-Alexia-
Something is wrong. It's the way Finn's jaw tightens when Asher walks by in the hall, the way Asher's eyes flick toward me like he's about to say something but turns away instead, a storm brewing in the space between us. It's the way Jasper's laughter feels forced when I catch him and Kaia bickering over breakfast, how he leaves the table before I can sit down, muttering about needing to check on something. The bonds feel different too, like a song slightly out of tune. They still hum under my skin, warm and alive, but there's a flicker of static I can't shake, like a distant thunder I can't see.
"Lex, you're overthinking it." Kaia tosses another berry into Zeus's mouth, the big fluff ball lounging across my feet on the blanket we laid out under the orchard trees.
"Am i?" I twist the end of my braid around my fingers, watching a leaf spin in the breeze. "They're…weird. Finn, Jasper, even Soren. Asher's always weird, but -"
Kaia snorts. "Asher's not weird, he's just emotionally constipated."
I crack a small smile, but it doesn't reach my eyes. "Kaia."
Her teasing fades, and she sighs, flopping onto her back, letting the breeze stir her hair. "Look, Lex, they're boys. Boys are dumb. They probably argued about sparring or something. Don't let it get in your head."
I lie back beside her, staring up at the drifting clouds. Zeus shifts, resting his chin on my ankle, huffing.
"What if it's me?" I whisper.
Kaia turns her head, frowning. "Don't you dare."
I swallow, throat tight. "What if I'm…messing everything up?"
Kaia reaches over, poking my forehead. "You're not. You're trying, and they know that. I know that. Let them figure out their mess on their own."
I nod, trying to believe her, but the weight in my chest doesn't lift.
That night, I find Soren in the garden, the shadows around him soft, shifting lazily as he waters the moonflowers. He looks up, eyes warm, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Couldn't sleep?" He asks.
I shake my head, hugging my arms myself as I step closer. "I need to ask you something."
He sets the watering can down, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "Ask."
"I know I have asked this before, but is everything okay?" My voice cracks, soft, scared. "With you. With Finn. With Jasper. And with Asher?"
His eyes darken for a breath, shadow flickering, but he smooths them before stepping closer, brushing his thumb over my cheek.
"Everything's fine," he says gently. "You're safe. Nothing is going to happen."
The bond hums softly, comforting, but it doesn't erase the tension in the air. It doesn't erase the way Jasper's laughter felt wrong, the way Finn's smile falters when he thinks I'm not looking. I nod, letting him pull me into a soft hug, letting the shadows wrap around us, warm and quiet.
Later, I try to distract myself in my training fields, letting the vines rise under my feet as I practice control, weaving them into shapes, forcing my breathing to match the rhythm I found with Soren that night.
"Breathe, Lex," I whisper to myself. "Ask, don't force."
The vines respond, curling into spirals, leaves unfurling, a single flower blooming, purple and small but perfect.
A small laugh slips from me, tears stinging my eyes. "I did it."
Bang!
The loud crack of something slamming in the distance shatters the quiet, echoing off the stone walls. I flinch, memories crashing in, the vines jerking under the soil, chaos sparking in my veins.
"Stop, stop, stop -" I gasp, hands shaking as I try to pull it back.
The vines whip once, lashing at the dirt, tearing gouges through the grass, reaching toward the stone wall, too fast, too wild -
"Alexia!" His voice cuts through the haze, low and sharp, dragging me back.
I blink, breath heaving, vision blurry as the vines freeze mid-lash, shuddering before dropping to the ground with a soft rustle. Asher stands at the edge of the training field, arms crossed, blue eyes cold as they track the vines sinking back into the soil. My heart pounds, my hands still shaking. I can't read his face, can't tell if it's anger or fear or both.
"I-I had it," I stammer, hugging myself as Zeus presses against my leg, whining.
His jaw flexes, eyes flicking to mine, something unreadable in them. "Did you?"
My breath catches, tears threatening again. "I-I'm trying. I had control-"
"Until you didn't." His voice is flat, measured, but it feels like a slap.
I swallow, forcing the tears back. "I'm learning, Asher."
He steps closer, boots crunching softly on the torn earth, stopping just a few feet away, the bond between us tight and sharp.
"Control means not letting it flare the moment you're scared," he says, eyes locked on mine.
"I know," I whisper, voice cracking.
His eyes soften, just for a heartbeat, before he closes it off again, letting out a slow breath. "Be careful."
Before I can answer, he turns and walks away, leaving me standing there, the vines settling under the ground, the flower I grew crushed in the dirt. My breath hitches, the cold seeping into my skin as I stand frozen, the chaos inside me finally quiet but leaving a heavy ache behind. Zeus presses against my side, his big nudging my hip, a soft whine in his throat as he looks up at me with those warm, loyal eyes.
I sink to my knees beside him, pressing a shaking hand into the thick fur of his ruff. He leans into me, warm and solid, his tail thumping softly as if to remind me that I'm not alone. I press my forehead against his, closing my eyes, letting the bond hum softly under my skin, tangled with fear, confusion, and something else I can't name.
"I'm trying," I whisper to the empty field, to the vines, to myself, to Zeus.
His warm breath huffs across my face, grounding me as the wind picks up, rustling the torn grass around us. But as I open my eyes, looking at the crushed flower in the dirt, I can't shake the feeling that Asher doesn't believe me. That maybe…no one does.