The Revived (Second Age of Retha, #3)

by A.M. Sohma

Snickering at the way Pax meticulously groomed his white wings, Kit couldn’t help cooing. “My poor ruffled chicken.” The light in Pax’s eyes turned murderous. “What did you call me?”

She was almost shocked into releasing a squawk when Solus let go of her face only long enough to slip his arms around her shoulders and draw her into an embrace. I forgot he is a hugger, she thought as her cheek pressed against the black metal of his chestplate. “Thank you,” he said. “I should have believed in you when you set out to fight Malignus.” Kit let her arms link loosely around his waist and snorted. “No, you shouldn’t have. It was a crazy, insane attempt that worked only because of a last-minute idea.” “No,” Solus said firmly. “I underestimated you once, Kit. I won’t do it again.”

Whatever strength and power I have is yours,” Solus said.

Why does he have to be so hard to read? I can’t tell if he’s just an unemotional potato, or if me logging off really bothered him.

😂

“Come on, Pax!” “I am not a dog you must call to heel,” Pax sneered as he joined her. “Why so grouchy? I thought you would be happy since we’re flying, not teleporting.” Together they followed Solus down the corridor. “Do you want to go back into your egg?” “It’s a pearl!”

“This is the best thing to happen to me since entering Retha.” “Incorrect,” Pax said. “I am the best thing that has ever happened to you.”

😂

“Hey, Solus,” Prowl drawled. “You feel like coming in for show-and-tell? These idiots don’t believe Kit, and they want you to back her up.” “Prowl!” Kit said in their chat channel, her voice overly pleasant. “If you could shut your trap, that would be stupendous!”

“Um, Solus? You’re going to have an audience for your entrance.” “Stop wasting time and summon me,” the royal knight flatly stated. “Okay then,” Kit said into the party chat channel. “Thought I would save you some embarrassment, but I guess you don’t care that everyone is about to find out we’re pledged.” She paused, waiting for Solus to change his mind. “Why have I not been summoned yet?” he asked.

A bird actually flew through one side of the open-air meeting room and out the other, and still no one uttered a word.

Kit opened her mouth to speak, but snapped it with an audible click when she felt Solus step closer to her and slide a possessive arm around her waist, resting his fingers on the belt of her skirt. “I hear you’ve been troubling my pledged?” Solus said in a dark and wintery voice Kit had never heard him use before.

“You got hitched to her? Out of all the girls in Retha, this is what you wanted?” Solus narrowed his eyes. “If you’re wondering why I chose her, you’re obviously an idiot; in which case, there’s nothing I can do to help you.”

“Have you been…pledged long?” White Lady pleasantly inquired. “Long enough to be angry that you’ve treated her like dirt,” Solus put bluntly. He looked at every individual that stood around the table. “As my pledged, Kit has my full support. Where she goes, I go. Anyone who questions her is also questioning me. Understood?”

“But Captain, I couldn’t possibly leave you!” Gared rolled his eyes. “There’s no reason to be dramatic, Alistair.” “Without me, who will reach the top shelf for you in the guildzone?” Gared glared at his first officer. “If you want a broken limb as a going-away present, keep talking.”

😂

“Your habit of tramping into areas far above your level offends me,” Solus said.

“A support character who insists on being as close to harm as possible? You are a healer’s worst nightmare,” Noir grumbled

“I need a heal!” Long Claw shouted. “Too bad. You’re not getting one!” Kit snapped.

“We have a very independent relationship, meaning Pax doesn’t help me if I want him to, or even if I don’t want him to. Isn’t that right, my dearest Pax?” Kit called up to her pet—who was still hovering above her head. “It’s a shame you didn’t die,” Pax said.

😂

“You crazy nutjob!” Long Claw bellowed across the battlefield as he stabbed a chimera. “Control your rabid rat!” “I was controlling him,” Noir said. “Why else do you think he would do that?”

“I know my limits better than you do,” Long Claw growled. Prowl adjusted his goggles. “Sure you do—that’s why you almost died out there.”

“I guess I should have thought more before jumping over the side,” Kit sighed. “Yes,” Solus Miles agreed as he landed from one of his impossibly high leaps directly behind her. “You are regretfully impulsive considering how intelligent you are.” Wedging his feet against the huge stalagmite, he scooped her up. Kit yipped when he leaped into the air, easily clearing the remaining bit of the steep incline. “Seriously? It could have been this painless? Why didn’t you offer sooner?” “You threw yourself over the side before I had a chance,” Solus said wryly.

Long Claw jumped off a city wall and landed on top of a spider, smashing it. “As if Kitten Lovemuch ever fought a day in all of her existence.” Prowl threw down a trap to stop a spider that was making a beeline for Noir. “Just like you and thinking, huh?”

“Stay on your guard,” Kit warned. “You never know when someone might pop out of the shadows to curse you.” “That only happens to you,” Prowl said.

“Do you want me to find Reynard?” Solus asked as he took the sheep. “I wouldn’t mind the temporary player-killer label.” Kit laughed. “That is tempting. Really tempting.

“I hate you!” Kit shouted at her oblivious mount as they fell. “Go live in a petting zoo, you over-grown wooly jellybean!”

She turned around in time to see Pax fly out of the tunnel. She couldn’t help smirking at him. “You know, Paco, you were right. You really kept up with these banal creatures.” “Your mother is a banal creature,” Pax muttered.

🤣

He’s not going to kill me; he’s carrying me off.

😱

Using the fan like a lever, she pressed down on the heel of the fan, making the other end pop up and peel the knight’s hand from her mouth. “Miles!” Kit screamed with all her might before the knight grabbed her again, this time by the throat.

Alistair pressed her palms to her forehead. “I’m starting to think Gared may be the only well-spoken, intelligent male in the close companions of my heart.”

“I’m a delicate healer. They can’t risk losing me,” Noir said. “Pansy,” Prowl muttered. “Guess what, Prowl?” Noir said with a large smile. “The game—meaning I—have altered your fate. The next battle we fight in, you will die!” He tipped his head back and laughed deeply. Kit squinted at the divine oracle. “Healers are scary.”

“Brasil, you beer-brained, toad-licking weasel!” she shouted shrilly. “I hope your axes break and you drop your hammer on your foot!” “Ooh, someone is mad,” Riko laughed.

“Did you have fun?” Pax lifted his chin and didn’t look down at her. “I will forever delight in the memory of you—red-faced and screaming like an ugly newborn.”

😂

Kit turned to return to the camp but paused when she saw Solus leave the meadow for the forest as well. “Is everything okay?” she asked as he approached her. Solus nodded. “It occurred to me something might kill you while you searched for Pax.” Kit chuckled. “Camp is, like, fifty feet away.” Solus shrugged. “You find trouble wherever you go. And if there isn’t any, you make it.”

Solus grinned—as in a smile that actually flashed his white teeth and removed the icy edge he seemed to constantly wear. “You’re a very interesting person, Kit.”

“I’ve decided I would rather follow after you like a puppy while you fight than listen to this poor attempt at a courting ritual.” Kit felt her face turn bright red. “What?”

😂🤭

“Good news, everyone!” Alistair whooped somewhere south. “Sea serpents can be ridden!”

What would you have done if I was one of your fangirls?” Solus thought for a moment. “Killed you, probably.”

“Hey!” Prowl wriggled in the ropes. “I’ll have you know that you can’t travel with Kit and be a coward—you’d die more often than she does!”

“We need to have a bit of a talk.” “I’m too shy to speak—talk to the saboteur first,” Noir said. “I’m going to kill you,” Prowl snarled.

“Hey, hey.” Prowl stood on one leg and nudged the abacus pirate on the thigh with his free foot. The pirate twisted his lips in disgust. “Stop that.” “Make me.” Prowl kicked his leg up extra high and managed to smear his boot on the pirate’s shoulder, then groaned. “Oh, that was too much. I think I pulled something.”

😂🤣

“Saboteurs are always so gross,” the pirate grumbled. “Yeah, well, you smell like BO,” Prowl snorted. The hulking pirate took his eyes off Noir and circled the mast so he stood before Prowl. “What did you say?” he growled, his voice like the rumbles of a volcano. “I said you smell like BO,” Prowl said. The hulk cracked his knuckles. “Which is short for beautiful orchids,” Prowl said.

“What are you looking at, ear worm?” she demanded. “Have I offended your mother? You deserve it, you low-level—most likely scurvy-riddled—scumbag. And get a new SHIRT! I don’t want to see your nasty, old-man belly button!” The closest sailor shuffled back a few steps.

Kit’s on a roll! 🤣

“Well I hate it! It’s worse than a one hundred-column Excel spreadsheet, a poorly made Powerpoint, and a picture drawn in Paint!”

Kit leaned around Noir to peer at her friend. “Are you a worm?” Prowl frowned slightly. “No.” “Then stop baiting them!”

“Off the foremast to the starboard and…” he trailed off. The wizard pirate raised both of his eyebrows. “That was gibberish.” “Yeah, but I thought I should try,” Abacus pirate sighed. “North, man. Take us back north.”

“Are you okay, Noir? Long Claw?” She and Solus hurried to the edge of the wall and peered into the city. “I have straw in places where there should not be,” Noir announced.

“Waffle, I’m curious,” Prowl said. “How did you manage to lead your party with two bossy chicks?” “Prowl,” Riko growled. “I swear on all my money, when this is over, I’m going to call up Vic and have a long chat about how inappropriate you are. We’ll see what Cookie thinks about you then.” “You’re gonna die, saboteur,” Noir said. “And for once, your blood won’t be on my hands.”

Pax’s stink eye intensified. “You left me behind.” “A paladin killed me; it’s not like I ported away on purpose,” Kit said. “That does not matter. I had to fly at an unseemly speed to find you here.” The winged warrior sniffed, returning his regal features to their usual austerity. Kit rolled her eyes. “Sorry my death was so inconvenient for you.” “As you should be,” Pax sneered.

the last thing I need is you fluttering around me like a grouchy moth.” Pax’s wings snapped open. “A moth?” he thundered. “A very pretty moth—unless you would prefer to be called a butterfly?” Kit asked.

“Congratulations,” Noir grumbled as he ran with Kit. “You’ve found something I hate worse than being a heal slave: running!”

“I take it back,” Noir grunted. “Stairs are much worse than running.”