I wasn't that, we were more. I sealed my fate before I knew…
His boots scrape outside the door and I take a breath. Soon this will be over and he'll be back. I just hope I can survive that long, but of course I will. I'm the price if he doesn't return. I'm only alive now because of what I already gave, and the answers I hold.
The door creaks open and he walks in, his black hair haloed by the light from the hall. I squint at first, not being able to put my hands over my eyes since they are chained securely to the wall.
He leans down and smiles at me, grabbing my chin, forcing me to look up at him as he sneers, “What a beautiful whore you'll be today.”
twenty
CARNAXA
Atingly sensation washes over my body as we walk through the archway, like little moths fluttering across my skin. It's as if time slows, but as soon as my foot touches the ground everything returns to normal. My eyes adjust to the sunlight that filters through the tree canopy. These trees are massive, their branches sprouting up as if praying to the sky.
The grass is green ... in fact, everything is so green here. Flowers in every shade I could ever dream of are scattered along the edges of a dirt path on this side of the portal.
“This is beautiful.” I smile and quickly realize Ereon's hand is still holding my own. He squeezes a bit and then releases his grasp.
“Welcome to Midaeliea, Princess.” He continues walking, and I notice the others are finally coming in behind me. “We'll set up camp here tonight and then be at the castle tomorrow,” Ereon announces. He looks behind me and I watch his expression change to something more stern. “If you should need anything, feel free to come find me.” With that, he walks toward his men who have already come through the archway with the horses and our possessions. Thylas comes beside me, his fingers squeezing my own quickly before releasing. His eyes take in the beauty before us and his lips turn up in a soft smile.
“This is amazing!” Siphonie squeals beside me. “I'm so happy I got to come.”
“Yeah, just remember this beauty when you are complaining about Shaston's heat,” grumbles Rhenor from her side. “Thylas, I'll help you set up camp.”
I turn looking at Thylas who looks just as awe-struck as I feel. His emerald eyes take in everything around us. “Yeah, okay. We should probably do that.”
The men finish setting up camp and Siphonie and I still can't get over the beauty we see here. Even though we are traveling as a united front, we can see the lines that are clearly drawn. The men of Shaston on one side and the small group of Antalians on the other. Thylas already informed me that he will, in fact, bestaying inside the tent with me again. Having him so near is like a sweet poison, slowly trying to kill me.
“That is something else isn't it,Nohæ?” I gasp and look beside me, it's like my thoughts conjured him up. He sits down beside me near the fire, stretching his long, muscular legs out. The heat from his body combined with the fire before us is suffocating. Sweat trickles from my brow and I wipe it away with the back of my hand.
“It's beautiful. I hate that we don't live in a world with magic anymore. I think it would have been beautiful.” I finish plating my hair as I shuffle a step away from him.
“Beautiful and more dangerous. I know you heard the stories of the other types of magic, not all of it was Goddess-granted.”
“Still, it would have been beautiful. And of course, it was all Goddess-granted. Who else would have it been from? The Goddess cannot control what the free will of people do.”
He smiles at me before reaching out to feel the heat from the fire, before acknowledging, “And the firepower that was seen during the Great Wars. What of that?”
“Rumors or something, I don't know. Maybe we should ask the scholars when we get to Midaeliea.”
“I doubt we will have the time, we will just be stopping for the night before carrying on. Then through the Cartilen Mountains. Speaking of, we should get to bed. Siphonie and Rhenor have already found their way to their tent and the rest of the men are probably not far behind. I don't want you around those who will be up past then. Some men are starting to grow restless.”
I nod my head and stand up, dusting the back of my gown off. The men of Shaston are what he implies. They've been nice, pleasant even, but we know the truth from the false pretenses they hide behind. It's known that Shaston will accept anyone who crosses their borders, including those who are cast out of Midaeliea and Antalis. Some I'm sure, are innocent of theiralleged crimes except for being born of course, however, that doesn't negate the fact that these men aren't all blameless.
Walking back to the tent, Thylas' hand touches the small of my back. Inhaling deeply, I turn to look at him, but he's staring at the men in the shadows of the fire. The one's staring at me. I know that look, I've seen it many times before. They are hungry, and not for food. Wrapping my arms around myself, suddenly feeling cold, I let Thylas lead me to the tent.
“I'll stay out here until you get comfortable. I ...” He adjusts his broadsword and tries to smile. “I'll stand watch for a little while and let you get to sleep first.” Lifting the flap of the tent with my hand, I walk quickly inside without a second glance back.
I fell asleep quickly, but the nerves wake me up again. The room is much the same as it was last night and I'm ready to have my own bed back again. I toss on fur-lined crates, trying to be as quiet as I can so as not to wake up Thylas who I'm sure is asleep on the floor, I can hear his breathing from here. I don't remember him being one to breathe this loudly last night.
I turn again so I can make out the faint outline of his body from the fires still burning outside. He's on his back, muttering in his sleep. Is he having nightmares? I start to stand to wake him up, moving my blankets slightly.
It's then I notice he is most definitely, not asleep. I notice his hand moving beneath the covers before they fall to the side. He strokes himself in long movements, and I stop moving. Instantly my cheeks flush and I feel sweat come over me. I sink lower into my blankets, pulling them tight around me, worrying that he'll notice I’m awake. Do I want him to stop? Yes, of course, this isn't something I should be seeing. There is a reason he waited until he thought I was asleep, and yet I can't find myself to look away.
His fingers curl around his girth and his strokes increase along with his breathing. I can just barely make out his face now that my eyes have had time to adjust, his hair is matted with sweat and his eyes are closed. He mumbles to himself, his voice nothing but a small whisper in the silence of the room.
He palms himself faster now and as much as I should want to move or look away, I can't help but imagine what he would feel like inside me. My core feels like it is on fire as I watch, my fingers eager to find themselves beneath my dress to search out my own pleasure.
In his last moments, he groans loudly and I let go of a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. He turns toward me, a smirk across his face. “Was that you I heard, baby girl?” he whispers softly.
