Figment of Dreams
Mood

I had woken up at the wrong side of the bed. Everything sucked this morning. I even contemplated telling Sky I was sick so I could stay in bed all day. I had been thinking about Aria and Kai all night and it had seriously messed up my entire mood. To make matters worse we were having the annual fit drill at the college. Everyone would be going through a series of tests to determine ones physical strength and general health. A thing Rainers did once a year, to make sure they were still up to par to beat some fae.

I was so not up to par. Not today.

Dragging my feet behind me towards the edge of the woods, following a silent Sky. She knew to leave me alone when I was like this and had halted her chattering quickly when she had noticed my angry scowl.

The entire faculty was lined up. I spotted Ash in his all black jogging gear, tight fitting black wifebeater eating his muscles. White hair in a tight manbun. He was wearing a red whistle around his neck and a smirk when he spotted me. Dean was next to him, same outfit on. He whispered something in his best friends’ ear which made both of them chuckle. Oak was standing next to them, a little bit in front. Chris next to him. Both of them in expensive dark blue training gear, as if they were hosting the Olympics. The other professors were all there too but I had no time to assess them since Miss Holbrook rang her whistle so loud I nearly jumped out of my skin.

‘Everyone! Line up. Quickly!’ she slapped her palms together. Her red hair wild and unkept as if she had just been setting up this thing. ‘We don’t have all day!’

I stood behind Olive, Sky behind me. Lined up in front of Dean’s queue.

Miss Holbrook continued. ‘The day starts with the ten mile jog. There will be a reward for the first five finishers.’ She motioned toward Dean, he would be guide the jog today. ‘Followed by the Briareve obstacle course.’ She pointed at Ash. He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. ‘To finish up we will merge both scores and see who comes out at top. Remember, this counts for your final grades as well.’ She scraped her throat. ‘Good luck!’

Someone’s whistle went off and I spotted Sebastian in front, tailing Dean’s white buzzcut. Sebastian would not want to disappoint his greatest critic today. I took of too. Seemingly confident in this part of the day, because I was good at running. Even Ash had told me he was impressed with my endurance. Coming from a Rainer that said a lot.

With slightly dragging feet I still managed to remain in the best half of the group. I never once lost sight of Dean’s white buzzcut, which was some sort of beacon for me in the misty morning that was today.

After my shower, there was this official end of the yearly drill dinner and party hosted by the faculty. Still sore from the horrors they had put us through I made myself walk to the event like and old lady. I was wearing a dark blue playsuit and my favorite pair of light brown pumps. Hair loose and wild, because it took to much effort to lift my hands up to style it. Make-up was a little bit more on the heavy side around the eyes than I was used too. But I figured I needed the extra magic today to hide the fact I was internally dying of tiredness.

‘You look hot!’ Olive whistled from behind her champagne flute. She handed me one and motioned towards Bronn and Sky who were arguing about the appetizers.

‘You don’t take two at a time, who raised you?’ Sky squealed.

‘Well excuse me. I was not raised with a golden Briareve spoon!’ Bronn quipped. ‘And I’m hungry after a day like today.’ Couldn’t agree more. A plate of little pieces of red fish came by and I quickly grabbed two. Sky gave me a look, eyebrow raised and I quickly handed one of them to Olive.

A Rainer I had never seen before made his way to our group. He was tall, dark and handsome. A slight Asian tilt to his eyes and a certain regalness that couldn’t be ignored. He walked proud and leisurely as if he was bored. His hair a short, neat hairstyle with slightly longer tips.

‘Sky, Olive.’ He greeted them first. ‘Bronn.’ He said with less enthusiasm before turning to me. ‘Nice to meet you, I’m Eowren Mason.’ Olive’s older brother. I had heard a few stories about him. He used to teach at the academy too, but he took a gap year after his one true mate had died. She had been killed by fae and had been in the Razz Moros squad of Dean and Asher back in the day. He was also not a big fan of Bronn and Olive’s relationship.

‘Wren!’ Olive squealed. Quickly gave me her champagne flute and hugged her brother. I heard Bronn muttering something under his breath. ‘You are back!’

‘I am.’ He stated and patted her back. Genuine affection reaching his eyes.

Olive turned to me. ‘This is Lux Elmrose.’

‘The girl from earth.’ He answered.

‘The girl from Caros now.’ I replied. He smiled took my hand and kissed it. ‘My pleasure.’

I felt like blushing, which was ridiculous.

He turned to sky. ‘Where is your knuckleheaded brother at?’ He obviously couldn’t possibly be referring to Oak.

Sky turned her glass towards the right corner, where the white haired devils pawn standing by the bar, was letting out a bouldering laugh at what Dean was saying. I smiled. He glanced my way and raised his glass as if he could tell I had been looking at him.

He spotted Eowren and froze a little. Surprised in a good or bad way? I couldn’t tell. He patted Dean’s shoulder and started walking our way. Upon arrival at our group he made it a point to stand between Wren and me. His hand on my lower back. ‘Hi everyone.’ He dryly added. ‘Eowren.’

The latter nodded coldly. Gave his close proximity to me a even colder once over.

Ok, not surprised in a good way.

By the way he had called Asher a knucklehead a moment ago I had assumed they were friendly.

‘Are you back at the academy?’ Ash said. His fingers pressing in deeper, warming my back. I instinctively stepped closer to his side. Fighting the urge to wrap my hands around him too.

Next to me Sky and Bronn had started arguing again and Olive had been claimed by Nexxar, who had a story to tell about his classmate who had fallen down the cliff earlier today.

‘I am.’ Eowren said. Took a flute from a passing tray and sipped. ‘I decided I’m back and going to give this professor thing another go.’

Asher nodded. ‘Welcome back.’ But it lacked all love.

‘You are taking the magic classes, Lux?’ he addressed me. I opened my mouth to respond.

‘She is still in basics.’ Ash said. ‘Magical theory and Magical potions one.’

‘How is it going?’ He ignored Ash who was getting more stoic by the minute. I had no clue what the issue was here but I was dying to replace out.

‘Fairly well I guess. For a human I’m supposed to be keeping up great.’

’Good. I can offer you some extra credit and extra help if you like. All friends of Asher are mine.’ He put the emphasize on friends, baiting him. He had basically said out loud that we were a thing and he knew. Even though we really weren’t a thing at all, or where we?

‘She is perfectly fine. But thank you.’

‘She has a voice.’ I added. Stepped away from him. ‘Thank you for the offer.’ I addressed Wren. I was not about to be rude to someone who was a brother to one of my closest friend. Ash gave me a dark look.

‘Well, I’ll see you around.’ Eowren tipped his head and darted over to another group.

I opened my mouth to speak to Ash but he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside to the little patio thing next to the Dunnager. It was empty. A few abandoned tables and some fairy lights. The chill of the night getting to me. He kept walking in front of me while removing his leather jacket, he stopped, turned, put it over my shoulders without a word and kept walking to the farthest table. He sat down. I walked to the chair next to him but he pulled me unto his lap. His hand around my head and the other under my chin, he kissed me. He full on kissed me. I let out this embarrassing little moan and kissed him back. His full lips playing with mine and our tongues dancing. My hands were on his chest, feeling his heartbeat frantically going crazy. I was doing this to him. After the hot springs we had not addressed anything until now. I had been dreaming of this.

‘Sweetheart, you drive me crazy.’ He groaned against my mouth before claiming it again and biting my lower lip, making all parts of my body squirm. ‘A-ash.’ I mumbled. Gave him a few pecks. ‘W-what was that?’

‘Just missed you, sweet cheeks.’ he added before pecking me too.

‘Not this!’ I smiled and he kissed my nose. ’That inside. With Eowren.’

‘Don’t say his name.’ He growled and kissed me again, dirty and passionate. It continued for a few more minutes. If we weren’t careful I’d be fucking him out here in the open. As he hands kneaded my ass and his mouth was doing all kinds of things to my neck I stopped him. ‘We are in public.’ My voice low and horny. Betraying me.

He chuckled but continued sucking. ‘I want you.’ He added before biting me.

‘Ash!’

He chuckled. ‘You’re mine.’

I slapped his shoulder. ‘I’m not yours.’ And I was still officially together with Kai.

‘You are. Come back with me tonight, Lux.’

Was he propositioning me right now? Is this really happening?

‘I will not do such a thing.’ I sighed. Stepped off his lap and sat down in front of him. He adjusted himself. Our knees touching. My white haired god has never looked as good as he did now, with lust and love in his eyes for me. I must have been crazy to turn him down.

‘I want to know what the deal with Eowren is.’ I changed the subject.

Ash sighed deeply.

‘I want you to stay away from him.’ His voice a deep rasp.

‘Kind of difficult if he’s my professor and answer my question, Asher.’ I stared firmly in his eyes. He hesitated.

’During our Razz Moros days, Dean and I worked with his fiancé Yenn. She was a really good first shooter and was a vital part of our team. In my younger years I was quite morally ambiguous.’ He casually added. I rolled my eyes at that statement.

‘You mean morally promiscuous.’ I had heard all the stories, most of them made me incredibly jealous.

He snorted, ignoring me. ’I got into a… relationship with Yenn. I’m not proud of it.’ He added truthfully.

‘While she was with Eowren Mason.’

’While she was engaged to Eowren Mason.’ That also explained why Olive was so harsh on Ash sometimes.

I let that sink in for a few moments. ‘Olive told me that she died. Do you want to talk about it?’ I also felt that Yenn was more than just one of his many one night stands, which made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. I really did not want to hear how he had cared about someone else.

’Our team, led by Mark Welkin, was ambushed one day by the fae. Yenn and I were supposed to stand guard. We were otherwise occupied and I let my own moral ambiguity almost kill my entire squad. If it wasn’t for Dean, no one would have walked out of those woods that evening. Yenn died in my arms in the Brimwood Forrest and was the only casualty.’

‘I’m sorry Ash.’ I grabbed his hand and squeezed.

‘Even though she wasn’t my mate she had been one of my best friends for a long time. I cared for her.’

The pain was still clear on his face.

‘I quit the squad right after. Dean had covered for me and nobody knew what really happened. That it was my fault. Dean left soon after I gave my resignation. We always suspected Mark knew somehow.’

I whistled. ‘That explains the earlier exchange a little bit better.’

‘No.’

‘No?’

‘No. You don’t understand. Eowren is a Prime Mage. One of the few half-Rainers on Caros with powerful magic. He is dangerous, Lux. He also knows about the affair and that it got Yenn killed. She was his mate. They only had one as fae all do. They only had each other in this lifetime.’ He stared at his feet before glancing into my eyes again. ‘I took everything from him. He will try to do the same to me.’

‘I’m not sure I understand.’

‘He knows I care about you, sweetheart. Even though we aren’t mates. He has locked in on his target now.’

‘Well you should have played it more coolly back there if that’s the case.’ Big handsome idiot.

‘He knew already. That’s why he made it a point to glance my way before walking to your side. Dean told me.’

‘I see.’