5. Creed

FIVE

CREED

Iwas eight years old when they stood on my doorstep and declared my father was gone.

Just gone.

Along with his squadron. Decimated, unidentifiable, that’s what they told my mother. I remember hearing the words as though it had happened months ago. That’s what I get for being a curious child with silent and stealthy footsteps that allowed me to go unheard so I could eavesdrop and observe anything and everything I wanted.

Seeing him yesterday was like an arrow to the heart; one of complete awe for five whole seconds. I’d recognize his presence anywhere. The way he dominated a room by simply breathing. It was like he had never left at all.

But he had. And with the enemy, no less.

Now, he’s standing a few steps before me, demanding I follow him alone, and as much as I want to cause a scene, demand this man explain everything to me in front of anyone willing to watch, the other part of me is that same eight-year-old boy that followed this man around like his shadow.

Glancing over my shoulder, my gaze falls to Raven first, watching as anger taints her cheeks pink and her fists clench at her sides. Fuck. She’s everything. It was clear last night that I don’t deserve her and what she did for me; how she willingly exposed herself to keep me out of harm’s way.

I’ll never deserve her. Ever. But that won’t stop me from keeping her anyway. I’m just going to have to give her every piece of me and more in return.

“I’ll be okay, Raven. I’ll meet you guys in class.”

Her eyebrows pinch at my words and she moves to take a step toward me, but Eldon swings an arm around her shoulders before she can get too far and guides her toward the double doors. I don’t move an inch until she’s in the academy building along with my brothers. Only then do I turn back to my father to find he’s continued moving.

I don’t rush to catch up with him. I’ve been unknowingly waiting for over ten years. He can wait an extra ten seconds.

He doesn’t choose to slip inside anywhere. Instead, he stays out in the open, coming to a stop under a large oak tree.

My heart starts to race as I get closer, my chest tightening like a vice as I stand head-on with him. The awe I have cherished in my soul over the memory of this man is tainted by the realization of who and what he is now as I look up at him. I know I’m struggling to see the difference in him. Looking into deep onyx eyes that match my own, he’s the man I loved deeply for as long as I can remember, but when my gaze travels down the length of him, taking in his crimson-stained gold armor, I know he’s not the man who left.

He’s always been a soldier of the Realm, a well-respected man among The Monarchy for the efforts he put into protecting Elevin. Yet he’s here with the enemy, ready to take down the academy that proudly stands on the lands he once fought for. I don’t understand. I don’t think I ever will. But that could likely be because I’m still locked on to the fact that he’s here. Breathing. Alive. Real.

When my eyes reach his once again, he grinds his jaw and the wrinkles around his eyes deepen for a brief moment. “Creed.” My name is raspy on his tongue.

“So you do know who I am then,” I state, a glimmer of Raven’s sass rubbing off on me as I cock a brow at him.

“My loyalties may have changed but my knowledge of my family has not.”

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? His loyalties changed? When? Why? How? Questions spin in my mind but I can’t piece my thoughts and feelings into any semblance of a question that might help me understand.

“We were told you were dead,” I grind out instead, still hearing my mother’s sobs in my thoughts. From that fateful day ten years ago, and last night too. Her hurt and pain at this man’s actions reverberate inside of me.

“I assumed as much.”

I scoff. “You assumed, huh? And that makes it all okay?” Irritation claws at my insides, fury trickling down my spine as my magic zings through my veins.

“Unfortunately, Creed, there is more to this world than just our feelings.”

“Have you always spoken so cryptically? Or is this a new thing you’ve picked up in the Basilica Realm?” I snap, desperate to reach out and shake some damn sense into this man.

“I didn’t bring you aside to discuss emotions, Creed.”

My nostrils flare as I try to take a calming breath, but it’s futile. “I don’t know what else you would expect from me. If you don’t care about how you made everyone feel when you played dead for the past ten years, then please, enlighten me as to what it is you would like to say.”

His arm creaks as he adjusts his stance, hands flexing at his sides as he looks off into the distance for a second before settling back on me. “My loyalty lies with Erikel and the Basilica Realm. Your presence here doesn’t change any of that. You need to stay in line, follow orders, and not get in the way of what it is we’re here to do.”

“What are you here to do?” I ask, still desperately wanting something… more from him.

“That’s irrelevant. Do as I say. Otherwise, your death could be demanded. At my hands.”

His pupils shrink just a fraction, it’s barely noticeable, but I see it. Despite all his big talk, he fucking cares. He must. Otherwise, why would we be having this conversation right now?

“Would that not hurt you at all? Killing your only child?” I want to spell it out to him, make him feel something, anything, more than this. I’m burning on the inside, he deserves to feel that too.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out,” he retorts before taking a step away from me, dismissing the conversation before it can go any further. I don’t move, watching as he leaves, but after he takes a few steps, he glances back to look at me. “You would be safer away from the necromancer too.” He doesn’t wait for my response. He continues to walk away just as easily as he seemed to last time.

Safer away from the necromancer? From Raven? Never. That’s exactly where my loyalties lie. Fuck Basilica. Fuck Elevin. Fuck Silvercrest. My loyalty, my everything, it all rests with her and my brothers.

Swiping a hand down my face, I spin back to the main building and notice Erikel in the far distance, watching me. He was obviously watching the interaction between my father and me. Why? I don’t know. Maybe he is monitoring his trusty sword, but he doesn’t have anything to worry about. That man is Basilica’s mighty warrior more than he is my father.

Maybe it would be better if he really was dead. Then, my heart could still idolize my childhood hero instead of tearing it all to shreds in the form of the man standing before me.

Silence echoesin my ears as my pulse flickers harsh and fast. The company of just the air around me once brought solace and calmness, but today, it’s turned the walk to the locker room into a war in my mind.

Chatter and murmurs quickly eliminate the silence claiming me as I head inside. A few of the guys glance in my direction but no one says a word. Zane spots me first as I stop beside him, pressing my thumb into the hanger as Eldon’s eyes catch mine.

I can sense the worry and concern around them, but I don’t have it in me to console them right now. Instead, I focus on getting changed. Thankfully, my brothers give me the space I need to do so, but I should have known it wouldn’t last much longer. The second I’m ready to head out, Zane steps in front of me so I have to meet his stare.

“Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” I grumble with a sigh, the irritation clear in my voice.

Zane’s eyebrows furrow deeper as he plants his hand on my shoulder but I shake him off. “You know you can always—”

“I said I’m fine,” I interrupt, in no mood for his pep talk.

“That’s cool, man,” Eldon says calmly, appearing beside Zane. “I get it, it’s all a lot to take in and none of us can imagine what you’re going through right now. It’s going to take a minute for you to figure it out for yourself before you can even piece it together to share with us. So, you can be gruff and shit with us, that’s all good.” I don’t respond but my shoulders relax ever so slightly. “But what you don’t get to do is use that same tone with Raven. We all know she’s going to be worried, as she’s a protector. She’s going to want to make everything okay for you.”

“I wouldn’t,” I balk, my muscles bunching at the thought.

“I’m just being sure,” Eldon states, patting my shoulder before taking a step back.

Fuck.

Turning for the door, I head out without a backward glance. Using the smallest reprieve of silence to get my shit together before I see her. As if sensing herself in my thoughts, her gaze latches on to me the second I step outside. A ray of light peeks through the clouds for the first time in days and lands right on her.

It intensifies the worry in her blue irises as her eyes pinch. Leila is talking beside her but her words are completely lost on Raven, who is solely focused on me. I stride toward her, almost barreling her over as I come to a stop, cupping her cheek as I invade her space.

Eldon is right. No matter what I’m feeling, Raven doesn’t deserve any of my wrath or misplaced anger.

“I’m okay,” I breathe, attempting to calm her concern. “He just wanted to be clear where his loyalties lie,” I admit, the words falling from my mouth without thought, but now that they’re out there, swirling between us, I’m not upset about it.

“With them,” she murmurs, a statement, not a question, and I nod in agreement.

Her hand finds mine at my side, squeezing tight as I stroke my thumb over her cheek. The rest of the students around us disappear. It’s just me and her, basking in a little ray of sunshine for the smallest of moments, but it clenches my heart.

“We’ve got you, Creed. Always.”

“I know.”

She pushes up on her tiptoes and caresses my lips with her own. My soul settles, my body relaxes, and a different kind of need takes over me, but she’s stepping back far too quickly for me to turn it into more.

I couldn’t give a shit who is around us right now.

I just need her.

“Let’s go,” she murmurs, tugging at my hand, and we fall into step with my brothers and Leila.

Following the crowd, we head toward the patch of grass that is framed by the forest at the side of the lake. Murmurs fade to silence and a different kind of tension washes over the space.

“Where’s your father, Leila?” Brax asks, and we all turn to look at her. It’s only then that I notice her eyes are a little red, but before she can open her mouth, a clap garners everyone’s attention.

Five of the students from Basilica’s institute stand in a line, dressed in their usual gear that almost seems like armor.

“Let’s get this class started, shall we?” the guy in the middle calls out, a sneer tipping his lip up.

“Where’s Professor Fitch?” Genie asks, more curious than anything, with a smile teasing her mouth.

“This is no longer his class,” he states, and I quickly glance at Leila, who is staring down at the grass.

“Then whose is it?” Genie presses, making the guy in the middle sneer even more, but the other student to his left smiles wide.

“Ours.”

“And what does that entail?” Zane hollers, arms folded over his chest.

“You clearly need some more battle experience, and your poor excuse of a gauntlet isn’t up to it.”

“What do you have planned instead?” Zane pushes, eager for them to get to the point.

“A hunt.”

“A hunt?” Genie echoes, uncertainty washing over each of us as we wait for a better explanation.

“Yeah. You need to survive one hour in the forest without being killed by one of us.”

“You’re going to kill us?” Genie screeches, hand flying to her chest as she takes a step back.

“Yeah.” Gasps echo around us and Raven’s hand clenches tighter around mine. “But don’t worry, we’ve got a necromancer to bring you back to life again and again so we can continue the chase until your sixty minutes are up.”