As we sit there, our hands joined, I can’t help but feel a sense of hope and anticipation for what the future holds. Despite the challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead, one thing is clear: Astryl has become an integral part of my journey and I can’t wait to discover where our paths will lead us next.
Chapter Nine
Astryl
After dinner we stroll down the street back to the hotel, tired from the day’s adventures. It occurs to me how odd it is that we can fight battles all day long but wandering around a foreign city in the future completely wipes us out.
We step into the hotel room, a haven of modernity that feels worlds away from the Enchanted Forest I call home and not for the first time, I find myself missing the familiarity and safety of my people. I force a smile as Thaldiran looks at me with those captivating eyes, but inside, I’m wrestling with conflicting emotions and the nagging thought that he’s a fae, the very species my dragon shifter kin have distrusted for centuries. That this morning was a mistake. We’ll be making our way homesoon, and neither his nor my kind will be welcoming the other with open arms. I need some time to think.
“Excuse me for a moment,” I say. “I need some fresh air.”
Before he can respond, I make my way to the balcony, seeking the solitude it promises. The door slides shut behind me and the cool night air hits my skin, making me shiver. Leaning against the railing, I wrap my arms around myself, trying to find comfort in the silence. My thoughts are a whirlwind of confusion and longing, my heart torn between loyalty to my clan and the growing affection I feel for Thaldiran, despite his fae heritage, which my instincts tell me to distrust.
The Enchanted Forest is my home. Its magic has been woven into the very essence of my being. I grew up flying around its ancient trees, its mystical creatures, its whispers and songs that have guided me for as long as I can remember. It’s where I belong, where I’ve always belonged. But fae and dragon shifters? We’ve been sworn enemies for as long as history can remember.
But then there’s Thaldiran, the fae prince who has turned my world upside down in the most unexpected of ways. He’s shown me a world beyond the confines of my forest home, a world filled with wonder and mystery, danger, and adventure. He’s challenged my beliefs, tested my convictions. In doing so, he’s touched a part of my soul that I didn’t even know existed. A part that craves his company, his laughter, his touch, even though he should be the enemy.
I want to go home, to return to the Enchanted Forest and the life I’ve always known; to either return to my clan or find my parents, I haven’t decided. But at the same time, I don’t want this journey with Thaldiran to end. I don’t want to say goodbye to the fae prince who has become such an integral part of my life, my heart—even if it means going against everything I’ve been taught about fae.
As I stand there, lost in my thoughts and emotions, a gentle breeze stirs, caressing my face like a lover’s touch. It’s as if the universe itself is listening, waiting for me to make a choice, to follow my heart or my duty.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs and clear my mind. I know that I can’t stay in this limbo forever, that I’ll have to make a decision soon. But for now I allow myself this moment of uncertainty, this chance to grapple with the turmoil within, the conflicting needs and desires that pull me in opposite directions.
I reopen my eyes, the city lights twinkling below me like distant stars. The Enchanted Forest feels like a dream, a beautiful memory that’s both comforting and haunting. I think about what I’ll do when I get back home. Finding my parents has always been a lingering desire, a question mark in my life that’s never had an answer.
“I could embrace my half-angel power,” I whisper to myself, the words carried away by the wind. “I could search for them, uncover the truth about who I am and where I come from.”
The idea is both terrifying and exhilarating. I had no idea about my half-angel heritage until Thaldiran told me. Now, armed with this newfound knowledge, the possibilities seem endless, but daunting. My angelic side has always been a part of me, a silent force that I never even knew about until a couple of days ago. But now, standing on the precipice of change, I wonder if it’s time to embrace that part of myself, to seek out the answers that have eluded me for so long.
As I stand there, lost in my thoughts and emotions, a familiar voice stirs in my mind. It’s gentle yet compelling, a whisper that I recognize all too well.
“Look up, Astryl. See your destiny,” my guardian angel’s voice murmurs in my thoughts.
“I’m scared,” I say, the words a confession that has no voice.
“I know,” the voice replies, its tone understanding. “But your heart knows the truth. Follow it.”
At the sound of the voice, something clicks into place. With a burst of resolve, I look up, a sense of certainty overtaking me. As I gaze into the starry sky, my gaze falls upon a shooting star. It streaks across the sky, burning like a beacon, and for a moment, it feels as if the whole world slows down.
Thaldiran soars through the sky, the wind whipping through his hair. As he gets closer, my heart leaps in my chest. He’s handsome with the moonlight illuminating his features and a smile so dazzling it takes my breath away.
It takes me a moment to realize it’s not just a vision or a dream, that it’s real and happening right before my eyes. Thaldiran is really out there, flying through the night sky, and the sight is so magical, so beautiful, that it takes my breath away. When he turns and veers in my direction, my stomach flips. Before I even realize it, he’s swooping in for a landing.
The world seems to move in slow motion as his feet touch the ground. Our eyes lock. His gaze is piercing, the intensity of it sending a bolt of electricity through me. Before I can react, he crosses the distance between us, his lips crashing into mine, kissing me as if his life depends on it.
My mind is reeling, not from surprise, but from the sheer passion and desire emanating from him. My fists clutch at his collar as I pull him closer, and our bodies mold together, the heat of his skin against mine making my head spin.
The kiss is electric, the sweet taste of his lips intoxicating. For a moment, I lose myself, forgetting the worries and doubts that plague my mind. Right now, it’s only him and me, the rest of the world fading into the background.
With a sigh, he pulls away, his breathing ragged, his cheeks flushed. “I’ve been wanting to do that all day,” he murmurs, his gaze tender yet hungry.
“Me too,” I admit, biting my lip. “So, keep doing it.”
He grins, his expression filled with lust and longing; my heart skips a beat. As his hands wander down my body, his lips meet mine again, and he backs me up into the room. We fall onto the bed, the impact knocking the breath out of my lungs. As I lay there, my pulse racing, his mouth finds my neck, his kisses trailing down my shoulder. Goosebumps rise on my skin, my body arching into him, needing him more than I’ve ever needed anything before.
As we cling to each other, my desire and his becomes one. I can feel his lust as his body presses against mine, the length of his arousal digging into me. As his hands roam my body, exploring every inch of me, my breath hitches in my throat. He shifts his weight, his thigh sliding between my legs, my hips rolling to meet his touch.
There’s a brief pause as we catch our breath. Then the heat of his lips finds my ear, his teeth nibbling at the lobe. I moan, unable to suppress the primal need building inside me. His hands are all over me, his kisses leaving a trail of fire along my skin.
