366 Down to Business

Mika cursed herself for getting caught red handed. She wanted to keep her hacking life a secret.

Ugh, this is going to be another thing we are going to have to talk about…. Since I can't shuffle through their mainframes, let's take a look through what my nanos were able to 'eat' from the Rowood city's mainframes.

Mika closed her eyes and entered her mind's space.

"Mikaela…" Drako floated in front of her, looking rather fatigued than he normally would.

"Drako, you're not looking so good…"

"I need to hibernate for a while….the illness in the honey trees is spreading closer to the cave. I using most of my powers to protect it, but it's taking a toll on me. I can't keep our connect open and secure the cave at the same time, it's too much."

"Okay, I understand… I will contact you, if there are any updates."

"En…" Drako's tiny body slowly faded from her mind.

Seeing Drako's body leaving her and the close connect being cut off, made her realize that situation of the honey trees just took a turn for the worst.

If Drako is having problems protect Analise's tree then the honey tree problem is more dire than she originally thought it was.

Giving herself a mental shake, she cleared her mind of the dreaded feeling building up inside her. Calling out her nanos, Mika ordered for all the information from the city's mainframes to be passed onto her.

Shifting through the large amount of data coming into her brain, Mika didn't hear when Braeden and Kaze stepped into the office.

What is this brat doing in Ailwin's chair?

Although, the healers had Braeden sitting in a hover chair, his legs were working just fine.

Noticing she wasn't moving and her eyes were closed, Braeden had a wicked idea pop up in his head.

"Don't." Kaze warned, recognizing the glint mischief in Braeden's eyes.

"Why not?"

"It's only going to make the relationship between you two worst, plus…" Kaze didn't want to say it out loud to the General, but he didn't think he could win against Mikaela's outrageousness any time soon.

"Plus what?" Braeden looked over at Kaze.

"Plus...you're hurt and you need to rest…" Kaze subsituted his words.

"That's not what you were planning on saying....You were going to say I can't win against this brat, right!?"

Braeden was pretty sure he knew the words that Kaze wanted to say, and it made his blood boil, "Let me tell you something, every time….EVERY TIME! she has been able to win over me is because she has caught me by surprise, okay!?"

Braeden was picturing his face after he woke up from the monster's attack.

His face hasn't looked that bad since his training days when his seniors used him as the target practice.

Eyes zooming in on the pens on the desk, Braeden's hands itch to do some damage to Mikaela's face before Ailwin comes back.

Standing up out of his chair, Braeden scooped up a couple of pens on the desk as he walked towards Mika's side softly, careful not to wake her up.

Uncapping a pen, Braeden bent over Mikaela sleeping form slowly.

Stretching out his arm, the pen lightly tapped her cheek, leaving a small dot. Smiling brightly when she didn't wake up, Braeden began planning out his revenge.

"Heh...let's see how you like your face being f**k up…. AAAH! ARGH!" Braeden fell backwards to the floor.

What is it with these men standing over me? Mikaela stood up from her seat and wiped her hands with a napkin.

"General Gilwenys, why are you always falling to the floor when we meet…"

"Ugh...ah..argh…" Braeden couldn't get words out of his mouth.

When Mika was in mind's space, she had felt someone's presence standing over her. Not caring for who it might be, she instantly reacted. Punched outward, she hit Braeden's jewels then sent an upper cut to his jaw.

Kaze stood to the side instinctively also clutching and protecting his own jewels as felt Braeden's pain.

"Were you fake sleeping!?" Braeden yelled.

"No...were you doing something you shouldn't have?" Mika countered.

"…...No." Braeden looked away from Mika's face.

With each denying the other claims, the room became silent expect for Braeden yelps of discomfort as he tried to get back into his chair.

Braeden and Mika both scowled at each other, coming to understanding that we will resume their cold war when Braeden was better.

Ten minutes later, Ailwin walked into the office with Hycis, Celaena and Nylian behind him.

Braeden moved his hover chair to face everyone coming in, "Hmm...looks like everyone is here. Why did you gather everyone, Ailwin?"

Several eyes zoom towards Prince Ailwin, who was moving to sit behind his desk.

"We need to talk…"

"About what exactly?"

"Everything…" Ailwin gave Mika a look that said he didn't forget able her hacking. "Right now, we were able to make our escape from the city, but were are not going to be able to escape our enemy's attention for long."

Looking over at Hycis and Celaena, "I can drop you two off at a halfway point, which will make it easier for guys to get back to the academy… You two don't had to stay, there is no reason for you guys to put yourselves in any danger because of us…" Ailwin gesture to everyone else around the room.

"No." Celaena opened her mouth first. "This involves me and my family, I want to see it to the end. Besides, I have already sworn loyalty to Mikaela. Wherever she goes, I'll go."

"Me too." Hycis agreed.

Ailwin glance at Mika to see her smugly smirking at him.

Hmph!...you aren't the only one you has people.

"Fine, but from this point onwards, you all should know that your decision right now will lead to you being hunted and targeted by many."

"I know." Both Hycis and Celaena answered.

"Okay, then let's get down to business. I know I put cot before, but I meant to put chair...