Page 111 of One Last Promise
“Alora?” my father questioned.“I’ve heard that name before.”
I had to be honest with my parents.There was too much at stake.“Alora is the Dylin princess.”Sharp intakes of breath and gasps came from all around me.
“Gods!You bedded the Dylinprincess?”he bellowed.His power radiated off him before he slumped down on his throne, pinching the bridge of his nose in defeat.“I should banish you for this.”That was true, but I knew my mother would never allow it.“Darce, you are smarter than this.Didn’t your mother and I teach youanything?Do you have any idea what you’ve done?Zohar will not stop until he’s killed you!You have taken the forbidden fruit.You’ve tainted hisbloodline!”
“Alora gave herself to me freely.I didn’ttakeanything.”
“You think Zohar will see it that way?You’ve started the next Great War!”
“War won’t break out, I can assure you.”
“How can you be so foolish to think that?Has Alora bewitched you that much?Perhaps this was her plan all along: to get close to you to insure the destruction of Eallarim.You know what they are capable of.You’ve seen it with your own eyes in Cataha!They are probably readying their army as we speak.”
“Alora knows that it wasmypower that helped to kill her mother.Despite that, she allowed me to explain and forgave me.That’s how pure she is.I helped to kill her mother and sheforgivesme!”
“She’s playing you.Zohar will have planned everything!Darce, you’ve doomed us all!”
“Why can’t you trust me?Zohar doesn’t suspect a thing.”
“You are a foolish boy, allowing yourself to be led around by yourcock!They’ll be marching on Eallarim withindays!”
“They willnot!”Darkness fell around me with my rage, and I was unable to control it.My father looked at me in shock.I was no match for him, and this wasn’t a threat.I was simply too angry to hold any of my darkness back.“Alora has told themnothing!If you could see the love she has for Eallarim, forourpeople, you would understand.She isnotour enemy!Ask the fire twins.They’ll confirm it.”My father looked at Nisha and Lisha, who both nodded in confirmation of my words.“The Dylins aren’t our enemy.Their leader is!”I pointed out, trying to calm my father as best I could.I needed him to understand.
“They are one and the same.”He ran his hands through his long black hair, which had come loose from the tie that had bound it.“They fight for theirking.”
“They arecontrolledby their king.There is a difference.They have been lied to and manipulated.Alora wants to challenge him once she comes into her powers.She wants peace for Afterlight Veil, as do I.”
He slowly let out a breath of air.“Anyfemale, Darce.You could haveany!Whyher?”
“Weloveeach other.”Everyone gasped around me, except my mother, who was watching me with sorrow-filled eyes.“You can call me foolish, but I hadnochoice in any of this.Alora and I met seven hundred years ago by chance.I saved her from a noc beast.Neither of us had any idea who the other was, apart from being Noxlin and Dylin, but the moment our eyes locked, our destinies were intertwined.We have no issue with our differences.Noxlin and Dylincanlive in harmony.We are proof of that.If there was a way to promise myself to her, I would.I would bond with her in a heartbeat if I could.”
“Seven hundred years?”My mother finally spoke, looking at me in disbelief.“You’ve kept this from usallthat time?”
“To protect Alora...yes.”She shook her head, turning to smile at my father.
“Tamas, he’s as headstrong and foolish in love as you were.”She chuckled, opening her arms to me as my father let out a loud laugh.“Whatever Holy Ether has planned for you and the Dylin princess, I only pray it doesn’t end in war.”As I embraced her, I prayed for the same thing.“We will make no attempts on the Dylin unless they attack first.Does Zohar really have no idea?”Relief flooded me when my father nodded in agreement.
“No.Alora has kepteverythinga secret and lied about what she has seen here for the last few hundred years.They believe her to be their spy, but she is far from it.She’s our ally in every sense of the word.”
“Zohar’s wrath will be great when he finds out.She must be a strong female,” my father interjected, stroking his beard before looking towards Nisha and Lisha.“What do you two have to say for yourselves?How long have you known about this?”
“We received the prophecy thousands of years ago, My Lord, but could only tell Darce at the time.”Nisha stood firmly.“Alora has quite the road ahead of her, but if all parts align correctly, she and your sonwillbring peace to Afterlight.”My parents gasped in unison.
“She will have to go on a journey first until she comes into her full powers.Darce will know when.It will become too dangerous for her to stay here.”As Lisha spoke, her eyes fell on Nox, who was trying to break free from Nadine’s hold.“There areseveralmales in Afterlight that wish to cause her harm.”Sharp shadows appeared at my fingertips.No one would touch her.
“They’ll have to get through me first,” I spat, glaring at Nox.
“Where is the mead?”my father joked, trying to calm the tension.“I am in need of refreshment before I hear anymore.”
It didn’t take long for the twins to tell my parents of the prophecy that had been explained to me centuries ago, but they left out the part about me giving my life up for her.I was grateful to them for doing that.If my parents knew what I had to give up for peace, they might intervene.They would continue to rule long after I was gone and Alora would rule the Dylin’s once she overthrew her father.Peace and safety.That’s what my life would be forfeited for.
While listening to the fire twins, something shivered over my skin.I looked around, wondering if Nadine was trying to get my attention.Perhaps Nox was trying to escape.Nope, nothing.Taking in the position of the moons, I wondered if I should go and check on Alora.I had left her in haste an hour ago.My parents were settled now and had no intent of war.
As the fire twins continued, an uneasy feeling began to fill my entire body.Something was wrong.I felt tiny prickles of a strange power, and the hair on my arms began to stand up.Electricity tickled my skin and a sense of unease washed over me.Alora?Was that her?If she needed me, surely she would have called through the bracelet.
Using my power, I reached for the tiny part of my soul I’d given to her.It wasn’t there.It had somehow come back to me.
“Darce?”My mother questioned the look on my face.
