14

"If you could be doing anything else right now, what would it be?" Cleo's friend, Foster slung his arm over her shoulder.

Foster's twin brother, August, answered before she could. "I'd be relaxing by our pool sipping a cool drink. It's shoot out here man!"

Cleo laughed and shook her head. Being the daughter of a former knight is hell, so these moments with Foster and August were rare.

She only skated by today because her father needed to be present for a meeting, and the maids were watching her younger brother, Liam.

"I wasn't talking to you." Foster stuck his tongue out. "You're always hot."

August wiggled his eyebrows. "Am I?"

Cleo shook her head and patted August's arm. "I feel you. I too am burning up and this dress isn't helping."

"Oh alright, princess." Foster sighs.

Cleo flashed a bright smile and they walked until they spotted her favorite bakery stall. They all sat at the bar and waited until one of the attendants came out.

It was one of Cleo's former maids, Ruby. She had dark skin, light brown eyes, and tight curls she had pulled back in a bun.

Ruby smiled. "Hey three musketeers! How's it going?"

Foster winked at her. "It's alright, doll. How are you liking it here?"

"It's alright. Not the best, but...I don't care as long as the money is rolling in."

Cleo laughs.

After Ruby took their order, she goes to the back of the tent to get everything ready.

A scream behind them caught Cleo's attention and she turned t see a man in tattered clothing hobbling around carrying a girl.

They were both in bad shape and covered in blood. August gasped sightly "Whatever happened to them?"

"I'm going to find out. Stay here and wait." Cleo got to her feet and made her way toward the crowd that had formed around the duo.

Multiple people were attending to the girl, cleaning her wounds. Cleo approached the man and crouched next to him. "Hello sir, I'm Cleopatra, daughter of Michol Rome. Why did you come to the Vanguard of Valor faction?"

"My name is Ranger, and I need to speak to whoever is in charge."

.....

Toby woke up and made his way downstairs to try and make something for breakfast.

Instead, he was met with a healed Elias, who was currently standing at the stove flipping pancakes. He was wearing nothing but pants.

Toby gawped at the tattoo design on his back. It looked like a wierdly shaped flame. But upon closer inspection it appeared to be a Phoenix rising from the flames.

Elias must have realized he wasn't alone because he turned. His sandy blonde hair was in his eyes, he smiled and pushed it back revealing his beautiful blue eyes.

"Hey, Toby."

Toby walked into the kitchen and wrapped him in a hug. Elias slid his hand in his hair and squeezed him back.

When they separated Toby ran a hand over his face. "How..?"

Elias smirked and shook his head. "Levi gave me seeds."

"Seeds?"

"Yeah."

Toby swallowed. "When you were taken Levi got hurt but I...I've came to realize that-"

Elias pressed a finger to his lips. "You talk too much?" 

Toby's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. but before he could say anything, Elias pulled his face toward his and kissed him.

Toby's resolve crumpled completely when Elias slid his tongue into his mouth. He growled with pleasure and lifted him off the floor. Elias wrapped his legs around his waist. The deeper the kiss got Toby didn't want to let him go.

Someone squealed. "Ohmigosh."

Reluctantly, Toby released Elias and then turned to see who'd interrupted them. Jordan and Levi were on the stairs staring at them with wide eyes.

"That was like," Jordan fanned herself as she entered the room. "The cuest thing to see first thing in the morning."

Toby rubbed his neck. "Apologies if we caused a disturbance."

"You're good man." Levi waved off the apology. "I just smelled something burning so...yeah."

Elias scrambled back to the stove. "That was my fault...I got..distracted."

Toby's cheek heated up.

"I can imagine." Jordan laughed.

"You better not hurt Elias like his ex did. You've got to answer to me, alright?"

Toby blinked. "What did you do to his ex?"

"He lost his hair overnight."

Elias groaned. "Stop it, Levi. You're scaring him."

Levi smirked and folded his arms. "Good."