Chapter sixteen
My mind was deep in thought while I sat with my friends in The Falls tavern. “Alora?” Noor nudged me, motioning to my cup of mead. “You haven’t touched your drink.”
“Sorry, I’m not really in a drinking mood.” It had been two weeks since my orgasm with Darce. I was fantasising about the moment constantly. Reliving the feel of his mouth, and how his fingers had gripped my thighs roughly while he continued his onslaught on my sex. It was all-consuming.
“What is with you?” Nell shook me. “You’ve been a ghost for weeks. What exactly happens on these monthly hikes alone? You make us cover for you, when you’re gone. Don’t you think we deserve some answers?”
“All you need to know is that Holy Ether demands it. That is all I can tell you.” I had explained many years ago about the wisp coming to me in the Barren Lands, but not what it had told me about Darce.
In the beginning, it was to protect myself.
I knew I would be shamed by my kind if anyone ever found out.
Now, it was for one reason only: to protect Darce.
He was a mere foot soldier in the Noxlin army.
If my father or Xavier ever found out about our training sessions, he wouldn’t stand a chance against their powers.
“Don’t think we haven’t noticed how your body has changed over the years.
” Luz sipped her drink, looking at me closely.
“You can keep secrets from us, but we know you. I have my suspicions of what you are doing. Whatever it is, it’s physical.
” Noor spat her drink out. “Not that kind of physical, Noor.” Luz shook her head, wiping the table in front of her.
“Alora is clearly training for something.”
“Have your powers begun to manifest? Is that what all this is about?” Noor gasped. “Are you keeping it a secret because you know you’ll be bound to Xavier?”
“No, this isn’t about my powers. This is about Holy Ether’s wishes.
I’m grateful that you all cover for me each month, but my lips are sealed.
” Uri never sensed Darce on our first meeting in The Shielding Valley.
As Darce had promised, its magic was untouchable, even for a seer like Uri.
Darce still had a warding spell done to protect us, though. It was better to be overly cautious.
“So long as you’re safe doing whatever you are doing, that is all that matters to us.” Noor smiled warmly. “None of us could cope if you were putting yourself in danger.”
“I’m perfectly safe. Loki and Enyo are always with me.” Trying not to blush, I took a sip of my drink. As I swallowed, Fynn rushed into the tavern looking for us.
“Xavier found a Noxlin near our lands while out on patrol.” Fynn was speaking so quickly that I could hardly keep up.
“He is calling the army into action. He thinks the Noxlin are planning to attack.” What was a Noxlin doing so near to our land?
My heart stopped, praying it hadn’t been Darce.
“He told me to come and get you three.” Of course I wasn’t needed, but my friends with their powers would be.
“He wants to scout the land to be sure there is no hidden Noxlin army waiting for us.”
“What reason would they have to attack?” I questioned, watching them, all standing to attention. The few soldiers in the tavern were already rushing out the door.
“What reason do they need, Alora? They’ll be coming for Silverlight!
” Nell seethed. Silverlight was my father’s light sword.
The sword that gave light to all our light swords.
If the Noxlin king ever got his hands on that sword, our kind would be destroyed.
Our light essence would be taken and consumed by darkness.
It was the same with the Noxlin dark sword; if we could get our hands on the Noxlin king’s sword, we could destroy their race with light.
Including...Darce. Fear rippled through me at the thought.
What if Darce had already been captured and was being tortured as I sat here?
“Was this Noxlin male?” I asked, turning to Fynn. “What did they have to say for themselves?”
“He was male, yes, but Xavier destroyed him before he could even speak.” NO! Fighting the tears that were starting to sting my eyes, I tried to focus.
“Don’t we question the enemy anymore? Xavier could have found out valuable information.”
“This isn’t your battle yet, Alora,” Nell soothed.
“One day you’ll be able to question Xavier’s decisions, but right now, you need to head back to the palace.
” The palace was the furthest place from my mind.
I needed to know if Darce was unharmed. “Take Loki and Enyo with you. They’ll keep you safe.
” With that, they all followed Fynn, leaving me alone in the tavern.
What should I do? I had no way of finding Darce, or even working out if he had been the Noxlin Xavier had discovered.
Darce shouldn’t have been near my land. There was a reason we met up in The Shielding Valley.
It was the perfect distance from both our lands.
Trying to settle my mind by listing all the reasons it couldn’t be Darce, I wandered back to the palace with Loki and Enyo.
Once I was safely in my chamber, Loki rested his head against the bed next to me while Enyo lay down on the floor.
“He’s going to be fine. It can’t have been him,” I soothed, more to myself than them. “I’ll go and see Xavier once he returns with the army. I’m sure I’ll be able to get some information from him.”
****
THE ARMY WAS GONE FOR almost four days. I kept myself busy, practising all the moves Darce had shown me.
I was running in the mornings longer than usual, but I needed all the distractions I could manage.
The thought of never seeing Darce again, if he had been the one Xavier killed, was driving me insane.
My mind was overwhelmed by thoughts and worries about him.
I stood in the grand hall with my father as Xavier walked in. My breathing relaxed a little when he didn’t look war-wounded. Clearly, there had been no Noxlin army waiting for them.
“We have scouted the entire land, Zohar,” the general bellowed, meeting my gaze for a few short seconds. “There was no further trace of the Noxlin scum!”
“That is good news, General. Make sure the army is fed and well rested before you continue training.”
“Of course, my king.” Xavier bowed his head. “Can I request to eat with your daughter? It has been quite some time since I’ve had the pleasure of her company.”
“Your request is granted. Alora, please see that Xavier gets seated with you on my private balcony. The kitchen will bring the food to you there.” I had done well in avoiding Xavier for the last ten years.
The thought of spending an afternoon with him didn’t fill me with joy, but it would help in asking about the Noxlin he had killed.
He followed closely behind me as we walked to the private balcony. I was wearing a long white, plunge dress that was embroidered with gold thread. My figure was a lot fuller since my training with Darce, and over the years, I had noticed Xavier’s hungry gaze.
“How long are you going to keep your distance from me, Alora?” he asked once we were alone on the balcony.
The food and mead was already waiting for us on the gold, marble table.
“I’ve given you the time you requested. I have stopped trying to control your every move. What more do you want from me?”
“It’s not that simple, Xavier. My sexual awakening isn’t something we can rush.” Stepping closer towards me, his eyes looked me up and down but lingered on my breasts.
“You can not tell me you have no sexual awakening with a body like that. It is yearning for a male’s touch. Let me show you.” Reaching out, he tried to touch my face, but I pulled back.
“No!” I ordered. “I know my own body. I am not ready!”
“No?” he frowned. “Why do you deny me? You are already mine, Alora. No other male is allowed you. Your father has already declared that we are promised.”
“Once my power manifests. Which means right now, I belong to no one.” Shaking his head in defeat, he took a seat and started to help himself to some of the food. “Did you find any more Noxlin while you were out with the army?” I asked, pouring him some mead.
“Only a few that were already dead. Some beasts must have gotten them. I have a feeling they were all part of the same scouting group.” Knowing that it might have been a group of Noxlin didn’t make me feel any better.
“What do you think they were planning?”
“General Nox is probably searching the Barren Lands for a way into Dallethas. It’s been five hundred years since we had any kind of battle. My guess is that he’s growing restless.”
“Did the Noxlin you killed give much resistance?” I picked up a few pieces of meat, putting them on my plate without meeting Xavier’s gaze.
“No, he was already wounded. I did him a favour, if I’m being honest. A beast would have smelt the blood and finished him off.”
“I bet he was terrifying to look at. The way you and my father depicted them always makes my blood turn cold.”
“He was fairly old. You would have been petrified if you’d seen him. He was all teeth and claws.” My body finally relaxed at his statement. It couldn’t have been Darce.
“I was lucky that I met such a young and inexperienced one all those years ago in the Barren Lands. He wasn’t beastly at all.”
“They grow into their hideous form with age. You were very lucky back then, Alora. You have no need to fear them anymore. I will always protect you. They’ll never get their filthy hands on you.
” I tried to ignore the images of Darce touching my body, but they flooded my senses.
“Are you okay? You look a little flustered?”
“I’ve not been feeling well from worrying about the army, my father, and...” Xavier stood up and wrapped his arms around my waist. Did the asshole think I was about to admit that I was worrying about him?