Aethernea

by Cloe D Frost

  Kiel didn’t need to be telepathic to tell she was thinking “Right. Whether it enters mixed or mixes in the stomach, it is all the same.”

  As the meat entered her mouth, her expression steeled. She finished chewing on it and swallowed. Just as Kiel thought she would continue eating she put down her utensils and sighed: “Not the same. Definitely not the same.”

  Both of them looked down at their ruined dinner. The entire table was dripping with honeymead. The meat was floating around their plates like a ship.

  They turned their heads and looked around them. Thank the gods for the sound isolation! No one seemed to notice anything wrong. Yet.

  They turned their heads back straight and looked at each other. Then they looked back at the table, and then back at each other.

  Elaru was the first one to burst out laughing.

  It wasn’t clear how much time passed before Kiel noticed he was laughing as well.

  They giggled, chuckled, and outright laughed until their stomachs started hurting, and tears started stinging their cheeks.

  * * *

  Kiel sat on the chair next to the desk and stared at Elaru. She was lying down on the bed preparing to sleep. She had taken off an outer layer of her clothes when they came back from the dinner.

  All she had on was a tight sleeveless shirt and short petite trunks.

  Most of her body was bare,; her long legs, slim arms and her delicate neck. The shirt was low cut so even parts of her chest were visible.

  Her skin was flawless, without any blemishes or scars.

  Kiel felt like he was seeing something that he shouldn’t be seeing.

  He had been aware of her well-developed body from the start. He didn’t need a reminder. He preferred her with her clothes on.

  He could tell her to cover herself with the blanket, but he could already see her teasing him about it.

  Kiel wasn’t shy. Most of the time he wouldn’t care if women around him were walking around naked. But those were just random women he didn’t have any relation to. Why would he care what they did?

  However, Elaru was different. She was an irreplaceable part of himself, he was stuck with her forever. And everything she did would have an effect on him, large or small.

  The last thing he needed was to bring romance or sexuality into their relationship. The nature of their relationship was that of mutual benefit, and it should stay that way. No more, no less. Mixing romance with business was never a good thing.

  Besides, he wouldn’t be glued to her forever. There would come a time when they would part their ways. Any potential romance between them was doomed to fail from the start.

  They didn’t live in the same world. He was an argel, she was an elibu. He was a noble, she was a commoner. He wanted to raise in status, show everyone his worth. She didn’t care about social norms and preferred hiding in the shadows. Even their personalities were completely opposite. They had no place in each other’s lives.

  The highest relationship they could ever hope to have was friendship. A friendship without sexual attraction, like that of two guys. Unfortunately, it was easier to pretend that she was a guy when her two mounds weren’t poking him in the eye.

  Elaru paid him no attention. She had no problem acting like she was a guy camping with male friends. She didn’t flaunt her assets around, but she didn’t take measures to hide them either. It was as if she wasn’t aware she even had assets.

  Did her father raise her as a boy?

  Is that why Elaru considered herself to be “one of the guys”? Calling him “mate” all the time?

  That would certainly explain a lot.

  Elaru misunderstood his serious gaze

  “You don’t need to keep watch. I’ll put up another protective barrier around us to protect us while we sleep.”

  Kiel closed his eyes and sighed. Did she really expect him to sleep next to her?

  He removed his own clothes too. Leaving only his boxers and undershirt on but they didn’t do much to cover up his abs and well-sculpted body. He noticed Elaru staring at him with interest.

  He felt the chills traveling down his spine. Don’t give me that look! Didn’t you say you weren’t romantically interested in me?

  “You’re pretty toned. Your mana resistance shouldn’t be too high. That’ll be quite helpful. How long have you been practicing martial arts?”

  Kiel didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming. “Since I was little.”

  She was used to being around men because of her father and Wade? Was that it?

  She wasn’t looking at him as a man. She acted just like two buddies would in the dressing room, asking casual questions.

  She was interested in him, but not in a romantic sense.

  He felt relieved. It made the situation that much simpler.

  Realizing that Elaru had “friend zoned” him from the start, he was no longer worried about misunderstandings and romance. He laid down next to her on the bed and turned away to his side. He was not a sex crazed teenager, he never was. Now that he understood her behavior, he could easily adjust his own.

  He was just about to let it go when he remembered what usually happens in these scenarios.

  Knowing his luck, they’d wake up in a compromising position. That won’t do. He better be safe than sorry.

  Elaru got up from the bed and found her way towards the table with their equipment.

  Kiel’s eyes briefly paused on her before he looked around the room, his eyes searching for something. He frowned, there was nothing suitable in the room.

  His gaze snapped to the table, attracted to the glow coming from the metal egg. Elaru had just finished aligning the rings and the protection barrier activated, this time covering an even larger area.

  Kiel’s eyes brightened when his gaze fell on his sword that was among their equipment on the table. He got up and picked up the sheathed sword, bringing it back to the bed. The wooden headboard of the bed had decorative holes in the shape of a heart. He brought up his sword and lodged the handle into the hole right in the middle of the headboard. The sword remained lodged, creating a clear divide between the two sides of the bed.

  As Elaru get back on her side of the bed, her eyes didn’t leave the sword hovering there like a poor excuse for a fence.

  “You don’t intend to murder me tonight, do you?” She chuckled and asked half-jokingly.

  “I just might.” Kiel smirked. This would do. With the sword in the way, there was no way they’d wake up in an awkward position now. He was very satisfied with himself.

  Elaru realized it was a joke because she grinned in response. “Wouldn’t recommend it. I am pretty nasty while half asleep.”

  “Even nastier than you are when you are awake?” Kiel exclaimed in mock shock.

  Elaru snickered and rolled her eyes at him. “Many times nastier. So nasty you could die from the nastiness.”

  Kiel shook his head, his face sprouting a small smirk, and pulled on the rope that shifted the array formation on the ceiling out of place. As soon as the formation got misaligned, the glowing crystals dimmed and lost their light, blanketing the two in the veil of darkness.

  * * *

  Coming up in the next episode:

  She suppressed her revulsion and steeled her resolve. “Has my fiance been bothering you?”

  His speech got cut down instantly as a sad voice reached his ears. “Does that mean I don’t have the right to live?”

  “Let the gods be my witness! I’ll follow you wherever you go! Be it the abyss, the eye of the storm. Be it life or death.”

  “I get it.” She mumbled dejectedly. “I won’t ever leave you alone. We’ll always be together.” She offered her pinky finger. “Pinky promise.”

  Episode 16 – Promise

  Episode 16 – Promise

  Previously:

  Kiel and Elaru had a quarrel while eating dinner, but they make up in the end. They go to sleep in the same bed, but Kiel puts
a sheathed sword between them as a fence.

  * * *

  ◈ Meanwhile in the Purge Headquarters ◈

  Nelaira sat on her futon and looked at the lone elibu in front of her. Other people in his position would be on guard, afraid that the Ink would spread and infect them. That the Tainted in front of them would suddenly lose their mind and attack. But not him. He stood in a leisurely posture with his sickly pale hands behind his back, showing neither fear nor revulsion towards her.

  He had neither bodyguards nor weapons that could protect him from Nelaira if she chose to attack. Yet Nelaira didn’t believe, not even for a second, that she could pose a threat to him.

  The man with the grayish green hair framing his face that looked no older than 30. He wore a wide smile that didn’t reach his eyes. One couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong with his smile, it neither looked insincere nor polite, it wasn’t sly nor evil, yet it made Nelaira’s hair stand on end. There was just something about the man that gave her the creeps.

  Those thin slits that were his eyes looked at her without emotion. They were so narrow that Nelaira couldn’t tell what color his eyes were.

  Nalen Talath, the manager of the quarantine section of the Purge Headquarters. Exactly the calculating and cold-blooded man she had asked to see.

  “You wanted to see me?” The man started the conversation with a sickly pleasant tone that reminded Nelaira of the hissing sound of a snake.

  She suppressed her revulsion and steeled her resolve. “Has my fiancé been bothering you?”

  That disturbing smile never left the man’s face as he replied. “Deliberately wasting my time is not going to help either of us.”

  Nelaira chuckled wryly. “He is not going to give up until you let him see me.”

  The man responded in a pleasant, friendly tone, but Nelaira could feel the sarcasm dripping from his words. “Oh my, you are right! We better let him see you then!”

  Nelaira tried her best to keep her emotions off her face. “He won’t be playing nice forever. Do you really want the world to know that you are holding me prisoner? Is this a prison or a quarantine?”

  Nalen Talath grinned wider, a tinge of malice finally dripping into his smile, and retorted in a teasing tone. “It’s a quarantine of course! Why would you compare it to a prison?”

  Nelaira’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel cold sweat forming on her back. It felt like it took the man hours to continue, yet only a few seconds had elapsed.

  “Aren’t you sweet? Worrying about our matters. You have too much time on your hands.”

  He was probing her and waiting for her to mention “the deal” he had been informed about. That was the only reason why he was still here. Nelaira decided to finally get to business. She couldn’t delay any longer in fear of losing his interest. She had to put on a flawless performance, for he was her only hope.

  “I’d be willing to help you deal with my fiancé, getting him off your back.”

  The man showed no change in expression, still wearing that disgusting smile. “Is that so?”

  Nelaira sighed and put on a pitiful act, her long ears hanging downwards. “As you said, I have too much time on my hands, yet at the same time, I have very little time left. If you help me spend these last moments a bit more pleasantly… I will write a letter to my fiancé telling him that I don’t want to see him and that although you are doing your best to stop the spread of the Ink, I don’t have many days left in me.”

  The manager wasn’t moved by her words. He still stood with the same expression like a doll.

  Nelaira didn’t give up. “You can, of course, suggest what you want me to write and then I’ll word it to sound like something I would say. I’ll rewrite the letter until you are satisfied. This would also help you to deal with the aftermath of my death.”

  She paused shortly before continuing. “You’ve got nothing to lose in this deal. You only stand to profit. If I tell him that it is me who doesn’t want to see him, he will understand and stop making trouble for you.”

  Nalen looked at her for a while, his eyes inspecting her closely. Nelaira felt her scalp turn numb, his gaze was quite unpleasant. It seemed like an eternity passed before he responded. “What are your demands?”

  Nelaira’s heart jumped. The fish had taken the bait. Now she only needed to reel it in. The erratic heart beats reverberated through her body.

  “I want you to bring me some blank paper and pens so I can draw. Also, I want you to bring me 3 new books to read every week.”

  As she waited for his response, she could feel her heart jumping in her throat. It was painfully clenching with dread and fear of failure.

  “What kind of books do you want?” Nelaira felt like a giant weight has been lifted from her shoulders. If she wasn’t already sitting down, her legs would have given out, and she would have slumped to the ground.

  For the first time, she was happy to see Nalen’s smile, as it meant that the deal was on. Her heart was still beating erratically, but, this time, it was out of joy. Success!! She tried to stifle her excitement and not let it show on her face.

  “I prefer romance and adventure books. The longer the book, the better.”

  Just you wait. I’ll wipe that fake friendly smile from your face sooner or later.

  “Alright. I’ll see what I can find. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

  “No, that is all.” Nelaira smiled politely, urging him to leave before her fast beating heart gave her away.

  “Then, I’ll be taking my leave.” Nalen Talath smiled and bowed in fake politeness before leaving the room. Nelaira’s smile stayed on her face for a long while, even after the doors closed, once again, imprisoning her in this cold metal box.

  The first part of her plan was a success. Nelaira couldn’t help but feel satisfied.

  Her request for books was a diversion from her actual target. All along, her true goal was the letter.

  If she had asked him to let her write a letter, he would have laughed at her naivety. If they didn’t stand to profit from it, they wouldn’t be moved. If she offered to write a letter that was beneficial to him, he would have still refused it because of her suspicious agenda. Who would help their captors from the kindness of their heart?

  She had to make it seem like she wanted something else from them, and the letter was only the bargaining chip to get it.

  That letter was vital. It was her one and only chance to pass her secrets onto the love of her life. She had to forge every word, every sentence with utmost care, so that only he would be able to understand the hidden meaning.

  * * *

  The blanket of the night covered the streets of the city, but it couldn’t suppress the sudden chatter and excitement from erupting. One person after the other kept coming out of their houses to see what was going on.

  There were only two small figures moving in the opposite direction from the crowd.

  The first was a small boy, no older than seven, who zigzagged around the street skillfully, dodging people as if he was a leaf blown by the wind. His blonde hair jumped around his face in sync with the movement of his long ears.

  His bright lime green eyes resembled that of a feline as he skillfully used the cover of the darkness to conceal himself from unwanted attention.

  The second one was a girl, no older than the boy, her small delicate hands were tightly wrapped around the boy’s neck. Her nose nuzzled the boy’s neck, the short black hair, growing from the back of the boy’s head, tickled her.

  Her chest pressed onto the boy’s back tightly, her head full of messy dark red hair was drenched with sweat. The long ponytail of the girl followed behind the two like a ribbon, waving and glittering in the darkness of the night.

  One couldn’t tell from her expression, but her body was in so much pain she couldn’t even speak. She was clinging to consciousness with every shred of willpower she possessed.

  The people around them showed a mix of curiosity and excitement. It contraste
d sharply with the emotions showing on the boy’s face.

  Dread, indignation, urgency and self-loathing.

  The emotions radiating off of him could easily make one forget that the origin was a young child. There was no trace of immaturity showing in his eyes as he ran like the wind.

  Cold sweat glistened on their sun-kissed limbs, both of them breathing heavily. Even so, the boy didn’t stop running for a long while. It was only when he heard a sweet melodic voice of a young girl that he halted and hid in the shadows of the empty alley: “It’s ok. No one is following us.”

  “It’s not ok!” The boy hissed angrily. “You went in alone! Without me! What if something went wrong? I could do nothing but watch you die right in front of me!”

  His aura was in turmoil. It clearly projected the pain and helplessness of watching your most precious person walk on the edge between life and death. She was right there, in front of him, yet the distance felt like the divide between worlds.

  He was safe, and on the other side, she was alone and dancing with death. He was afraid to blink, afraid that when he opened his eyes, he would see her perish right in front of him. Wade had never felt that kind of fear before, that kind of powerlessness.

  He had wanted nothing more than to charge in with her. To share her burdens. Being with her on the edge was better than being alone in a sanctuary. To die together was far better than to live alone. They had always been together. Inseparable. He felt as if even their hearts were beating together. He couldn’t imagine a world without her.

  The girl’s aura tickled him gently in response. “Everything is fine. I am fine.”

  The boy glared into the space in front of him. “All’s well that ends well. AS if!” He rested his hands on his knees. “The next time you might not be as lucky!”

  Before the girl could answer, the boy growled. “Don’t tell me you are sorry. I can tell you aren’t.”

  “But I am. I am sorry that I worried you. I am sorry that I put myself in danger. I am sorry that I couldn’t bring you with me.” The soft voice sounded completely sincere.

  “You’d still make the same choice next time!” The boy puffed up his cheeks in dissatisfaction. “I don’t want there to ever be a next time!”