Page 113 of Reign of Betrayal

After a pause, Reign looks at me, tears glistening in her eyes. “She said she didn’t want me to watch her die. And he”—she scrunches her face—”he was horrid. I don’t need to get into details, but my first time wasn’t exactly consensual either.” Hot, searing anger courses through my veins. My shadows stir, begging to emerge, but I rein them in, allowing her to get whatever it is off her chest.

“I was raped in the prison. Too many guards and too many times to remember. They would restrain my arms at first, because I fought them, but by the end…” She takes a slow, deep breath, not looking at me but staring at the water in front of her.

“By the end, I’d just lay there, praying to the Mother that they would hurry up or just kill me already. I stopped fighting because I was tired of the hole, the tub, and the whippings. But Big Al…” She grimaces with genuine disgust and gulps loudly. “He was by far the worst. My back looks like this because of him. Larah and Elm were all I had in there. They got me through it. We survived together.” Tears slide slowly down her precious cheeks, and then she looks up, her eyes meeting mine. I see a sea of turmoil there: guilt, pain, haunted memories. I reach out and wipe the tears from her face.

“I… I am so sorry Lukene. I am so sorry I touched your chest. I didn’t know. If I had, I would have—” The guilt in her saddened eyes is enough to fracture my icy heart.

I grab her hand, cutting her off, and place it next to the rose tattoo, over my heart. She shudders, releasing her breath in a soft gasp. “Your touch feels safe to me. I crave it like I crave air,” I say, offering a slight closed-lip smile that barely contains my longing.

“You are the first person whose touch I’ve actually wanted. The first person to touch me gently in that way,” she replies, her voice laced with a bittersweet vulnerability.

Now I truly understand her inexperience and my heart breaks for her.

“I never planned to give you up. I need you to trust in my words. I was trying to buy time and figure out my next move. But I would never have given you up, Reckless. Never. You are mine and mine alone.”

I grip her waist and pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her. She slides her hand up my outer chest and wraps her arms around my neck, her head resting against my heart. Surprisingly, I don’t mind it at all. We are just two people with fucked up, tormented pasts. Two tainted souls who recognize each other’s pain—two broken halves trying to become whole.

She turns to look at me, her stormy lavender eyes staring into mine. I see my whole world in her eyes, my future unfolding like a delicate blossom. Never have I truly thought about what I wanted for my future. All I have known is my duty to my kingdom. But here, with her, looking into the great depths of her lavender eyes, I know exactly what I want. I want her. I need her. I want to spend the rest of my life waking to her in my arms, sharing laughter and warmth, finding solace in each other’s presence. I want to kiss her lips until the Mother deems it’s my time to leave this continent. And even in death, I couldn’t part from her. I’d find a way to be with her. If she were to die before me… I’d follow shortly after, greeting the Mother at her side.

As if she could read my mind, she leans up and kisses me.

The kiss is soft yet electrifying, filled with understanding, apologies, forgiveness, and an unquenchable passion. I run a hand down, gripping her ass and pulling her into me, feeling the heat of my desire push against her. She moans into my mouth, a sound that ignites something primal within me.

Lifting her legs, I wrap them around my waist and press her into the wall of the hot spring. Breaking the kiss, we both gasp for air, panting and filled with desire. I lean back slightly to take her in. Her face is flushed, her eyes heavy with longing, her perky breasts rising and falling with each breath. She’s all mine. “You are a divine vision I don’t deserve—a goddess too good for me.”

As she trails her hands down the outer parts of my chest, mindful not to touch the center, I feel her fingers dance over my stomach, exploring the bumps and grooves of my abs. Then she leans up to kiss me again, and just as our lips lock, a loud roar rattles the cave, shattering the moment.

We jump out of the spring, quickly dressing. My shadows are already out, swirling around, trying to figure out the source of the disturbance.

“We need to get back to the cabin,” I exclaim, and Reign nods, her eyes wide with fear.

Once dressed, we cautiously step to the front of the cave. The rain has died down but the ominous fog has begun to creep around us, stretching in every direction since we entered the cave, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

I clutch Reign’s hand tightly, guiding her down the path with me. I hear crackling, like branches breaking. What is out there? We continue swiftly, the chill of the rain soaking into our once-warmed skin.

Then, the roar is right next to us. I fling Reign behind me, instinctively turning to face the threat—a Tremon. These fiercely cursed demons are said to be born of the dark magic that corrupts the land. Its skin resembles rough brown bark, moss clings to its shoulder, while vines trickle down its root-like arms. Its solid black eyes watch me intently.

It flings out a twisty branch-arm, which clashes with my shadows as I draw my sword.

“Reign, run! Get to the cabin!” I yell, my heart racing, but I don’t dare take my eyes off the Tremon in front of me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a ball of fire flit past, hurtling straight toward the monster. It raises another root, swatting it away, and then lets out a screech so loud it quakes the ground beneath us.

Roots begin to writhe and shift, and I hear Reign yelp. Turning back, I see her on her back, a root wrapped around her leg, dragging her through the mud toward the Tremon. Swinging my sword, I strike the root, severing it.

I lean down swiftly to help her up, but I’m struck through the shoulder. Looking down, I see the root sticking straight through. “Luke!” Reign screams, fire blazing in her hand. My shadows pour out of me, cracking against the wood. I pull the piece out and turn, flinging my power at the monster. Suddenly, my world spins. I feel dizzy. Colors blur, and my chest tightens. Fuck, I forgot about their toxic sap. My breathing hitches; I must get Reign out of here.

I drop to my knees.

I see Reign’s mouth moving, but don’t hear a word.

The next thing I know, I see flames.

Everywhere. All around.

And then nothingness. My world goes black.

Roots writhe and coil everywhere, intertwining with Lukene’s shadows as the rain pours down in relentless sheets, drenching everything in an eerie chaos. The thick fog blankets our surroundings, making it difficult to see or breathe, amplifying the sense of dread hanging in the air.

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