The Enchanted Flame

Chapter 5 - Are you alright?

I woke up in different surroundings and started looking around becoming more alert suddenly but then remembered the incidents of the previous day. I was sleeping on the only bed present in the entire room, while Killian slept on the couch that looked uncomfortable and smaller for his big frame but he did not say a word about it even though I tried to convince him to swap places.

The couch was empty and the rays of the sun were entering from the small windows bringing some light to the darkroom, but as the room was big the corner in which I was sleeping was not getting enough light because of which I did not have much idea about the time.

I was still on the bed when the door that was at the end of the room opened and Killian came out only wearing his pants. The drops of water were still present on his smooth skin, I tried to look away from his muscular body and perfect abs but before I could do that, he caught me.

I looked away quickly when a smirk appeared on his lips.

That jerk.

“You could have worn a shirt,” I was looking at my hand in the lap as my cheeks turned red.

“You are lucky I was wearing my pants,” I heard some shuffling sound but did not dare to turn around after hearing the same mocking tone in his words.

“What is wrong with you,” I screeched.

He let out a warm chuckle in response, “Don’t worry shortcake, I was just kidding. I did not know you were awake and you are welcome for giving you a sight to remember for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, please, I have seen sights far better than that,” I lied.

But the very next minute I felt his presence in front of me. I looked up into his dark eyes staring at me with so much intensity that I forgot how to breathe. I inhaled his strong woody scent that had a very small presence of citrusy scent, the refreshing smell entered my senses.

“Are you sure about that love?” he asked the question in a deep husky sound.

I gulped and nodded, not trusting my sound.

A smirk appeared on his lips and he started coming forward. I quickly closed my eyes as my heartbeat sped up instantly and a fluttering sensation settled in the pit of my stomach.

“Your heartbeat says otherwise,” his voice whispered in my ear.

My voice was lost somewhere, it happened for the first time and I did not know anything about this new feeling. I was never the one to stay silent in front of anyone.

He moved back and started drying his hair with a towel like nothing happened but a small part of me was feeling disappointed.

Without saying any other word I rushed towards the bathroom.

After taking a much-needed shower, I had nothing to wear so Killian offered me his clothes. His shirt was reaching below my thighs and I had to roll his shorts so many times but still, it was too loose for me.

Killian was putting breakfast on the table but paused to look at me. A smile appeared on his lips but he did not say anything.

“I know I look ridiculous,” with a whine I sat down on the chair.

“What you are saying is ridiculous, you look amazing,” he said nonchalantly.

“Thank you,” I said as he put a plate of pancakes in front of me.

“You are welcome, shortcake.”

I frowned at him, “I have a name.”

“I know, Vivienne.”

I stared at him not knowing if he was serious or not, “It is, Valeria.” I said my name very slowly for him to comprehend every alphabet.

“That’s what I said, Victoria,” he said the name in the exact way very slowly. Just when I was about to say it again a small smile appeared on his lips.

“Ha ha very funny, shifter.”

We continued eating silently until he asked me how I end up here and I started telling him everything about what happened in the dark forest.

“So, let me get this straight, you are here because of a squirrel?” he said the words while emphasizing on the squirrel.

I nodded quickly.

“Wow,” he did not try suppressing the sarcastic smile, “that tiny thing made you cross the borders of this kingdom.”

“It is not funny, you don’t know what a devil that tiny thing was.”

But my attempts to defend myself were useless.

“Of course, we should definitely watch out for squirrels, they might be building an army against us right now," he said with seriousness on his face.

I rolled my eyes at his mockery, “Can you find a way to get me my compass back? I can not get out of the dark forest without it.”

I might not be able to find the squirrel or the compass but maybe Killian could find it. Even though I knew it was ridiculous but it was worth trying.

“Why not just use magic?”

“Magic is useless in the woods and if I used it then I will be stuck there forever or until a magical creature decides to eat me or a plant eats me?” I said the last part shuddering by the image of the vines which fed on the blood of every creature until the body dries like a prune.

“Dark forest just made a place in my list of dream vacations.”

Killian had an expression of astonishment as he heard about the dark forest.

Only if he knew I thought the same about the forest until I started living there.

Dark forest was not only to stop our kind from using the magic but also to stop the shifters from entering our kingdom until the magical wall was built. It confused them, and as a result, they would end up walking in circles in the forest, they could only cross it if they had the help of a witch and no witch would ever help a superior shifter.

"Shifters can not survive in the dark forest."

"It sounds like a challenge to me," he arched his brow.

I opened my mouth but closed it again, "How did you manage to get that from what I said?"

Before he could answer it, I shut him instantly, "Nevermind, I do not want to find that out."

He lifted his right shoulder casually and started eating breakfast again.

A comfortable silence fell between us.

“Why are you called the superior shifters?” I asked taking a sip of orange juice.

I always wanted to find that out, there had to be a reason why they were not called just shifters, like the other shapeshifters.

“Because we are the best and everyone knows it,” he said the sentence confidently like it was pretty obvious.

I rolled my eyes at his answer, of course, it was something he would say.

“Do you have any idea how I can get back?” I decided to change the subject.

“I need to know about the condition of the guards on the entrance first, the king must be looking for you.”

“How will you know about it?”

“I will leave in the evening.”

Killian picked up his plate and I followed his action.

I started doing the dishes to help him, it was the least I could do after everything he was doing for me.

It was rare for me that someone showed kindness towards me without any ulterior motive, I did not know if I was right to trust this man or not. But my heart was screaming at me to trust him.

I had only trusted Amara, our queen when she did not about her true identity but apart from her I had never trusted anyone, I never had a reason to.

And maybe because when I let my walls down for someone that person managed to shatter my trust and heart.

The memory of Evan was still fresh in my head, even though it happened a few years ago. I was always considered an outcast and no one wanted to talk to me but Evan was the first guy who initiated the conversation when I was trying a new spell and was failing again and again. He was kind towards me.

He volunteered to show me the right way of performing the spell. He started talking to me daily and like a foolish teenager, I started liking him. I started believing he felt the same for me but it was until I discovered the truth behind his sweet talks.

He was just using me to get close to the family of the leader of the coven. He was one of the few people who knew that I was supposed to be the next leader of the coven, it was the decision of the moon. I did not know how he got the information but he knew it was the path to get more power.

He was two years older than me and had a clear idea about what power tasted like. He was the star of the coven, always doing the most difficult spells with such easiness.

But the bitter truth came in front of me one day when I was having an argument with my cousin who was telling me how I was a weirdo and no one loved me. I, of course, defended myself by telling her Evan liked me but she started laughing at my face.

She dragged me to the ground where Evan was sitting with a girl, he was telling her everything, how I was a fool to trust him and how he would become the next leader, and looking at me made him feel sick, then started kissing her.

It was my first and last heartbreak, after that I swore never to open the door to my heart ever again.

It was just for a week and in a week, I learned the most important lesson of my life.

Surprisingly, that girl was the one who came to me the next day to warn me about Evan and his foul intentions, and my own so-called 'family' knew about it but they sat in the corner and enjoyed the entire show. It was a source of entertainment for them to see if I would ever find the truth about Evan and what would I do after that. It was because they had no idea about the decision of the moon and they all thought our eldest cousin would be the next leader which was the reason everyone showed her the respect and love to be in her good books all the time. And it was the same reason why she hated me the most.

According to her, I took what belonged to her, no matter how many times I tried to explain that I had no interest in being their leader she only saw it as one of my manipulative games.

“Are you alright?” I felt a soft hand over my shoulder.

Killian was looking at me with concern, “I called your name twice but you were not answering.”

I shook my head with a smile, putting the last clean fork in its place, “Nothing, I was just thinking about something….it’s nothing important…don’t worry about it.”

“Okay,” he said skeptically, still keeping his eyes glued to my face like trying to read the lies hiding behind the covers of my words.

Little did he know, he could not, no one could.