Page 127 of Living Legend

Chapter Nineteen

NICK

Earlier

Fuck.

Fuck.

I figured using a portal in a calmer matter would make this shit easier but no, it did not. I landed in Oculus right on my feet, which caused the sharpest and most excruciating pain to shoot up my calves to my knees. I let out a groan and fell forward onto said throbbing knees, placing my hands out in front of me and pressing my palms to the dirt. I closed my eyes, mentally running through what I had to do while I patiently—impatiently—tried to let the pain subside.

I let out slow breaths and thought back to how I left Dani. Left her in the hands of my father and his new girlfriend. I didn’t want to think about what was going on there right now; I just wanted her safe. I never thought she was the problem in all of this. Hell, I never thought much about her at all in the beginning. She so elegantly inserted herself into my thoughts like a sexy parasite and I, the stupidly willing host, let her. I surprisingly didn't have an ounce of regret. I was here, in Oculus,for her.

Scratch that—I was here in Oculusbecauseof her. I was here for our friends…well, my friend and her sort of friend with the most incredible resting bitch face I had ever seen. If Natalia had no idea what was going on, then I was back to square one. There was something in my gut that really hoped the High Priestess could tell me something.

I pushed up from the ground and stretched my back, blinking. Then I blinked again. I blinked a few more times, willing my eyes to comprehend what they were seeing. The trees were taller and did the leaves look…greener? I looked down and ran my hand over the dirt, which looked fresh, like it had just been lain. I scanned the terrain; there were flowering plants everywhere, in all colors. Rose bushes were scattered to my right and a patch of sunflowers grew to my left. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of honey and some type of herb I couldn’t place. The sky above me was a brighter blue, as if there was no longer a film over it.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grip my shoulder, and the tightness of their hold told me that they weren’t letting me go anytime soon. I hadn’t realized that someone had stepped up behind me. I felt magic surround me, slapping my hands to my sides, like an invisible rope was wrapped around my torso.

“State your business,” the male voice attached to the strong hand commanded.

“I’m here to see Natalia,” I answered, knowing honesty was the best policy right now.

The man scoffed, as if he didn’t believe me. “Is she expecting you?”

I tried to move my shoulders, hoping to relieve the tension from his grip. “Probably.”

A female voice chimed in on my left. I was able to turn my head—thank fuck—to look at her. She had silver hair cut short, the ends meeting just above her ears, bronze colored skin that made her cobalt blue eyes pop. “Do you want me to ask Her Highness?” She peeked a glance over to me, her eyes large and round.

The man let out a gruff laugh. “Of course not. No need to bother her with trivial matters. She told us to keep the perimeter clear.” He squeezed my shoulder again, but this time, he pulled me up by it.

I licked my lips and tried again. “Shewillbe expecting me, I promise you.”

The female came up next to me. At my full height, she was shorter than me, but in this situation, she was no less intimidating. “Who would you be?”

The male Enchanter pushed on my shoulder, as if telling me to answer, even though she had literallyjustasked the fucking question.

“I’m Nicholas.” I hoped that meant something. I snuck a glance at the female, and she arched a delicate eyebrow at me.

I felt weight on my back, and I realized the male Enchanter was now so close to me, I could feel his breath. “Her Highness told us to remain on the lookout since that catastrophe at The Skies. We are here to stop anyone from intruding.”

I swallowed. “I’m not. I know her. She knows me. You can bring her here if you don’t want me going any further.”

The female Enchanter tilted her head. “She did mention someone by this name should be seen through.” She sounded sure, but not sure enough to remove the stern tone the male had.

“She also said he would meet her in central Oculus.” He went to grab my other shoulder, pressing just as hard. “This is the outskirts. If you were here to see her, then you should have landed where she said you would.”

“She did say she was also waiting on someone. Maybe we should speak to her first,” the female enchanter argued, stepping forward to try and separate us. He pushed her back, startling her as she regained her footing.

“I…” I only got one word out before I felt something around my throat. I reached my hands up towards my neck, feeling nothing. I felt absolutely nothing constricting my breathing, but my throat felt like it was closing in.

“I don’t want your reasoning or excuses. I haven't been fond of angels for quite some time, and I don’t think I’ll be fond of you. My job is to keep Her Highness safe, just like I did her mother,” he huffed out, throwing me back to the ground.

I tried to cough, but I couldn’t. It felt like a truck was placed right at my throat, and there was no use trying to get it off. I saw small crackles of blue light from underneath my chin. Magic was around my neck, and magic was slowly blurring my vision. I felt cold dirt under my knees as I clawed uselessly at my throat.I heard the female Enchanter take in a sharp breath, and then I heard a voice, one with musical regality, one I recognized.

“Zane! Stop it!” Natalia hurried over to us. The dark circle closing in on my vision was starting to grow. “Let him go!”

The male Enchanter eased up a small bit, allowing me to cough and suck in air, air that burned going down but felt so fucking good.

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