Page 78 of Destined to the Lycan
Lyall gaped at me, visibly stunned by my request. In that instant, I realized that thought never even crossed his mind. To my delight, he didn’t say a word and merely nodded. Seconds later, the lightning shaped streaks under his skin glowed lightly, and my mate went silent. All tension drained from her beautiful face. If not for the dark veins and the grayish hue to her skin, you would think she was peacefully sleeping.
Chapter 18
Amara
My eyes fluttered as I felt myself floating on a cloud. I couldn’t recall the last time I wasn’t in deep pain or agony. For what seemed like an eternity, my world had been nothing but an endless torture with my body burning as if I had been cast into hellfire. I blinked at the bright light blinding me before realizing the cloud was in fact the most divine mattress I had ever lain on.
I stretched, emitting the least ladylike grunt, then let my limbs fall back down on the heavenly cushion feeling almost too groggy to get up. Still lying down, I peered at my surroundings, stunned to find myself in a magnificent room. It looked like an ancient Roman palace with insanely high ceilings, sculpted columns, and countless tall windows with long, sheer, white curtains. Straight ahead, at least ten meters away from the bed, a giant set of French doors stood open onto what seemed to be a massive terrace or balcony.
I slipped out of bed, the beige stone tiles feeling lukewarm beneath my bare feet. The long flowy white dress I was wearinggently caressed my skin with each step as I headed towards the balcony. Only then did I realize this had to be some sort of palace in the sky or at least located very high in the mountain as I could see an endless valley sprawling far below.
But it was Lyall, leaning against the railing and looking down at the valley, who claimed my attention. As with my previous encounters with him, he was bare chested with a white skirt draped around his waist. This time, it fell to his ankles unlike the knee length one he wore the first time we met. He turned around as I approached and smiled at me with a deep affection laced with sadness that turned me upside down.
“Lyall,” I said as I closed the distance between us.
“Hello, Amara. It is good to see you awake,” he said in a gentle voice.
“Where are we?” I asked, glancing around us at the imposing temple-like palace, and breathtaking landscape surrounding us.
“This is my home in Nephilim Valley,” he said wistfully. “I have not been here in far too long.”
I slightly recoiled. “Nephilim? Are you an angel?”
He snorted and shook his head with an amused expression. “No one wouldevercall me an angel. I’m a doppelganger.”
I huffed. “You’re much more than that, and we both know it.”
He smiled, his expression softening. Although he didn’t answer, I took it as confirmation and chose not to press him further. We were all entitled to our secrets.
I walked up to the railing made of intricately carved stones and leaned forward to glance at the valley at an insane distance below. It looked as if a village had been established down there. To the left and right, other impressive mansions protruded from the mountain face.
“I always understood that Nephilims were angels, or rather the hybrid children of humans and angels. Is that why they named this place like this?”
“You could say that. Not all Nephilims have wings. Originally, they moved into the valley while their parents settled in these mountains so that they could be close to their offspring. But now, you have a great variety of people living here. You have angels, demons, fallen, cambions, and even grim reapers.”
“Wow! That is quite the eclectic society!” I said, impressed before a disturbing thought entered my mind. “How am I here? Did I die?”
He rested his elbow on the railing as he leaned against it and looked at me with a strange expression.
“No, Amara. You’re not dead yet.”
“But I’m dying,” I insisted.
“Yes, you are,” he said in a sympathetic tone. “It is inevitable.”
My shoulders slumped, and a wave of sorrow washed over me. Long before I embarked on this journey, I had made my peace with the fact that I wouldn’t survive it. Meeting Remus changed everything. I didn’t fear dying. I just dreaded what it would do to him to be once again left behind while someone he cared about died to the Cursed Demon Wolf’s venom.
“So this is an illusion?” I asked with sudden understanding.
He nodded. “The pup suggested I take you here so that you wouldn’t suffer unnecessarily in the real world.”
My heart melted with love for my mate. Once again, he was proving that he would do anything to make me happy or make my life easier. I stared at Lyall with a pleading look.
“Please, look after Remus for me when I die. He will be devastated.”
All softness vanished from his face, tension and a hint of anger brewing under the surface.
“He’s still fighting to save you,” he grumbled.
