Vyshena couldn't breathe in her room as she fell onto the mattress. She clutched her shirt over her chest, trying to even her breathing as she tried to reconcile the conversation she had with Xaden earlier. After he refused to use her blade, he sheathed it in its home and held both of Vyshena's hands, bringing them to his lips to kiss. "You do not understand that I did what I did to protect you. If they came with you, you would've died and I would've set the world on fire."

She left immediately, going to stand beside Rio who had questioned her what happened. "Don't you know?"

"I will never overstep, princess. Only ask. Unless your life is in danger." And so Vyshena told Rio most things. Leaving the dragon snapping at her sister once more as their argument went deaf in her ears. She stared at Violet and Xaden, at the Sorrengail girl who now had what was, always been, rightfully hers.

A quick sob left her throat, and Xaden pried that door open in her mind with every ounce of strength he had until he was left panting behind it. She heard him banging as if he was throwing his body against it. His nails were scratched and bleeding as he tried to pick the lock, his shadows seeping under it as Vyshena only wished them away with a quick blade and he was gone. She felt the pain he was in when she did, and she only laid back.

Minutes later, pounding on her door. She went silent, "Hena." No, no, please just leave me alone. It was bad enough she cried in front of him today, he didn't need to see her breaking down over it. "I will break this door." With a quick snap of her wrist the door unlocked and he had fallen in as if he was prepared to break the door.

Xaden was inside the undecorated room, as dusk begin to come a mage light came on in the room illuminating it in a yellow haze. "Please leave me alone." He slammed the door shut and fell to his knees in front of her with pleading eyes. "You need to believe me."

"I don't have to believe anything." She laughed, shaking her head and wiping her eyes with the cloth of her tunic. "You need to believe this, because it's going to kill you if you don't." He knew Vyshena. Knew the feelings she had for him were still there, they would always be there. "We're not bonded how you wanted to, but we are still each others. You can try and ignore it all you want, but it's not going to change the fact that we were born for each other, Vyshena." Her name sounded foreign, the only time she's heard the correct pronunciation it since he said it last, two years ago.

"You know that. It was engraved in our heads since we could talk." He seethed, his hands holding on the sides of her hips. He could stare directly into her eyes at this angle. Not needing to look down, and she didn't need to look up. She swallowed hard and Xaden sighed. "There is absolutely nothing there because I have no room in my heart for anyone else. You know that." He tried to explain but only saw the absolute rage in her eyes.

"You ruined everything." She seethed when leaning forward, inches from his face and his eyes squinted slightly. "I ruined everything? You walked away." He responded in the same tone. And she had nothing to say; he was right. She did walk away and never heard him out. "You never let me explain."

"Because what you kept from me is something you don't keep from your betrothed, Xaden." His eyes slowly shut, "or someone, you were betrothed to." She corrected while sitting up straight and looking over the top of her head. "I don't blame you." She said, "wanting to seek something out with her. You've only been with me, kinda defeats the whole, bad-boy Xaden Riorson." His eyes slowly opened, offended she was say such nonsense. "You think I would waste my time sleeping with someone else?" Then the thought crossed his mind.

"Have you?" He wanted to be angry at the silence that followed. Wanted to throw something, unleash his powers into the bedroom. But he stared at her, such hateful eyes, and his chin quivered and eyes stung. "It's none of your business whether or not I have slept with someone." She has.

Xaden slowly nodded his head. "Who?" Asking after clearing his throat. "None. Of. Your. Business." It came from her native language and Xaden's fingers gripped the mattress beside her with such anger. "So I do not care if you fuck Violet Sorrengail, or any other girl here but do me the honor of not boasting about it when you do, and don't fuck her the way you did me." Xaden quickly wiped under his eye with the pad of his thumb. He will find out who she slept with, and he will have his hand around his neck when he finds out.

"You are mine." Then the anger hit, growled deep in his chest and she chuckled. "I was yours. Not anymore. Not ever again."

He stood up from the mattress and swung the bedroom door open, immediately seeing Violet and Rhiannon who walked from down the hall. They both stopped, seeing their leader as he glanced at both of them. Violet couldn't help but notice that he had been crying. His eyes stained red, lips puffy, and his chest heaved.

Rhiannon grabbed Violet's hand while watching Xaden turn and walk down the opposite hall. "Oh no," Rhiannon whispered as her and Violet took off for a run down the hall to Vyshena's room.

The door swung open just as she stood from her bed. "I'm fine!" She said quickly as Violet slammed the door and Rhiannon held the sides of the princess' face. "You are not fine. You do not have to tell us anything but let us stay with you. Please." Rhiannon begged and saw how Vyshena's lips puffed out and chin trembled. A quick sob left her throat and her head dropped onto Rhiannon's shoulder who quickly wrapped her arms around her.

"I'll kill him." Violet said, "I'll do it, right now." Tairn grumbled in the back of her head but she ignored it. Because the beast knew she was speaking truthfully.

"You'll die then." Vyshena told the girl and she immediately thought this sadness was because of her. "Did I do this?" Her voice quieted and Vyshena shook her head no. "No, you didn't. Just, years, of stuff." Vyshena admitted while Rhiannon used the pads of her thumbs to wipe away Vyshena's warm tears.

"We're gonna stay with you tonight, okay?" Violet assures while Vyshena shook her head in protest. "Guys, I will be fine. This is," Vyshena picked at her nails as she took a stuttered breath. The crying stopped as she searched for the right word. "Normal." Another sob came from her lips as she dropped her head on Rhiannon's shoulder again.

Rhiannon, Violet, and Vyshena somehow managed to all sleep on the full sized bed. Squeezing together with Vyshena in the middle. It was the first night that Vyshena actually got to sleep. Maybe it was being pressed against someone, or maybe Rio had something to do with it. She wasn't sure, but she was grateful.

Going into the cafeteria the next morning, Liam sat down beside her. "Where's your relic?" He asked with excitement as Violet and Rhiannon shared a look. "Back, shoulders and chest." She replied as Liam's face dropped. "I'll show you later." He nodded his head, "uh- have you seen Riorson? No one can find him." Vyshena shot her head at Liam, "no, I haven't." She'd know if something happened to him, and he was perfectly intact.

"Well, when you see him send him my way please?"

"If you see him, tell him to stay away from me." Liam's smile dropped and he sat back down. Sharing a quick look with Violet and Rhiannon. "Something happened?" He asked. "Told him I slept with someone." Liam's face grew red, "why would you do that?" Rhiannon wanted to laugh, and Violet grew confused. He was crying because Vyshena told him she slept with someone? He seriously can not be that jealous.

"Why not? It got him away from me!" She answered. "He is going to interrogate every boy in here." Vyshena rolled her eyes. "I told him to sleep with someone, what's the issue?"

"Who would you of slept with?"

"Someone from home? I don't know. Stop asking me questions about it." She huffed while Liam pointed his finger at her. "If he comes at me-"

"Gross. He knows I'd never."

"Well, he believes that you fucked someone so." Violet's eyes were squinted. "You fucked someone?" Imogen gasps as she sits beside Violet. "No- but don't tell Xaden that. And keep your guards up." Imogen giggles, actually giggles. "That's why he disappeared." She smiled as Garrick and Bodhi sat at their table, Ridoc following quickly. "You know why he disappeared?"

"Hena fucked someone." Imogen announces under her breath as Bodhi's face fell and Ridoc leaned forward. Holding his hand out, "yeah, Hena!" He cheered as the silver princess stared at him with annoyance in her eyes. "You see what happened?" Vyshena asked Liam who nodded his head. "My apologies." Standing up and leaving the table.

"Who was it? I bet it was Porter."

"Porter? Who do you think I am? I have standards."

"Yes, Lady Ri-"

Bodhi stopped immediately, "don't you ever, say that." Vyshena threatened as Bodhi's face grew red and he focused on his food. Hearing Garrick chuckle under his breath as he shoveled food into his mouth. Rhiannon bit the inside of her cheeks.

Lady Ri? Lady Riorson? Violet thought.