Page 92 of One Last Wish

Maybe Nyx was right, and I should let the Fire Twins bind her again. It gave me another human lifetime to try and find a way for us to be together.

Watching her with Theo would be pretty exhausting, though. Fourteen lifetimes, and it never got easier. The number of times I wanted to portal myself down there and pretend I was a mere human boy to be with her were infinite. Oh, the irony of wanting to be one of the weakest races created. That was why we picked Earth Veil. No one would even think to look there. Alora’s father believed his daughter to be under my power, that I’d tricked her somehow. Dylin and Noxlin werestillat war because of it a thousand years later. That was typical Dylin style, blaming the evil, rancid Noxlin for every disaster that had ever happened to them. If they looked to their own lands they might have seen the poison within.

It was too late now. Afterlight Veil was forever altered. Eallarim was more than equipped to fight off any attack Dallethas threw our way. We were growing in numbers, and if it came to taking sides, I knew where Alora would stand in all of this; right beside me.

We had been on the brink of another large battle these last hundred years. Once Alora awakened, I had no doubt that the battle would commence.

Picking a side would be more difficult this time. We hadbothraces to try and protect. I had played a part in Alora’s mother’s death. Duska was never meant to be on the battlefield that day. I took no pleasure in discovering that I had killed a defenceless Queen who had been drained of her power because of a miracle child she had birthed five hundred years prior. Any other time in history, Duska could have shielded herself, but when I rained those shadows down that were hiding fire rocks inside, she didn’t stand a chance. Most on that battlefield didn’t. I have no idea how many Dylin I killed that day, but it was nothing to the Noxlin that we lost when Zohar attacked our second city.

As much as I wanted to fully defend my homeland and race, my heart had other plans. I needed to make amends for the pain and suffering that I had caused Alora as a child. My loyalty from that day forth would always be for my love.

“My balls are fine. Thank you.” Glaring at Mrak, I made a wisp of shadow move his feet from my table. “And keep your feetoffmy table!”

“Oh, you need to get some.” Mrak laughed out loud. “A thousand years is a long time to go without. Do you knock one out while thinking about her?”

“I wouldn’t goad him, Mrak,” Nyx chimed in, patting him on the shoulder. “I showed myself to her in Earth Veil the other day and Darce almost bit my head off.”

“I told you to keep yourdistance!” I snapped, annoyed once again at her actions. “I know you wanted to see her, but this is all abouttiming.”

“Do you really think her powers are finally surfacing?” Nyx asked with hope in her eyes.

“I can feel and sense her more. Something is different in this lifetime than all the others.” Mrak and Nyx watched me thoughtfully. “Don’t look so scared. I know what I’m doing.”

“We are allowed to be worried about you. When Alora awakens, there is no guarantee she will fall into your waiting arms, especially once she rememberseverything.It’s been alongtime.” Nyx was testing my patience.

“The Fire Twins have assured me that once Alora awakens, she will be fine within days. You forget, Aloraallowedherself to be bound in human form because of herlovefor me.”

“I’m not doubting the love you have for each other. I’m scared it will get youbothkilled. What happens to Afterlight Veil then?”

“Nyx, twoGuardianscan’t have that much pull on aVeil.Afterlight would still go on without us.”

That was the saddest part about Afterlight. Our races were never going to change. The hatred was too deeply rooted.

Dylin and Noxlin would still be at war even if Alora and I faded into insignificance. Not that I would ever want that outcome for us. There was one thing I knew with certainty since being back in her life: I would never be able to keep my distance again. Whatever happened now, our fates were intertwined.

I simply had to give Alora time to remember everything; to allow her mind to remember the first time we met and what happened after.

Smiling to myself, I pictured that fateful day. That first glimpse of her...fuck! Her beauty took the breath from my lungs.

There was no other destiny for me.

She was the light that balanced my darkness. She was myStarshine.

The Elder World series continues in......

---