There was a murderous look in his eyes, his anger almost palpable. He looked at her just as coldly as he had the men. “You purposely provoked him,” he stated.
Rain met his eyes defiantly. “So?” she shot back, reaching up to touch her tender cheek. He gave her a strange look, before walking past her.
“Come on,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll take you back now.” He didn’t even help her up. Brushing the grass off her skirts, Rain stood and began to follow him up the hill towards the forest. When they reached the same spot as before, Elex turned and pulled her into his arms. Knowing better this time, Rain instantly closed her eyes and held on tightly. He stiffened as she pressed against him. “Your lip is still bleeding,” he needlessly pointed out.
“Thanks,” she replied dryly. “I’m well aware of that.” She could still taste the metallic tinge in her mouth. It wasn’t until it dawned on her why he would have said that, that she became nervous. “C-can you smell it?”
“Yes.” His voice was rough, and barely controlled.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His eyes were fixed on her mouth, and she knew it was not in a romantic way. “Can you handle it?” she asked, praying he wasn’t going to bite her again. She felt him take a deep breath, then saw him nodded his head slightly. He didn’t say anything else, just pushed off and they were suddenly rising into the air. She turned her face into him again, and simply waited for it to be over.
“What happened?” Aziz asked, the moment they landed.
“She was attacked,” Elex answered matter-of-factly.
Aziz shot him an irritated look. He was holding her face in his hands, moving it slightly from left to right so he could see the damage better. She hadn’t looked at it herself, but guessed bruises were already forming on her pale skin. “Where were you when this was happening?” he asked. Rain wanted to know the same thing. She had called him numerous times, and yet he hadn’t appeared until well after.
Elex seemed to consider his answer carefully before replying. “Busy,” he stated. Aziz gave him another look, and then the two were suspiciously quiet. She assumed they were speaking mentally to each other, and decided she’d find out from Elex later.
No you won’t, his voice spoke to her. It is none of your concern.
She tried not to glare at him, instead focusing on Aziz standing in front of her. Well you said you’d be watching over me, she replied, her voice infused with anger. I guess this is just one more reason for me to feel like I can’t trust you.
That’s not fair, I came when you really needed me, and I disposed of those men for you.
She did a mental shrug. If you had come sooner I wouldn’t have been injured.
His growl filled her head. He has suffered worse for that offence. I would have been there sooner if I could. I will not let you get hurt again.
I don’t need you to protect me, Elex. I can handle myself. She closed off her mind then, keeping any further thoughts to herself. It was disconcerting to her how much she had relied on him to show up. She had even called for him – twice! Feeling weak was not something she was used to, and she certainly did not enjoy it. Yes, her pride was something that often got in her way, but that was just who she was. She couldn’t help it. Maybe she shouldn’t have pushed her attacker the way she did, or refused Elex’s help in the future, but what else was she supposed to do? Just sit back and let people walk all over her?
Aziz was speaking with one of his soldiers the whole time she was lost in her thoughts, but now he refocused on her. She didn’t hear what he said to the man she hadn’t noticed until then. From the way he left, his manner purposeful, she guessed that the villagers were going to get a lesson in not crossing Aziz again.
“You look like you’re in shock, my dear,” he tisked, placing his hand on her face again. “Why don’t you go back to your room and rest for a little?”
“I’m fine,” she replied instantly. He smiled knowingly, and shook his head.
“I know you’re fine,” he said. “I think some rest might still be good for you.” The way he said it made Rain believe she was being dismissed. Her eyes went to Elex, and back to Aziz. Then she remembered that one of the men had said something about another person going missing. It made sense now why he’d want her out of the way. He probably thought she wasn’t clever enough to know what it was that he did. Accepting, she told him that she did actually feel a bit tired, and that she’d see him at dinner. The air around them stirred, and she turned to see Elex disappear up through the ceiling. She watched until he disappeared. When she turned back to Aziz, he was looking at her thoughtfully.
“I know Elex is nice to look at, but do not be fooled by his appearances,” he said seriously. “He is a warrior, Rain, that is all. You will be smart to remember that. Those markings on his skin bind him to me, and make it so that he does not feel human emotions like we do. I don’t make the same mistakes twice.” He stepped closer, pushing his hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head. “He will never, and could never, care about you the way I do.”
She could feel heat drain from her face. “He is the only person I’ve ever seen with wings,” she answered cautiously, choosing her words carefully. “That is the only reason I watch him fly. I know exactly what he is, I assure you. I do not feel any warmth toward him.”
He looked at her with a mixture of anger and pleasure. Jealousy lay very near to the surface. She realized how dangerous this man was, and how easily she could get herself killed. “Good,” he said, tightening his fist in her hair. She tried her best not to flinch as it pinched her scalp. “Make sure you keep it that way. You are to be my Queen.” Then his mouth was on hers, branding her his. His lips were firm at first, but softened as he deepened the kiss, coaxing her lips open until he could move his tongue against her own. One of his hands stayed fisted in her hair, while the other now held her waist in a tight grip. There would be no questioning who she belonged to. He was making her his, and Rain knew she’d have no say in the matter. Finally he broke free, his breathing coming faster now. His face looked pleased as his eyes roamed her face.
“I have wanted to kiss you since the moment you arrived,” he said, tracing her lips with one of his fingers. She smiled weakly in reply to him, not trusting her voice. To make sure he didn’t mistake her silence as her not reciprocating his feelings, she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. When she pulled back she smiled again, and told him she’d see him at dinner. Thankfully he let her leave.
As she walked down the hall, she could feel her knees begin to shake worse the further she walked. She had never been kissed before that, and wasn’t sure how she felt about it. When she was younger, she always imagined what her first kiss would be like, and that was not it. Her stomach rolled. She felt ill. Her mother had said when she found the one she loved, and they kissed for the first time, it would feel like everything else around them had vanished; like they were the only two people in the world, and nothing else mattered. She felt none of those things with Aziz. In fact, she had almost wanted to cringe away from him, and had to force herself not to. What have I gotten myself into? She wondered. She’d have a bath and rest, she decided, and try not to dwell on the things that had happened. It was at this thought that it occurred to her she had left her smelling salts back on the hill. She sighed miserably, dragging her feet down the hall.
It was interesting to her how jealous Aziz got of Elex, as if he thought they had some connection Rain didn’t see. She did not like Elex. On the contrary, she could barely stand him, and didn’t trust him a bit. Was it the way she looked at him? Did she look at him in some admiring way? No, she thought, there was no way. She knew for a fact she didn’t feel like that for him. Aziz had even said he couldn’t feel human emotions. How could she fall for a man that could never love her back? She did wonder though, how it was possible he didn’t feel emotions when she saw clear emotional expressions on his face a certain times. Hadn’t he been angry? Hadn’t she seen him annoyed
and frustrated with her? Yes, she was almost positive she read those emotions on his face, but perhaps she was wrong. He was certainly cold and detached the rest of the time. Her head hurt from all the thoughts running through it. When her bedroom door came into view she let out a sigh of relief. Salts or no salts, a bath was still something she desperately needed.
Just as she reached for the handle, she felt something move behind her. She turned quickly to find Elex standing in the hall. I didn’t even hear him!
“You’re not supposed to hear me,” he answered out loud. She narrowed her eyes, and opened her mouth, but he held up a hand to stop her. “I know, I know, stay out of your head. I am, you just show what you’re thinking clearly on your face.”
“What do you want?” she asked, irritated at how perceptive he was.
“I just came to bring you this,” he said, holding out the bag with her purchases in it. “I thought you’d want them.” She took the bag from him wordlessly, wondering why he would have thought to go back for them. Before she could even thank him though, he was gone. She looked down the hall, but he was nowhere in sight.
Thank you, she projected. He didn’t respond, so she turned and entered her room, not surprised to find a hot bath already made for her. As she finally lowered herself into the glorious water, leaning her head back and breathing in the familiar scent of lavender, she heard his voice.
You are welcome.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
They had been riding at a hard pace for hours, covering a greater distance than Diana had expected. She rode behind Jameson and Turk. Elisa and her new fiancé, Markus, were a few positions over from her, directly behind the High King and his Captain, but she hadn’t spoken to them. She wondered how it came to be that they were set to be married. After seeing the look on the girl’s face, when she thought no one was watching her, she decided not to pry. She had been there once too. Not knowing what road to take in life, to marry for love or to do what was expected. She wanted to offer her some comforting words, try to guide her to what would make her the happiest in life, but decided she wasn’t one to talk.
Her eyes roamed over to Jameson again. Until recently, Diana was definitely happy with her life, and hadn’t questioned her decisions since the moment she made them. Ever since her encounter with Jameson before they left the Capital though, something had changed. Every time she looked at him she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She’d remember the way she had kissed him and that moment of hesitation from him, and heat would fill her cheeks. Jameson had been a person strictly from her past, someone she made good to avoid. Now they had been thrown together more often than she would have liked, and it was doing strange things to her logical thinking.
He sat straight in his saddle, every bit the King that he was. His golden brown hair, although shorter than it used to be when they had been lovers, still fell in soft waves around his face. The years had affected him only slightly, and if she was being honest, she’d have to say those minor changes were actually for the better. No longer did he look like the young, irresponsible Prince that he had been growing up, but a man. A leader. He had done things, seen things that made him wiser now, was someone who could lead people, and give them cause to look up to him. She couldn’t help but wonder if he thought she had changed at all. Would it be for the better or the worse? She didn’t think she had changed much, or at least that was what she was told. Her long white, blonde hair still hung down low on her back. Her blue eyes had no wrinkles around them, nor did her mouth. No, she thought confidently, she hadn’t aged much since last they were together. Still, she wondered what he thought of her now, or if he did at all.
The further they rode, the more Diana found herself watching him. Sometimes with openness, other times discreetly from the corner or her eye. Despite his outward calm, she could sense how tense he was becoming the closer they came to the south. Or, she corrected, the closer they came to Callum. She did not like the thought of the two brothers fighting. Callum looked quite different now, so she was told. She couldn’t imagine Callum being the hardened looking soldier everyone described him as, although she knew many years had passed since they last saw one another, and people could change a great deal in even a short amount of time.
That thought made her look back through the men to Aiden. Goddess had the boy changed since the first time she had gone to his world to bring him over, and it had only been half a year! It made her smile to see his newfound confidence. The men looked up to him, and he held himself with a great deal of maturity and assurance. It was as if he understood that he needed to portray that strength to those around him, so that they would feel more confident in their own abilities. He understood his place, and she felt nothing but pride for the young man. The fact that he seemed to have gotten the attention of the forest girl was a bit strange. Their kind weren’t normally attracted to other races. There was no future for the two of them. She wouldn’t interfere, she reminded herself. Everyone had to have a chance to learn for themselves, and to experience the things the world had to offer, even if that didn’t mean forever.
Facing forward, she glanced over at Jameson again. He was laughing at something Turk had said, his head thrown back in his usual carefree manner. A smile tugged at her own lips as she looked at him. That was one thing Jameson had always been exceptionally good at, among others she didn’t like to remember, was that he could make her laugh. Even just seeing him find joy in something made her smile in return. His enjoyment was contagious; it’s what made the men love him so much. No matter what was happening, Jameson would find the humour in it, and ensure all those around him did too.
Suddenly Turk broke away from him, and headed straight in her direction. She sat up straighter, smiling at the Captain as he neared.
“Diana,” he greeted with a gentle smile.
“Captain,” she replied respectively.
He gave her a pointed look at the formality, but she didn’t correct herself. In front of the men she always addressed him by his station, rather than his given name. In private it was another matter. He constantly reprimanded her for it, but Diana always insisted. “How are you holding up?” he asked, dropping the unspoken argument.
“Better than I expected,” she said honestly. “I’m not used to riding this long, but I’m managing.”
“Well we’ve made better time than we expected, so we should crest the hill before sundown.”
“So soon?” she asked, her heart skipping a beat.
He nodded his head solemnly. “We rode faster than I thought possible. It won’t be long now.” They rode in companionable silence for a moment. “Jameson has asked a favour from you.”
She looked curiously over at him, and then to the figure of their King. He was speaking with one of the other soldiers now, his back completely turned to her. “What sort of favour?” Why hadn’t he come to ask her himself, she wondered.
“We need someone to go over to Callum’s camp once we’ve settled. The details of the battle must be worked out ahead of time, so that everything remains fair. Jameson thought it would be – politically correct – to send you over.”
“Really?” She was genuinely shocked at the task. “Why me?”
Turk shrugged casually, although she could tell he wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea. The movement was slightly stiffer than it normally would be. “He believes you were always neutral when it came to him and his brother, so he thought perhaps Callum would be more willing to discuss things rationally with you than he would, say, with me.” He looked over with a grin. “I don’t believe we’d get along very well, him and I.”
She smiled, despite the growing anxiety in her stomach. Jameson thought she was neutral when it came to him and Callum? Did that mean he didn’t think she supported him completely? As much as she still cared for the younger Prince, she didn’t sympathize with his position in any way. The thought had her feeling cold. Did he think her such a traitor?
“You don’t have to do it,” Turk said, r
egarding her carefully. He was mistaking her growing concern over Jameson’s impression of her for fear of the favour being asked. She quickly schooled her features and tried to reflect calmness.
“Of course I’ll do it,” she said evenly. “Anything I can do to help, I’m most certainly willing to do. Just let me know when I should go.” He took another long look at her, and then nodded, clearly content with whatever he saw in her face. Kicking his horse, Turk resumed his position beside his best friend and leader. Diana looked forward, suddenly noticing the faint hint of salt on the air. Oh yes, they were quite close now.
She had begun to enjoy the warmer temperature, when a feeling of dread suddenly hit her. Breathing became difficult. She found herself gripping the saddle until her knuckles were white, desperately trying to keep herself from falling off the horse. There was always an underlying feeling like this, ever since the war had begun, but this – this was ten times the intensity. The sound of approaching hooves came from her left, and then there was someone there. She looked over to see Aiden watching her with deep concern. Lily sat in front of him, not looking at Diana, but rather up in the sky; her face paler than usual.
“Diana, are you okay?” Aiden asked, moving his horse closer. Diana could feel hers growing restless, sensing her sudden unease.
“I-I’m fine,” she replied, sucking in a deep breath of air.
“Something’s coming,” Lily suddenly said, drawing both of their attention. “You feel it too, don’t you?” she continued, turning to face Diana. The girl’s normally beautiful violet eyes were now almost completely black. She saw Aiden react out of the corner of her eye. His hand immediately went to one of her arms, gently rubbing it from shoulder to elbow.
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