Page 92 of Of Storm and Emerald
“Please, Auraelia. Let me explain. And if you never want to see me or hear from me again, I will leave you in peace. Just, please hear me out.”
She felt the warmth of his body as he stepped closer to her back, his scent of sandalwood and the ocean permeating all of her senses. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, but she refused to lean into him.
Fought every instinct she had to turn and bury her face into his chest.
“I’m sorry.”
His apology surprised her enough that she turned around to face him but kept the space between them. “Sorry? You’resorry?”
He nodded, bringing his hand up as if to stroke her cheek, but seemed to think better of it and dropped it back to his side.
“Yes, Auraelia. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I stopped writing. I hadn’t intended to, but I got it in my head that if I stopped, you would forget about me, and it would be easier that way.”
When she widened her eyes and tilted her head to the side, he hastily continued.
“Let me explain.” He ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit that she once thought was endearing.
“The treaty between our two kingdoms has always loomed over us. And the closer we got, the more Iwantedyou. The more Ineededto be near you. And I gotscared,Auraelia. I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing.”
His eyes were full of regret as he searched her face.
“When my mother suggested that I invite you to solstice, it was the day that I returned home. I wanted to, but I wasn’t sure how you would receive it since everything was still so new. But as time went on, I kept pushing it off. Until it got to the point where I felt like I couldn’t invite you. Auraelia, it had nothing to do with you not being good enough. You’re far better than anyone I know, and I wanted you here. Goddess, did I want that. I wanted to show you off to my court. Let you meet my mother, my father, my insufferable sister. I wanted you here with me. I meant it when I said that I am a better man for knowing you.”
Auraelia nodded, her lips pursed in thought. “You’re sorry?”
“Yes, Auraelia. I amsosorry.”
Her head continued to bob, then she looked up to meet his gaze. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. “You got scared?”
Confusion crossed his features. “Yes…?” It was meant as a statement, but it came across as a question.
Her smile was cold as she threw her hands up in the air and slowly backed away from him. She could feel her magic rolling under the surface of her skin, begging to be released. “Oh, well, then that makes this all better, doesn’t it? You’resorry. You gotscared. Well guess what, so was I! Goddess! How could you not think that I was going through the same thing?!”
Auraelia let her magic slip past her hold just a fraction. Using the force of the wind to push him away from her. Tears no longer fell, as disgust and anger became front and center.
A mirthless laugh escaped from her lips. “That’s pathetic, Daemon. And you know it.”
He stood there stunned for a moment, but she watched as frustration crept into his features, and the sadness in his eyes was replaced with anger.
“Don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same, Auraelia.”
She laughed. “You’re joking right? We were in the same position, Daemon!” She was full on yelling now, but the thunder rolling through the sky drowned her outburst.
“What would you have had me do, Auraelia? Tell me, please. Since you seem to have all the answers.” His tone was boarding on condescending, and all it did was stoke her anger.
“Oh, don’t be so fucking obtuse. I would havetalkedto you. I would have let you know how I felt. Not just fucking disappeared!”
“But you didn’t, did you? You didn’t tell me how you felt. You didn’ttalkto me. You just carried on as if nothing was wrong.”
“Because I didn’t think anythingwaswrong.Webothknew what being together meant. Webothknew that there was a treaty hanging over our heads that would make this damned near impossible.Fuck! Why didn’t you justtalkto me when you felt overwhelmed? Was I just a good time? Why was it soeasyfor you to just–justleaveme?”
Her anger pulled back enough to let hurt shine through. “Why, Daemon? Tell mewhy.”
“I told you why!” He was yelling now, and angrily running his fingers through his hair as he paced the room. “Fuck, Auraelia. What do you want me to say?!”
“Saying you were scared and that you're sorry is not a reason. I want to know why, Daemon. Why was it soeasyfor you to let this go after you fought so hard to convince me it was a good idea. I want to knowwhyyou were a coward and didn’t invite me here yourself, despite the fact that your mother wanted me here. Why did she have to hold your hand in this? Daemon, I want to fucking knowwhy! If you were done, you could have just told me. I would have understood.”
Air began to swirl around her as her emotions and temper rose. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, reconnecting with her magic the way that Ser Aeron taught her, so that she could calm the storm raging inside of her.
