Chapter Fifty-One
I was stunned, reeling from the information. Pino had, what? Shown Bellamy a future where we were together? Had he really made every decision since to find me and bring me to him?
Henry had been right, it was ludicrous. The future was uncertain, a series of events that depended solely on the behavior and decisions of those it involved. Bringing me here could have altered that future he seemed to desperately cling to in the memory.
My head pounded, angry at my reckless use of power when I was already exhausted. Or, was it magic? What had Bellamy meant by that? I attempted to further search Henry’s memories, looking for anything that might indicate he discovered what it was Bellamy hid from everyone about my power.
The effort only bought me about three more seconds before I was swaying on my feet, power seeping out of Henry and back to me like a leak in a dam as the Sun forced me out with beams of light.I would see no more, though that did not mean I could not convince the lying demon to tell me anything.
“You were never meant to see that,” he whispered, green eyes distant and full of sadness. I tilted my head, curious as to what he would need to feel emotional about. Was I truly the beginning of the end for them? The rock that shattered their friendship like glass?
“Do not feel guilty for having an opinion. They are like asses, we all have one,” I said with a smile, walking over and hugging around his waist. A comfort for the both of us, I realized when he hugged me back with a raspy chuckle.
This made sense of the hatred Henry had seemed to feel when we first met. It seemed instant back then, as if he had merely been waiting for my arrival to dislike me. He had shoved me against a wall after all. Though, I had also invaded his mind, in his defense.
“I cannot tell you any more, Ash. You have to let Bellamy do it. I was mad too, in the beginning. He had been right though, and I should have listened. I do not blame him for the way he feels. There was far more disrespect on my end than you saw, and my apology perhaps was not enough,” he said, placing a warm kiss to the top of my head.
Strange as it was that I somehow had grown to love these beings I knew for only a couple of months, it would be impossible to ever deny. They were meant to be mine, all of them. I leaned back, smiling up at the orange-haired demon who had been such a wonderful constant in this hectic adventure.
Before I could respond, Henry was thrown back, body crashing onto the ground with a loud thump that made me wince. I turned, readying to fight whoever—or whatever—had just attacked. But it was no enemy stalking into the tent.
Nothing could have prepared me for the red-hot rage that radiated off of Bellamy in heavy waves as he walked up to me.
What a ridiculous display. I thought I was dramatic.
“Okay alpha-male, back it up a few feet,” I said, pressing my hand against Bellamy’s chest. He merely looked past me, glaring daggers at Henry, who was standing with a groan. I gestured between them as I said, “This little feud is over. You will stop acting like younglings and apologize, the both of you.”
Bellamy finally looked at me, mouth agape. I placed my hands on my hips, glaring right back, daring him to argue. The demon prince snapped his mouth shut, crossing his arms with a pointed hmph and looking at the ground. A quick look back at Henry showed a nearly identical expression and stance. Males were so fatuous.
My hands moved up, cupping either side of Bellamy’s face. I saw it there, though he had closed off his emotions from me—the hurt. He was scared and confused, possibly even jealous. Not unreasonable feelings. Actions were the problem.
“Forever is far too long to feel this way, Bell. I am sure a part of your anger comes from what you just heard, and that we can talk about later.” I looked back at Henry, offering him a hand and pulling him towards us. He let out an impressive sigh, as if he was the one forced in the middle of a pissing match. “Now if you two do not make up and kiss, then I will likely beat the daylights out of you both.”
Soon we would part ways, and there was no guarantee that this supposed danger would not claim any of our lives. He would need to find peace with Henry, whether he thought it necessary or not. I waved a hand at them, annoyed by their standoffish expressions and stances.
Stepping out into the light was jarring, the sun so bright it reflected off of the snow and burned my eyes. After blinking a few times, they adjusted, and I was able to see Winona, Ranbir, Cyprus, Noe, and Lian sitting around a fire, each of them nursing a cup as they talked and laughed.
I smiled to myself, feeling far lighter than I had in a long time.
Perhaps it was the relief of finally accepting my feelings for Bellamy, or maybe I needed to fully fall apart and hit rock bottom so I could begin clawing my way back up. Either way, my soul felt similar to the morning sun, brighter than it had been before.
Now, I had purpose. A reason to push on.
I would fight this war, hopefully winning it before it could start. I would stop Mia and Xavier, and I would rule Betovere. No one but I knew it, but I would make great change. Sipho had dreamed of a Fae Realm where we could be together, and though he would never see it, I would make that happen. For him, for me, for all the fae who suffered because of it.
Sitting between Cyprus and Lian, I listened in as the group bantered. As they always seemed to do. From across the way, Winona cut off the conversation.
“Asher, what have you done to your hair? It looks like a bird nest!” she exclaimed, the hurt in her voice likely not faked.
She got up and rushed over to me, her green hair looking stunning as it sat in two coils atop her head. She had on a purple top with long, billowing sleeves that cut low and showed her ample cleavage. It ended at her waist in the front, but pooled down to her calves in the back, like a cape of sorts. Around her midsection was a stunning black corset made of lace, which matched her black leather pants and boots.
Seeing her reminded me that I was still in Bellamy’s top, and I realized it could not be more obvious what happened with my hair. She did not mention it, but Noe and Lian snickered as if they knew exactly what led to my hair becoming such a mess.
Winona combed through my ‘bird nest’ with a feather light touch. When she finished she began styling it for me, twisting my waves into gorgeous coils and braids.
During our journey I discovered that she regularly did the others’ hair, including trims. Bellamy and Henry both enjoyed a clean shave, and the Sun was more than happy to oblige. Her love for doing my own hair brought a smile to my face, and I quickly reached up to tap her in thanks.
“Well, as I was saying before Ash so rudely interrupted us with her post-fuck walk,” Noe said, smirking at me from beside a wide-eyed Ranbir. I scoffed, but did not argue. She was right after all. “I think that we need to vote now before Bellamy and Henry come back.”
I quirked a brow, looking between the group. Lian nodded casually, as if either way was okay with her. Cyprus seemed to be thinking over Noe’s suggestion rather seriously. Ranbir rolled his eyes, standing and swiping another cup off the ground. He headed to me, giving me the cup of his famous chai. My mouth watered at the heat and spices.
“Thank you, Ranbir. You are too kind, as always,” I said, smiling up at him.
He returned the gesture, leaning towards me and placing a hand on my cheek. The sting of his power hit me, but soon the aches in my body were easing. The tension that had built seeped from me.
“Drink up. It will help with energy and aid in lowering your blood pressure,” he said. I took a sip, ignoring the burn as the flavor enveloped my senses. Ranbir always made such incredible tea. “I would also say that it is an anti-inflammatory, but you once claimed a good orgasm was too, and by the look of you, I imagine you have that covered.”
I nearly spit out the liquid at his words. Winona burst into laughter, a melodic sound that brought a smile to Ranbir’s face. The kind of smile only your soulmate could bring out of you.
“Ranbir, did you just make a dirty joke?” I asked, full of pleasant surprise.
The Healer tapped my nose, leaning into Winona to offer a swift kiss and then headed back to his seat beside Noe, who was arguing with Lian. I attempted to tune into their conversation, though I could not help but look into Winona’s mind, enjoying the way her amusement mingled with her adoration. The couple’s love was practically inebriating, and I enjoyed getting doses when I could.
“I think that I am easily his second. You guys are foolish to believe my skills do not make that so,” Noe insisted, pointedly looking between Lian and Cyprus. The former shook her head, blowing a breeze at an unknowing Noe, who fell backwards onto the ground. I could not prevent the giggles from slipping past my lips when she popped back up, her hair full of snow and her cheeks red from the cold. “Bitch.”
“Seeing as I am a captain in his army, the swordmaster, and an incredibly skilled Air, I argue that I am far more qualified,” Lian said with a smirk.
Noe curled tendrils of shadow between her fingers, almost looking as if she were holding a snake. As if she heard me, she opened her hand, the shadow taking the form of a serpent and crawling from the skin of her palm. It was unnerving—creepy.
The snake slithered towards Lian, who yelped when it wrapped around her ankle and attempted to drag her towards Noe. Cyprus, who had been mostly silent, disappeared in his own whisps of darkness, body losing shape and melting into that cold darkness I had felt those many weeks ago. The shadows struggled to blend with the unusually bright day, but soon he was gone completely, reappearing next to Noe and shoving her back in the snow once more.
“Idiots, the lot of them,” Winona muttered above my head.
I laughed, enjoying the scene as the three of them got into one of the most hilarious fights, each using their abilities to trip or push or knock over the other. That continued on as Winona finished my hair, and even proceeded as I ate.
When Henry and Bellamy emerged from the latter’s tent, the trio froze, soaked in snow. Bellamy laughed at the sight, clapping Henry on the shoulder, who smiled over to him. Apparently they had made up.
Seeing the two of them together reminded me that I needed to speak with Bellamy about Pino’s vision, about all of his many lies and evasions. But doing so would also mean needing to admit that soon I would leave him and go back to Betovere, where I would conquer and rule. Where I would prevent another Great War.
“It seems we missed all the fun,” Bellamy said. He came over to me as Henry disappeared in a cloud of white light, only to reappear next to Cyprus and tackle him to the ground. Bellamy had changed, now sporting the same leathers he had worn on the first night of our journey.
I relished in the way his muscles flexed through the leather. How the fabric clung to his thighs. My cheeks warmed as I pictured the way he had felt against me, his skin scorching and his voice rough as he told me over and over again that he loved me.
Silently, I begged myself to get it together. I had not acted like this in nearly two centuries, there was no reason I should be doing so right now. He was still the same insufferable demon from before. The only difference was that now I had seen him naked. And really that made no difference.
Why did it matter that the very tongue that darted out to wet his lips was the same one that was on me mere hours ago? That the fingertips currently grazing my thigh had been inside of me not long before the sun rose?
I squirmed, working myself up like a love-sick youngling who had just lost their virginity.
Bellamy smirked, eyes of ice looking me up and down, moving slower over his rumpled red tunic I had confiscated. Then they moved to my lips, halting there for a few moments before meeting my own. His fingers continued to tease as I felt something—or someone—projecting. I pushed back, knowing it was him and not daring to let his words catch me off guard.
A mistake on my part.
“Good morning, Princess,” he said, inching closer to me. He leaned in, smelling the air between us. My breath hitched, his exhale wafting across my collar bones. “Is that a new perfume? You smell absolutely…delicious.”
I felt the blood spread from my cheeks to my entire face, reddening even my ears and neck as the mortification rained down on me.
Someone coughed, and I shook my head to bring it back into focus. Henry and Noe were snickering from across the way, Lian holding her hand out to Cyprus who begrudgingly offered her a handful of coppers. Ranbir and Winona remained silent, though they both had smiles upon their faces.
“Is it time to go?” I asked, trying to swiftly change the subject. The others lost their smiles quickly, tension growing.
“Way to kill the mood Ash,” Henry said, scooping up a ball of snow and throwing it. I was too slow, too baffled, to dodge it before it smacked me in the face. My head flung back, and I accidentally inhaled some when I gasped from the sting.
Wiping it away, I glared at the demon. Bellamy seemed to be equally annoyed, conjuring a ball nearly as large as Henry and throwing it at him with his Water power. Henry was unable to move before it struck him. We all burst into laughter as it sent him flying backwards, his body hitting the snowy ground with a loud thud.
“Yes, we are,” Bellamy responded, smiling down at me as he wiped stray flakes from my cheek. “We already rode the horses to a nearby village, and I sent word for someone from the palace to retrieve them. Time to say goodbye, for now.”
I nodded, feeling my sadness mix with the others’ in the air around us. Saying goodbye to them felt nearly as hard as missing my friends back home. Though they did not know it, this was likely the last time they would see me.
The more you love, the more you lose.
Mia had taught me that, and she had been right.