Chapter 48
ARIANNA
It’s been a couple of weeks since I said goodbye to Mekhi.
The first few days, he tested out the bond I gave him; he kept touching it, and Gaelan would shimmer me topside to find Mekhi either drunk on too many ‘tinis or asking my opinion about which shoes to wear, or if the new guy Charlie he’d had a one-night stand with was worth another go.
I’d understood why Gaelan was getting frustrated.
Mekhi is my bestie; we’re both finding it hard being away from each other.
I’ve finally managed to get a phone to work in the castle, but it only gets a signal in Trelor’s tower. Trelor doesn’t mind, and Lexus also enjoys it. He fucks us both each time before we leave.
Between bouncing back and forth to check on Mekhi and my thirst for Trelor and Gaelan, I have been practicing my spells and working on my fighting skills, as well as bringing Lexus forward more.
A warm feeling of love settles over me. I’ve returned to Westrey; today I wanted some time alone with my book. It feels like home being here, and a part of me deep down misses it now that I have it back..
The dome remains in place, protecting the land. My book still floats in a ray of gold light above the sand. It’s been calling to me since I got back to Illis, it’s as if it knew where I was. I feel like it’s been warning me about something, bringing me thick and heavy air that comes before a storm.
I’m just trying not to think about what kind of storm is heading my way and how powerful it’s going to be.
I planned to come here earlier in the week, but Gaelan’s training and the need to fuck him every chance I got held me back.
The mating frenzy is still so intense that every time I look at him, I want us both naked.
I know he feels the same. A couple of times, when I was just walking past his office, he stopped a meeting to come out and fuck me.
I walk closer to the book and wave my hand over it. The gold shines brighter, and a spell from that page floats up into the air before moving to settle on my neck. My skin tingles, and powers tickle along my skin.
It’s a binding spell.
The book likes to give me spells every so often. I don’t know why it does it without me asking. I’m guessing it thinks I need them.
I turn some of the pages, reading the spells and looking over the symbols.
One symbol that resembles two hearts entwined with each other sparkles as I touch it.
It lifts off the page, travels up my fingers, and settles on my hand.
My head goes dizzy for a second, and my eyes blur.
Fisting my hands, I pull in a breath to steady myself; I hear a giggle and look up.
Lexus stands in front of me. Intrigue etched in her gold eyes.
The power from this book—my power me all the time.
I study the daemon in front of me. I knew that she would look like me, and she does. She is stunning. An absolutely lethal body; her skin is so white and covered in more gold markings than I have, the swirls and scroll writing adding to her beauty.
Part of me wonders if I will end up covered like she is.
She has a tail with a gold, fluffy tip that she plays with. The tips of her white wings poke over her shoulders.
Her eyes trail over me, taking me in. She smiles, which makes me smile back at her.
“Ari? What is this place? There is so much power here.” Her voice is soft, her fangs poking out from her lips with each word.
“This is our home, the place where our magic was born,” I say. Having a conversation with my inner daemon is weird at the best of times, especially with her standing here. Even worse. But I love it.
I flip over another page and see a spell to make someone fall in love.
“It looks dead here, like the land was killed,” she says, her head flicking around, taking in a desert and destroyed buildings.
“Tate destroyed it; it’s been lying empty ever since.” My voice is sad. I turn the page again and see a spell for drowning someone without water.
“I think we should rebuild it,” I look up at her, “make it part of us again.” I need to talk to Gaelan about it, but from what I had seen of it before, this place was an oasis in the dark and barren lands. A ray of hope in the dark.
She giggles and spins around on the spot with her arms stretched out. “That would be so much fun! Can I have nest like Trelor’s?” Her voice was full of childish excitement.
“You can have a whole building if you want it.” There’s laughter in my voice, her excitement rubbing off on me.
Lexus is fully grown in body, young in mind and soul.
Gaelan doesn’t know why. He told me that all daemons are born mute; he had to teach Trelor to speak, and even now, he doesn’t use complete sentences.
Trelor is an adult in demeanor, yet thousands of years old.
I’m wondering if that’s why Lexus comes across as younger. She was only born a few weeks ago.
Lifting my eyes from the book, I cast them over the empty lands. There is a rich history associated with this place, and I want to bring it back to its original state. I want to truly make it home again.
A sad feeling fills my heart. My family will never see this; they will never be able to come back home.
Lexus comes over to me and places her hand on my shoulder.
“They will see, we show them.” Even in this form, she is still part of me.
She can still feel what I feel, and in this moment, I know she’s feeling my pain.
Taking her hand, I lead her to walk where Main Street is going to be. “We can build shops here, magic shops that sell all kinds of things.” I excitedly say.
“Can we sell spears, like what Trelor has? I sell those here?” Lexus nods, she lets go of my hand, and skips forward a little.
I nod and then turn to look at the far side of the dome, my steps falter, and I freeze at what I see, the blood draining from my face.
A beautiful, tall woman with black and green hair is glaring at me.
Her body is covered in skintight black leather; there are a few daemons around her.
She watches me before her eyes flicker to where my book is.
The urge to hide it rushes over me hard, but I know no one can touch it or even read it. For now, it is safe.
“Macy,” I whisper. Lexus turns before merging back into my body. “You shouldn’t be here,” I shout. She laughs, and the sound rakes down my body like nails on a chalkboard.
“The famous Book Reader. Tell me, how does it feel to be back?” She ignores my words and narrows her red eyes at me.
Her voice is thick with hate as she steps closer.
The dome is still in place; she can’t see it, but she only has a few more steps to go before it will stop her from getting any closer.
“It feels good, thank you. I know you have been looking for me,” I challenge.
“I have been. How is that perfect man of yours? His eyes still glow when he comes?” The smirk she gives me makes me want to rip it from her face.
Lexus growls in my head. She wants to come out, but I don’t want Macy to know about her, not yet.
I move a little closer, ignoring her words about my mate.
“What do you want?” I spit out.
“Your blood all over my hands, Book Reader.” She says, pulling out her daggers.
“You know, each time I kill you, I always think it’s going to be the last, but here we are yet again.
You’d think you would learn,” she sneers.
I say nothing and just watch her; she looks down at one of her daemons. “Bring her to me.”
He nods and rushes forward, holding a spear in his hand and aiming it toward me.
He hits the dome and flies backward. Gold light covers his body, wrapping around him and squeezing tight.
He starts to roll and thrash around on the ground, trying to pull the light off him.
I watch as the light begins to burn him.
Screams of pain penetrate the air, and he shakes violently just before he explodes into dust.
Macy’s snaps her head to me and growls.
“What’s the matter?” I ask with a smirk.
She looks down at the next daemon and nods toward me. He shakes his head, making her sigh. She grabs him by the collar, picks him up, and throws him toward the dome. He hits it, goes flying back, and screams out in pain as he turns to dust.
Macy fists her hands and screams out in rage before she bursts out laughing.
“You think this is going to stop me? No matter what, you will always meet your end by my hands. Why delay it?” She steps closer and runs the tip of her dagger over the edge of the dome; it shimmers from the touch but doesn’t break.
“I am going to stop you this time. I’ve had enough of you thinking you own me.” My voice sounds the darkest it ever has. I’m sick and tired of this bitch trying to devastate my life.
I move closer to her so that I am just a few inches away, the dome still protecting me.
Her eyes shift to my hands, then up my arms, as she looks over my markings, and she frowns.
“You do look different this time; these markings are new. Maybe it will be a little harder, but I will still get to you.” She taps the dome again.
“Why don’t you come out and test me, Reader?
” She dares, her voice full of challenge.
“If you are feeling so brave.” She raises an arrogant eyebrow.
I just smile at her, I can feel the book, reminding me of its powers that are connected to me, a power that this time will win.
I hold up my hand and whisper, “Retro.” Back.
Macy is shoved back by an invisible force, making me smile. She looks stunned and opens her mouth to speak, but the force hits her again, this time pushing her so hard she falls to the ground.
I step out of the dome.
If she wants to test me now, then let’s do it.