They stayed in Morath for longer than Isabella could have imagined. They had never stayed in one place for so long, not even Kilax's home. But neither of the males seemed in a hurry to leave.

And Isabella could not complain. Mostly, because there was nothing to complain about.

Gavriel gave her three free days before she was awoken in the middle of the night by Fenrys, who told her she had to wake up and run with him. When she had -not so- sleepily told him to fuck off he'd only told her that it was part of her training. Isabella had groaned, but also dressed up and followed him into the woods. Fenrys shifted, and she was forced to follow him. They ran for an hour and a half, and Isabella's legs practically gave up after that; even though she knew it could have been worse, because Fenrys hadn't run as fast as he could have.

Lorcan had taken it upon himself to teach her how to properly 'end someone's life in less than five moves'. His words, not hers. So he taught her where to place her punches to wound someone the most, what to do with her feet in the process, and how to shield herself. She knew she was bad at it, and that she still had a lot to learn, but it was calming to know where to put pressure on someone's neck to cut their air supply.

Gabriel was all about balance. Sometimes he had her standing still for hours, only moving her toes as he ordered. She liked to joke with him that he had a foot fetish, but she knew that having a strong position and balance, full control over her body was as important as Lorcan's teaching on how to strike for the heart.

Rowan was the strictest of them all. He barely gave her room for mistakes, and when she did, he didn't make her stop until she got it right. His lessons were the longest, and the ones she resented the most because his training attitude was so different to the sides of him he'd shown her.

But, oh well.

And during the night, when they were all cleaned after a warm bath, and full after eating, they went drinking. The bar in the inn was popular, and even those who were not staying in the building came in for a drink or two.

Isabella loved to see their drunk attitudes. How silly and open and more affectionate they were when the alcohol finally kicked in.

But most of all, she loved that they talked. They told her about Doranelle's beauty, and then how a big part of it was now ruined because of the Novyk. Lorcan told her he'd never met his parents -though she already knew that- and that his best friend ever had been Rowan. He told her they met when the younger male was nothing but a bratty twenty-six year old, and that they had practically hated each other from the moment they had locked eyes. It took them months of fights and bickering and an almost death situation for them to finally get along. But after that, it was good.

Fenrys told her of his first love. He had been fifteen, and she, 237 years old. A married female, on top of that. She had been a friend of his mother, and Fenrys had always thought of her as the 'hottest thing to walk on earth' -his words-. He told her that, one day, he thought he'd noticed her eyeing his ass so he'd gone for it. He'd kissed her, and her response had been to push him away.

"She rejected me in a very cruel and rude way, if you ask me, though I did kiss her without her permission" He'd said.

"And that was it?" Isabella had frowned.

"Not at all. I was so mad and unsatisfied that I ended up fucking her husband as revenge" Fenrys' smile had been all naughtiness.

Isabella had arched an eyebrow, "Consensually?"

Fenrys'd rolled his eyes, "Duh. He didn't take much convincing"

She laughed, and then the three males all snickered at the comment. Lorcan began to bother Gavriel so he would tell her his romantic stories. Apparently, they were all considered a big failure.

The oldest male had grown up in love with his first cousin's best friend. His name had been Hatodn, and he was also Gavriel's best friend. They had known each other all their lives, he knew Gavriel better than he did himself, and for some time, Gavriel'd believed he felt the same way for him.

"I was absolutely crazy for him, there were days when I could barely look him in the eye without blushing" He told, and Isabella noticed the dazed look in his eyes. Despite the fact that he was obviously trying to keep his tone and posture light. "When I was twenty-three, he and I got very drunk. I don't think I've ever drunk as much as that night after it. He said he wanted to go to the Tukto River -one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see. We can take you there in the future, if you want.- and, of course, I went with him. Because I was young. In love. And a fool"

"We are all fools in love" Isabella interrupted, before she realized she had spoken. And when Lorcan snorted, Fenrys looked down at his hands, Rowan frowned and Gavriel gave her the saddest smile she had yet to see on the male's face; she was sad they had not understood her quote.

The lion continued, though his voice dropped to a whisper. "While we were there, just gazing at the reflection of the moon, I told myself I was going to confess how I felt. I'm pretty sure he already knew it, but I had never voiced a word. And neither had he. So I was internally telling myself to just do it, to not be a coward, that he would not stop being my friend just because he did not feel that way...The love I had for him was twisting my guts, and I just couldn't take it anymore. So when I turned to finally look at him to tell him that he was the only creature I'd ever loved, I found him crying.

"I got worried, immediately. I asked him what was wrong, why he was crying, and when I reached to touch him he pulled away. Practically flinched from my touch. I don't know how I didn't break down crying right there and then, because he was my favorite star on earth, and he had just recoiled from my touch. I asked him what was wrong one more time, and he practically shouted his reason."

Isabella could feel the sadness, the bitterness with which he spoke of his first love. The affection he still felt for him despite the centuries, and the sorrowful way he remembered him.

"He told me he was going to be a father, that it had been a mistake, just a fling with a female from a town he used to frequent for training. He assured me he loved me, that he was in love with me -that he'd always been-, that he felt nothing for the mother of his child, but that he felt he did not deserve me for it. He said, 'I feel like I've cheated on you. Which makes no sense, because we are not together. But still...' And I... I tried to explain to him that his child was a miracle, a blessing, and that I did not care if he'd had other lovers before me. But he didn't listen. He kept telling me that he was stained, that he was bad for me, that the only reason why he had even talked with her was because he was bored and thought the love he felt for me was unrequited."

"Gavriel," Isabella whispered.

"He left and told me not to follow him. I thought he needed time, but when I went looking for him, days later, I found out he had disappeared. I didn't see him for almost ten years, until one day he showed up at my door and told me his child's mother had joined the Novyk, and that he had taken his child with her. By that time, I had tried to move on, and I was falling in love with a female soldier from my station. Hadton begged me to help him get his child back, and I couldn't say no to him. Not to my first love, my first best friend, because despite everything, I still cared for him. Just, differently" Gavriel laughed miserably, and Isabella hurt for him. "Sana, my lover at that time, knew about my story with him, and still offered to help us recover his child. The three of us went together, we didn't tell any of our supervisors in fear of being stopped. The Novyk are not just an elititst group, they are murderers and the kind of monsters who would do anything -and I mean, anything, Isabella- to get what they want. Some of their followers only join their side because they know they'd not get in trouble for breaking the law -social or juridic- as long as they did their job. I couldn't even imagine what they would have done to a child..."

"So we went. We infiltrated their lines, killed those who crossed our paths to capture us and toruture us, and finally found Hadton's mother. He begged her for the child, told her we'd leave because we only wanted the child, and she laughed. Then, he struck her own kid with a knife just because she knew Hadton loved him, and because she found it amusing. Hadton, he..." Gavriel swallowed past the audible knot in his throat. "He went crazy, he killed his child's mother, he killed any guard that came after hearing the commotion; but he was too far gone. His powers and grief overwhelmed him, and his magic broke free. I only managed to put a ward around me, instinctively, before he erupted. When it was done, I found everyone dead. The Novyk, Hadton, Sana...It wasn't until years later, when we captured a Novyk spy that he told us Hadton's lover was a rapist, and that he had probably raped Hadton when she got pregnant of him. I guess I should have realized it when he kept saying he was stained but..."

"Anyway, the past is the past" Gavriel finished, and Isabella was on the verge of tears. His friends had a deadly, protective look in their eyes while they also hurt for the kindest soul of their group. Isabella realized there were holes in Gavriel's story, holes he was probably still grieving and forbid him from explaining; she knew she did not enjoy physical touch; she knew the other males already knew the story, but were still struck with a living pain as they gazed at their friend; she knew that loss hurt, and that Gavriel was good.

So Isabella stood up, and hugged him. The lion froze in place as her arms embraced him, but it only was for a moment before he hugged her back. With as much force, gratitude and understanding as Isabella tried to convey to him. Perhaps even stronger.

And all while she thought, friend friend friend. I'm sorry friend I got you friend It'll be alright friend I'm glad you are here friend friend friend.

Because she was glad, she was happy they had found her. She was glad to have the sweet, kind, sympathetic and calming Lion of Doranelle in her life. Because despite her dubious origins, he had still fed her every day, he had still been kind every day, he had still smiled at her when all she could manage was a blink. And she felt like she would hurt anyone who tried to hurt him.

Gavriel retired to his room after that, and both Lorcan and Fenrys found distractions from the sorrow pressing on their own chests. Only Rowan and her remained at the table, and silence reigned between them as they stared at each other.

"How long have you known Gavriel?" She asked, curious, and in a terrible attempt at easing the aching in her heart.

"Since I was a child. We are distant relatives"

"Oh,"

"Didn't Sarah write that?"

She shook her head. "There were many things she did not write. Or things she changed for her own liking"

"Hmn,"

She shot him a curious look, "Are you not going to ask me about your life in the books? I'm sure Fenrys told you about the things I revealed to him"

Rowan snorted, "He didn't have to. We were all awake"

Isabella leaned over, "What?!"

"He's not as secretive as he likes to think. He loves gossip and can barely think of anything else when something catches his attention, like remembering that his tone of voice should be very low if he didn't want to awake us"

Isabella could feel her heart stopping in fear, though she was not sure why. So he had heard her. So he knew Lorcan had a mate. That Gavriel died. That he had a mate...what did it matter? "Oh,"

The curve of his lips tugged upward, even as he took a sip from his drink. "You've said that already"

That snapped her out of it. "Don't be a smartass"

"I am smart, though"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "It doesn't count if you are the only one who thinks so"

His eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'm three hundred years old-"

"Practically a step away from the grave," She interrupted.

He ignored her. "So even if I were not considered 'smart' I would still be smarter than you"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Really? How? Neither respect, nor wisdom can be earned with age, but rather with experiences"

Rowan tilted his head to the side, and it reminded her of his animal form. "Exactly. I'm older, therefore, I've lived through more things. Consequently, I'm more wise and smart" He said, sounding smug and like a real smartass.

Isabella crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back on her chair. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as a thought crossed her mind. "If you are so smart, then tell me: what is a smartphone?"

Rowan's arm froze mid-air. His eyes narrowed on her, "It is a...smart...phone" He tried, so sure of himself that Isabella broke in a laugh.

"See? You just proved my point"

"But I told you what it was!"

"But your answer was wrong!"

"Then, what is a smart-phone?" The word sounded weird on his tongue, as if the unfamiliarity of it cost him.

She straightened, and her smile widened to the point of hurting. She couldn't help it. "It's a magic box that holds all the answers you may seek...except on times of tests"

He eyed her, suspiciously. "You said there was no magic in your world"

She nodded at that, "Not conventional magic. But isn't art magic? Isn't science an art? So, isn't science magic, then?"

He hid his smile behind his drink, and muttered an 'smartass' at her. She smiled gracefully. Right when he opened his mouth to speak more, a woman reached their table. The new intruder had eyes only for Rowan, and Isabella saw her blush. She couldn't blame her, he was a sight. A damn mouth-watering sight.

"Hi," The woman sighed.

Rowan kept his eyes on Isabella, as if he had not noticed the presence of the woman who was now practically leaning over so he could take a good look at the way her tight corset fit her.

But the male's silence did not discourage her. "Would you like to have a drink with me?"

"No," His answer was short and clipped. Isabella frowned.

The woman blinked. "It's on me"

"I don't care"

"My husband would join us" And the implication was clear on her purr.

"Great," He said sarcastically. "Tell your husband he will only be joining you. I'm not interested"

"He can just watch if that's not your thing"

"My thing," Rowan practically growled. "Is to drink in peace and not be interrupted when it's obvious I. Am. Not. Interested"

The woman blinked, and her blushed turned into one full of shame. Her apology was low, and then she left. Embarrassed.

Isabella stared at the male in front of her, and then frowned. "That was rude,"

"Yeah, she was"

"I meant you"

His brow creased in confusion. "Me?"

"Yes. You could have rejected her more nicely"

"I told her from the beginning I was not interested, and I wasn't rude until she kept on insisting. No means no, Isabella. If I have to be rude for people to understand it, then I will" His tone was serious and grave.

"Okay, you are right"

"Will angels sing, now?"

She was suddenly confused. "Why?"

"Because you admitted I was right, and you are one of the most stubborn beings I've met" He smirked, and she gasped at him. He only laughed at her expression.

"Well, look who suddenly developed a personality" She feigned surprise.

"I've always had one"

"Yeah, full of jerkiness"

"I'm not sure that's a word"

"It is," She said, confidently. Then, thought better of it. "At least in my world"

"Did the magic smart box tell you so?" He asked her, deadly serious.

Isabella howled, shook with laughter and stopped only after a couple of full minutes. "I-" And started laughing again.

"I don't see what's so funny" But he was smiling.

"I wish you I had a phone to take a picture of your face when you asked me" She told him once she managed to calm down.

He pursed his lips, shot a look at her before looking away, and then seemed to come to a conclusion. "What's the difference between a smart box and just a box"

"You mean phone" She corrected.

"Whatever,"

Isabella leaned closer, and placed a hand on top of his. "It's...like...It's hard to explain"

"Hmn"

"I'm serious"

"I believe you," Though he didn't seem too convinced.

When she realized her hand was warm because of the heat emanating from his own -gigantic- hand, she took it away and hid it under her tight. For some reason, she felt suddenly awkward. As if she had done something she shouldn't have, though she had not done it with any improper intention.

Isabella cleared her throat and said the first thing that came to her mind. "Don't you want to know about your mate?"

She was not looking at him, but she didn't need to, to know he had gone still. She looked up at him, confused, and found he had also gone a little pale.

"What-?" They said at the same time.

He was facing her, but his eyes had ventured to anywhere but her face. His skin had yet to recover its natural and healthy golden color. He looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Rowan?" She called, wary. Worried, too. "Are you okay?"

"I-" He swallowed. Blinked. Then, focused back on her. "Sorry, I think I missed what you said"

She looked at him, scrutinizing. "Sure," She said, slowly. Uncertain. "I asked you if you wanted to know more about the mate Sarah wrote for you in the books"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, something heavy, tedious and wicked settled on her chest. She was fearful of it, for she did not understand it, but it made her feel battered.

Rowan blinked. He sighed, and an expression close to relief settled on his features. "Sure," He sounded more cheerful, now. "Why not?" He shrugged, and Isabella thought he did not seem interested at all.

"Hum," She started, and then hid both of her hands under her tights. "Her name was -sorry, is, I suppose?- Aelin" She waited for any kind of reaction from him, her heart beating very rapidly inside of her. But Rowan only nodded, almost distractedly. "She was the heir to Mala Fire-Binger" That caught his attention, and both of his eyebrows shot slightly upward in surprise. Isabella ignored the surly feeling in her stomach, and continued. "You met her in Wendlyn, where you trained her. At first, the two of you couldn't stand each other, but with time that hatred molded into bearing, then turned into friendship, until, finally, lovers" Then, she babbled. "Mate"

When her eyes went from her trousers, and up to the splendid man in front of her, she found him staring. His face was unreadable, and she wished she could know the thoughts running the wheel in his mind.

She expected him to have so many questions about Aelin. Perhaps even wonder if there was a possibility she was real. Or would be, since she seemed to not have been born yet.

What she didn't expect, though, was. "You know about Mala Fire-Binger?"

Isabella wondered if his tone sounded impressed. She shrugged. "Just a little bit. And I don't know if what I know is reliable, either. I seem to know less and less about you and this world the more I spend here"

Rowan nodded, and then licked his lips before taking a long sip of his beer. "Could you tell me what you know about her? About our Gods?"

She thought it was strange that was what he wanted to know the most, but she welcomed the topic. Sometimes she wondered if she should just tell them everything about their characters, and sometimes she wondered if perhaps there wasn't a greater reason as to why she shouldn't -like the books being more than just that. Them being future tellers. Warnings-.

So Isabella told him about Hellas, and how Lorcan could sometimes hear the whispers of the God's words for the male who had inherited his powers.

She talked about Anneith, and even dared to mention Elide -Lorcan's mate in the books- and how she could also hear the Goddess in her mind.

Isabella mentioned the Three-Faced Goddess, worshiped by the Ironteeth Witches. Deanna, Silba, Mab, and finally, Mora.

Rowan's eyes were a little wide. "Sarah really did not hold back when using our Gods" He shook his head. "I don't know if I should feel honored, betrayed, used or angry"

Isabella tilted her head to the side. "With her?"

"With her. And the things she created"

She turned defensive, immediately. "Hey, the books are good"

Rowan sighed. "I hope you are right, the God of Truth knows I do not believe so"

"Why?"

He rubbed his temples. "How would you feel if someone used your culture, your past, so many things that make you you, and shared it to the world disguised as a book, with the only purpose of earning money. I told her things about my past that I had only shared with few people, I did not want them revealed to a whole world"

He was right, of course. Isabella would be furious if she were in his place, and yet, something about his words bugged her..."Were you two close?"

"Who?"

"You, and Sarah"

He pursed his lips. "In some ways, yes"

"Were you two lovers?"

He choked with his drink, and coughed loudly until he could breath normally. Isabella was just glad he hadn't spit his drink on her.

Rowan was cleaning his mouth with a napkin when he asked, "Why would you think that?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering. I'm a curious person"

He narrowed his eyes on her. "So I'm learning," He murmured. Then, he threw the used napkin to the floor, and Isabella saw the paper move on its own, through the feet under tables, until it threw itself on the dirt's bag.

She rolled her eyes. "Show off"

He smiled at her before he wiped it away. "No. Sarah and I were not...lovers. We were both soldiers, and spent a lot of time together on missions, just like I did with the rest. I considered her a friend"

"Just a friend?" She wasn't sure why she asked.

"Well, we did share a bed a few times, but we were never lovers, or something close to it. Just friends"

"In my world, we have the perfect name for that" He waited, and she added. "Friends with benefits"

He nodded, "The benefits are the exchange of pleasure, I suppose"

She wrinkled her nose. "I guess," He took another sip of his drink when another question struck her thoughts. She didn't know if it was her place to ask, but she was curious, and he was starting to blush due to the alcohol.

"Who was your first love?"

Rowan's blink was so slow Isabella could have counted the seconds patiently in her head. He looked at her, then away.

"I don't have one"

She frowned. "What do you mean 'you don't have one'?"

He let out a tired sigh. "Exactly what it says 'I don't have a first love'"

"How?"

"How what?"

"How is that possible? You are so old, you must have fallen in love at least once" She was incredulous, and he looked sincere, if a little bit uncomfortable.

"I don't know" Rowan started tapping his fingers on the table, and Isabella realized it was a nervous tick. "I have never been in love. That's just how it is"

"Liar"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not"

"But- how?"

He rolled his eyes again, and Isabella wondered if he wouldn't get them stuck in that position for doing it so much. "Ask Lorcan and he'll give you the same answer"

She turned his words in her head, and said. "Are Lorcan and you secret lovers and have not revealed your relationship to the world -for an unknown reason- and that's why you are saying you've never been in love? Because you can't tell me that the person you love is Lorcan?"

Rowan stared at her for a full minute before he started laughing. Loudly. He was shaking with every pleasant sound coming from his throat, and she could see tears welling up in his eyes.

"I admire your imagination" He said, in between laughs. "I can't believe that's the conclusion you reached"

She smiled, because he rarely laughed as freely as he just had. And she liked the sound of it. "All I'm saying is that you are not saying no"

"No!" He laughed more quietly, then. "I'm not in love with Lorcan. Or in a relationship with him. Or anyone. I'm single. Free"

"A bachelor" She added, because he seemed in need of emphasizing his liberty.

"Yes, I suppose, though I do not like that word"

"Why not?"

"It doesn't matter"

"Hmn"

They fell silent, until Rowan looked at the depth of his drink and spoke. Softly. Almost as if unsure of doing it.

"What about you?" He looked up at her, and something in his eyes made her breath catch in her throat. "Have you ever been in love?"

A slow, pleased smile curved her lips. Rowan blinked in surprise, and Isabella leaned back in her seat. "Many times"

He blinked again. "Really?" His tone sounded slightly clipped, though she wasn't sure.

She nodded, and a dreamy sigh escaped her lips as she thought of all the men she had loved. And still did. "I'm a hopeless romantic"

"Who?" He sounded husky, now, and cleared his throat before speaking again. "Who were they? How did you meet them? What are their names?"

Isabella laughed, and then shook her head. "Please, don't get all 'protective older brother'"

He bit the inside of his cheek at that. "I'm not-" He sighed, and Isabella noticed that he was tense. "I'm just asking because I'm curious" He blinked, innocently. "I'm a very curious person, too, you know"

Isabella snorted. "Since when?"

Then Rowan snorted himself. "I'm a soldier, which means I spend a lot of time on missions away from civilization. It gets boring, so with time, you learn to love gossip"

Isabella covered her mouth and giggled. "Xoxo, Gossip Hawk"

"What?"

"It's nothing,"

He seemed to purposely ignore the topic, when Rowan asked, casually. "So...are you going to tell me about your...lovers or not?"

Isabella stood up, and was able to contain the laughter threatening to escape her throat. She shook her head at the male staring at her, and patted his shoulder. "I guess we'll never know"

And then she left for the night.