Before taking even a single step, two arms wrapped around him from behind, black wings folding around them and hiding their embrace from curious onlookers.

“I missed you,” Leyla's husky voice breathed into his ear. “You don't get to go without me anymore, or else.”

Aiden turned and placed a hand on her face. “Wouldn't dream of it.”

Blizzy's familiar excited yapping raced toward them from the sky. The sound of a heavy impact was followed by her horse-sized from slipping underneath Leyla’s wings and between them. Leyla’s eyes flashed with a dangerous lavender, then calmed.

She crossed her arms with a deep huff as Blizzy licked Aiden's face. “Not fair.”

Aiden smirked her way and wiped the dragon spittle with the back of his sleeve, then turned his full attention to Blizzy. She’d grown much larger in the time he'd been gone, much to his surprise.

“You've been eating well, it seems.” He carefully pet her face, avoiding the crown of crystalline horns liable to impale him. “Been keeping the monsters busy?”

She trilled proudly, sitting on her haunches and baring her chest.

“Good girl.” He wrapped his arms around her tight. “Let's go. There's a lot to be done.”

He waved Leyla over and took her hand in his. Their destination wasn't within Zion. Before anything else, Aiden wanted to speak with Arkayan.

The Shadowborn Royal never left James’ side, and James hadn't gone to Earth to stay behind and fight more of the powerful Zion invasion force monsters. He did so with a fervor that made Aiden think the guy knew something Aiden didn't.

Considering the relationship James had with Arkayan, he just might.

Walking through Zion felt strange with so many people absent, but having Leyla and Blizzy back by his side more than compensated for any discomfort that may have otherwise resulted. He’d start looking for Arkayan and James in the area around the dungeon, in case things could be that easy, and if they weren’t there, he could expand the search out into the surrounding wilds.

However, before he could do that, he had to actually leave the city. And he arrived at the city gates to find them mildly blocked.

Anna leaned against the arched pathway and flicked her wrist to entirely block the way with overgrown. “We need to talk.” She shot Leyla a confusing look. “Alone.”

“Anything you need to say to him, you can say while I'm here.” Leyla stepped forward with crossed arms, a buzz of power around her in an aura.

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Aiden knew what that meant and held up a hand. “I've got this. Go on with Blizzy. I'll catch up.”

Blizzy bumped her head against his shoulder and gave him a quick rumbling chirp before taking off, then paused midway up the wall to look back at Leyla with an obvious come on stare.

Leyla regarded the hovering dragon. Spinning on her heels, she crossed the distance between her and Aiden, threw her arms around his neck, and gave him a deep kiss.

Aiden leaned into it, wrapping his arms around her waist, feeling his soul flutter in beat with hers.

When she stepped away, she smirked and waved over her shoulder in Anna's direction before throwing her wings out and rocketing after Blizzy.

“I see,” Anna said flatly. “That answers one question. But I need to know what’s supposed to be happening here. What is my role supposed to be now? Are you coming back, will you be staying, or plan to go running off without telling anyone anything?”

Her amber eyes pinned him in place, demanding answers to her inquiries. The sun glinted off her slickened tanned skin, but Aiden didn't let it bother him.

“You'll continue your duties as they are, unless you've got concerns to raise about your current position?” She pursed her lips in a thin line. When she didn't respond, he addressed her other questions. “I've got business to take care of elsewhere. That's all you need to know.”

“So that’s it? After everything. ‘Keep doing your job and stay out of my business’, is it?”

“If it means anything to you, you're doing a great job.” He looked toward the sky where Blizzy and Leyla had headed, feeling them waiting not too far off outside the boundaries of Zion. “I know you did what you thought was right, and it helped Zion. I can't deny that.” His collected gaze regarded her. “I know how you are, Anna. Of course I know you were doing what you thought was best.”

Her face fell as she took a step forward, a hand stretched out longingly. “Then why…?”

“It wasn't a reasonable choice, far from it, but it's one I made knowing what would come of it.” He sighed deeply. “I trusted you to be there and have my back, but you were nowhere to be found, Anna. Anything personal between us is over.”

She opened her mouth as if to retort, pain cramping her face. For a moment, he expected her to break down, to lash out, to do something. When she didn't and he watched her face go cold, the light in her eyes dimming, his chest constricted tightly.

“I'm sorry for bothering you,” she muttered, shaking her head. Her features warred between a grimace and sad smile, and Aiden knew she was fighting to hold herself together. “I'll… It's fine, really. I'll keep doing what I've been doing.”

The overgrowth blocking the way out of Zion rapidly decayed and opened up the path. Those coming up the mountainous path peered through the archway and, upon seeing Aiden and Anna, slinked back slowly, as if to avoid notice.

Aiden walked toward the path, stopping beside her. It felt wrong to leave things this way. His fingers twitched with the urge to comfort her, but he knew it would only make matters worse.

“Keep up the good work, Anna. Goodbye.” Then he left her behind and proceeded down the steps and out of Zion.

Not too far past the wood line, Leyla and Blizzy waited for him. The Fallen's eyes narrowed to the top of the mountain city. Blizzy ignored the awkward tension and excitedly ran circles around Aiden, brushing up against him and kicking his fingertips.

Wordlessly, Leyla embraced him. “It's better this way.”

“I know,” Aiden whispered, clenching his fists. He wanted to forgive her for that night, but he knew how many bodies they'd buried, how many deaths would've been avoided if she would've been there. But above all that, he knew it had been his choice to attack he couldn't forgive. Shrugging off the discomfort, he nodded, resolve restored. “Let's go.”