Page 52 of One Last Promise
Centuries passed inblissful ignorance.In The Shielding Valley, we were simply Darce and Alora, not sworn enemies from rival races.He admitted that he was an immortal, but only had a small trace of the Noxlin bloodline.I lied, telling him that my race suspected I would be an immortal when I gained my powers.It was a little white lie, but I took comfort knowing we both had forever.Losing him felt too painful to picture.
Darce had been true to his word about not deflowering me, but I was an expert at everything apart from actual penetration, thanks to his guidance.We were both slaves to each other’s touch.Nothing felt more pleasurable than his hands on me.
Darce was above me as I lay on the soft sands next to the lake, his mouth trailing soft kisses across my jaw line.
“We’ve got to stop doing this,” I moaned as he moved lower, licking the swell of my breasts.
“You don’t want to stop,” he murmured, running his thumb across my hardened nipple.Arching to his touch, I knew he was right.I couldn’t control myself when it came to him.“You wouldn’t agree to meet me if you didn’t want this.”His hand slipped onto my overheated centre.“Tell me you don’t want me,” he grunted, working his fingers against my sweet spot.How could I not want him when he was playing with me this way.“Tell me!”
“I...I...I can’t,” I yearned, rocking to the rhythm of his hand.
“You’re falling for me, admit it.”I couldn’t admit that, even if it was true.My heartwasbeing taken over by this male Noxlin.These feelings had come out of nowhere.One moment Darce was everything I hated, and in a blink of an eye, he was the air I breathed.
We were meeting up twice a month now, using the excuse that I needed the extra training.Both of us knew the real reason, even if we never admitted it.We simply wanted more time together.
“You arrogant, prick!You wish you were that lucky!”I giggled.He bit gently down on my right breast, removing his hand from where I needed him most.I pouted in protest.He pulled back to take me in as I lay in the sand, studying my face.
“I’d use mylast wishfor you to feel what I feel.”Gently, I traced the worry lines on his forehead.“There isn’t a world where you’re not mine, Alora.”Darce had been making his feelings for me extremely clear over the last few years.I was taken aback by how honest and loving he was.It wasn’t a trait that Dylin males had.It made me wonder if Darce was unique, or if all Noxlin males were like him.
“There isn’t a world where we’ll ever be allowed to be together, Darce,” I countered, watching the severity of my words sink into those beautiful eyes of his.Leaning down, he captured my lips with his, taking the breath out of me.The kiss was full of desperation.We might not have forever, but Darce and I had right now.
“We could simply run away.”If only it was that simple.Darce still had no idea that I was the Dylin princess.Knowing what I felt for him, it destroyed me that I could never tell him the truth.It was also the reason I couldn’t tell him how I felt.Making him believe this was merely a sexual connection was the only way to keep him safe.
“Where would we run to?”
“There are otherworlds, Alora.We could hide ourselves well.”
“And how would we get to these otherworlds?”I sighed.“Neither of us are powerful enough to make portals to these other veils.”
“I have friends that could help us.”Darce had really been thinking about this.“Run away with me.You don’t owe the palaceanything.You’ve worked for them long enough.I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
“Running away isn’t an option for me.I have friends thatdependon me.Deep down, you know it’s not right for you either.”
“I want more than this for us.Where do we stand when war breaks out?Your general is already goading us.Nox almost took the bait last time.My loyalty should be to my race, but all I care about is you getting caught in the crossfire.Every Dylin I come across, I’ll worry that you care about them.They could be your family or one of your friends.I don’t know what to do when I get called to war.I’ll see your face in every Dylin I come across.”
“I don’t know where we go from here, Darce.Let’s concentrate on making me the best warrior you’ve ever seen.We’ll work out the rest later.”
“Secondbest warrior.”Giving me a sly smile, he put his hands through my hair, lovingly.“I’llalways be the best warrior, Alora.”
“So modest for a mere foot soldier.”I chuckled, pecking his lips.
“Does my ranking bother you?Is that the reason you won’t run away with me?”
“No, it’s more to do with my role within the palace.”
“You serve the princess, don’t you?”My talk of palace life must have brought him to that conclusion.“You know too much about royal protocol.Are you friends with her?”Trying to keep my expression calm, I considered the potential damage if I said yes.At least I could talk about my life in some small way with him.The priestess’s maid story hadn’t worked clearly.
“I thought we weren’t to talk about our lives outside of this valley?”
“I’m good friends with General Nox.I’m his best foot soldier.I help train the new recruits.”The information Darce had just divulged would have been dangerous to any Dylin except me.His truth floored me.Ihadto give him something in return.
“Yes, I’m good friends with the princess.We’re a similar age.I was orphaned after the battle of Cataha.The palace took me in and I’ve looked out for her ever since.She’s like a sister to me.”Using part of Noor’s history was the easiest thing I could think of.In a small way, it was like introducing my best friend to Darce.
“Cataha?”Darce looked alarmed.“You lost yourentirefamily that day?Were they all part of the army?”
“I had already lost my father years before, but...m...my mother died that day.She died with...”I braced myself and forced the words out.“She died trying to protect the...queen.”
“Fuck!”There was so much turmoil raging in his eyes.“Alora, I...I....”For once, Darce was speechless.
