DORIAN

It has been one day since I have left with the witches. We are camped out for the night. I am sitting down with my back against a tree, looking at the stars. I cannot think about anything but Manon's Second judging me. Everything I do. As if judging if I am worthy of something. Doesn't she have better things to do than look at me, like maybe guarding the parimeters? As if she could smell my irritation, I could feel, rather than see, that smirk grow. That's it.

My eyes go to her black eyes with gold flakes.

"I know I am quite the sight to see, but don't you have better things to do?" All those witch's eyes snapped towards me, except Manon's. She looked rather bored. But I think she was still thinking about what happened to Aelin. Probably going over different scenarios in her head. She picked the best one. But I don't say it.

Asterin let out a low laugh, and pushes off the tree trunk and mocks a bow. "My apologies, Majesty, but I am doing my job."

Manon tensed, took a side glance at both of us, and said simply to Asterin, "I wouldn't push him."

Asterin whipped her head to her leader, "I was with you when you saved his life the first time, and I paid the price when you saved him a second time. I take that as a right to get to know him."

The rest of the Thirteen seemed confused. They didn't know about how she saved me the first time, then.

Manon formed a thin line at the disrespect, but shrugged and simply said, "Just remember I warned you."

I gave a soft smile and said, "Get to know me? Well, you could have said that a while ago. I am sure there is a nice quiet spot out in the woods." I rake my eyes slowly down her body and then back up.

She caught my brief hesitation at her stomach, she misses nothing it seems as she spun around to face Manon and seethed, "You told him!"

I glanced around and half the Thirteen were now even more confused. They aren't like normal ladies who gossip and share secrets. Weird.

Before Manon could say anything, I respond, "She did not. An ilken came to Manon and said you were dead, this was the proof" I pick the piece of black leather I forgot I had out of my pocket and saw Asterin's eyes go right to it, wanting it, so I gently float it over to her hands and drop it. I continue, "He…It said that Erawan had tortured you, and to make it more believable said a particular thing about you it seems not even some of your coven knows."

Asterin stayed quiet as she stared at it for a bit, then put it on her. Then she prowled over, and gracefully sat across from me. "Tell me what really happened that day when the witches sacked your city, and about how Manon came into Aelin Galathynius' group."

I look around and see the witches inch closer, and I look at Manon, and she nodded.

"When the witches came, they were wearing yellow, not like the black your coven wears. I killed a few with my magic, but as I was unexperienced, and used so much magic at one time, I was drained very quickly. A witch crashed through my castle behind me, and she was in between me and my only way of escaping. The wyvern hit me with its poisonous tail, and I was paralyzed for the moment. One second, the witch was getting off her wyvern, the next her head was rolling off her body, and a second wyvern killed the wyvern that had just poisoned me. Then, Manon was telling me to get up and flee. So I did. Prince Rowan was there to kill four more of the yellow-colored witches as I was escaping the castle, and almost killed Manon if I didn't tell him to stop. I asked Manon to join us, which she did not. So, I left with Rowan."

None of the Thirteen looked surprised at this so I assumed they already guessed what happened that day.

"A few weeks later, we spot a lone wyvern coming straight for us. We do not know how he found us, but he did. We saw a witch that laid unconscious in the saddle, and as the wyvern was getting close to our ship, Manon fell into the water," A few of her Thirteen tensed and I shrugged as I said, "so, I dove in after her and got her…"

A hiss. Manon just hissed at me. I looked at her and my eyes narrowed, "Would you have rather me leave you in the ocean?"

Manon replied with a lethal calm, "No, but you left that little snip bit out when you told me what happened."

Oh, yeah. I did do that. Asterin looked like she was thoroughly enjoying the scene in front of her. But, I'm getting the feeling she finds some sort of private joke at everything. I roll my eyes. And another hiss from Manon. Now Asterin looks like she is really holding in a laugh, along with some of her Thirteen.

I continue with my story. "Aelin and Rowan used their magic to heal her for a week. She finally woke up, in chains." I smirked.

Manon's coven looked like they were going to murder me now. Some itched to their weapons. That part I should have probably left out.

Asterin grin was gone now as she asked, "how skilled are you with that sword of yours?"

MANON

Looking at Dorian's face told her all she needed to know. Asterin could kick his ass without him using his magic. It was his stupid fault for mentioning the chains. Plus, she kind of wanted to see him get knocked in the head for not telling him about him saving her. Manon hated owing people. And maybe she also wanted to see him lose just for raking his eyes all over Asterin, and about that comment of them going out in the woods. She shouldn't care really, but the thought bothered her more than she would ever admit.

Dorian laughed, "I'm afraid I missed most of my lessons."

Manon looked at her iron nails, she would need to sharpen them. She looked up at Dorian and asked out of bored curiosity, "and why is that?"

Dorian signed and replied, "You know, I am such a gentleman, always tending to ladies' needs. It took up much of my time."

Asterin, being so close to him, sniffed, then realizing it wasn't a lie, tilted her head back and laughed. "Well, hopefully you learn something today."

Asterin looked at me and flicked her eyebrows up in a silent question Should I go easy on him? I shook my head no, he can easily heal himself anyways.

They both got up and drew their swords. Well, at least his defensive stance was correct. He still looked like Asterin's prey as she circled him. Manon side-glanced and saw that her Thirteen were taking bets on how long Dorian would last. With her better than average hearing, she could also hear them, none were longer than three minutes.

Asterin attacked. Dorian easily parried, but Asterin used her momentum to kick the back of his leg. Dorian tumbled but got right back up in a defensive stance, and grinned. Asterin just did that to piss him off, but it didn't work.

Asterin attacked again. This time their swords were clashing for a while, but Dorian never attacked, just defended himself.

Then, at once, all the Thirteen heard the noise and got up. In the next second, we were in ranks and I barked the command to the wyverns. The Crochans wouldn't be this far south. And I'm not in the mood to fight anyone unless necessary. We sprinted like hell to the wyverns.

We were all flying soon enough in the clouds for cover, but northwest towards the border of the once Witch Kingdom. No witch, Ironteeth or not, liked being too far away from their home.

Dorian breathed on my neck, "What happened?"

I replied, "Nothing happened. We just heard footsteps and I was not in the mood to investigate."

Dorian, "So we just ran like hell, and it could have been just a few travelers?"

I hissed, I couldn't help it. He just questioned my decision and basically said I was a fool. "No, they were not human footsteps. They were… off. Best guess is they were ilken which means they can fly too. So please be useful and guard our backs with whatever magic of yours."