Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
ALINA
Iclenched the heavy wooden torch with my trembling fingers.
It was really uncomfortable to hold. I kept staring at the others who did not seem bothered by the weight of it.
More than any time before, I felt that they were real warriors, and I was a damsel in distress.
I used to spend my days overseeing the castle business, reading correspondence, meeting with merchants and regular citizens, and organizing celebrations.
During my free time, I walked and read books.
I sewed and collected flowers from the newly planted gardens my brother and his wife built for me.
After the death of my fiance, all the sword training stopped, I could not even enter the training grounds anymore.
The memories of us spending hours together laughing, joking, and flirting were too hard to bear.
I could not even enter the small cottage where we spent so much time together.
His crooked old house where I first confessed my feelings, became his woman, and where he proposed to me stood abandoned for months.
Slowly, I exhaled, and my eyes landed on the broad shoulders of the man who led the way. His movements were gracious and precise. His head turned from side to side, searching the spacious corridor of the ceremonial passage.
“I’m sorry for what I said.”
Frid appeared beside me. I turned, surprised to see her so close.
“What are you talking about?” I whispered.
“I was so mad at you when you escaped. You put all of us in danger. I was ready to kill you for that,” the girl continued.
“I know.” Her words really stung.
“But I understand,” she added.
I turned away, feeling too emotional to continue. The truth was, I really liked Frid and it pained me that I was nothing but a stranger, the mission, the target for all of them. My friends and my brother were far away, and no one gave two straws about me here. I was all alone.
“The place you came from, is it really the way you described?” Frid continued.
“Yes, everything is true. We have no crawlers in Gora,” I responded.
“Damn, I wish I could at least see it,” she said.
“Maybe you should. Maybe all of you could come with me.” I turned to face her.
“I don’t believe that there is such a place for any of us, but I like to dream about it.” Frid laughed softly, shaking her head.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I don’t want to get my hopes too high. That’s not how you survive. Here, hope will kill you before the crawlers do,” she explained.
I stared at her, not understanding the meaning behind her words.
“If you accept the life you have, you can never be disappointed,” she added.
“But why?”
“I always know when someone is about to die. The spark is gone. They stop trying, they don't brush their teeth in the morning, they stop bathing. Physically, they’re still walking but mentally, they’re already dead.
Not so different from the crawlers. They just don’t eat human flesh yet. ” Frid surveyed the shapes in the dark.
“That’s not right. Without hope, we’re already dead,” I said.
“You’re so romantic. I like it.” Frid gave me a quick smile.
“I’m sorry about the suit, and lying to you.” I bit my lip.
“It’s alright. I understand.”
She turned away because we had entered a vast room with towering columns that were so high, I did not think it would be possible to see the ceiling.
The mosaics on the floor turned into explosions of colors. The moisture and the warmth in the air hit my nostrils and I looked around surprised. It was a special place, I just could not figure out why. Suddenly, Tynan stopped and I almost walked into Sol’s back.
“You've got to be kidding me!” Victor muttered.
The sound traveled all over the room, echoing in the farthest corners and returning from somewhere above us. I caught myself looking up at the ceiling I could not see.
I switched my gaze to Tynan, only now realizing that he had stopped at the edge of a pool of water. When I approached it, I could clearly distinguish the spirals of thick white fog lifting up from the surface.
“The sacred waters.” Frid sighed somewhere behind me.
She placed her torch on the stand that was mounted by the pool and we all did the same.
Tynan crouched and placed his hand into the water. Then he lifted his fingers to his face examining the liquid.
“What are the sacred waters?” I asked.
“The source of eternal blessing for all dragons,” Frid explained, reaching down to feel it.
“I don’t mind a little blessing.” Victor sat beside her.
“It’s too late for you, my friend.” Frid smirked.
Instead of answering, the young man splashed her.
“I’m going to kill you!” The girl wiped her face and sprayed him back.
From that point, things escalated quickly.
Frid took off her jacket and the strip of fur she wore around her shoulders, leaving only her undergarments on.
The blond girl was still giggling when Victor did the same and the next moment both of them were in the water, enjoying it as if they were children.
My eyes landed on Tynan, but his gaze was scrutinizing the dark areas of the chamber. Sol stood a little further back, his hand resting on the ax that was attached to his belt.
“You should join us,” Frid called me, but I shook my head. “Come on! The water is so warm,” she continued.
I watched Frid’s athletic figure with wide shoulders and narrow hips.
She was shockingly beautiful with her golden skin and light, wavy hair that clung to her back and neck.
When my eyes moved to where Victor stood, I noticed a flicker of something in his eyes that I could not quite place.
He looked at Frid with some unfathomable warmth, as if he could not get enough of her. My cheeks flushed.
Did Victor like Frid? Were they more than just friends?
I continued watching them with curiosity.
“Keep that up and I will get you,” Victor said.
My suspicious eyes landed on Frid, who quickly lifted her head up, flipping her hair off her face.
“Not a chance, boy,” she responded.
“Keep saying that . . .”
“Or what?” Frid turned away.
“Or I will do this.” Victor lifted her up by the waist and dropped her into the pool.
Almost right away, I got splashed with droplets of warm water.
I looked at both of them with envy. It has been so long since I went swimming, and I really wanted to join them.
Involuntarily, I glanced at Tynan who sat on the edge of the pool.
His hand was resting on his knee, every line of his body he appeared calm and in control.
I lowered my gaze, contemplating if I was bold enough to do it.
Finally, my hand lifted up to the neckline of my leather suit and I started unbuttoning the top.
I peeled off my pants, feeling a little too exposed in my black sleeveless top and matching underwear.
When I straightened, I could not resist another glance at the man in black who sat on the edge of the pool.
His head was still turned to the furthest corner of the room.
I sighed, not quite sure if I felt relieved or disappointed.
“Come here, Aly,” Frid called.
“Aly?” I asked, lowering my body into the water.
“Yes. I've decided I’m going to call you Aly.” She grinned.
“I see. Did you come up with the names for everyone here?” I asked.
“How did you know?” Frid laughed.
“Just a hunch.” I grinned back, looking at her.
“Except for me. You never came up with a nickname for me,” Victor chimed in.
“You haven’t deserved one yet.” Frid laughed.
I smiled, lowering my body into the water up to my chin.
I wanted to say something, but the soothing warmth of the water made me shiver with pleasure and I plunged all the way under.
When I resurfaced, wiping my face and pushing back my hair, I felt so good that I nearly forgot all my discomfort about being half dressed in front of the others.
That was something I never did. Even among my friends, there was always some unspoken rule, some reserve that I had with the others, even my fiance.
He enjoyed my body, but I never paraded naked in front of him.
That was probably because we were friends first and some things were too awkward to overcome.
But the past week or so shifted many things about me, the constant threats and fear of being killed broke something in me.
My outlook on life changed. I did not want to play safe any longer.
Never again I would turn down any opportunity to do something I truly wanted.
“Ty, come join us!” Frid called.
“I’m good,” he responded.
“Come on. Sol is watching the room,” she continued.
Tynan gave her a side eye. In the light of the torches, he looked spectacular.
His dark hair laid against the side of his cheek.
His strong profile and long eyelashes were exaggerated by the sharp shadows dancing on his skin.
It made my knees weak. My breathing halted and I caught myself blushing for no apparent reason.
While I was distracted, Frid drew closer to me, and grabbed my forearm.
“What?” I started saying when she pulled me with her toward the edge of the pool.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join us?” She stopped right in front of Tynan.
His dark eyes landed briefly on my face and my heart nearly stopped. His eyes wore the promise of something alluring and primal. It was frightening and fascinating at the same time.
“That’s what I thought.” Frid laughed.
Then she lifted her body and grabbed Tynan’s arm, pulling him toward us.
I could see the shocked expression in his eyes, but he was already falling, right toward me.
The next moments were filled with splashes and confusion.
My eyes opened wide, my body fully submerged under water.
Tynan’s hands wrapped around my waist as he tried to steady himself.
He stood up, still holding me in his arms, except his hands slid down my hips.
Instinctively my arms wrapped around his neck and for a painfully long time I could not look away.
His face was so alarmingly close, I could see the flicker of surprise in his dark eyes.
His breathing, parted lips, the wet strands of his hair on his cheek.
Tynan’s chest was moving up and down as if he just ran for miles.
My traitorous body welcomed the new sensation, craving more than the beautiful and dangerous embrace.
My fingers touched his neck, soaking up the heat of his skin.
The feel of his strong, callous hands on my thighs, his hard muscular chest pressed against mine and suddenly I became uncomfortably aware of being only in my undergarments.
In this moment, we were the beginning and the end of something that could never be.
“Let me go,” I whispered, mesmerized by the sparkles of dancing flames in the irises of his eyes.
He pressed me harder against his torso for the briefest of moments before releasing me. Frid was saying something, but I stood paralyzed, watching Tynan’s wide back as he moved slowly to the edge before lifting himself up.