10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Lumen

"But it makes the most sense, Vesperon. Why are you acting like this?" Lexia says.

"I do not trust this," he says. You will not go with us."

"Staying here alone is more stupid than going!" Lexia shouts, throwing her hands up.

I never thought I'd see the day where she and the shadow fight with one another.

She is so patient with him and he is head over heels in love with her, so much so that it's almost pathetic.

Not pathetic that he loves her, just the way he acts sometimes. Following her around like a lost little puppy is a bit much. My bond with her is strong. I feel it as much as he does, but I don't feel the need to pretend she has an imaginary leash and collar on me.

"Which is why someone will stay with you," Vesperon says.

"Who? Who will stay, Ves? Slate has to go. You can't stand him, so you won't go, but you staying here with me isn't a good idea."

"And why not?" he asks, raising his chin and sounding offended.

"He's about to get his feelings hurt," Slate whispers in my ear.

Vesperon and Lexia have been going back and forth for about ten minutes. Slate and I have been sitting on the couch, watching the show. Not sure how he feels, but I'm hoping they get over it soon so we can get this show on the road. The more time we waste, the worse it is for all of us.

"Yep," I respond quietly.

We all know why it's most dangerous for Vesperon to stay with Lexia. The downfall of being a shadow in this realm is losing his abilities. Though he is solid now, thanks to the mate bond, he isn't as strong as he would be if he were in his own realm. He can fight, but he does not have abilities the way Slate and I do. His energy will drain quickly, especially here, where the sun is bright. None of us are sure how the other shadows didn't seem affected by being outside of their own realm.

"What will you do if the shadows attack us again?" she asks.

"I will fight them," he says firmly.

"And when there are too many? What then?"

Vesperon flinches, shaking his head. "Are you saying I cannot protect you? That I cannot protect my mate?"

Her face falls, and she realizes she's upset him. It obviously wasn't her intention, but it's good of her not to lie to him either.

"I'm just saying it's dangerous."

"You do not trust me," he says. "You do not think I can protect you." Vesperon takes a slow step back, his hurt feelings clear.

"You don't trust me !" she argues back, pressing her hand to her chest. "That's why we're arguing right now."

"It is him I do not trust!" Vesperon jabs his finger in our direction. Though I'm not offended because I know he isn't speaking about me, I still feel bad that he's blatantly calling the grey out. I glance at Slate, who doesn't seem to care at all. He has thick skin, that one. Or he's just acting like he does.

"Well, I do. And not trusting him means you don't trust me either!"

"When should we stop this?" Slate asks me quietly.

"Feelings getting hurt?" I nudge him with my elbow.

"Not even close. But one of theirs will be soon, and it won't be pretty."

I huff an annoyed sound. "You're probably right. There's only one solution anyway."

He raises a brow as I get to my feet.

"Okay, let's settle down," I say as I get between Vesperon and Lexia. "Stress is high, I get it. But fighting isn't the answer, yeah?" I look between them. "I'll take the pouty faces as acknowledgment. So here's what I propose."

I slip beside Lexia, putting my arm around her shoulders. "I'll stay here with Lexia. If shadows find us, I can easily pop out of here with her. Meaning, Vesperon has to go with Slate. Can you do that without killing him?"

Slate chuckles, causing Ves to whip his head in that direction and growl.

Yeah, he growled.

"Easy, Ves." I put a hand on his shoulder. "He's her mate too. Remember how much you hated me in the beginning?"

"Not nearly as much as him," he spits out.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Lexia asks, frowning. "I don't understand."

Ves goes to speak, but I hold my hand up. "Now isn't the time." "We have a journal to decipher and a prophecy to fulfill." I drop my hand from Lexia and move closer to Ves, lowering my voice. "You going with him means you can keep an eye on him better."

He lets out a heavy breath as I step back.

"How long will this trip take?" Vesperon asks, his face scrunched into annoyance. I'll admit, it's kind of adorable when he gets grumpy and growly.

"Few days," Slate answers from the couch, still looking unbothered by the fact Vesperon can't stand him.

"Why so long?" Vesperon asks with narrow eyes.

"A few days isn't long," I say, wanting them to interact as least as possible. I'm still not confident them leaving together is the best idea, but it's the safest. One of them may not come back… and unfortunately, I know which one it'll be. "Not to obtain something we need."

"When do we leave?" Vesperon asks.

"Slate?" I call.

"As soon as he's ready." Slate gets to his feet, moving to join us. The way Vesperon tenses has me nervous. I'm not so sure he won't kill him while they are away—or try. I guess as long as one of them comes back with the book… No, that won't work.

"Vesperon, Slate," I begin, putting a hand on either of their shoulders. "All four of us are needed to fulfill this prophecy. You must remember that."

"Of course," Slate says while Vesperon nods curtly, his attention to Lexia. I don't miss the way his face falls. No doubt upset by the way they were fighting. I bet it's eating him alive inside. It would do that same to me.

Our relationships with Lexia are all different. Vesperon and Lexia are intense. Things with her and I are easier. Comfortable. More laid back. Things with her and Slate seem intense too, but in a different way. Like they understand each other on a level that Vesperon and I can't. Like they share some kind of bond in another way. It's hard to tell with things being so new, and them not having mated yet, but I have a feeling that's why she trusts him so easily.

"I will do my best," Vesperon finally says, and when he moves to walk away, I grab his arm.

"You'll do better than that," I say. "This won't work without him."

Lexia mutters something under her breath as she pushes through us and storms toward the bedroom. I watch her go, crossing my arms. I understand her frustration because I'm on the same side she is. Things would be so much easier if Vesperon would just chill out and give Slate a chance. But I understand his apprehension. Honestly, I'm not sure why I'm so trusting of the guy. A gut feeling? Feeling bad? Or maybe it's just because I'm a radiant and we always see the best in people. This better not bite me in the ass later on.

"There's no need for this," I tell Ves quietly. "We're all stuck together. You should accept that."

"There is no proof he belongs with us," he responds.

"She felt him when he wasn't there. Touched him."

"And? Perhaps his magic is weak." He flails an arm in Slate's direction. I give the man credit. He's been less argumentative. The first night, it's like he was trying to get under our skin. And maybe he did it because that night he had no idea what he was walking into. Maybe he's learned how to accept us. He's choosing to trust us. I can't be sure he's here because he wants to be, but he's trying more than he was before, I can't deny that.

"You know that isn't true," I say.

Ves steps to me, jaw tense. "I will not live another lifetime without my mate. And anyone who even thinks of bringing harm to her will live a thousand deaths by my hands."

He storms away, going into the bedroom with Lexia. Hopefully they make up before he has to leave—for everyone's sake.

"Hope you're prepared for this," I mutter.

"Not like I have a choice."

We both know he's right.