"I would like to take you somewhere." He said. "Where to?" I hooked my arm in his and we left the castle into the warm breeze. Then we stopped at a lake.
"A lake?" He smiled and bent down. He dipped his hand in the lake and the area around his hand shone bright blue. "Woah." I knelt down next to him and dipped my hand in.
"Whillo lake. It was a gift to my great great grandfather by the Auguan king. Water as bright as the stars."
The water was truly magical. The blue would reflect of the ripples and then fade away. Then Radian took his shirt off which shouldn't have made me blush but did. Thank god it was dark outside.
"Well don't you want to get in?" "The water is freezing." Radian put his hand to the water and i could see the steam running off of it. "I thought your powers were gone?" "Not here. This one place is untouched by every curse. We tried to harness its power but it is an impossible task." "How long has this curse been on your people?"
"18 years human time. But time goes faster here. So it is actually 68 years here." My jaw dropped. "Wait then... how... um.. Old are you?" He smiled and the light reflected off his face.
"Very old. Lets just leave it at that." "Come on i want to know!" "This will be my 306th year." My eyes widened.
"But your so..."
"Young? Yes we are immortal here." "So am I-" "Yes." "Is Cal?" Well once he reaches a certain age yes." That just weirded me out. Then I thought of Cal. I decided i was going to wait till the end of this week and if they didn't say we could go, i would do something myself.
"Don't you want to get in?" He said smiling. This was my life now. Magic and Fae.
Time to embrace it.
I swept my hair to the side to reveal the back of the corset. He started to untie it and pushed it off my shoulders. His hands were warm against my back and he traced his finger on my spine. My mouth parted and he scooched closer into my body. I slid the dress off and was now only in my undergarments. He looked me down and up and grinned.
"What?"
"Your perfect." I shook my head and put my foot into the hot water. Then slid the rest of my body into it and was encased in the heat. I felt his long muscled arms around my waist and he held me tight.
"It feels like i have known you forever." He whispered into my ear after coming closer.
"You already said that." I said smiling.
"Then i will say it again." He turned me around and his hands were on my shoulders. "And again." His face inched closer to my cheek and the water glowed at his movements.
"And again." His hand trailed up to my face and pushed my wet hair back behind my ear. His lips got close and i felt his breath on my skin.
"I-I cant do this." I whispered pulling away. "M-my brother is probably suffering in some cell and I.... Radian i can't..."
"Be happy? Mer I know about your life before. It is no secret that you worked your ass off for your family. We will get Cal back. I swear it on my life. But you don't have to feel guilty for being happy for the first time." He came close again. I would know if my brother was being tortured right? Part of me knew he was ok but didn't want to admit it. Didn't want me to be happy. But i couldn't help it.
My lips parted welcoming his and he slid a hand behind my head though my hair. His soft lips touched mine and i pulled him closer. It was like electricity was coursing through my veins. I felt warm on the inside. As warm as the water around me. And i realized the temperature literally rose as he pulled me closer into him.
"Maybe we met in another life." I whispered. "Maybe." He said under his breath pulling me closer. His teeth, fang like teeth, scratched gently upon my jaw but then he pulled away. "I'm sorry. I-I shouldn't-" "It's ok." I took his hand. I didn't want him to stop, shamefully. I put my hand on his head, entangled into his black hair. He came closer and his lips were upon mine again. His teeth scratched upon my bottom lip and i giggled like a teenage girl. He kissed deeply and passionately and this time didn't pull away. His tongue went to my chin and he kissed down to my neck.
"Do all Draxin have fangs?" "Most do. Just males." He said, still kissing me. I strangely felt safe. First time in 4 years I felt truly safe.
His eyes stared into mine and the blue was even more vibrant if that is even possible.
"You are so beautiful. Inside and out." He whispered again. "You know i feel it? The goodness in your soul." I smiled and kissed his cheek.
"We should go inside." I said quietly. He groaned smiling and pulled my hips closer to his. "I think I have been looking for you my whole life." He continued.
"Well you found me." I smiled and stung my hand through his hair.
"And I will never lose you. I won't let anyone hurt you. And when we get your brother I won't let anyone hurt him either." He whispered in my ear which made me pull him closer.
We eventually got out of the water and he helped me into my dress. He laced it up and spread my hair over my shoulders. "Wont people realize the wet hair?" "Nobody will ask. They would be too scared to." He said grinning.
He brought me to my room and was right about nobody asking. "Goodnight Mer." "Goodnight Raidian." And he shut the door. I wasn't ready for things to go further and I think he knew that. I didn't know enough about him.
I woke up running again but couldn't face the dream so i went to Faleon for our lessons and he taught me about my 'minds eye' which is where i have to picture the dream. "You can create the dreams any time you want. You just choose not to." I closed my eyes and thought about the forest but truthfully i didn't want to go back there.
"Try something more simple. Think about something else." My stomach growled which made mozzarella stick pop into my minds eye but i couldn't think of anything else. "Feel the power in your veins. Your power. It is part of you. I opened my eyes. "I can't concentrate. At least tell me if i will ever get it."
"I cannot see your future." "But what if i am in another's future? Can you see me then?" He nodded.
"Well then you have to tell me."
"I cannot." "Why because you choose not to?" "Because they wont let me."
"Who are they?"
"The fates." "Come on there can't really be such a thing as fate. Was it my fate to be miserable for 4 years of my life?"
"Don't be selfish, girl. People have been through much worse." And that hit me hard. "Then was it my fate to come here?" "Yes." I took a deep breath.
And the lesson the next day wasn't any better. I woke up panting this time and he told me I could stop it. Stop connecting myself so deeply into the dream. So i wouldn't get hurt. I pictured flowers in my mind's eye but nothing happened.
"Try something that connects to you personally." I thought of Cal. My mom. They couldn't just appear in front of me. But i felt something in my hand. Cool and metal. I opened my eyes and was staring at a locket shaped as a heart. Faleon was smiling and i just opened it. It was a picture of my father in black and white and of herself. But with a different hairstyle.
"I wasn't even picturing this. Didn't know it existed." "Well you thought of your mother didn't you?" "Yes." "You need to practice on your emotions. Some say your emotions make you weak. I believe they give one strength. Use that strength."
My mom's words rung through my ears. Don't let that light go out.
"I'll be back tomorrow." I said looking at Raiden in the doorway. "How are lessons going?" He asked. "I summoned something today. A locket." I held it up. "You want me to put it on you?" He asked.
I nodded and turned around. It fell onto my neck. "There is this...gathering tomorrow night. It is a tradition of our people." Our people.
"One royal member from each court comes and gives... a part of themselves to the fates so this world can stay alive. This part taken away makes the giver... do things they wouldn't do. Makes them..... Have heightened feelings. ISome times agressive. I want you to stay inside tomorrow ok?"
"why?" "Well it's dangerous. And the other royals are still after you. You wouldn't be safe." "Safe from them or safe from you?" "both." "I'm not afraid of you Raiden."
"yes but tomorrow night you should be. Should be afraid of all of us. Just say that you'll stay inside." "Fine." He took my hand in gratitude. These past days have been a dream. And the guilt has been clawing at me from every second of my happiness. Tomorrow was the end of the week so the King and Queen have one more day and then i am done waiting.