Songs of Fallen Stars

18

Rion.

Elara is shaking, kneeling at the feet of Cayanna, who is now dead. She grips the chains in her palms as she breathes deeply, regaining control of her body. I give her a minute to mourn before I walk back over to her.

“We need to go,” I say as I pull her away from the witch. She doesn’t say anything, her rage consumes her. I lead us back to our room from before and we change into our own clothing. It’s dry now at least. I pull my swords onto my back and slide my daggers onto my thighs. Elara hooks her own around her waist.

“Find a new Lord and come to the next small council meeting with your decision” I announce to the Sirens. They bow in fear as I quickly pull Elara through the castle and to the main corridor.

I focus my power and create an air bubble and encase her inside it. The doors burst open and water floods the room. I begin to push her to the surface. Once we see the sun, it’s a short distance to the top.

Elara is too quiet, she has this look of disgust and pure hatred on her face.

“There’s nothing you could have done” I tell her as I push us to the shore.

“I could have protected her” She snaps harshly, her expression changes slightly, “What do you think she meant by all that stuff she said?”

“Which part?” I ask. It’s obvious to me. To sacrifice the thing you love most, when you finally find something to love. It’s going to be me, but I am not worried. She also said she wouldn't have the stomach to go through with it. Her longing to be loved will win in the end, and man will I love her. Every day for the rest of my life, I already do. I will make her experience love like she’s never felt it, every second of the day. She will have the love she craves so deeply.

“The part where she said I don’t love anything and once I do, I won’t be able to give it up.”

“What do you think she meant?”

“I don’t want to have to kill the thing I love.. There’s nothing in this world or my own that would make me kill something I love”, she says softly.

We reach the shore and her bubble bursts, she steps onto the sand, the bottom of her dress wet from the ocean. I stand behind her and move in. I wrap my arms around her from behind. She leans against my chest and tilts her head towards me.

“Rion? What will happen to us when you find your mate? Where do I fit into all this?” Her voice sounds heartbroken, she doesn’t have a clue.

This has gone on long enough, I can’t stand it anymore.

“I’ve already found her” I say as I lean in and kiss her.

She tastes of oranges, her lips are so soft and plump against my own. She is surprised for a moment before she responds. I wonder if she can feel the sparks too. I turn her in my arms so she is facing me now and I deepen the kiss, not wanting it to end. My tongue lashes out against her lips and she opens up for me. I trace her teeth and our tongues dance together, like ribbons getting tangled in the wind. My hands cup her soft beautiful face as she grips onto my chest, holding on tightly. Her knees seem to give out so I reach down and slip a hand around her waist, holding her against me. She moans into me and I have to pull back, otherwise I’ll keep going and I’ll f**k her here on this beach.

“You knew?” She questions me, holding a hand to her heart.

“From the moment you dropped onto my lands. I could sense you, smell you. Feel you”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I didn’t want to force you. You were scared and wanted to go home… I couldn’t force you.”

She stares at me for a moment before she leans forward onto her tiptoes and kisses me softly on the lips.

“Do you still want to? Go home, that is” I ask.

“No” She throws her arms around my neck and I grab her, hoisting her against me. We kiss again and again. I hear something in the woods and I pull back, setting her on her feet behind me. I reach for my long sword, drawing it in front of me. Elara presses herself to my back, gripping my shirt.

“King Rion! We’ve been looking for you” Ayden shouts from the forest line. I lower my blade and sigh as I put it back in its place on my back.

“It’s just a guard” I tell Elara as she loosens her grip on my shirt.

“What’s wrong?” I ask Ayden as he approaches.

“We saw the castle flood, we thought something bad had happened.”

“You really think I’d be taken out by a mere flooding?” I pretend to be offended.

The camp is being packed up by the time we get back. There’s no time to waste, I want to get home.

Elara climbs onto me. She doesn’t have as much difficulty now as she did before, she still doesn't quite know where to step, but once she sits in the saddle, I take off.

Flying back seems to take less time. I don’t know if it’s because her blood is coursing through my veins, making me stronger and more agile. Or, if it’s because I am excited about getting her back to the castle and claiming her, once and for all. Make her mine.

The Mate I’ve waited for so many long years, I knew I wanted to keep her the moment she first looked at me. No matter the challenges we will face, I will keep her.

She feels more relaxed now than before, her thighs don’t grip as tightly and she looks more at the world around her. I don’t feel her anxiety as badly now either, she seems at peace. I can’t help but wonder how she feels about what the witch Cayanna said though.

How she doesn't love anything, and when she loves something she will not be able to stomach the sacrifice.

I wonder if she’s pieced it together yet. The thing she will love most is going to be me. I am the key to getting her home, but I wish it wasn’t so. I don’t want to see her leave. She’s only been in my court for just shy of a month and yet it feels like years.

I am going to land for the night, as much as I want to keep going it will be getting cold soon.

Elara sits by the fire while her tent is set up, she warms her hands and feet while I help get the camp set up for the night. Tallum starts on dinner, making yet another pot of stew. Once everything is set up I walk over to Elara,

“Your bath is ready” I lean in behind her and whisper in her ear.

“Oh. I was thinking of hanging out for a bit with the men.. Maybe have dinner under the stars tonight” She turns to look at me, there are dark bags under her eyes. She has not yet recovered from the Siren kingdom. To be expected, the eel poison took a toll on her physically.

“As you wish my Lady” I say as I go and get one of the furs from the tent and drape it over her shoulders. I sit next to her and warm my own hands, as we wait for dinner to be served.

“So.. what happens now?” She whispers to me, low enough only for me to hear. So she thinks.

“Now.. I court you” I know exactly what she’s referring to, now that she knows she is my mate. I don’t want her to feel forced into the bond.

“Court me? How?”

“Well… How does it work in your land?” I ask, thinking I should do it her way.

“Oh, um.. Well.. we would go out on dates I guess. Dinner and movies, but there isn’t that kind of thing here.. So…maybe a picnic?”

“Picnic's I can do,” I smile.

I wonder what a movie is, “I look forward to hearing more about your land and customs” I say as bowls of stew are handed over to us both.