Page 72 of One Last Promise
Chapter Twenty Three
“Is the Noxlin in lovewith you?”Noor asked when we were alone later that night.Knowing that I was going to be portalled to Eallarim tomorrow, she had decided to quiz me for theentireevening.
“Love is a strong word, Noor.”I threw some of our supper towards Loki and Enyo, who devoured it in seconds.“He’s fond of me.”
“The fear on his face watching you with all those noc beasts suggested otherwise.He appeared terrified to lose you.”
“I’m more like a plaything to him, really.”My cheeks flushed, and Noor’s eyes widened.“I meanbanter!Nothing sexual!We enjoy teasing each other.”I tried to rebuff as best I could, but heat began rising to my face.I was making it too obvious.
“Alora!What have you gotten yourself into?Youdofeel something for him, don’t you?”
“It’s best you don’t know, Noor.Uri will be watching my every move.Besides, right now, I have no idea how I feel about Darce.”
“Your sexual awakening!Was ithim?Did he ignite it?Alora, he’s attractive—I kind of get it—but he’s Noxlin!Wait!Have you kissed him?”
“Can we please drop it?I need to get some rest and prepare for tomorrow.You’ve interrogated me enough for one evening.”
“Okay, but if you come back from Eallarim alive, I want the full story!”Jumping off the bed, she patted Loki and Enyo before giving them the last of the supper on her plate.
“Thanks for your faith in me,” I snorted, watching her gather her things.
“You know I believe in you, but I’m still going to pray to Holy Ether that this Darce specimen doesn’t lock you up in some dungeon and hand you over to the Noxlin king and queen.”
“My father would declare war if he did that.”
“Your father would declare war either way, if he could.”That was true.“Sleep well, Alora.I’ll see you in the grand room in the morning.”I would get little sleep tonight.My head was racing with so many questions.Would I really be able to portal myself to Darce by bouncing off Uri’s power?Would I be captured the moment I stepped foot in Eallarim?Most importantly, what was I going to say to Darce when I saw him?How would he react to seeing me?Trust Holy Ether.I chanted that over and over in my mind until sleep finally found me.
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STANDING IN THE GRANDroom, I swallowed hard.All the nobility had come to watch me enter Eallarim, including the priests and priestesses.Uri had already run through everything I needed to do.He couldn’t see any of the interactions with Darce, but knew that I would return in the shadows a few hours later.
“Remember your role, Alora.”My father kissed both my cheeks.“Uri can see that it will take centuries to gain the Noxlin’s trust, but if you play your part well, we will invade Eallarim at the end of the next millennium.”That was less than seven hundred years from now.“May Holy Ether and Lustre guide you.”
Uri took a step towards me.“Channel that power, Alora.Take the rage of this Noxlinkillingyour mother and hold it.Find him in your mind, then claim my light power.It will lead you straight to him.Act shocked when you arrive.He will believe it’s your delinquent powers acting up.”Closing my eyes, I let the rage inside me build as I pictured Darce killing my mother.As I began to channel my power, however, softer images entered my head.The feel of his lips against mine.The yearning in my body when he touched me for the first time.How I would writhe when Darce brought me to climax.“That’s it Alora!Take my power!You’ve found him!”Drawing Uri’s power into my own, I became surrounded with light and was pulled into a vortex.
Squinting as the light dispersed, I gazed into the room, only to be knocked over by Boulder, who began licking me as I lay on the ground.
“Boulder, get off me,” I chuckled, trying to push her off.She was too strong.
“Boulder, what the fuck are you...”Darce stopped in his tracks.“Alora?”His hell dryad finally moved off me.Standing up, I brushed off my royal white dress, trying to act shocked.
“W...Where am I?”
“How the fuck did you get in here?”Gazing around, I saw that I was in a luxurious bedroom.Dark fabric hung off the walls, and a large, black, four poster bed took centre stage, with a large balcony that had the most stunning view of our two moons.The room was basked in candlelight.“Answer my fucking question, Alora!”Darce was in front of me, gripping me by the top of my arms.
