Below the Peak (Sola)

by Juliet Lili

  ****

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Never have been a dancer and feeling queasy, body overwhelmed with the rousing magic, Nara took a step back from the crowd. She felt if she stayed any much longer she might pass out from the magic. She looked at the elves around her. How were they able to dance with the magic feeling like a hurricane? She turned around. She was going back home, well hoping to do so if she doesn’t get lost in the mist. She took four steps and halted. “You” she whispered shout. The elf glanced around then back to her. “Me?”

  “Yes, you,” she said, wincing a little as she struggled to clear the fog in her mind. The silver haired elf drew a little closer to her and smiled slowly. “So, you still remember me.”

  “You are alive” Nara gaped, a wave of relief and astonishment washing over her. The elf’s silver eyes glinted sharply against the blue mist. “Alive and well.”

  He cocked his head to the side, the space between his brows bunching. “How is the boy?”

  The question sobered her momentarily, her features turning grim. “He’s dead.”

  The brightness in his eyes dimmed. He solemnly said. “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too,” Nara muttered.

  His eyes gazed at her briefly before moving back to hers. “You have company.”

  Twisting, she looked back over her shoulder. There was no one behind her. Nara turned back to look at him. She frowned. He was gone. Her eyes darted around.

  “Hello” his voice rumbled, sinking softly into her. Nara turned, tilting her head and met Calemir’s eyes.

  “What is it?” Calemir asked, sensing her unrest and seeing it in her sparkling brown eyes. Although thoughts etched on her features, there were still traces of effects of magic on her. Her skin was glowing. She pursed her lips and shook her head lightly, murmuring. “It’s nothing.”

  “It’s just a man I met before. I didn’t tell you but when the cursed spirit attacked, there was also a man. He had been the one who had urged me to leave with the boy. I left him fighting the bastards” she explained when Calemir kept watching her, his dark gaze unwavering. “I had thought he had died too, but then I just met him here.”

  “A human?”

  “No, he’s an elf.”

  Calemir looked around. “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know, he disappeared in the crowd,” Nara shrugged.

  “You sang well” she added after the tension between became too much. Calemir made a puzzled face.

  “You sang well” she repeated a little louder over the loud singing.

  He made that puzzled face again. Nara almost rolled her eyes, did he not genuinely hear her? She waved her hand in the air “never mind”. She wasn’t going to compete with the music.

  Pfft for someone with long ears, he couldn’t even hear her, she scoffed. He leaned in toward her, the side of his jaw brushing her own as his spoke against her ear. “Tell me.”

  A shiver ricocheted over her body. Nara unglued her tongue from the roof of her mouth. Her cheek grazed the skin of his jaw as she whispered back. “You have a lovely voice.” Nara grew still when Calemir pulled back and looked at her. Her eyes dropped to his hand that was reaching for hers. Calemir trailed his fingers over her arm down to her wrist which he gently grasped and pulled her to him.

  Nara blinked in shock, her hands instinctively going to his chest. Although she thought of pulling back, Nara instead gazed into his face, into eyes that she could get lost in even though they told her to stay away. Warned her to be careful of their owner. “I-” she started, but he cut her off. “You” Calemir stated almost accusingly, causing her to jerk her head back a little. “Why can’t I stop thinking about you?” he questioned. She dropped her hands from his chest. The fingers on her wrist squeezed lightly. “We rarely see each other or spend time together. It shouldn’t be but gods you occupy my mind...”

  Nara watched him intently as he swallowed, struggling to find words. Calemir’s eyes smoldered his voice turning gruff. “You are the last thing I expected, but I want you. I want to do a lot with you. But right now, the thing I want most is to kiss you.”

  Nara felt everything fade away except for the pulse thrumming at the base of her neck. Stomach quivering, and scared out of her skin she did one thing. “Kiss me” she whispered.

  Calemir released a deep breath. He lowered his head, watching her the entire time to see her reaction. His lips brushed over hers gently. Closing his eyes, he brushed his lips over hers again gently, coaxing. Her chest felt so hot and tight, her muscle tense with anxiousness she thought she might die from air deprivation. Unclenching her fist, Nara rested her hand on his shoulders. She kissed him back. She gasped when he brought his other hand and cupped her other cheek and kissed her back hard. He took her reaction as an opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Nara moaned and brushed her tongue with his almost timidly. He made a sound at the back of his throat. Nara slipped her tongue more, seeking the taste and warmth of his mouth. Calemir grunted and tilt his head to the opposite. His kissing turned from chaste to hungry in a second. Nara kissed him with the same intensity and made a small whimper like sound when he teared his mouth away from hers.

  Calemir looked at her as he calmed his ragged breathing. His gazed dropped at her mouth as she licked her lips, seeking the taste that was left of him on her. Calemir averted his eyes and looked away from her for a moment before he dived back in and devoured her again. She had tasted sweet like a ray of sunshine and wine. Her taste had burned its way in his throat. Heat sank in his body, magic and the natural arousal of his body darkened and coursed in his blood. He wanted to have her so bad that he was hanging on a thread of sanity. He could just make her feel what he felt. Calemir returned his gaze back to her flushed face. “The celebration doesn’t end until tomorrow. You should go home.”

  The lust in her features faded a little at his words. Nara had enjoyed kissing him that she had wanted to ask him to do it again. But reading between the lines, she understood that he didn’t want to do it again. It seemed he didn’t want her around either. Was he regretting? The thought cooled the heat churning in her stomach and spreading over her skin.

  Nara pressed her fingers to her forehead. “You are right, I should leave. I’m tired” she lied.

  “You'll be all right by yourself?”

  Nara almost scowled at him. One minute he was chasing her away and the next he was acting worried for her. He was giving her a whiplash as if the magic wasn’t doing enough. She was having a hard time to discern where the influence of magic ended and where her emotions began. Everything was a mess and complicated like a ball of yarn.

  “I’ll be okay. I don’t think it’s going to be hard not to bump into someone in all this mist” Nara said sarcastically.

  Calemir rubbed the back of his neck, the idea of her going back home alone not sitting well with him. The magic around them lowered people’s inhibition, making them vulnerable to act recklessly. And contrary to the way most of his people treated her nicely that didn’t account for everyone. Some were merely tolerating her presence and given the opportunity they could hurt her. Furthermore, he could see she was barely keeping steady on her feet. Not accustomed to such powerful magic, he was confident she felt inebriated, and as she continued to stand here, she could pass out. He finally decided. “Let us go.”

  Chapter Fifty-three

  The time was almost here. After so long, she could see their rise. Only a few steps remained for it to be completed. She thrilled in anticipation of the coming glorious days.

  “Are you certain this will work? Because if you are wasting my time and my men I won’t hesitate to separate your head from your body” Schmerz threatened.

  “It will” Dagny assured. She was starting to get annoyed with General’s impatience. The man was a great warrior but with little patience and tolerance. It had been hard to convince him to partake in the ritual. This generation was such a skeptic of magic it both pleased her and irritated her. If they only kne
w magic had what conquered kingdoms before.

  “The moon is the strongest tonight as you can see it for yourself.” The orange moon was shining brightly into the forest, basking the men’s faces and revealing the doubts on their features. Its light orange gliding over the pool of wolves’ blood in the small lake. “You only need to drink and bathe yourself in the blood” she stated.

  Dagny bristled when the General didn’t drink from the bowl.

  “How do you expect to defeat elves?” she gritted. “All of you will die in your mortal strength” She glared at the men when they didn’t move a muscle. Cursing, she stomped to the General and grabbed the bowl from him. “Is this what you want?” she demanded and tipped the bowl to her mouth. She glared at them as she drank the blood, some spilling over her chin. She swallowed without a grimace. She pushed back the bowl into the General’s hand. “Now drink!” she commanded, anger simmering beneath her skin.

  Unlike him who drank monotonously, his men drank with disdain looks on their features, grimacing and gagging. Schmerz had never thought one day he would drink wolf blood, but if brought him the victory he didn’t care much what he needed to do. And if the woman was playing a trick on him, Schmerz would keep the end of his word. He didn’t care if she was a queen. The king was dying, no one would care about her death. In fact, he would be doing a few a favor including prince Nikolas. He was aware of the prince’s hatred toward him and the queen. A ringing in his skull jarred him from the thoughts. His face knitted as the ringing grew. At the exact time, a numbness overtook him, causing his legs to buckle as a sharp pain replaced the ringing in his head. A wave of something strong started from the tip of his toes and travelled to his skull again. Schmerz repeatedly blinked before turning a steely gaze at Dagny. Her sensuous lips slanted to a sinister smile. “You feel it? Now complete the ritual” she tilted her head to the pool of blood. She reflected as the men stripped and dived into the pool. One more step left, and it would begin. Now all that was left is to get all the soldiers to drink. The rest won’t be strong as these men who had drawn power from the harvest moon, but they would be more than strong to fight.

  Chapter Fifty-four

  Nara still felt the exact same way, butterflies swimming in her stomach, and whole-body warm with undulated heat. The tension between her and the prince hadn’t gotten better, it was strung high now, she could almost touch it. She climbed the stairs quietly, very aware of him beside her.

  “You didn’t have to escort me to my room,” Nara said, standing at the door of her room. He could’ve just left her at the top of the hill and returned to the celebration, and she would’ve been fine and gotten home by herself. But he hadn’t, without speaking a word, he had walked her to the front door of the house, together they had entered and strode to her room.

  “I know,” Calemir said.

  Their gazes locked. Murmuring under breath, Nara grabbed the back of his neck, lifting her chin, she pressed her mouth against him. Having taken him by surprise, Calemir tensed but only for a second before he grabbed her waist, pushed her back against the door and kissed her hard. His tongue licked at the seam of her lips, asking for permission. Parting her mouth, a little wider, his tongue dipped to the recess of her mouth. Tongues dueling, Nara threaded her fingers through his hair. She had always wondered how it would be like to run her fingers through his hair. His hair was soft and smooth as she had imagined. Nara enjoyed feeling his taut back as she flattened her palm on his back as they kissed deeper and seemed to lose track of time. Calemir pulled back slowly, his hot breath fanning her face. Rubbing his thumb over swollen lips, he regarded her. Her expression sent a shiver down his spine. Her face was warmly flushed, brown eyes lidded with desire and innocence as she looked back at him with intensity. Her desire swam around him, sunk into his pores and fanned his own lust into scalding flames. He leaned in and softly placed a kiss on her cheek. Nara’s eyelids fluttered to a close when he continued to pamper her with light kisses.

  Gripping both his arms, Nara arched when he kissed her throat. Calemir bit gently and sucked on the crook of her neck and shoulder, earning him a soft moan that had his blood rushing to his crotch. Nara blinked when the door fell open. She hadn’t noticed him opening it as she had been too distracted with the tingling kisses he feathered her neck with. He backed her into the room, closing the door with his leg. She was just starting to get a semi-clear mind from the overwhelming sensation when he bowed back and sucked her plum bottom lip. He kissed her with a new hunger that she felt down to her toes. Calemir’s hands ran over Nara’s body, grasping her arm, neck, wandering down her back like they couldn’t decide what to grab for themselves because they wanted every inch of her. His heart pounded beneath her palm where it rested on his chest.

  Still kissing, they staggered back until the back of her feet hit the bed. Calemir lowered her gently on the bed. Nara laid back and scooted to the middle of the bed.

  Pulling away, Calemir sat on his haunches. Nara stared at him with slightly parted lips. Her eyes lowered from his handsome face to his broad shoulders, down to his chest and much farther his abdomen and paused at the bulge there before finding their way back to his face.

  “Nara” Calemir rasped.

  Nervousness slithered in her body. However, Nara didn’t look away but instead looked at Calemir directly. “I have never done this before” she admitted. The tiny twitch of his eyebrows gave him away. She had surprised him, apparently he hadn’t expected to hear that from her, not after kissing him back as though she was experienced.

  “I’ve never done any of this before” she admitted again. He was the first person she had ever kissed. First person to have ever made her feel this way.

  “Never?” He asked.

  Nara shrugged. “Never.”

  Calemir exhaled, ran a hand over his face before saying. “We shouldn’t do it.”

  “I want to do it” She argued, and as quickly the words had left her mouth she froze. Her fingers dug in to the sheets whilst heat crept on her neck. With a lower voice, and eyes away from his gaze, she said again. “I want to do it with you.”

  “No, we can’t,” Calemir said, still sitting on his haunches, his hands resting on his thighs. Her honey eyes flew back to his, genuine curiosity laced in her voice, “Why not?”

  “Because it is not a good idea” he replied, hoping she would understand for his sake. He saw her disappointment even though she gave him a slight nod.

  Calemir breathed out loudly and said again. “Right now, you are still under the influence of the magic, and it can make you feel things. I just don’t want you to regret it later.”

  “I won’t,” Nara said convincingly then added in sobriety. “But we should not if you do not wish so.” The words were said without intentions of making him feel guilty about refusing her. Calemir sat there, staring at her whilst he grappled with reasons. As seconds ticked by so did the reasons he had for not taking her on offer, walking from the room and keeping his distance from her shrunk. He could only think of how beautiful she was inside out. Her resilience and bravery burned brighter than any flame. He knew she always worried about her family, but she remained brave, hopeful even when she was so far away from them. She was courageous to stay in stranger’s lands just for the sake of her family and people, even for a king who had betrayed her. She was still loyal, had carried her duty even when he had offered to return her home. She could have taken the opportunity to run but hadn’t. He should be wary of her advances, perhaps she was just carrying out a ploy that had been initially her order from her king, but deep down Calemir felt she wasn’t. He saw her honesty in her eyes and felt it in his chest that she wasn’t lying there in front of him in pretense. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. If that alone wasn’t enough…he didn’t know what else to say.

  Unclenching his fists, Calemir reached out for her leg. Uncertain eyes watched him as he removed the sandal. Once he was done with one foot, he did the other and threw it on the floor too before bowing forw
ard that he was hovering over her with his elbows supporting him and knees planted on each side of her thighs. Eyes darkening, Calemir lowered his head and kissed her forehead, trailed kisses at the corner of her eye. Nara tensed then relaxed visibly. He kissed near her ear and then her cheekbone. He teased his nose against hers then kissed the corner of her mouth. Tilting her head, she sought his lips only for him to avoid hers with a smirk before planting a kiss on her throat. She whimpered. Goosebumps broke over her flesh as he bit her skin and kissed the spot. Nara threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled a little. When he lifted his head, she slammed her mouth on his. He was so swift, Nara didn’t even realize he had spread her legs and settled one knee between them until he grinded on her. Delicious heat dug below her stomach. She dug her fingers into his hair, wanting to feel the sensation again. As if reading her mind, he rocked his hips again, his groin rubbing against hers. She moaned into his open mouth, her other hand resting on the back of his shoulder digging into his skin. The growl from his chest sent a shiver to her bones. Bordering between rough and gentle, Calemir snaked his hand under her tunic, wanting to touch and feel more of her skin. His warm palm branded her skin as it grazed her sides, up near to the underside of her breast. Nara stomach knotted with nerves and excitement.