Page 148 of The Lands Defying
I watch the wisp figures of me and Darius stand there, just looking back at us. They look so real, so life-like.
The figures turn towards one another, and wisp Darius raises its hand to wisp Rhea’s face. She leans into the touch, bringing her own arm up to clutch at his wrist almost desperately.
I swallow roughly, my eyes stinging as I look back to Darius.
“How?”
“They are me, and you.” He looks away for a moment. “When I came here, wondering where the fuck you were. Angry with myself, at how I failed you.”
“Darius, it wasn’t your fault.” How could he think that?
He shakes his head. “I was hanging on by a thread. All I wanted to do was destroy everything around me. But when I’m in here, I remembered how much you love it, and I was able to control myself.Barely.” He strokes my cheek, just like the wisp version of him had done. “They came to me.” He nods toward my version. “They created the body of you and when I touched them, Ifeltyou.That was the hope I grabbed onto.” His finger runs up to my temple. “How could they feel like you if you were dead?” He clenches his jaw, the pain in his eyes so visible that it takes my breath away. My heart aches for the sorrow in his voice. “That’s when I made my own and I realized that they are us. Our essence.”
I turn to the wisp couple, who are now embracing each other. “They are us,” I whisper.
“We are Heirs, the Gods gave us their power. Eridian…they blessed it when they created the barrier around it all those years ago, like you said. When it fell…”
“They needed more power,” I finish for him.
He nods. “I think they have been hiding away here to recuperate.”
“Does this mean we can replace the barrier?” I ask him, my eyes still roaming his face. I can’t help it, I don’t want to look away, and it seems he can’t either.
“I think so, but there is something more important to do first.” His voice turns into a growl at the end.
“What?”
“You’re going to eat and drink, and then you are going to tell me where the fuck you have been!”
Forty Five
Rhea
Darius carries me out of the water, his power still wrapped around me, refusing to let go. The wisps spread apart as he steps onto the stone ground, and I cling to his neck, my eyes refusing to leave his face.
I look into his eyes, at his nose and the small scar there. His strong jaw and stubble, then finally to his neck. I shiver, suddenly feeling cold having been in the pool and Darius tenses before walking faster.
He squeezes me gently before lowering me, my feet touching the soft furs beneath. His hands trail down my waist to the top of my thighs before he grabs the hem of my dress, pulling it over me in one swoop. The wetslapof fabric hits the floor and his eyes darken as he takes in my naked body.
Yes, desire is there, but it’s more than that. It’s me being here. Alive.
I didn’t think I was going to make it, and the thought makes me feel as though there is a noose around my neck.
My arms hang loosely by my sides, letting him get his fill before his gaze is drawn to the wounds still healing on my body.Especially the one on my thigh. I suck in a breath when he raises his hand and trails his fingers over the scar there, his eyes filling with rage.
I grab his fingers in my hand, squeezing them before I move them up and bring them to my lips. Wanting to calm the rage I see building again, I place a kiss on his palm before moving it to my cheek. He cups my face, and I once again lean into it, closing my eyes and just…breathe.
His heavy sigh reaches my ears and the warmth of his hand disappears, causing me to open my eyes as I look at him rummaging through a pack. I look at his strong shoulders, his defined arms and torso, and of course the tattoos he has there. My eyes instinctively go to his neck again, seeing the marking there that is now nearly complete.
My heart skips a beat and warmth fills me, suddenly not cold anymore as he hands me a water skin and urges me to drink. He suddenly grunts, and my eyes go to him, noticing where his gaze is before bringing them to my own forearm.
I look down, my chest fluttering.
“Under the moonlight,” he says, and I nod.
He hands me some dried meat next, but I bypass it and put my hand on his chest, my fingers trail down over his abs, stroking the hair there.
“Rhea, you need to eat and rest,” he grits out between clenched teeth, and I shake my head.
