Chapter 18 #2
She wasn’t sure of how long they danced.
She was no longer aware of the passage of time, only his strong hold on her; the way he spun and lifted and dipped her in the firelight.
She wondered if this song would ever end, or if she’d remain here forever, a thin layer of sweat building on her brow from the exertion.
Either way, it was pure bliss. She’d never been so at home in her own body before, so at ease with her own movements.
It was as if the ambrosia had unlocked something deep and sensual within her.
But the song did end. Slowly and wonderfully.
Alethea’s breath came in pants as Nakir dipped her low one last time.
He brought her back to him, and her hands landed against his chest. His heartbeat thundered against her fingertips, as did the heat radiating from him.
Her hair was entirely a mess now, tangled and wild down her back.
When their gazes met, she knew he’d see it.
There was no hiding her feelings for him.
Unbidden, unbridled, and unrequited—or so she’d come to believe.
She panted against his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck, fingers in his soft black hair.
She wanted to trace a line down his horns and see how they felt—how it made him feel. Everything around her buzzed.
“Thea,” he breathed as he brought his head to hers, their noses brushing.
He seemed to want to say something—something important—but she could tell it was causing him to wrestle with himself.
She didn’t want him to have any guilt for not reciprocating whatever was happening to her.
Because something was happening—something deep and dark and explosive within her.
It terrified even her, so she couldn’t blame him for his hesitation to take part.
“I want to make another bargain,” she told him, the words coming up and out of her without permission.
He listened, his molten gaze never leaving her.
“I want you to promise that... that you’ll remember me. When you’re King of Lenorea, and I’m... wherever I am. That you will think of me. That a small part of me will always be with you.”
Nakir’s expression was unreadable but serious. A moment passed before he finally replied. “In exchange?”
“What do you want?” Alethea asked, tears welling in her eyes. She would give him anything.
He didn’t answer right away. His breath tickled her skin as he searched her face.
“Promise me, Thea,” he began softly, brushing his fingers against her cheek.
“Promise you will never be a pawn in someone else’s game—that you will fiercely protect your freedom and your agency.
Promise me you will never surrender your fate to the whims of others.
I need to know you will always fight for yourself, no matter the odds or the challenges you face.
Swear that you will seize control of your own destiny, that you will fight tooth and nail to free yourself from anyone who tries to exploit your powers. ”
She didn’t know how to handle what she saw in his eyes—the adoration and the protectiveness. She felt selfish for her request for him to think of her no matter what came his way.
“Do we have a bargain?” he asked.
“Yes,” Alethea breathed. Then, heart in her throat, she added, “Seal it with a kiss?”
There was nothing chaste in this kiss. Alethea lost herself to time as their lips crashed together, not caring who saw them.
She somehow knew Nakir better than she’d ever known anyone, and she saw the truth of the man behind his dangerous, mysterious mask.
The man who had thoroughly captured her heart; whom she would do anything for to help take back his kingdom—their kingdom.
The smell of cedarwood and spice overwhelmed her as she threaded her fingers through his hair while he cupped the back of her neck.
His touch was electrifying, sending shivers down her spine and leaving her breathless.
The kiss was a storm, fierce and passionate, sweeping her off her feet and engulfing her in a whirlwind of emotion.
When he pulled away, he didn’t hide what he was feeling.
In those depths, she saw a mixture of fear and longing—a raw vulnerability that resonated with her own uncertainties.
It was as if Nakir had bared his soul to her for a single moment, showing her the depth of his feelings without reservation.
His fingers lingered on her cheek, tracing a gentle caress that spoke volumes.
Fear mingled with desire in his gaze: a fear of losing her—or of the unknown path they were treading together.
They found Dawes leaning against an oak tree, arms crossed, nursing a goblet of wine. He raised his chin in acknowledgment as they approached. Emi wasn’t far off, dancing with a group of strangers by another bonfire, at total ease as she spun and whirled with the revelers.
Alethea wanted to keep watching her hauntingly beautiful friend dance, but a shiver ran down her spine. She felt a pair of eyes on her—or perhaps it was more accurate to say she felt a presence unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.
Has Nysos themself come to this Revel?
She turned around to see where this force of nature was coming from. No one else seemed to feel it though. Nakir and Dawes remained in ignorance.
Alethea’s attention was drawn to an extraordinary figure as she approached.
It was another Aeshlien, but she was very different from Nakir.
This woman’s appearance was as striking as it was unsettling.
Cascading down to her chest, her straight hair was a pure shock of white, framing a face adorned with jet-black horns curving backward like a ram’s, spiraling behind her head.
Her skin, a deep shade of obsidian, seemed to absorb the surrounding light, and her eyes, with their vivid blood-red hue, held an intensity that sent shivers down Alethea’s spine.
Towering nearly as tall as Nakir, she exuded an aura of power and mystery that demanded recognition.
Despite the simplicity of her dress—a seamless black ensemble—Alethea couldn’t help but notice the intricate embroidery adorning its fabric as the woman approached. She was darkness incarnate. Alethea’s own magic quivered.
“Who... is that?” she asked, unable to take her eyes off the creature of the night.