“You're right.” Lori conceded, tucking in closer to him. “I'm sorry Faye. Truly, you have no idea how glad I am to see you.”
The sun sprite smiled softly and reached out to take her sister's other hand in her own.
“Let me worry about father having off with my head! Let's just get back to the camp. I've got so many questions.”
Lephas didn't need to look to know that Faye was referring to him. He felt a pit forming in his stomach. What exactly did that mean? Lephas glanced to Lori just in time to see her giving her sister a wide grin that spoke louder than words. He squeezed her hand firmly, grabbing her attention.
“Don't you dare,” he warned playfully.
“What?” Lori replied, her voice heavy with mock innocence. “I'm not going to tell her any of the juicy bits.”
Lephas sighed heavily, running a palm over his face as the two girls beside him tittered amongst themselves. Against his will, he felt a blush forming.
The group walked on, Raxx stalking ahead silently as per usual, leaving Lephas to fend for himself with the women. He drifted in and out of their conversation. They had only been apart a matter of days, but itseemed they had a lot to catch up on.
The commander didn't know any of the people they were discussing, but he didn't find the hideous shirt Alphonso had worn to a party to be of any real interest. The demon's mind wandered.
Meeting the princess's sister had really cemented his convictions. His feelings for Lori went far beyond simple curiosity. If anything, he supposed Faye would probably be considered even more beautiful than Lori by most people's standards, and yet he felt nothing.
The instant attraction he'd had was complete absent when he glanced across at the youngest Goldwyrm. Yet when he gazed at Lori...
As if reading his mind, the princess glanced up at him and gave him a quick smile. Lephas felt his heart speed up.
...The feeling was worlds apart.
Now his panic from earlier that morning had passed, he could truly admit just how worried he had been when he thought Lori had been kidnapped. The commander couldn't recall ever feeling as distressed.
It was wonderful and terrifying having such a glaring weak spot. Logically, love had always seemed like far too much of a risk to be worth engaging in.
It was ironic that, despite his sensible approach to relationships, he had eventually chosen to love someone who had a real possibility of being used as leverage. But then he supposed he always had been a bit inept when it came to matters of the heart. His usual rational, utilitarian nature had completely abandoned him on this one.
He looked across at Lori again. She was deep in conversation with her sister, holding both his hand and Faye's. She looked happy and Lephas smiled. It was a good look on her - one he endeavoured to maintain as long as she was his.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The day had passed in a dream. Lori still couldn't quite believe she was with one of her sisters again. Though they had only been apart a few days in reality, it felt like a lifetime.
One moment she had been stood in the dark forest, frightened out of her wits; the next, being set down carefully beside a warm fire. Her sister had launched at her immediately, hugging her as if her life had depended on it.
Lori had missed her sisters so deeply, she hadn't even really comprehended it until she had laid eyes on Faye.
Raxx had been fearsome to behold. Although he wasconsiderably less gruesome than those images in her father's books, the demon was a much closer representation than Lephas.
The way he disappeared into the shadows so silently, his pitch-black eyes, those dark, menacing wings... It was more than unnerving. It was only when Faye had vouched for him and introduced them that Lori had realised who the demon was.
When Lephas had spoken of his majick-wielding friend Raxx, he had conveniently forgotten to mention he was a shadow demon and, more importantly, just how utterly terrifying the man was.
Typically, Faye seemed oblivious. She supposed it must be something to do with being a majborne. It seemed her sister had no cause to fear him.
The stoic demon hadn't really spoken much. He just stalked silently in the background like a caged tiger. His striking face remained emotionless as Faye and Lori had filled one another in on their antics. The only time she had seen a flicker of concern cross his expression was when he had realised Lephas was still very much alive and no doubt looking for her.
They had moved pretty quickly after that. The demon had been keen to return her to his commander.
It gave Lori butterflies to see Lephas so authoritative.When he had punched Raxx and the fearsome demon had just taken it without complaint... She pressed her lips together to fight a smug smile.
She shouldn't be pleased for causing him so much worry, but she couldn't deny how happy it made her to see him defending her. There hadn't been a moment of hesitation as he had embraced her and took her hand in front of his friend.
Raxx had done an expert job of masking his surprise, if he had felt it. Though Lori had seen his black eyes sweep over them curiously, he hadn't uttered a word. The shadow demon was a strange character, that was for sure.
