EMBER'S POV

"You seem like you're in a much brighter mood," Axel said when he pooped into my room. I had just gotten off my call with Jean and was considering going off to the infirmary to drop off some cookies. The thing was, I actually had to bake the cookies.


"maybe because I actually am." I said and sighed, "Except, now I have to get hot and sweaty with baking." I said and made a face. But it's for a good cause I suppose."

"What's the cause?"

"sick pack members. I want to get them some cookies."


"Are they fit to eat cookies?" he asked, and I shrugged,

"I guess the Nurses can decide who is feet for the cookies and who isn't. but I'll try and rule out some general allergy triggers. Peanuts, and raisins."


"that's thoughtful," he said and picked up the beeping phone that I had dropped,

"Jean? I thought he said he had paperwork to get to." I said, but was thrilled at the possibility of him pushing his work to the side to talk to him.

"It's not Jean," Axel said, looking quite grim, and I was surprised by that,

"It isn't?" I asked and he handed me the phone, then I understood why he looked so put out by the caller.

"Paris." I said and I sighed, "What the hell does he want?"

"Does he ever want anything substantial? The bloke just wants to pester you. Do whatever the hell he can just to get under your skin. To make sure he is still on your mind. The man is a damned narcissist if you ask me." Axel said angrily and I shook my head and dropped the phone in my bed.

"not right now." I said and looked up at Axel, "

"c'mon, let's go make cookies," I said and led him out of the room, abandoning the phone.

"he's not going to stop," Axel said when we got to the kitchen and I shrugged as I dug out some flour,

"Maybe not right away. Maybe not at the moment,But soon enough, he's going to get the point." I said.

"Is he though? Ember, you should have just let me deal with him the way I wanted to the moment we all realized that his devotion to Kate was endless. But you decided to let him be spared."

"What did you expect from me, Axel? What? To have let you hurt him because he hurt me? I'm not that cruel, Axel. My heart would never have allowed me to let you do that. You know this."

"So you're content with letting him bother you this much?"

"truth be told, it doesn't bother me so much if he chooses to call me as often as he does. I don't care at all." I said and got out some eggs, aggressively cracked them open, and sighed,

"Can we not talk about him, please?"

"you still love him," Axel said quietly, and I sighed again. Because after all was said and done, where was the lie in his statement?

"it doesn't matter. If I do, if I don't, it doesn't matter. I'm not going back there. I don't want to. So will you help me with cookies, or will I have to beat you out of here with this whisk?" I held out the whisk toward him, and he smiled, shook his head,

"I guess I can be somewhat handy," he said and mixed another batter with me. The more, the merrier , I thought.

"alright. We can just leave these to bake." I announced when we put the cookies in the oven and he smiled at himself,

"I would have followed you to the infirmary, but I've got to follow father to a conference with some of the elders today," he said

"That's alright. I'm not interested in those people right now."

I knew they wanted my brother and not me. And as much as I didn't blame them for their choice, I just didn't want to have to deal with them, until I really had to deal with them.

"I'll let you know what we discuss," he said, as I got out some blueberries for the jam I had in mind, and then turned to him,

"let them know I think they are white-washed fools," I said and although I hadn't intended for it to be a joke, Axel actually laughed,

"You know I won't be able to do that. But that's a good one."

"Mm." he leaned over and kissed my temple,

"catch you later. Keep some cookies for me."

"Sure thing," I said and he left. It was nearly three hours before I was done with the cookies and partially done with the jam. I put the cookies out on the counter to cool and returned back to my room to get prepared to got to the infirmary , and even then, the phone still rang. Except this time it was Jackson,

“Don’t you two ever quit?” I sighed to myself and picked up the phone. But I should have known better.

"What do you want? "I said gruffly, because Jackson, I could actually tolerate, at least he wasn't breaking my heart every chance he got.

"Ah now, Ember. That's a really rough way to greet someone you haven't spoken to in a while," he said charmingly and I rolled my eyes.

"What the hell do you want, Jackson? I don't have the time or energy for all of your dilly-dallying." I said and I heard him pfft.

Well, pfft to him too. Served him right for always being an accomplice to Paris's every whim,

"Well, Paris needs your help," he stated simply and I narrowed my gaze.

Lucky. He was way too lucky he couldn't see me right then.

"What do you want me to do about that? I have a life of my own to live. I'm not about to put everything down, simply because Paris needs my help." I said angrily.

"It's actually something that might matter to you too. The stables that you built have some holes in the roof. He thought you'd be the best person to call to come and fix it. "

The stables I had built, I thought and felt a twinge in my heart.

"There are a lot of stable hands who can fix this, Jackson. You didn't have to call me." I said and he sighed,

"Paris wants it to be you. He's been calling you all day, but you haven't responded, so I thought I'd give it a try."

"So he didn't put you on this?" I asked, and hated myself for the softening I felt in my heart,

"No. he didn't put me up to this. I just thought to give it a try. Calling you, that is. So please, will you? And if you actually think about it, you kind of owe him one for saving you from that metal. "

"don't go there," I said because I was made to remember the fact that he had pretended to be terribly damaged when I came to see him,

"But it's true though," he said and I sighed.

"fine. I have to deliver some cookies to the ill. After that, I'll give Paris a call. Now, leave me alone." I said

"we'll be expecting you." he said and I uttered a 'pfft' before ending the call.

"Well," I said and dropped my phone, realizing I was going to have to see Paris soon after vowing I was done with him. "That's just dandy."