Chapter Thirty-Seven

Lexi's nerves only continued to strain as Jiana flipped through the papers over and over, tracing her finger along certain lines and nodding her head at others. Finally she closed the binder with a clean snap and looked down at Lexi with a sigh. She dropped the report onto the desk and ran a hand through her greying hair.

"Well-"

"Mistress," Lexi said suddenly, lifting her head high and meeting Jiana's eye. "Before you begin… I have a request."

Jiana raised an eyebrow, but nodded her head nevertheless. "Very well."

"Thank you, Mistress." Lexi lowered her head slightly and her fingers curled against the fabric of her pants. Slowly, she lifted up her hands and tugged the black scarf that adorned her face free. Surprise flashed across Jiana's features for a moment, before returning to a blank slate. Lexi continued to pull on the scarf until it gently dropped into her lap. She lifted her head up high.

"My actions went against your direct orders, Mistress," Lexi started, her voice wavering slightly as she fought to keep her eyes level with Jiana's. She felt naked, exposed. "I do not ask for forgiveness or leniency for myself, but I do ask it for the others. We, as a guild, had no right to deny Makina her wish to save her family. So I ask that you levy her punishment upon me. I also ask that you show mercy on Cross, Romeo, and Banksy as they were acting under my direct orders once we caught up with Cross and Makina in Ash. I know I have not been granted a Leader title, but I still acted in such a capacity during the operation. As such, all punishment should fall on me, and me alone."

Jiana did not respond for a very long time, staring at Lexi with an unreadable expression. Lexi fought the urge to squirm under the sharp eyes of her Mistress, her fingers twisting into her scarf, testing the strength of the fabric.

"Well, I did not expect that," Jiana finally said.

"I understand I have no right to ask this of you." Lexi bowed her head. "But I beg you consider it."

"Actually I meant your scarf," Jiana said. "Since you received it, I don't believe I have seen you without it, or another one."

Lexi squeezed the treasured article tightly between her fingers, a slight sense of comfort washing over her nerves, before she answered.

"If I am to become a Leader and expect my friends to follow me… to trust me… to deserve that trust, I realize I cannot always hide away behind this… or anything else. I have to accept things for how they are and not how I may wish they would be." Lexi swallowed hard. "That is why, Mistress, I will not hide from you."

Jiana tilted her head and stared at the girl. "But you would like to?"

Lexi nodded slowly. "Very much so, Mistress."

"I see." Jiana thoughtfully tapped her chin and walked over to her desk. "Very well then. I believe that is all I need to know. You may stand."

"Mistress." Lexi rose to her feet and watched silently as Jiana reaching into a drawer and fished something out. Without warning she flung the item towards Lexi's head. Lexi caught the small item deftly in her fist. Bringing her arm down she looked at Jiana in confusion, before opening her hand and letting out a small gasp.

An ornate ring sat in her palm, a silver dragon wrapping its thin body along the band, its eyes closed.

A Sleeping Dragon.

It was a ring Lexi had seen many times. A ring that every high-ranking member of the Sleeping Dragon guild had the honor of wearing. A ring that signified the right to refer to oneself as a Leader, and to begin building a team. A ring that she could only stare at, mouth slightly agape.

"Well? Aren't you going to put it on?" Jiana said as she sat down in her chair. "I'm quite sure I got the size right, unless your fingers have grown in the last year."

"I don't understand," Lexi said, unable to look away from the ring. "I disobeyed an order. More that one."

"That you did."

"I put members of our guild in danger by failing to make them return home."

"Very true."

"I… I don't understand," Lexi repeated.

"Well, it would be easy to pick out everything that you have done wrong." Jiana said, tapping the folder containing the reports of all those involved. "Quite easy actually… so easy that doing so would almost seem redundant, considering you managed to burn down a building and all but declare war on the Sons." Jiana sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "But instead of focusing on that, how about we go through what you did right, shall we?"

Lexi nodded as she was finally able to tear her eyes away from the ring and look up at Jiana.

"As you yourself mentioned earlier, you acted in the capacity of a Leader. A leader, I might add, to three very independent minded individuals, and you were able to not only complete a rescue mission in a hostile territory, against a well armed and organized resistance, but also bring your entire team home safe, along with a civilian with no formal combat training. A feat many in your position would not have been able to achieve." Jiana said, steepling her fingers and leaning back in her chair. "However, that in itself isn't so impressive from my point of view. Cross has become rather pliant when it comes to you, Banksy has a strong sense of devotion to both you and Cross and Romeo… well Romeo is Romeo.

"No, what I was quite impressed with was your ability to adequately assess the situation once you arrived in Ash. I know that was a difficult decision to make for you, especially knowing it went against my initial wishes, but you were right to assist Makina in her efforts to free her family. Many believe being a Leader is to be beyond reproach, to be unmovable, like a mountain. But that is not true. To truly lead, you have to be willing to understand that situations change, and no decision can ever be absolute. You have brought great honor to this guild through your actions, and that is why you have the right to wear that ring now."

The entire building shook and there was a muffled sound of screaming before the building once again settled. It was an occurrence that was becoming more and more common as more of the guild member's powers began to manifest.

Jiana let out a soft laugh and shook her head in amusement. "And from what I have read, through your actions, you directly assisted in the return of magic to this world. I believe that should adequately cover it. Though if you think I am wrong, by all means, you may return that ring. I'm sure I can find another who would want it."

Jiana held her hand out and Lexi reflexively shrunk back, pulling her arm against her chest and closing her fingers around the precious item.

Jiana laughed and dropped her hand. "Don't worry, Alexis. It's yours until the day you die. Wear it with honor and with pride."

"I will. Thank you, Mistress," Lexi said as she slowly slipped the ring onto her trembling finger. Her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"You know, I'm so very glad to see Cross was not mistaken." Jiana tilted her head, staring intently at Lexi.

"About what?"

"Whenever I ask, he has always been quite adamant that you were growing into a fine young woman who deserved that ring long ago. He has spoken often highly of your strength, and your beauty. While I have long known of the former, I am glad to see the latter was not an exaggeration either."

Lexi's eyes widened slightly and her face burned crimson.