Adalia watched as Xander’s lips moved, each second a word left his lips she wondered if it would be his last.
“I love you and I think we should get married right now. Your father is sick and this was his wish for you,” he was grasping at straws but depending on Adalia’s blind sense of duty to be on his side.
She marveled at how the words seemed to easily slide off his tongue. He didn’t seem the least bit troubled or bothered that she didn’t want anything to do with him. Adalia could feel her temper flaring, as she wondered how he could try to kill her father and still ask for her hand in marriage. Frustrated and stymied shot Archer a glance, begging him to come to her side, if he wanted his plan to push through without a hitch.
***
Archer saw the glint of silver as Adalia pulled out her sword. He ran to her side and pulled her away. “I need to discuss something with you.”
“Two more seconds and he would be lying headless in a pool of his own blood,” she growled through clenched teeth.
“You are right Archer she is fierce,” he chuckled. “Would you like to let off some steam?”
“I would love to,” Adalia led them to the balcony. “I think the space here is enough.”
Archer looked at how close the edge was. He couldn’t fly and he hadn’t told Adalia yet. “Its fine,” he lied.
“No it’s not. I think you better sit this one out Archer,” Samson dumped his coat and drew out his sword. “Are you ready?”
“I was born ready.”
“Wait a minute,” Archer blocked Samson’s path.
“You said she was tough,” Samson asked confused.
“I am. Get out of the way Archer,” she didn’t draw her sword. She watched Samson as he stalked around her. She watched how he moved his legs, his arms and how he held his sword.
Samson was smiling but then a shadow crossed over his face and his expression immediately closed. He attacked Adalia but she ducked. He tried to get her to fight back but nothing he did would get her to draw out her sword, until finally he lunged at her. Adalia turned around with great speed enhanced by her wings. She folded in her wings and pulled put her sword stopping Samson’s in its path and breaking it in half.
Stunned, Samson dropped his useless blade and began to clap. “She is fierce. Where did you learn that?”
“My father always wanted a son first. I was two years old before my brother was born. I was his substitute,” she said the sword back in its sheath.
“Feeling better?” Archer asked wrapping his arms around her. He breathed in the scent of her hair and it was like he had just taken in a breath of cleansing air. “I missed holding you like this.”
“And I missed being held,” although she loved how he felt, she had to separate herself from him. “Why did Samson ask you to sit out, did he think you wouldn’t fight fair?”
“No, it’s just that I have an injury,” he flexed his left shoulder and he could still feel how soar it was. “I can’t fly.”
“What? Why?” she smoothed her hand over his back.
“When I was attacked my left wing was nicked. I can’t use it,” he felt frustrated, defeated by his own body. “So if I fell I wouldn’t be able to fly back up.”
“This is a problem. You can’t be in the fight against Xander and the rebels,” she shook her head.
“I can still fight.”
“It doesn’t matter. You won’t be able to save yourself if he throws you off high ground or something,” she shook her head once more. “I won’t allow it.”
“You can’t stop me.”
“Don’t push me because I will tell your father.”
Just then Randi walked into their spiff. “Father wants to see you, the both of you.”
They went to Gabrielle’s room and everyone seemed to be assembled there. Adalia leaned back into a wall, she was exhausted and the little fight she had with Samson wore her out even more. But even though she felt tired she knew she had to tell her father about Xander and she dreaded it.
“I was walking in the woods one day, looking for berries. Lola loves them,” Fiona started telling them her involvement with Xander. But each memory she dug up, a new frown line formed in her face. “I met him, we started talking and I brought him back to the colony. He said he was one of the soldiers sent to protect the people who lived in the woods. Anyway we were together for a while. We were happy, he always talked about Adalia,” she couldn’t disguise the distaste she felt when she said her name; “he said he had to get back to her.”
“Long story short, he took over the rebels and tried to kill Archer and he’s been slowly poisoning you,” Samson wrapped it up in one bow.
“She hates me,” Adalia whispered into Archer’s ears when Fiona’s gaze got too uncomfortable.
“She doesn’t know you.”
“I almost gave my daughter away to a traitor and a murderer,” Gabrielle moaned once everything had been explained to him.