CHAMPIONS (The Lost Chronicles of Eden, #1) [Published]

23: THE HARDEST BATTLES ARE BETWEEN FRIENDS

23: THE HARDEST BATTLES ARE BETWEEN FRIENDS

Nothing had changed.

His smile was still the same — a gentle upturn of his lips on one side.

His eyes were still the color of the sky on a stormy afternoon.

His hair still looked as if it were tousled by the wind and kissed by the moon.

His voice was still the same quiet rush of water along the rolling brook.

Nothing had changed. Except that he was now the enemy. Solenn’s heart broke. And then it broke again.

He had no right smiling at them the same way he did when he welcomed them home after a day of playing or working with a warm hug and a friendly pat.

“How have you been?” Xandros asked, closing the book and tucking it into his gold-lined coat. He could have said, “What would you like for dinner today?” and it would sound the same. But it would never feel the same.

Solenn could have sworn her voice was stuck somewhere between her broken heart and collapsing chest, so it was Solomon who replied, “We’ve been well.”

Solenn’s head whipped towards Solomon so fast, she thought her neck snapped. Why the heck was Sol exchanging pleasantries with the traitor?

As if reading her mind, Solomon walked towards their old friend and held out his hand. “But Xandros, enough with the pleasantries. You know why we’re here. Give the sword back.”

Xandros gave them a small, sad smile. “But you see, I can’t.” 

“Why not?” Solomon asked.

“Then it would beat the purpose of ever stealing it in the first place.”

When Solenn found her voice, she was surprised at how dry it sounded. “Why?” She was happy it didn’t crack at all. “Why did you do it, Xandros?”

He shrugged. “I had to.” He stood up slowly and brushed the dirt off his trousers before he picked up the sword. Solomon and Solenn drew their own weapons, but Xandros shook his head.

“I don’t want to fight you,” he said. “Especially you, ‘Lenn. You know what happened the last time we had a duel.”

Solenn remembered. She lost. Badly. They had fought for hours during a mock duel before Solenn’s body gave out on her. Xandros was the only one who could ever beat Solenn in a fight.

“I don’t think you have any right reminding me of anythingwhen you’re holding the sword of the enemy now,” Solenn said. “Give that to us, or so help me, Xandros, I will kill you a thousand times in a thousand different deaths and it still won’t be enough.”

“Solenn,” Solomon warned. “Calm down.”

Solenn, in one of her rare obedient moments, stood down and fought back the anger that threatened to consume her again. In the back of her mind, the brilliant eyes of the white dove burned.

There was no need for Hate anymore.

Solenn took a deep breath and raised her sword against Xandros. “Just give us the sword, Xandros. We don’t want to fight you either.” He stared at Solomon. “Well. He doesn’t. I wanted to kill you.”

Xandros laughed softly and shook his head. “I missed you both.” Solomon saw it before Xandros could even lift his hand.

The planets finally falling into place. A brilliant beam of light striking across the planets, landing on the sealed Gate. Xandros slashing the gate open, taking advantage of their shock. Demons of all levels, sizes and breed flying out of Gate Pandora, wreaking havoc across the land. Soon, they would be breaching through the portals and invade the other Worlds. Earth, included.