You should have thought about that before you even considered leaving the city without telling me," I say as I fly faster, separating my palms.

"Eva please," he pleads but I don't bother replying.

Buttertooth looks back at me and nods as if letting me know that she knows what just happened. I smile as I catch up with her, leaving Zed behind.

"Are you okay?" She asks and I nod.

"Part of me is telling me that I should give him a chance but then another part is telling me to forget about him," I mumble loud enough for only her to hear.

"What part of you is talking louder?" She jokes and even though I'm a little bit sad, I actually laugh and I'm grateful she's with me.

"I don't know you dummy. I just feel like every time we get things going smoothly between us, something spoils it," I explain, looking at the ground as it goes by quickly.

"I really think you should just put up with him till after this whole devil thing he's doing. I'm sure he's just stressed," she says with a soft smile.

"But he doesn't get that I too have a role to play in this whole devil thing he's doing," I say and she laughs.

"Eva you love attention though. Chill and do whatever you have to do and once this is over, you two can talk about it." She smiles brightly and it gets so contagious that I smile too.

"Thanks babe," I say and she simply nods.

"Okay we're here," Mrs Purplestorm calls out and I look ahead to see the front gates of the city.

"Okay we walk from here," Decklan says and we land.

It only takes about ten minutes before we get to the front gates and Decklan talks to the guards, leaving me anticipating what the city really looks like or how they'll react when they see us. A few moments later, he comes back and the gates open for us.

"This is it," Buttertooth says from beside me and I nod nervously before making my way inside.

The city is big too and I can see so many black winged angels everywhere. Apart from Decklan and Katlaine, I haven't actually seen a black winged angel and it's amazing seeing so many. Some of them stare at us in awe while some looked surprised.

"They don't look so bad," Buttertooth says, smiling as she waves a group of boys who are already hitting on her.

"Yeah sure." Puffer deadpans and I realize this is one of the only few times I've heard his voice since we found Zed, if I actually heard it before.

"Hey c'mon now. Don't be jealous Puffy." Buttertooth smirks as she taps his cheeks.

"I'm not," he mutters and shuts his mouth again.

Katlaine walks up to him and places a kiss on his cheek and smiles. "He's not jealous cause I'm clearly here."

As desperate and stupid as that sounded, I struggle against talking but Buttertooth isn't finding it funny. She glares at Katlaine and then looks at Puffer who doesn't seem to know what is going on. She sighs and walks up to me, grabbing my arm and walking away, following Decklan as we advance.

"Can you just believe that bitch?" She says angrily.

"I'm so sorry about that. I know she said she was going after Puffer but I just didn't expect her to act the way she did," I say and she heaves a sigh before calming down.

"It's not your fault. I'm sorry for calling your big sister a bitch," she says and I smile.

"But she is one," I say, causing her to smile too. "Just do whatever you have to do to make her know that you don't intend to let her have him. Just don't kill her or anything."

She laughs as she shakes her head gently. "I wouldn't kill her. At least not yet."

I roll my eyes as she winks at me and that only causes her to laugh harder. I'm glad she's fine and I hope this whole drama doesn't get out of hand because then I wouldn't know what to do or say. My sister, even if I just met her, fighting with my best friend would be hard to handle.

"Welcome to the City of the Fallens." A familiar voice drags me out of my thoughts. "We weren't expecting visitors but I'm glad you're here."

I look up to see who it is and when I look back at Zed, he's smiling and folding his arms. I'm sure he's glad to see her again after she left the City of the Frees. She flies towards him and hugs him warmly, her white wings still looking new despite her age.

Zed breaks the hug and stares at her, searching every bit of her body before smiling again. "I'm glad to see that you're okay grandma."