Page 19 of Of Night and Blood: Special Edition

“Seriously Lian, go. Now,” Bellamy’s voice rang from behind me. She groaned loudly, heading to what I assumed was her shop. “I am sorry, she speaks before thinking,” he said, rubbing his hand up my arm. The touch was comforting and seductive, so I took a step away, needing to leash my emotions.

“It is fine, so do I.” I shrugged, pulling my trousers on and quickly shoving my undergarments into a pocket. Then I took my arms out of the small sleeves and put on my tunic, shimmying the red fabric down my now covered legs with an embarrassing amount of effort. Once that was done, I threw the dress over my shoulder and quickly tied my shoes, adding my cloak last. When I looked up, Bellamy’s eyes were on me. “What are you staring at?”

“You, Asher. I could watch you do that all day and never grow tired of it. Although, I think I would much prefer you take them off,” he said, pulling me back into him. I smacked his arm and went up to where Pino was standing at the front of his shop. Bellamy followed, quickly catching up to me, that dimpled smile on his face. “Pino, we are going to take the dress.”

“Delightful, let me get a bag.” He placed the dress in a satchel and handed it to me. Then he gripped my hands tightly, looking me in the eye with a glazed expression on his face. “I know who you are, Princess Asher. I know what you can do,” he said, sending chills down my spine.

Pino’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his voice dropped, lowering to the all-encompassing tenor of a Tomorrow as they prophesized.

“Your magic is a force, a strength previously unheard of and ever reaching. As you find the light and dark, you shall see they will guide you if you dare heed their call. When you do, a prince you will lose, a prince you will gain, and a king you will hold. And when the moon paints the sky red, retribution will light fire to the realms. As promised by the true queen who defied her false destiny, when two worlds collide and history repeats, from it will come the salvation. From it, love will defeat vengeance. But if you fear what you do not know or do not understand, you might find yourself dead before you have even lived. And so the world will fall not far behind. No matter the choice you make, your reign will be the end.”

Instinct took over and I snatched my hands away, taking a few unsteady steps back.

“You are not an Element at all, you are a Reader. A Tomorrow,” I said, backing into the wall. Bellamy’s face was full of dread, setting me further on edge. “And that female, she was an Air. I thought we were in the Fire Lands. Your home,” I said to Bellamy.

I looked back and forth from him and Pino, confused and horrified. Why was there not only an Air, but also a Tomorrow here? It was forbidden to travel beyond your assigned Isle. And what did he mean by the princes? And the part about dying before I have lived? Why would the realms burn? I tried to calm my gasping breaths as the information sank in.

“Please Asher, let me explain,” Bellamy said, reaching for me. His plea set off another warning alarm in my head. Something was off about this place, this moment. My eyes continued to dash between Pino and Bellamy, both with faces frozen in regret and guilt.

“Are we actually on Isle Element?” I asked, panicking slightly and focusing my gaze on Bellamy. Where would a place that had multiple fae factions exist? It was forbidden for us to intermingle like this, and it seemed that both males in front of me were hiding a rather important detail. I had assumed we were on Isle Element, but apparently, I was wrong.

He hesitated, glaring daggers at Pino. The Tomorrow was frozen, his eyes scanning my face as if trying to decipher me. Or perhaps the prophecy. “Thanks a lot,” Bellamy hissed, finally bringing Pino back to reality. “No Asher, we are not, but I never technically said we were—”

“Take. Me. Home. Now,” I said, forming fists with my hands so tightly that my nails bit into my sweaty palms. He did not move, so this time I yelled. “Now!”

“No, Asher, Princess—”

“Do not call me that!” I screamed, my hand flying to my chest. My racing heart thumped violently against my palm.

I was quickly losing my cool, and the shallow breaths were making me dizzy. Bellamy stepped towards me, and I flinched back, recoiling at the idea of being touched by him. The hurt in his eyes at my evasion meant nothing as his lies made themselves known.

The Fire jumped for me, grabbing me tightly as smoke leached the color from the world once more. The force that felt as if it was tearing me apart taking my breath away. Just like that, we were in the gardens outside the palace. Once I gained my bearings, I pushed away from him, not wanting his hands on me.

“Why did you lie?” I asked, tears welling in my eyes. “What did you stand to gain from today? Were you hoping for a crown?”

“No, Asher, of course not!” he said, stepping towards me. I knew that if he got ahold of me, if I felt his skin on mine, that I might falter.

“Do not come near me!” I said, putting more space between us. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold in all of the emotions that threatened to break free from my chest. My mind raced, needing to think, to understand. He had ulterior motives, but I could not see them through the hurt. “I was honest with you, I was open with you, and you lied to me. Do not stand here and lie again.”

“I mean it, Asher, I have no intentions of ruling over the Fae Realm. Please, you have to believe me.” Bellamy’s voice went up an octave, sounding strained and broken.

“Oh really? ‘You will be mine,’ that is what you said earlier.” My accusation hit home, because he flinched at hearing his own words back. “Do not ever come near me again,” I warned, before once again running from him.

When I got into the castle, I was slightly sweaty despite the cold. Tears streamed down my face, and all I could think about was how I risked everything to spend the day with a stranger who clearly manipulated me. My heart felt as though it might burst.

Reality slammed into me, reminding me that this day would always end in sorrow. Regardless of Bellamy’s actions, we would never be together. My future was with Sterling, and it was time for me to accept that fate.

“Are you okay?”

Of course he would be here.

Sterling stood outside my doors, looking at me with confusion and concern. I was surprised to see both, as I never thought he truly cared. Wiping away my tears, I nodded, hoping he would be uncomfortable enough to leave me alone. “You are clearly in distress Asher, what can I do to help?”

I decided since I was throwing all caution to the wind, I might as well allow myself this one thing. I reached for Sterling’s mind, seeing that he was in fact worried for me. His head swirled with thoughts of what could have gone wrong, each more vague than the last. Until he suddenly thought of Bellamy.

“I am okay Sterling, I just need rest,” I said, trying to step around him. He moved quickly, faster than I was aware a mortal was capable of, stepping in front of me.

“Why will you not let me help you? I am here, Asher, I want this engagement to work, but you make it so hard. Every day you become more unbearably difficult, even though I do everything I can to make you happy. You give me nothing.” His words stung, and my grief turned into red hot anger.

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