He forces a step back, putting more distance between us. His bottom lip rolls between his teeth and I wait for him to continue.
His eyes shift away as he speaks again, “These people just want to live, without being hunted. They will never deserve this treatment.”
I spin on my heel, eager to run away from this conversation, because how could he understand?
His presence follows behind me, not too close, but close enough I can feel him stalking me.
Spinning quickly on him, the rage bubbles up and I can’t help the tumble of words that spits out. “Do you see what you’ve done by siding withhim? Why we call you The Devourer? Because you’ve done nothing worthy of humanity. You’ve forsaken your own people!”
My vision bleeds to a deep red, black tunneling my focus.
“You have sat there, on your privileged ass, willingly murdering us for simply wanting to carve out an existence of our own!” The tone of my voice gets louder, and I realize I’m almost yelling.
He stands there, with his mask of indifference, looking down on me, but his eyes reveal more. And it’s then that I see it, the silent rage that flames within him too.
“You have done nothing to absolve yourself of your monstrous deception. As far as I’m concerned, you’re just a bastard who could care less about the people who die every day because it’s pleasing to King Euron. You willingly watch your people get chained and traded, forced into his majesty’s managerie and procure those of us with rarities.”
My jaw aches from clenching my teeth as I grit out the next words.
“I would sooner kill myself than become honorless scum, like you’ve sold out to be.”
Green ire seeps from his glowing orbs and shadows peel off his skin, the dark smokey swirls thickening with each step towards me.
“You know nothing of what I am. You know nothing of what’s been taken from me, and you knownothingof what I’m forced to endure, Alora Viren.”
He’s seething, that much is clear. The scowl on his face alone paired with his lips pulled back into a sneer, but whatever shadow magic he also contains, has me questioning if I took this too far.
For the first time I actually begin to fear him. The wind whips my hair free from its plait, slapping me in my face with each billowy wave.
I step back, my defiance shrinking. He notices this small gesture and his shadows immediately dissipate and his eyes return to their normal shattered jade.
My heart thunders as I watch him prowl closer, his footfalls landing in the squelching sludge. With one last step, he towers over me. He brings his rough hand to pinch my chin, and I turn my face away, forcing him to release his grasp.
“Alora.” His soft whisper drifts down to my ear.
He slowly reaches again for my chin, as if begging me to look at him. My body hums with his touch, an electric feeling slithering from my toes to my core. I hate that he can do this to me, even when I’m angry.
“Alora,” the plea comes softer this time, “please look at me, you goddess of wrath.”
He steps even closer and wraps his arms around me, encircling me with his muscular frame. Even if I wanted to escape, I couldn’t.
“I need you to know you’re safe. That I would never willingly harm you. You may drive me mad, but damnit, you’re safe.” His lips meet the top of my head in a delicate kiss.
My body relaxes, the truth of his confessionknownto my soul. It almost melts me as it’s exactly what my bitter soul needs.
“I can’t help but feel the need to throttle you, but it’s also painfully annoying how much I want to kiss you.” I say the words begrudgingly. If he wants truths, he’ll have them. I’ve got nothing else to lose.
I sigh. “Why do I desire you while also hating you?” I lift my head to see his eyes, to see if they’ll reveal anything at all.
The ire in his gaze is gone, replaced with the warmth I’ve come to recognize. “I’m not sure, little warrior, but I wish you didn’t.”
There’s so much that needs to be said between us but I’m too cowardly to admit the words.
Melancholy fills the mossy orbs, and they grow distant. In another life, another time, we could have all the moments in theworld. For now, we only have these few seconds hidden away in tragedy.
“Kassiel, I’m not sure what’s happening,” I begin, “one minute I want you and the next I’d rather you walk off a pier into the sea.”
He drops another soft kiss, this time on my forehead.
