Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
The imposing castle looms in the distance, dominating the landscape with its massive stone walls and turrets. Jagged stones and darkened windows dot the exterior, adding to its menacing appearance. As we approach, I find myself appreciating the architecture and ancient craftsmanship. Mine had mentioned that the castle was built a millennium ago. That in itself is astonishing considering humankind has been slow to develop until very recently.
The sky is a dark blue, a foreboding aura, though there is nary a cloud in sight. The town is quiet, too, though that is to be expected with the threat of attack looming over villagers’ heads. They’ve all heard of the Blitz, and they’re afraid they might be next. After all, fear and uncertainty are the two most prevalent feelings in times of war.
The car drives up the hill toward the entrance of the castle.
Although it’s closed to the public due to the war, Mine said he has a way to get us inside. One glance at him, and I have to calm my rabid heart rate. It’s getting out of control and I do not know what I can do to stop it. One look at his harsh and domineering profile and I find myself fidgeting in my seat. I suppose it’s because he’s handsome.
I hum to myself. Yes, very, very handsome.
I am a little surprised they make humans this handsome. I have yet to see one that comes anywhere close to Mine, and that is with his scars. If he did not have his scars… Oh, my! He would be far too dazzling. I’d have to fight every single female who laid eyes on him.
I stop for a moment, my thoughts startling me.
Why would I fight for him? He’s the one courting me, not the other way around. He should be the one to fight for me. Not that I condone senseless violence, but I rather like the fact that he’s willing to kill other males for trying to get my attention. Whoever taught him this particular courting technique did well.
But then I scowl even more as I start thinking that someone might have taught him that technique—as in, a female.
“Mine,” I start, shooting him a warning glance. His next few words will save or end him.
“Yes?” He gives me one of those dazzling smiles and I have to force myself to focus on the task at hand.
“Have you wanted to kill other males for another female before?”
His lips tremble with mirth.
“What is that question, Minnie?”
“Answer me! Have you felt the urge to kill other males for even looking at another female?” My voice drops a notch just as my eyes narrow at him so he knows how much hinges on his answer.
“Are you asking me if I’ve been jealous before, little darling?” He smirks at me.
“That is exactly what I am asking. Have you, or have you not?” I lean closer to him, doing my best to intimidate him—which, of course, fails abysmally, seeing as how he’s only regarding me with amusement.
“I have.”
My hand finds his arm and my fingers dig into his flesh. Seconds pass as he doesn’t elaborate, seconds in which I’m pretty sure I draw blood.
He doesn’t mind the pain. He barely registers it as he suddenly stops the car.
His gaze is on mine. He doesn’t break eye contact even for a moment.
“Only for you, little darling.” His eyes twinkle with mischief. “If I could, I would hide you away from the world so that no one else can see you. No other male, nor female. No one but me.”
I wet my lips.
“Only you?” I whisper. The idea doesn’t seem as unappealing as I would have thought. In fact… I find myself imagining it quite easily. Me and him, far from the world, away from the world…in spite of the world.
“But I know that is not possible. I cannot hide you from everyone because you shine far too bright, Minnie. Alas, I will settle for killing everyone who looks at you the wrong way.”
Butterflies dance in my stomach.
“And what is the wrong way?”
His lips slowly curve into a smile.
“Like they forget you are mine and you will always be mine.”
The conversation comes to a sudden halt when someone knocks on the window of our car.
Mine lowers the window.
“How may I help you?” the elderly man asks. He’s dressed in a dark uniform that signals him as the guard to the entrance of the museum.
“We’re looking for the entrance to the castle,” Mine answers with an affable smile.
The man frowns.
“The castle is closed to the public. I am sorry, but you will have to go back.”
Mine’s smile doesn’t falter.
Rummaging through the inside of his coat, Mine removes a couple of crisp banknotes and extends them toward the man.
His eyes widen and he stares at the money a few seconds too long before he shakes his head.
“I cannot let you in. I’m sorry,” he adds with a nervous gulp.
That’s a lot of money. Anyone would say yes to that type of money considering the scarcities of the war.
“Perhaps you can reconsider,” Mine continues, getting another stack of banknotes and adding them to the bunch.
The man’s Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he eyes the money warily. He wants to accept the bribe. I mentally will him to do so.
But in the end, he shakes his head again.
“I’m sorry. You’ll have to leave.”
The man doesn’t linger. As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he turns to leave.
Mine grinds his teeth in annoyance.
“Was that your secret way of getting in?”
He mumbles something inaudible under his breath and puts the car in reverse to turn back. Yet we don’t go back down the hill. Instead, he finds a clear path through the forest and drives between the trees. The branches hit the sides of the car, the path too narrow for the width of the vehicle.
“What are we doing?” I startle when a thick branch slaps against my window.
“Plan B,” he says.
The path becomes too narrow for the car to advance and he is forced to stop.
“Uh, Mine?”
He swivels to look at me.
“I don’t think your plan B is a plan at all,” I mutter, pointing at my side of the door. Tree branches block the visibility out the window, and a thick trunk rests against the door, putting pressure on it. Some goods might be expensive in this world, but that doesn’t mean they’re worth it. Case in point, this fancy car. A little pressure from the tree and the metal is already bending inward.
Mine curses aloud. I assume he’s going to put the car in reverse once more to try to remove us from this situation. Instead, he leans over to me, places his hands under my arms, and plucks me off my seat.
I squeal in surprise.
“Shh,” he murmurs. “I need to focus.”
“What are you?—”
My words are cut off when I fall on top of him. The wheel digs in my back, forcing me to press myself into him.
Big. Mistake. He immediately realizes it, too.
I can feel him everywhere.
His hard chest. His rippling muscles. The tension in his body.
His scent envelops me, leather and darkness made more potent by the heat of his body.
I slowly raise my eyes to his. They’re such a vivid green, like freshly grown grass at the height of spring. I’ve always been in awe of his eyes but also rather mesmerized by them. It’s as if they don’t quite fit on his face, yet at the same time, the depths mirrored in them encompass his entire essence.
Crisp. Clear. Orderly.
His eyes are him. And now they’re watching me just as intently, that vivid shade of green swirling a darker hue. At first, I wonder if it’s his pupils that are growing in size, but as I lean forward to get a better look, I realize it’s the color of his irises. There are myriads of minuscule patterns that swirl in concert, creating a changing canvas, one that tells a story, but that I fear I have yet to learn the language needed to decipher it.
Stark green. Dark green. And a hint of rust.
My tongue peeks out to wet my lips.
His eyes follow that movement.
“Stop moving,” he whispers in a low, almost pained voice.
I blink. “What?”
“I need you to stop moving, Minnie,” he repeats. His voice is much softer now, a caress to my ears that results in a whole-body shiver.
I shift around until I hit something. I frown.
“What’s this?” I ask as I half turn.
Mine’s hands are on my shoulders, keeping me in place.
“There’s something there, Mine. I think I hit your stick,” I add, panicking.
“My…stick?” he croaks.
“Yes, the car stick.”
I push his hands away and rotate so I can get a better look. But then I spot the actual car stick, a distance away, not at all so close to me I would feel it poking me in the back.
I slowly turn to Mine.
His cheeks are scarlet as he mumbles, “It’s my stick all right.”
“What?”
He clears his throat, but the silence stretches as he refuses to answer my question.
“Mine! What’s wrong?”
“You…know,” he adds in a low, bashful voice.
Frowning, I shake my head.
“I don’t.”
He lowers his hands to my waist and moves me a bit further as he adjusts himself in the seat. Still frowning, I’m trying to grasp what’s happening when I happen to glance down at his pants.
Mine follows my gaze and he curses under his breath.
“Uhm…”
Before I can scramble for the proper words, he kicks the door open and deposits me outside the car. He doesn’t join me out immediately, though, and when he does, the rather large outline in his pants from before is gone.
I want to ask more questions, but for some reason, my cheeks redden to a shade to match his own. Our gazes collide and we both swiftly look away.
“So…” He’s the first to start. “We should leave the car here since we won’t be able to drive through the forest.”
He grabs my hand and steers me toward the forest. The trees are so tall, they create a dome above our heads, barely allowing any light to come through.
I hate to admit it, but the fact that he’s holding on to me makes me feel better. More…protected. Which is ludicrous since I am the one who should be protecting him. I suppose it’s still nice to have someone next to me, lending me his strength. And despite being human, Mine has quite the strength.
I eye him up and down surreptitiously. Oh, yes. His body is hard with muscle. I blush as I remember feeling that hardness under the tips of my fingers. Seeing that he’s officially courting me, perhaps he’ll let me touch his muscles again. And maybe I will show him my own too—after all, I did not spend so much time training in the army not to feel proud of my toned muscles.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask in an attempt to steer myself away from those thoughts. I need to think about killing demons, not feeling hard, hot muscles…
“We’re going around the forest to find the entrance to the castle ourselves.” He pauses and clicks his tongue against his teeth. “I don’t understand how anyone would refuse that type of money. Especially during wartime,” he grumbles under his breath.
“Some people have principles,” I tell him with a shrug.
“It’s a lot of money,” he emphasizes.
“So? There are some things I would never do for all the money in the universe.”
He narrows his eyes at me, but I swear I spot a smile creeping up his face.
“Is that so?”
I nod.
“No amount of money would make me marry that clown-faced Theron, which is why I need this to work. If I’m successful and earn myself a commendation from Commander Azerius, my parents will not be able to force me to marry him.”
“Or you could run away,” Mine suggests with a wicked glint in his eyes.
“You think I never thought of that?” I roll my eyes at him. “I would, of course, get away. But then I would be branded a traitor. Anyone willing to betray their family is ruled a traitor in my world. I’d be a pariah in the entire universe.”
“Wouldn’t that be better than marrying someone you don’t like?”
“Of course it would. But you’re missing the point. I wouldn’t just be a pariah. I’d also be hunted wherever I go. Aperion has very strict rules, and anyone breaking those rules must be made an example of. What do you think me running away from an unwanted marriage would signal to the rest of the noble families?”
“That you’re a brave and independent female?”
My lips quirk into a smile.
“That too.” I chuckle. “But it would set a precedent that it is permissible for a female to say no to a match decided by her family. The entirety of Aperion derives its strength from strategic marriages that have the potential to yield the next Supreme.”
“I’m not sure you explained what a Supreme is,” he mentions slowly.
“I haven’t?” I blink. “Oh, my bad. The Supremes are the most powerful deities. Each one of the fifteen Houses of Aperion has a Supreme that oversees everything to do with the Houses and the order of the universe. You could say they are the original gods of your mythology, except there is never one fixed god. You have the mythological god of water, Pose something, but in reality, there is only the House of Hydros that controls all matters related to water and its Supreme is the ultimate authority,” I explain.
“So these Supremes are changeable?”
“Yes. Deities might be immortal, but they are not invincible. Thousands of years ago, when Aperion was at war with Tartareia, the life expectancy for a Supreme was only a few hundred years while holding the position. As the most powerful entities, they were usually at the front lines, leading the war. But since we live in times of relative peace, the Supremes have been faring much better, so there haven’t been many changes in the last few thousand years.”
“I see.” He nods pensively. “So how does one become a Supreme? Could you become one?”
Laughter bubbles inside of me.
“Me? A Supreme?” I throw my head back and laugh at the absurd notion.
“Why not?” He challenges.
“When a Supreme dies, there is a selection for the next one within that specific House. The ruling monarchs of the House will nominate a few candidates who will compete for the title. But it’s a much more complicated process. To qualify, I’d need to have opened my ninth gate. That is a minimum. I’ve only opened my fifth one.” I pause, gritting my teeth at that thought. It’s not for the lack of trying, though, just for lack of opportunity. “I’d also need to have a series of accomplishments in the service of Aperion that would recommend me.”
“Well, considering what we are about to do, I would say you are doing something in the service of Aperion, no? And you can always train to open your ninth gate. It’s not impossible.”
I blink.
Now that he puts it like that, he’s not wrong. It wouldn’t be entirely impossible.
“But even if I passed all the necessary tests and reached the top, I’d still need the approval of the other Supremes. It’s a very difficult process that can last hundreds of years.”
“But not impossible,” he counters.
“Yes.” I smile. “Not impossible.”
Although seeing how Commander Azerius has been a contender for the title of Supreme for the last few hundred years with no avail, I fear it would be pretty impossible for someone like me to become one. He’s the most powerful deity I’ve ever met, and yet, the other Supremes will not appoint him for whatever reason.
“I have full confidence that you can achieve whatever you set out to do,” he murmurs, pulling me closer. “If anyone can do the impossible, it’s you.”
My lashes flutter in surprise and my face heats.
“Thank you. That’s nice of you to say,” I whisper. I don’t quite know how to respond to that, especially as he regards me with such intensity. Perhaps this is just part of the courtship and he doesn’t mean it. But the truth remains that no one’s ever spoken to me like this—no one’s ever had full confidence in me. If anything, my entire life, the opposite has been true. People have been doubting me at every turn.
I gaze up at him. He’s smiling at me, a full-bodied smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle.
A genuine smile.
How is it that someone who’s known me for mere weeks can believe in me more than my own family ever has?
“It’s the truth. You’re capable of so much more than you realize.”
I snort.
“You don’t believe me?” He appears wounded.
“You don’t need to sing me so many praises, you know. I’ve already allowed you to court me,” I add drily.
“You think I’m singing you praises?” His eyes widen in shock.
“It’s nice that you think so highly of me, but you hardly know me or what I’m capable of. Yes, I might be a goddess, but I happen to be a rather mediocre one.”
He extends his arm in front of me to stop me from walking further. Planting himself in front of me, he stares at me with an odd expression on his face.
“You’re anything but mediocre, Minnie,” he states in a serious tone. “Perhaps no one’s told you this before, but you are extraordinary .”
My lashes flutter in confusion at the vehemence behind his tone.
“You’ve never had anyone tell you this before?” he asks softly.
I lower my chin in a barely perceptible nod.
He smiles.
“Then I will tell you this every day until you believe it. You are extraordinary.”
Once more, I’m rendered speechless. This courtship of his is working because my heart is beating like crazy in my chest.
He takes a step forward until his chest bumps into mine—his very hard chest.
A shiver goes down my back.
The word extraordinary echoes in my mind while I stare at his plump lips and gulp down nervously.
Oh, something is certainly working, and I’m not sure if it’s his honeyed words or the fact that his body is like an ancient sculpture come to life. Or maybe both.
I’m suddenly dizzy and warm and as he slowly leans toward me, I grow even hotter.
Is he… Is that… Is he going to do that kissing thing with me? That eating of mouths I saw other people do? Is he going to put his lips on mine? Before, I would have said absolutely no—disgusting.
Now, I’m…curious.
Instinctively, my eyes squeeze shut as I hold myself still and…wait.
I wait and wait, convincing myself I’ll tell him off after the fact.
But nothing happens.
I blink my eyes open.
Mine is a few steps away from me now, shooting daggers with his eyes to poor Tommy, who is looking back and forth between the two of us.
“Did I interrupt something?” he asks, confused.
“No,” I say at the same time that Mine says, “Yes.”
His nostrils flare as he glares at the ghostly lad. Oh, he was definitely going to do that kissing thing with me. My cheeks heat at the mere mental image of it. Yet Tommy’s arrival proved fortuitous as I am still not sure I can go that far.
I might have allowed him to court me, though I am still not sure to what end. All I know is that I like being around him. He makes me feel like I matter. That doesn’t erase the fact that an entanglement with a mortal is forbidden. But as long as no one knows…
“How did you manage to come here? It’s quite a distance away from the base. I thought you’d have been dragged back by now,” I ask.
“I can go a bit further, too,” Tommy mentions with a proud smile.
“Why did you leave so suddenly then?” I frown.
“Because I was a third wheel!” he exclaims. “You were having a moment and it was uncomfortable to watch.”
“A moment? What do you mean? We were not having any moment.”
“Oh, we certainly were,” Mine agrees, his stance now more relaxed.
“What?”
Mine comes around and takes my hand.
“And we were having a moment before you interrupted just now, too.”
Tommy’s eyes widen. “I-I-I… I’m so sorry, Major!” he cries out in horror.
Mine still has a sour expression on his face as he regards the stressed ghost. He must have really wanted to do that kissing thing with me. I wet my lips and look at him from beneath my lashes. I think I rather wanted it too… So what if it’s not technically allowed since I am unwed and he is mortal? The more I think about it, the more sure I am that he is the only person I’d like to try kissing with.
He catches me staring at him and raises a brow at me.
“We’ll have other moments,” I tell him with a smile. “Stop berating the poor boy.”
He stares at me for a second, his touch insistent and hot.
“Other moments, huh?”
I slowly nod.
“Plural?”
I nod again, caught in his mesmerizing gaze.
“I’ll hold you onto that,” he murmurs softly before he turns back to Tommy. With a heavy sigh, he decides to let the poor ghost off the hook. “You’re fine, lad. Just as well, you can help us find the entrance to the castle.”
Tommy readily agrees and promises he will make himself helpful.
We resume our journey, this time with Tommy a few steps ahead as he surveys the area. Mine still holding on tightly to my hand. Some might say too tightly.
But I rather like it. And him. Especially him and his warm presence. It’s comfortable and it feels like home—or what I imagine an inviting home would feel like. I wouldn’t mind it if he decided to never let go. In fact, I lean closer to him and twine my arm around his while holding his hand so I can also have a good grip on him and never let him go.
I smile blithely until I realize what I just admitted to myself.
I…like him?
Mine?
I like Mine.
I like like him.
Oh my, this is bad!