I walked away quickly, not wanting to have a conversation with him. He made me curious in a way I couldn't understand and I didn't want to indulge in that kind of curiosity.

I quickly caught up to my friends and saw that Kylee was laughing at something Freesia was saying and Wolf was grinning at them, shaking his head. Wolf was the first to see me.

When he saw me, his eyebrows raised and he started to walk towards me. I stopped walking, unsure what that serious expression on his face meant.

He stopped in front of me and said, "You stayed back to speak to him?" Wolf asked.

I shook my head, "I didn't."

Wolf rubbed his forehead then dropped his hands to my shoulders.

"Amour, that guy-" but he was cut off by the sound of someone announcing that we were to assemble near the Hover's at the entrances.

Freesia pouted as she walked towards Wolf and me.

"I need to go back and change again. I didn't know we would be going somewhere." She said, huffing out in annoyance and leaving.

Kylee came to stand beside me, but didn't look me in the eye. She just stood next to me while I looked at her. She looked up at me and looked away.

I wrapped my hand around hers and squeezed once. She squeezed back.

"If your little reunion is over, shall we?" Wolf asked, his eyebrows raised.

I rolled my eyes and punched his stomach in retaliation and he laughed.

"Let's go," he said, wrapping an arm around both Kylee and me and ushering us forward.

We all crowded out of the Common Cabin for the second time today and got into the Hover and excited voices immediately filled the quiet vehicle. Everyone contemplated about where we could possibly be going and what we would be trained for. Letting out a breath, I looked around for Freesia.

"We totally ditched Freesia." I said to Wolf as his friends crowded around him and settled near him.

Wolf's eyes widened as he realised what I was saying.

"Do you have her Chip ID?" He asked, pulling his communication device out.

I pulled mine out, remembering that I did have her Chip ID.

I quickly shot her a message asking her where she was.

After waiting for a few minutes without a response, I looked at Wolf.

Both of us immediately got up and started to head to the exit of the Hover, when the dark haired C'Riel assigned to this Hover stopped us.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"Our friend hasn't got in with us. She had gone to change, we're not sure if she's back. And she isn't replying either." I explained, waving my communication device as an indication.

"What is her name?" He asked us.

"Freesia..." I said, unsure of what her second name was. I looked to Wolf for assistance, but he looked as clueless as I did.

"Please wait." He told us.

Wolf and I exchanged glances while the C'Riel stayed still for a few minutes, his gaze trained to the floor.

I inconspicuously leaned to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of his ear. When I saw a small C shaped device, (what had Rafe called it? A Com?), I realised that he was communicating to somebody.

He looked back up at us and I straightened.

"She has boarded another Hover." The C'Riel told us.

Wolf and I exchanged another glance and realised that we couldn't do anything but get back to our seats.

As we walked back, Wolf grumbled to me, "I can't believe we don't know her second name."

"That's what I'm thinking too," I murmured to him.

"What if they got the wrong girl?" He asked.

We sat back on our seats, both of us unsure if the C'Riel had found out about the same Freesia we were worried about or if he had her confused for someone else. Maybe there was another Freesia as well?

I let out a huff when I realised there was only one way to find out.

I let out a huff and gently pulled out my communication device and typed a message to Rafe.

I need a favour. I sent.

Put on your Com and I will reply. Was the response that came in less than a minute later.

This is ridiculous. I sent.

After getting no response for two minutes, I gently pulled the Com off my communication device and attached it to the top part of my ear, where it fit perfectly.

Rafe. I said...thought?

Hills.

I let out a breath when I heard his response.

I need a favour. I told him. Again.

Where are you? He asked.

It took me three seconds to reply because the question threw me. It wasn't the response I had expected him to give.

In one of the Hovers. I told him.

What does your favour entail? He asked.

I need you to find Freesia. The petite girl who's always with me. I said.

After a few minutes of silence he responded.

She's here.

I let out a breath and at the same the the Hover thrummed to life and we moved forward.

Thank you. I told him.

Where is the benefit in that? He asked me.

I made a confused expression and Wolf nudged me. I looked at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

I cleared my expression.

"Freesia is on another Hover." I confirmed.

Wolf saw the communication device in my hand and said, "Took her long enough to reply."

He had assumed that Freesia had replied. I didn't correct him.

What do you want? I finally asked Rafe.

A favour in return. Rafe told me.

You're not going to make me do something weird, are you? I asked.

He seemed to have paused.

What do you mean? He asked.

Like...dancing around a bonfire or joining a cult or something? I said.

It is very interesting that you said those two completely unconnected sentences together. He informed me.

What do you want? I asked.

When you are asked who you would wish to train under, give my name. He told me.

My jaw dropped.

My favour was nothing like this. I informed him.

Irrelevant. He told me.

Rafe, this is ridiculous. What are you trying to do? I asked.

You called me Majesty last night. I am doing what Royalty does. He said referring to our back and forth on our communication devices yesterday.

What? Manipulating? I asked.

Making friends. He told me.

That is not what Royals do. I told him.

Maybe on Earth. Here, Royals make friends. He said.

Or keep their enemies closer? I asked.

You are not my enemy. He said.

You wouldn't want me to be your enemy, trust me.

No, he said after a few seconds, I do not want you to be my enemy.

It felt like both of us said it with very different intentions but I wasn't sure, because I could be reading into things that didn't exist.

Why do you have to manipulate me into this? I asked.

Because when I asked you nicely to wear your Com, you did not listen to me. He said.

Okay, he had a point there.

That doesn't mean you have to- but I never got to finish my sentence.

My name. Remember. He told me again.

Like I could forget, I thought.

I removed the Com and put it back onto my communication device and strapped it back to my hip.

When the Hover slowed to a stop, we all slowly got down.

When I saw the large area of land with deep brown coloured soil that looked rich and moist, a smile spread on my face.

"Agriculture." I said as Kylee and Wolf came to stand beside me to take in the view before them.

"Hmmm, hot and smart. Just my type." Wolf said.

I threw him a 'Really?' expression, but all he did was grin toothily at me.

I shook my head and headed towards where everyone was standing in a semi-circle. Anya was letting people know that we could choose our trainers. Rafe came to stand next to her and our eyes met.

Amber and black clashing with mine. I glared darkly at him and surprisingly his expression softened and he almost smiled at me. Paired with his dark hair and mysterious aura, that almost smile came as a shock to me.

My glare dropped and I stared at him, surprised. Then I looked away.

Rafe stepped forward and introduced everyone including himself as the trainers for today.

He introduced himself as Rafe. I saw his lips turn up slightly and I had a feeling he was thinking about the Raphael, Angel of God thing. Clearly he had liked that. I huffed out a breath, crossed my hands and looked away.

"You may choose your trainers." Rafe said, "Step forward, name your trainer and stand beside them. However, each trainer can only accommodate twenty five trainees."

Then the six C'Riel he had introduced, Anya being one of them, spaced themselves apart from one another so that we could join them.

A girl stepped forward boldly, and said Rafe's name and went to stand next to him.

I snorted softly.

Rafe's eyes met mine and he dared me to step forward. I crossed my hands and smirked back at him, letting him know where he could take his dare and go.

His eyes narrowed, but his lips lifted.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Wolf and Kylee had both chosen Anya but I still hasn't stepped forward.

When I realised Rafe was down to only two more trainees, I stepped forward before anyone else could.

"Rafe," I said and walked towards him. I could almost hear the shock Wolf and Kylee must be feeling, but I didn't look that way.

"Rafe," a familiar voice said from behind me.

I turned to look at Freesia, now wearing her silver suit, walking towards me with a grin.

"Rafe and Amour sitting on a tree..." She murmured as she got near me.

I threw a desperate look towards the skies.

She walked past me, continuing her song at a decibel only I could hear. I followed her, shaking my head.

When all the trainers had their trainees, we headed towards the field.

"Hypocrite." Freesia muttered under her breath to me.

I looked at her, surprised.

"What?"

"Prying Kylee away from a C'Riel while sharing some juicy sexual tension with another?" Freesia asked, clucking her tongue.

I let out a short laugh.

"I am not sharing any juicy-" I started, but Freesia dug her elbow into my ribs and I clutched my side.

Rafe came to stand beside us as I threw Freesia a dark look. She winked at me and conspicuously walked away as if she was giving us time.

I rubbed my ribs, pretty sure she had bruised them.

"I did not think you would say my name." He said, taking steps forward.

I joined him and threw him a surprised look, "Why not?"

Rafe threw me a sideways look, the sun casting a shadow on one side of his face and illuminating the other. My breath threatened to catch at his inhuman beauty.

"You are not very predictable, Hills." He said.

"Thanks," I muttered.

Rafe has lead us to a patch of land that was in the centre of the large field. He picked up a box that was placed there and started handing out gloves, but didn't pull on any onto his own hands.

When the back of my neck started to heat up, I pulled my hair up at the top of my head into a bun, knowing that I wouldn't be able to handle the heat otherwise. I looked up for a second and relished the warmth on my skin.

Rafe met my eyes with raised eyebrows as he handed me gloves.

I pulled them on and mouthed what? to him.

He walked past me and continued handing gloves around.

Then he went on to show us how to plant seeds in the soil. He taught us how to weed out the soil. How much water to pour, what made the soil so rich, how to keep it that way, what plants would grow best in moist soil and the best way to grow them.

Watching him kneeling with his hands working in the dark rich soil, his hair gleaming in the sun and his face and neck glistening with a slight sheen of sweat often distracted me. A few girls crowded around him and imitated his actions. Though he shirked away from their proximity without their notice, he patiently answered their questions and corrected their mistakes.

I kneeled down near a patch of sand a little away from Mr. Popular and his Cheerleaders. I pressed my gloved hand to the soil but didn't feel anything.

I ripped the gloves off my hand and placed them aside, sinking my fingers into the cool, damn soil. I smiled as I slowly emptied some of the sand from a part of the ground.

"The gloves will keep your hands from getting dirty," Rafe said coming to kneel in front of me and casting a shadow over me.

I paused, before continuing.

I did however notice that he was sitting quite close to me. Closer than I would've expected. But further than I would sit with a friend.

"I didn't see you wearing gloves either." I told him.

Neither of us said anything after that. He gently placed a seed inside the small hole I had created and we took turns filling the hole back with soil.

In the end, both of our hands were pressed on the mound of soil we had just closed. Side by side.

His large darker hands near my lighter smaller ones.

I looked up to see he was already looking at me.

I swallowed.

"I'm sure you have technology that can do this without manual labour." I said.

"We do." I told me.

"But you still choose to do it this way." I said.

He didn't reply. Then again, I wasn't asking a question.

I looked back down at our hands. Separated by centimetres.

"I guess there is something precious about bringing life into the world." I mused, lost in my own thoughts.

"Amour."

My head snapped up and I realised it wasn't Rafe who had called my name.

I looked away from his intense dark and light gaze.

I blinked when I saw Wolf standing a few feet away.

I cleared my throat and got up, stepping away from Rafe. Rafe slowly stood up, his gaze leaving me to meet Wolf's.

I wet my lips.

"Yeah?" I said to Wolf.

He walked towards us, his eyes meeting Rafe.

He came to stand right in between me and Rafe.

"Listen man, stay away from her." Wolf said, his voice low and threatening.

I let out a sigh.

I stepped around Wolf and wrapped my forearm around Wolf's without letting my muddy hands touch him.

"Wolf, what're you doing?" I asked, my eyes slipping to meet Rafe's before coming back to look at Wolf, who was still staring at Rafe.

Wolf straightened and we both started to turn.

"I do not see her complaining."

I turned back to throw Rafe a what the hell? look.

Wolf barked out a laugh.

"Don't flatter yourself, man." He said.

Rafe was right at Wolf's face the next instant. His gaze was dark and my heart started beating fast, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

"Do not tell me what to do. Get back to your trainer." Rafe said, the authority of his voice and the intensity of his gaze almost had me shocked.

My eyes widened, when I saw Wolf hesitate. Clearly Rafe had shocked him too. The next minute, I saw Wolf's spine straighten, and his jaw harden.

"Wolf." I said and Wolf turned to look at me, "Enough."

Wolf glared at me, untangled his arm from mine and walked away.

I sighed, rubbing the back to my hand against my forehead.

"He's my friend. And you were rude to him." I said.

I looked up at Rafe who was staring at me with his head tilted a little. When our eyes met, his head straightened and he said, "I am your friend too. And he was rude to me."

Though his expression didn't show it, for a minute his voice sounded almost petulant.

I let out a small chuckle.

"I'll talk to him." I said, "But he's just looking out for me."

Rafe raised an eyebrow, "This is not what 'looking out for someone' means." He said.

"What does it mean then?" I asked.

Rafe looked away and I followed his gaze. He was looking at Anya.

Had she said something?

When his expression cooled into a blank mask, I realised that, yes, she had said something via the Com.

"What's she saying?" I asked.

Rafe looked back at me.

"She is asking me to stay away from you." He said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------- It probably has a lot of mistakes. Tee hee. Ignore them.

Love me anyway!

Bye, sugar bundles! ❤️