Favored By The Villain

made this song-and-dance about me having to stay hidden to avoid Lidan, and that has all now been for nothing because Merril knows and now you know! Is nothing in my life private anymore?!”

Levisia angrily wiped away the tears that were starting to fall.
She didn’t want to look at the pitiful look Cassian was giving her.
She’d had enough pity for one day.

“Pathetic.” Cassian hissed.
He reached out his arm and whistled.
“Harrol, come.
We must return to the carriages.”

Harrol, who was busy grooming himself, remained where he was on Levisia’s shoulder.
Dread began to set into Levisia’s stomach as she shrugged her shoulder, trying to get him to fly away.
Cassian loudly whistled, and clicked his fingers.
Again, the bird ignored him, content to clean his feathers.

A tense atmosphere descended upon the clearing.
Cassian, gradually becoming more enraged at Levisia; and Levisia, who was getting a backache from Harrol refusing to budge.
The whole sounds were the rustling wind, Cassian clicking his fingers, and Levisia’s heavy breathing.

She mimicked Cassian’s pose, her arm held out in front of her and bent in at the elbow.
Instantly, Harrol moved down from her shoulder and came to rest on her forearm.
His claws were digging into her flesh, causing her to bite back the urge to yelp in pain.

“What are you doing to Harrol!” Cassian yelled; his hands clenched into tight fists.
“How is he obeying you and not me, his owner!”

“I didn’t do anything, I promise!” Levisia shook her arm to get Harrol off.
He remained firmly where he was, his claws digging further into her flesh.
Levisia couldn’t help but cry out as pain radiated from her arm.

“It seems you must be doing something.” Cassian stepped forwards; his voice dangerously low.
“I’ll ask you again: what have you done to my bird?”

“Nothing!” Levisia shouted loud enough to startle the birds within the trees.
They flew away in a hurry, leaving Levisia alone with Cassian and Harrol.

Cassian reached out, his arm practically touching Levisia’s.
Rather than hopping across to Cassian, Harrol took to the sky and flew around above their heads.
Cassian let out another sharp whistle, shoving Levisia out the way.
Levisia nearly lost her balance, stumbling backwards over a rock and barely managing to stop herself from falling backwards.
No sooner had she recovered, Harrol was back on her shoulder, proudly spreading his wings out.