Page 74 of A Luna's Dynasty
“Will you be living with us forever?”
“With you, forever. Wherever you go, I will go.” Grayson listened as Asher snorted.
“The answer is yes, because you’re never leaving.” Asher glanced over at Grayson, who only shrugged with a small smirk, intentionally provoking Asher for fun.
Grayson laughed, a deep rumble that seemed to shake the truck. “Don’t worry. I promise to keep my bad temper under control.” He cast a sidelong glance at Asher. “Can’t say the same for him.”
Lita felt Asher’s fingers curl around her waist as he let out an airy snort.
“Are you two going to be able to get along?” Lita glanced between the two nervously.
The two men started laughing, followed by Caspian in the back. “Can’t you tell that we’re best friends?” Asher teased. “We have an understanding between us. You’re our first priority. I won’t promise that we won’t fight or disagree, but we’ll manage.”
“I think we’re going to end up being good friends. I can feel how much you love me already,” Grayson teased again, and Asher scoffed at him. They both had clashing personalities but were united under a common goal: to protect Lita and keep her safe. Grayson often fought with Luke, but the two had formed a strong friendship. He was certain that, in time, he and Asherwould also form a close bond, especially since he wasn’t going anywhere. He would be there until his or Lita’s end.
“I bet you two had an interesting chat.” Lita scooted even more into Asher’s side. He wrapped his arm around her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I was definitely not expecting it to be Grayson. I had a lot of questions about all of it.” Asher chuckled as he thought about his shock.
“An interrogation would be more accurate,” Caspian quipped with a small smile.
Knowing Asher, there was a lot of shouting going on. Lita soaked in the warmth next to her. The gentle hum of the truck and the voices began to meld together. Her head was hurting again. She held her hand open and stared at it. It tingled with the sensation of being held, but it wasn’t. She was staring down at her empty hand when the flashing images started. They were blurry but vivid enough. Was it a memory? The sound of children’s laughter echoed loudly in her ears as she saw two children running through a field, hand in hand. The sun shone brightly on the tall grass that covered most of the children’s bodies as they ran through it. It felt warm. She could feel the vision in her soul. It was a happy one.
The sun was swallowed by a blanket of menacing clouds as a deafening rumble shook the sky. The air turned thick and oppressive, suffocating in its vice-like grip. Another violent crack split through the darkness, accompanied by a deep roar that seemed to echo through her bones. But amid the chaos, she heard something else—the heavy thud of footsteps drawing closer, causing her body to tremble with fear and her heart to pound in her chest.
Then there was nothing but the deafening sound of silence. Everything was black. A blanket of darkness had enveloped her.
I’ve found you, princessssss.
A deep, chilling voice rumbled in her head, the sound echoing in her mind. She shook her head and blinked, trying to regain focus. She could hear the humming of the vehicle as her clarity was restored. What the hell was that? Was it a memory she had forgotten, or was it a voice that she heard just now? She could feel the tugging in her head, creating a throbbing sensation.
Lita gasped, clutching her head as the pain crashed over her. She knew this presence, felt it watching her from far away. It was fierce, determined, and Mira was pacing in frantic circles in her mind.
The truck seemed to shrink around her. She gripped the seat, trying to fight the heaviness settling in her chest, trying to push back against whatever it was that sought her out.
Caspian leaned forward through the back window. “Lita, give me your hand.”
His touch was like liquid fire that pulsated up her arm and through her veins. Burning ribbons were stinging her body, devouring her skin like an intense inferno. The heat was oppressive, binding her down, enveloping her in a prison, threatening to cook her.
“Don’t fight me,” he said, his forehead pressed against hers. His voice was raw and strained, like the pain was searing through him, too. “Hold on, Lita. Just hold on.”
The words barely made it through the tumult, but something in Caspian’s voice reached her. The sensation shifted, dizzying and overwhelming, and Lita felt herself spiraling through images and sound. It was everywhere—darkness, thunder, a frantic search. And behind it, a threatening presence that had its sights set on her.
Her body screamed against the pressure, against the burning pain that grew more unbearable with each moment. Lita tried to pull away, but Caspian’s grip was relentless. It rooted her to the spot, anchoring her even as her senses fragmented into chaos.She heard herself whimper, a small, broken sound that barely cut through the suffocating blackness.
A warmth spread over her, and she felt Grayson’s hand settled on her knee. “Deep breaths.” His voice seemed to ground her.
The pain no longer bothered her. It was the menacing darkness she could feel in the distance, which seemed to be frantically searching. It had lost what it was looking for and was terrorizing the area with its presence.
As they continued to drive away, the presence grew even more faint. The moment they were back in her pack’s territory, she could no longer feel it. Her body felt like it was ablaze, though. Hot knives lashed at her skin, and she had to bite her bottom lip as she bore it.
What was actually mere moments felt like an eternity before Caspian finally released his grip on her. She greedily gulped for air she had not been able to consume. She didn’t say a word, only closed her eyes and tried to gather her senses.
“Lita, are you okay?” Asher asked as she blinked, trying to take in her surroundings. She licked her lips and nodded her head. She looked over at Grayson, who was focused on driving through the woods like a maniac. Next, she checked on Caspian, sweat beading on his forehead, looking like he’d just been through an intense battle.
“Caspian, are you okay?” Lita watched as he peeked at her through one eye. His lips curled up into a crooked smile.
“What are you doing worrying about me? Are you okay?” Caspian knew that she had to have been in immense pain. They both were. Her body’s magic had fought him off. He held on as long as he could, but he wouldn’t be able to continue doing that forever.
