Cord felt his back get hit and turned in time to see Sloane throw another at him. “Et tu, brother?”
“I’m aiming for Tegan, but your bond is making you protect her!” Sloane laughed.
“Why isherbond not protecting me from her?” Cord shouted as Tegan hit him yet again, and he heard Sloane’s boom of laughter. Their fight brought attention, and soon there were many Sentinels all enjoying a late afternoon snowball fight. “Quick!” Cord pulled Tegan down in a crouch, and the two ran for the side of the building. “Sloane!” Cord called as he ran, and he heard his brother follow him. The three plastered themselves to the wall as they peered around the corner to the massive snowball fight. Michael soon joined them with Briony and Kallie laughing beside him.
“This is insane.” Kallie grinned happily as she watched the Akrhyn play in the snow.
“It was needed,” Cord murmured as he watched with a small smile. He reached behind him, and his hand slipped into Tegan’s. She resisted for a moment before her fingers wrapped around his, and Cord slipped their joined hands into his robe pocket.
“The sun is setting.” Michael looked to the sky. “Do you think we can get hot chocolate from Martha?” he asked Tegan. Tegan nodded, and the six of them cautiously made their way back inside.
Marcus stopped in the hall when he saw them all shake the snow off their boots and clothing. “Who started it?” he asked with a suspicious grin.
“Cord!”
“Sloane!”
Both brothers shouted at the same time with a grin for each other.
“You did good.” Marcus grinned as he passed them and headed outside to watch the last of the fight.
“Everyone is going to descend on the kitchen,” Briony said as she started to walk faster to the kitchens. “Race you!” she called over her shoulder, and then she, Michael, Sloane and Kallie were running down the halls.
“We are not in a race?” Tegan asked softly, very conscious that her hand was still in the robes of the Castor.
“A snowball fight will already have damaged my reputation beyond repair,” Cord joked. “Running in the halls is a step too far.”
Tegan laughed lightly as they walked down the hall together, grateful it was empty. “He seems better.”
Cord nodded thoughtfully. “He needed the release.” He cast her a quick glance. “Although it takes a lot more to keep Sloane down.”
“You envy that?” Tegan speculated.
“He is annoyingly optimistic,” Cord answered dryly. “Do you know how difficult it is to be moody and elusive when you live with a permanent ray of sunshine?”
Tegan laughed again. “I like this side of you, Castor,” she admitted to him shyly.
“Don’t get used to it.” Cord let go of her hand and stepped away, as if remembering himself.
“We are allowed a slip.” Tegan put her hands in her own pockets.
Cord fought the sigh as they walked. Suddenly feeling reckless, he pulled Tegan into a room and looked around to make sure it was empty.
“Castor?” Tegan asked him as she looked around the room, startled at his actions.
“I tried to break the bond again,” Cord blurted.
“Oh.” Tegan took a step back. “It did not work?” The dull disappointment she felt at him telling her this no longer surprised her. “When?”
“Before you went running into the woods with no respect for your safety,” Cord snapped.
“We discussed this,” Tegan sighed. “I am an Elite Sentinel. It is myjob.”
“It is not your job to die!” Cord snarled. They looked at each other, both irritated with one another.
Tegan took another step away from him. “I am not fighting over this,” she told him quietly. “You tried, it failed. Will you continue to try?”
“No,” Cord told her tersely.