15. Elora
15
ELORA
I pull the string on the bow, effortlessly pulling past the tension in the draw. I smile in triumph.
“Again.” Amon’s gruff voice says from behind me.
I plant my feet and pull the string again.
“Good.” He says and turns to walk to a quiver sitting against the wall. He pulls out an arrow, twirling it between his fingers deftly as he walks back to me. The simple movement has me pulling my bottom lip between my teeth.
His eyes meet mine, quickly tracking the movement. I see them darken slightly and I shiver.
He takes the bow from me, handing me the arrow.
“Familiarize yourself with the arrow.” He walks me through the anatomy of it, and I run my fingers over the white fletching. “When you nock it, you want the arrow to be here.” He shows me by placing the end of the arrow against the string of the bow.
I nod, watching as he hands me the bow and arrow.
“So…like this?” I ask as I nock the end of the arrow against the string.
He nods, walking up behind me. “Yes. Now straighten your pointer finger, and you want the shaft just below the arrowhead to rest against the side of your finger. Just like that.”
I try to familiarize myself with the movements, absorbing the way the bow feels in my hands.
“Pull back on the string, but this time keep the string between your thumb and forefinger.”
He spans a hand around my waist as I brace myself and pull on the string. The arrow falls from my finger.
“That’s ok, try again.”
I sigh, resetting the arrow and pull again.
“Good. Now I want you to hit the target.”
I look back at him with a frown. “I’m not-.” He shoots me a warning glare and I bite my tongue, turning my attention to the target in front of me.
Pulling the string, I take a deep breath and release it before loosing the arrow. It wizzes the short distance, hitting the target with a thunk . I spin around to look up at Amon, smiling wildly.
“I did it!”
I bounce in place, squealing with delight.
“Again!” I say, walking over to grab another arrow and resume my position in front of the target.
I repeat the motions, and another arrow sinks into the wood.
I’m well off of the bullseye, but I’m hitting the target, and that counts for something.
“You’re a natural.” Amon says.
A heartbeat spans between us before I walk to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He stiffens against me, but I don’t care. I embrace him, laying my head against his chest.
I swear I hear his heart skip a beat before it begins to quicken.
I feel an arm wrap around me cautiously, and I smirk. It’s progress.
Clearing his throat, Amon pries me from him, taking a step back. “You’ve done well, and I’m proud of you.” He turns and walks to where his quiver sits against the wall. Reaching behind a bush, he pulls out a smaller leather quiver.
“I had this made for you.” He says as he walks towards me. I look down at the quiver, and gasp. There were roses stamped into the leather, along the opening of the quiver and the strap.
“Oh, Amon its lovely!” I gush as I set my bow down to take the gift.
It’s already full of arrows, and I run my fingers along the fletching.
I look up at him, smiling. “Thank you.” I can feel the burning threat of tears behind my eyes, but I swallow them down.
Nobody has ever made me feel this way. So accepted and worthy.
The fact that he gave me a chance to do something I hadn’t been able to do…
I lower my head, trying to fight the tears threatening to escape.
Amon steps closer to me, reaching out to place a finger against the underside of my chin.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, raising my chin to look down at me.
A tear escapes, and he frowns. “Did I do something wrong?”
I shake my head slowly, looking up at him. “No.” I whisper. Another tear escapes and he reaches his finger up to brush it away.
“Then why the tears?” He searches my eyes, his amber ones full of concern.
“Because you gave me a chance.” I hold the quiver to my middle, sniffling.
“You never told me I couldn’t. You never let me give up.”
Silence spans between us, but Amon doesn’t move away. Instead, he steps closer, and the air between us begins to feel charged.
He reaches out and brushes my hair over my shoulder, away from my neck. My sharp intake of breath as his claw brushes the sensitive flesh there doesn’t go unnoticed.
I don’t break his gaze, watching as his amber depths become molten, before his pupils expand, swallowing the amber completely. The sight should be off putting, it’s not.
My fingers tingle with the need to reach out and touch him, but I clench the strap of the quiver tighter.
“You always had it in you, Elora.”
Hearing him say my name sends a shiver through me, and I’m all but ready to jump into his arms.
He watches me closely, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck.
My eyes drop to his lips, and I instinctively pull my bottom lip between my teeth.
I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until he lowers himself to within an inch of my lips.
I look up at him, searching his eyes. I want him to kiss me. My lips tingle in anticipation of it.
His eyes search mine before they fall to my lips.
Do it .
I want to say it, I want to tell him it’s ok. But I’m frozen. Every fiber of my body is alive where his skin meets mine.
Another heartbeat spans between us before he releases me reluctantly and takes a step back.
Disappointment floods me, and my cheeks heat with embarrassment.
Amon clears his throat. “I have to leave for a while, but you will be safe here. I hope to be back in a couple of weeks.”
His words are husky, and all I can do is nod.
“Ok.” I squeak.
I watch as he turns, scooping up his bow and quiver before walking back towards the castle.
Amon
I will my heart to slow as I stalk down the corridor towards my chamber. I fling my quiver over my shoulder and grip the bow tighter.
Elora was going to be my undoing.
I forgot myself when I was with her. It was too easy to lose track of time in her presence, and I found myself looking forward to the time I got to spend with her.
I could have kissed her today.
I should have kissed her today.
For a moment I could have sworn she wanted me to.
The way she had looked at had me second guessing if she felt the same things I did though.
Growling, I shove my free hand through my hair. I needed to be focused. I knew if my master sensed what I was feeling it could be detrimental to both of us.
He wouldn’t hesitate to send her back.
Or kill her.
The though nearly has me falling to one knee. I had to get my mind right.
Pushing open the door to my chamber, I stop short.
Balail lies across my bed, not a stich of clothing on her. Her black hair fans around her, and her yellow eyes twinkle.
“Master, you’re back.” She purrs.
I growl, snarling at her.
“Leave me, demon.”
She doesn’t budge, instead dipping a hand between her legs, reaching out to me with the other.
“Amon come to me. Enough of this nonsense.”
I can feel the tingle of her succubus powers filling the air, but it doesn’t faze me. It disgusts me.
“I won’t say it again.”
I set my bow and quiver on the table, stalking to my armoire and flinging open the doors.
Balail shoots up from the bed, watching me with a stunned look on her face.
“Oh my God.” She whispers, frowning at me.
“When did you know?” The words are spoken softly, and I don’t quite absorb what she’s asking.
“Know what?” I bite back, reaching in to grab my sword and greaves.
“That she’s your mate.”
I freeze. Spinning on her, I frown. “What are you talking about?”
Balail rises to her knees, and her hair falls around her shoulders to cover her breasts. “She’s your mate, is she not?”
Confusion roils through me before it hits me. The realization is like a stab to the gut, and it takes every ounce of energy I have no to let that reaction reach my face.
“Absolutely not.” I growl, turning back to the armoire.
Balail doesn’t respond and watches me quietly. I panic internally. She may be a lesser, but she reports directly back to my master.
After a few moments I turn to look over my shoulder at her. “She’s not my mate. I’m preoccupied and have no patience for this right now. I told you to leave”
Hoping she would take that as her cue, I continue to pull out my gear.
I strap my sword to my belt before I begin on my vambraces. Balail regards me quietly before the air shifts and she’s gone.
I let out a whoosh of air, leaning out to place a hand on the armoire. If others realized it too, that wasn’t good.
I had a feeling…
There was no certainty. Not yet at least.
I needed to tread carefully until I knew for sure.