Page 72 of The Last Guardian

“Want to bet?” I challenged, arching a brow.

Dax let out another laugh. “Alright, I’m going. Good luck.” He looked at Zaidkiel and me, then turned his head towards us. “To both of you.” His footsteps faded, echoing on the rocky ground as he left.

Zaidkiel and I stayed silent for what felt like eternity, his eyes looking down at me from his height.

“Are you frustrated, Princess?” The bastard smirked again. “Wasn’t my bed comfortable enough last night?”

I clenched my jaw, crossing my arms in the process, feeling my blood rising on my cheeks, ready to snarl at him. I opened my mouth, my nails digging into my palm, but Zaidkiel spoke before me.

“Oh, I had almost forgotten.” Zaidkiel reached into his back pocket and handed me a piece of paper nonchalantly. “This arrived this afternoon.”

Raising my eyebrows, chin high, I spat, “What’s this?”

“I did what you asked.” Zaidkiel shrugged, the paper still in his hand, his fingers playing with it. “I can keep your brother’s answer if you⁠—”

I took the piece of paper before he could finish, unfolding it as my eyes fell on Arthur’s handwriting.

I will look after Lyra.

— Arthur.

Panting, my trembling hands shook the thin paper. I let out a sigh of relief. The feeling lingered for a moment. When my gaze found Zaidkiel’s again, the anger built up in a second.

“You’re welcome,” the commander said, playfully.

“Fuck you!” I snorted, putting the letter in my pocket. “Why did you not tell me you would send one? You left me here—” I stopped and closed my eyes, trying to steady my pounding heart. Trying to calm the anger rising inside me.

The commander didn’t look away. He stared—just stared. The corner of his mouth twitched. “It’s rather fun to catch you off guard when you’re nervous.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but then his voice softened, just for a heartbeat. And it made me wonder. Was he teasing me to ease my nerves? Every mocking remark, playful smirk… Zaidkiel always taunted me when my nervousness got the better of me.

Something stirred deep in my core, a heat I didn’t want to acknowledge. I shook my head, forcing it down, not letting it linger too long.

I drew in a shaky breath, letting it out slowly, my chest rising and falling. “How—” I paused, frowning, deliberately ignoring the impact of this realization. “How did the letter arrive so fast?”

Zaidkiel shrugged. “I have my ways.”

I stared at him with a blank look.

Then, he added, “Magic can be effective for that sort of matter.”

“Even in Perygan?”

“We found ways to make it work,” Zaidkiel said, clearly annoyed by the conversation.

How? I wanted to ask. But before I could open my mouth, the commander took a step closer to me and spoke. “Not that I don’t love talking about your brother, or your letters to each other, but would you care to continue the Rite?”

The air shifted as Zaidkiel’s warmth brushed against my skin, taking my breath away in the process. “You are an impatient man.”

“I like efficiency.” Zaidkiel grimaced, scraping his voice low. “And you ask a lot of questions, all the time.”

“If you took the time to answer those questions, maybe I would eventually stop asking them,” I said, arching a brow.

Zaidkiel laughed—a rich, deep sound that sent shivers down my spine, vibrating through me. His eyes twinkled with amusement as he dragged a hand through his silken hair.

“Noted. I’ll make time to indulge that curious mind of yours, Princess.” He grinned. With another step, he closed the distance between us. His chest brushed mine, close enough that I had to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. “Now, shall we begin?”

I WAS FALLING again.