Elara's POV
I jerked awake,the room was dark and I looked out the window to see it was dark out as well.I was in bed with my uniform from the day before.I looked over at the clock and it read 3:12 am.My fingers went subconsciously to my lips,had I been dreaming?
I thought about the dream,the kiss,the way he had looked at me, called out my name,the way everything felt-It wasn't real.I slammed my face into the pillow and screamed,I couldn't believe I had started having sexual dreams about him,this was going to be a lot worse than I thought
Going back to bed was impossible so I stared at the ceiling till the sun rays began to pierce through the windows.I wanted to go home,I hated being cooped up in here,I needed to get out of here.Vaelen's offer popped into my head and I shuddered,he's the last person I'll want anywhere near me.Elrik has no idea what his 'best friend' would have done to me,I should probably tell him soon
I and Rhys hadn't really spoken much ever since that incident,we barely talked at Threshing and it's been like that ever since.A knock came from the door dragging my attention,I yelled for whoever it was to come in"Oh Rhysand....you're back" I said as he popped his head in the room
"Sorry to intrude"he said as he opened the door and stepped in "can you meet me in the training hall in an hour"
"Why?" I asked "Just meet me there" he said walking out and closing the door
It wasn't up to a minute and Kyra ran in squealing "I just saw the Commander leave here....Elara you naughty girl" she said as she playfully smacked my arm
"It's...It's not..not really what you think"I stuttered "He said I should meet him in the training hall"
I stood up and ran into the wash room "I don't believe you,but okay" I heard Kyra yell as I closed the door
I had my knapsack slung over my shoulders as I walked into the hall.It was empty besides Rhys sitting cross legged on a mat.I walked up to him and he looked in my direction only when I was standing right in front of him "Why am I here?" I asked my voice hitching with a tad of annoyance
"Watch how you talk to me Draconis,I won't tell you again" the words left me in a state of shock.We were right back where we started,why do I always do these things
"I'm sorry"I whispered.He stood up from where he sat and I gazed up at his towering figure.
He took few steps back and said "Just like the Dean said,my life is tied to yours and if you die so do I.My job here is to ensure you do not die.Most of our fights would be hand to hand combat and when your powers manifest,we'll move up from there, now come at me" gesturing with his fingers
"What?"I asked looking rather confused "Just like that?" and he nodded
"You do not know how to fight isn't that correct and that's why you drugged your opponents before fights"he said the last phrases really quietly
He was in for a shock,I ran up to him unsheathing Evander's blades from my side
Rhys sporting a confident smirk lunged forward,I sidestepped with agile precision, the dagger slicing through the air. Rhys, taken aback, evaded the attack easily. My movements became a dance of strategy,each step calculated to exploit his overconfidence.
The dagger gleamed in the dim light, a lethal extension of my intent.
The hall echoed with grunts of exertion mostly from me. I pressed on, using the dagger with practiced skill to parry and strike. Rhys,still had that smirk on his face and I was determined to wipe it off
As the minutes stretched, exhaustion began to set in. Our breathing became audible, a symphony of effort filling the hall. The Academy's distant hum faded into the background, leaving only the sounds of our fight and grunts echoing through the vast space.
In a not so surprising twist, Rhys executed a flawless spin, disarming me with a swift move. The training hall fell silent for a moment, the only sound being the echo of the dagger clattering to the floor. I, now unarmed, looked at Rhys who looked at me with a surprise "You can fight" he said wiping the sweat dripping from his brows "I never said...I never said I couldn't" I replied panting
"But your f...Nevermind"he said and I nodded my head "Then why did you keep drugging your opponents"
I shook my head "No reason,I just didn't feel like fighting anyone"
"You did good but not good enough,you held a blade and couldn't draw blood from someone who held only fists.I'll try to squeeze these trainings at least twice a week"
"Something's coming Elara,and you need to be prepared"he said as he walked out leaving me standing there.He....called out my name again,this should be the third time,the thought of it had me squealing inwardly.
I was sore, so sore as I made my way back to my room.After Rhys left me,I checked the time and we had been at it for more than an hour,How couldn't I draw blood from him for an hour
"It's probably because you had that dream" I heard Thorne say "Excuse you....why are you intruding on my private thoughts" I almost screamed
"Private?This isn't private.It feels like you're screaming down the bond we share" I hear him snicker
"Leave my head" I say immediately "I can't....Uhm I don't want to" he replied "Learn how to block me out but until then little one,I'll be here whenever you have a single thought"
It hasn't been long after I got to my room that Kyra and Elaine rushed in "How was your training" Kyra asked laying a lot of emphasis on the word training.
"Kyra it's not what you think,I don't know you're making it to be what it's not"
"Okay...okay I believe you"she said giving me a wink "Don't wink at me,winking means you don't believe"I replied and she gave a wink in response.How did I become friends with this person
"It seems no one else has heard"Elaine cut in as she layed on the bed.We didn't give her a reply and stared at her.She does these things where she'll give half information and get us to forcefully pry the rest from her.We both kept staring at her until she got uncomfortable
"Well.."she continued "I heard the Prince of Valoria is visiting next week"
As the information left her lips,I could feel my world spin,Evander was coming?
I tuned in back to reality to hear Elaine say "...with his fiancée".I could almost feel the hot tears about to stream from my eyes.I haven't told anyone about Evander,not even Kyra who had always asked me what the 'E' inscribed on my blade meant and I always told her it was my baby brothers name Emrys
"Did...Does anyone know why he's coming"i asked keeping my voice as blank as possible "No,no one knows" Elaine replied and I nodded.Could it be?He didn't even come for my birthday and coming all the way here?I had told him if he wanted to see me he could always come here-I couldn't help myself from hoping he came to see me.His wedding was coming up soon,the 28th day in the month of May I had tried to forget it but just couldn't
I blocked out the rest of their conversations as Kyra said she had seen him once and was describing how handsome he was.Evander was very good looking,everyone knew that and he also knew that
Memories came rushing in, and suddenly i was sixteen again,meeting him for the very first time
"If you touch that you're probably going to die if it comes in contact with your lips"I said standing behind Evander in the gardens of my parents house
"And how do you know that Miss....."
"Elara....my name is Elara"I said
"Elara.."he breathed "And how do you know that Miss Elara"
"I know about everything in this garden"I replied "Like that pink one over there,my Uncle said it could cause you to sleep for a year if mixed with Ivy,goats blood and beetroot.The green ones over by the walls causes everything you eat to come out of every hole"I said half laughing and he stared at me genuinely intrigued
We went round the gardens and I told him what each and every flower could do if used right and he kept that golden smile on his face through everything,asking questions upon questions.I had no clue time had passed so quickly when we heard our names being called
"We're here"Evander replied as he helped me up from the ground we sat
"There you are"my mother said when she saw us "We've been looking everywhere for you" the Empress said from behind my mother
The Empress was my mother's best friend and she comes to our house a whole lot "Elara darling,won't you come give me a hug" she said, I ran towards her and engulfed her in a hug while she placed a kiss on my forehead "I see you've met my son Evander.He's been away since he was a kid but now he's back"
I looked back at Evander as he stood there with a smirk and gave a small bow,I had been in love ever since.We spent almost every birthday together and visited each other constantly.When my father did something to upset me again,I would go to his place and sometimes sleep over.I even had my room at his house and he had his at my house.Our mothers had always joked that we would get married and we acted like it was the most outrageous thing we had ever heard.
I could feel the hurt on the Empress face the day Evander was promised to another last year,I can never forget how she looked between him and his bride and then looked at me as she mouthed the words "I am sorry"