Chapter 5
‘Us Luciens have always had to connive and claw our way to power, for the other Godlings have pitted against us.’
— Written entry from Zaro Lucien’s personal journal (Pre-Division)
Airess
She wasn’t thinking clearly.
Airess told herself that all the events leading up to this moment had clouded her mind, her judgment, because she could have sworn she felt that same familiar energy radiating off the Fae male from the ball at the current moment.
She must be feeling things, because when she took in her surroundings before walking into the outbuilding, she saw nothing but a black forest beyond her.
Pulling her cloak over her shoulders, she shoved the outhouse door open. Never had she ever used a building like this, but Airess knew she would quickly have to adapt—
A hand gripped her forearm and yanked her backwards. Her scream was stifled by another hand covering her mouth as she was pushed against the wall. Her gold eyes widened in surprise as she met silver ones underneath the hood of a cloak.
The male towered over her, pressing his forearm against her collarbone to pin her against the wall. Surprisingly, he was gentle, the pressure firm but not enough to cause pain.
“I’m not going to hurt you. Please, don’t yell,” a male voice said with a Runean accent present. He removed his hand from her lips and angled his head down to look at her. She instinctively opened her mouth to yell, to scream.
No sound came out.
Her brows creased at her lack of control. Panic set in, her heart beginning to beat rapidly.
He spoke, his tone low, “Follow me.”
He released her and stepped back, lowering his hood, having the decency to give her a chance to look at him.
Airess gazed over his disheveled curly hair and straight nose.
Those steel-colored eyes glowed faintly, like moonlight casting over a still pond.
He wore the same collection of earrings on one ear as before, yet he had changed into different clothes. Her eyes narrowed into slits.
“You.” Her tone was pure venom.
The male grimaced, as if her voice had physically lashed him. Without saying another word, he stiffly turned away from her and walked in the opposite direction into the woods.
She inhaled a sharp breath as her legs began to move of their own accord, her body following him, each step betraying her freewill.
She pressed her hand on the tops of her thighs, trying to stop them, but her efforts were in vain.
She walked right up to the male, walking by his side, her shoulder touching his arm.
“What’s happening?” she whispered, her breath quickening, her body breaking out in a sweat.
“I’ve only compelled you to follow me because I do not wish to harm you, and I know you wouldn’t follow me willingly,” the Fae male confessed, his explanation defensive, as if he too saw the immorality in what he was doing.
“You compelled me?” She repeated, realizing how subtle the compulsion felt in her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, focusing every atom of her body to resist.
Stubbornly, she planted her feet in the ground, refusing to move them.
She hissed as she fought the compulsion Magick, feeling a stabbing pain within her mind.
Airess fought it, her breath labored as she strained her own muscles to comply.
Slowly, one foot moved to take another step, her freewill beginning to shatter.
Her leg muscles trembled as she tried to resist.
“Fighting it will only cause you pain. You’ll only make it worse.”
Her strength faltered. She resumed walking forward, releasing a deep breath. She looked back to the Inn, watching it disappear from view as they walked into the woods, Esper’s plan crumbling by the second.
“What do you want?” Airess asked sharply. The male chose not to respond, his gaze forward as if she hadn’t spoken at all. His jaw clenched and he refused to meet her gaze. Airess’s fear transformed into anger, her face twisting into an ugly sneer.
“Where are you taking me? Why are you doing this?”
No response.
The silence scraped her nerves, and although her legs moved against her will, she could still control her arms. Airess had never struck someone before, but desperation had taken over. She succumbed to the basic instinct of survival.
She raised a fist and swung wildly, aiming straight for his face.
He pivoted out of the way with ease, seizing both of her wrists. Airess jolted forward, crashing into his body. She almost tripped, but his firm grip held her upright. She glared up at him, too angry to feel fear in this moment.
“Let me go,” she said through gritted teeth, her face taut.
He raked his eyes down her face, and to her surprise, the corners of his lips turned up with amusement.
“You will not strike me again.” He commanded, and then gently let go of her. He walked forward as if nothing happened.
“You—you—Who are you?” Airess asked, her voice shaking with rage. Rage at the fact that he seemingly found their situation funny. Airess thought he was going to ignore her again, a beat of silence lasting too long. Finally, he sighed and gave in. “I’m taking you to my Guildmaster.”
Airess’ eyes almost bulged out of her head. There was only one Guild she had heard of before that used witchcraft, a compulsion Magick powerful enough to compel others against their freewill.
“The Mrkynian Guild?”
More silence. His subtle denial to answer infuriated her. She balled her fists as they trekked forward, footsteps rustling against the leaves in the woods.
Why would they want her? It’s not like she had any power to offer them. Unless, they were under a different impression. Perhaps they too were fooled into thinking she was something special, a Magickal prodigy, like the Luciens had.
Oh, were they sorely mistaken.
“I have nothing to offer your Guild,” she ground out. “I’m virtually powerless.”
“Oh, really?” the male retorted sarcastically, “Is that why you were marrying into the royal family, for your lack of power?”
Airess seethed, hating that she was walking so closely beside him. “Yes, really. You and your lawless friends will be quite disappointed.”
“We shall see,” he replied coolly.
Airess scoffed. She was, at last, speechless.
He wasn’t who she expected him to be, a member of the most notorious Guild in the country.
She expected him to look like a scary, ugly male.
Much to her dismay, he was the exact opposite of ugly.
She studied his side profile, his perfect nose and lips outlined by the moonlight above.
That damn earring caught her attention again, and she realized it was a tiny lightning bolt made of copper.
Finally, a chestnut horse came into view, tied to a tree, patiently waiting for its rider as they approached. She scowled as she realized there was only one horse. Did he intend for them to ride together?
“Let. Me. Go. Now.”
The male shook his head, eyes boring into hers. “I can’t.”
“Why are you doing this? Do you really have such a lack of morality to see taking a female against her will is wrong?”
The male began to untie the horse's rope, his broad back facing her. She tried to take the opportunity to bolt the other direction while he wasn’t looking, but her legs denied her.
He turned around to face her, his jaw tense, “I have little choice in the matter.”
What did that even mean?
Airess scoffed in reply, her tone incredulous. “What are you going to do with me?”
“I am going to do nothing with you. I am merely a steward of your transportation.”
Interesting.
The male looked from Airess to the horse, opening his mouth to speak. She shook her head and crossed her arms. “No, absolutely not. I am not getting on that horse.”
He sighed. “Please, make this easier for all of us and get on.”
“Hell, no!”
The male’s jaw ticked. He opened his mouth and closed it, no doubt stifling a witty response he had on the tip of his tongue.
“Contrary to what you may believe, I don’t have any desire to compel you again. Just get on the horse,” the male said with his chin up, arms folded, daring her to refuse.“Or I will make you.”
Airess held his stare, contemplating refusing, but she didn’t want to lose control over her body again. She hated how it felt, not being in control.
Airess lifted her chin as she strode over to the horse. It was large, much larger than she remembered. It had been ten years since she had ridden. Airess grabbed what she could on the saddle and shoved a foot into the stirrup.
After a few seconds of struggling, the male stepped towards her, his arms out to help her on, “I can help—”
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, her tone lethal.
Fueled by rage, Airess pulled herself up.
Her dress and cloak hiked up her legs as she swung her leg over.
She pulled the fabric down, noticing the male had turned away.
Was he giving her privacy? The act confused her, his behavior a sharp contrast to his words.
Airess kept quiet as he got on the horse, his body behind her entirely too close for comfort.
Warmth seeped off of him, his muscled abdomen molding against her back. She was so close to him, she could hear his breathing. Airess inhaled his scent, the smell of the ocean wafting up to her nose. She loathed that he smelled good, even with the hint of cigar smoke.
Airess was glad she wasn’t facing him, her cheeks beginning to warm to a soft pink.
Airess tried her best to lean forward, to put as much distance as she could away from him.
She was thankful for the silence as the horse began to ride forward, needing a brief moment to take in everything that had happened to her.
Her mind whirled.
First the explosion, Esper’s revelation, and now this?
Airess looked down to her hands, disappointed at her lack of golden translucence that was her dreamform. She wished this was some horrible dream she could wake up from. Though she didn’t know what nightmare would be worse—being taken by this male, or marrying Arzhel Lucien.