A Queen Among Blood: Chapter Sixty-Six
A Queen Among Blood: Chapter Sixty-Six
OSHMIN POV
The last few days have been filled with more drama. I used to think my life was very dramatic, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I spent eons reliving one dramatic – or traumatic – experience and believed it followed me everywhere, but after what I’ve experienced in the last few weeks while being with Yildiz, I realise my life was incredibly mundane. We Gods do the bare minimum and then call it a day, Yildiz and her sisters are trying to solve a hundred problems at once and trying to save thousands, if not millions, of lives a day. The miraculous thing is they never complain, and I mean really complain. One bad thing happened to me, and I never shut up about it. Irshiusts see the worst in people and the world around them, take care of the sick, wounded and mistreated and are witness to horrors no being should ever witness, and they do it all with compassion and tolerance – to a degree. They save lives every single day and hardly get so much as a thank you, but they continue their duties because it’s the right thing to do. It has put a great deal into perspective for me and has been extremely humbling.
With everything that has happened over the last few weeks, and even just over the last few days I’ve decided to take Yildiz away for a romantic surprise. The only thing left for me to do right now is go and retrieve my woman. I’ve dressed pretty casual; a simple beige linen low-cut shirt and matching linen drawstring pants and light-brown gladiator sandals. I don’t plan on keeping this on long anyway, so effort wasn’t required. Then again I could show up in a hessian sack and Yildiz wouldn’t care, which really takes the pressure off. So without wasting another minute I transport myself to the Kartheca. I can sense how close Yildiz is, so I lean against her bedroom door and patiently wait.
Not a moment later I see her walking down the hall and my heart begins to beat erratically. I wonder if I’ll ever stop having this reaction when I see her. I certainly hope not. She’s walking arm in arm with her sister Elif, the both of them are glittering and catching the light, but to my eyes, no one glitters like my firefly. She looks phenomenal in a tangerine long-sleeved off-the-shoulder crop top and high-waisted tangerine harem pants with espadrille wedge sandals. The colour compliments her gorgeous mocha skin that even from here looks soft as silk. Every curve is perfectly accentuated but I have to admit, those pants make her ass look like the whole damn meal, and a meal I want to feast on.
“Oshmin!” she cheers happily, running at me and leaping into my arms. I catch her with ease and hold her close to my chest, spinning her around as I relish the heat her touch brings and breathe in her intoxicating scent. Being with her makes my entire being soar, and that’s why tonight I want her to be mine in every way possible.
“I’ve missed you, Firefly,” I whisper against her ear and trail soft kisses along her jawline until I find her lips and capture them in a searing kiss. Her fingers thread themselves into my hair as she returns my kiss with an intensity that has me eager to get her alone. I pull away when I hear the sound of a throat being cleared and look over to see Elif stifling her smile. I give her a polite nod as I set Yildiz back on her feet, “Elif.”
“Oshmin,” she says with a polite nod.
“How did everything go with the Orraikam?” I ask them.
“Great. It’s perfectly safe at its new home,” says Yildiz confidently. I was uneasy with the Delegation’s decision to move the Orraikam from its resting place, but if Yildiz is confident this was the right call, then I trust her judgement.
“I’m very glad to hear that,” I smile and kiss her temple, “Now, do forgive me Elif, but I will be taking my animai with me now, and I’m afraid she will be out of communication range for the time being.” Yildiz looks up at me with an adorable, confused look on her face.
“Do you mean no cell reception or…”
“No telepathic reception,” I say and watch as she looks even more confused.
“Well, wherever you’re going just bring her back in one piece,” Elif warns.
“On that, I give you my word,” I promise as I wrap my arms tightly around Yildiz, “Time to go on an adventure. Close your eyes tight,” I instruct her.
“I’m blind, I don’t need to close my eyes,” she points out.
“Just trust me,” I say, unable to hold back my excitement.
She shrugs, “Very well.” She closes her eyes and wraps her arms around my neck, and slowly I let my energy reach out into the cosmos. Beyond this earthly plane; beyond this solar system, I reach my energy out further than I have in a long time, but it’s like stretching out a muscle. I keep reaching out further and further, reaching out for home and when I feel it, I grasp onto it and transport us.
As the scenery around us changes, I feel Yildiz become wobbly and tighten my hold on her, “Are you okay?” I ask in concern.
“I feel a bit dizzy,” she admits.
“It’ll pass, I promise,” I assure her as I caress her cheek. As I hold her close, I take in a deep breath as I look around and take in the sight around me. I’m finally home. I haven’t been back here since Jartre cursed me. It’s only standing here right now that I realise how much I’ve missed it.
“Can I open my eyes?” Yildiz asks.
I slowly move around behind her and slide my arms around her waist, “Open them,” I whisper against her ear. I watch as she slowly opens her eyes, and soon they begin widening further and further. The look of absolute wonder that takes over her face is one I never want to forget. Her eyes carefully scan over everything in front of her like a newborn child seeing the world for the first time. “Welcome to the realm of the Gods.”
Her head snaps to me with a look of absolute shock, “The realm of…” Her words trail off as she goes back to looking at everything.
“You can see it, can’t you?” She slowly nods as she takes a step away from me.
This is the realm where we Gods came into being. It’s a world no human could begin to imagine, but it’s one I want to share with Yildiz. Above us is a sky of dancing celestial colours. Every colour of the rainbow, and colours that don’t even exist on earth, shine brightly in the sky, each one standing out proudly, yet blending amongst the others harmoniously, accompanied by balls of twinkling light that sparkle in the sky reminding me of my sweet Firefly.
All around us are luscious palm trees mingling amongst birds of paradise and bleeding heart flowers, but nothing like on earth. The palm trees here are in stunning shades of turquoise, the birds of paradise are a lilac purple with an ethereal glow, and the bleeding heart flowers are an iridescent neon pink that light up. Emerald green rocks surround a crystalline waterfall with its iridescent colours that flow into small rocky pools shifting in colour as the water trickles from one pool to the next. The waterfall flows into a sparkling aquamarine oasis before us that brings with it the sweet scent of honeysuckle and coconuts.
Yildiz slowly crouches down by the edge of the water and cups the water from the oasis in her hands. She watches as the water shimmers and twinkles in her palms and lets it drip down her hands. She looks back at me and there are tears in her eyes, and for a moment I begin to panic that I’ve done something wrong.
“Thank you,” she says softly, her voice thick with emotions. I relax and walk over and kneel beside her.
“You often like to tell me that you’re mine. That you were made for me, and while that’s true, I am just as much yours,” I say softly, holding my hand to her cheek, “All that I am, is yours. I haven’t been here in thousands of years, but I knew I only wanted to return with you by my side. I want to share my all with you. When I promised no more secrets or lies, I meant it, and I want to prove that to you.”
As tears continue to slip down her cheeks, she takes my face in her hands and kisses me with a fierceness that almost knocks me senseless. I wrap her in my arms and return her kiss and surrender to the bliss of her lips on mine.
“I don’t have any words,” she whispers against my lips, each word bringing with it a sweet caress from her lips that tantalises me. “How can I see this?”
“This realm is pure magic. Everything in it is magic. I hoped that meant you would be able to see it, and I guess I was right,” I say smugly.
“I never imagined I could ever see something so breathtaking. I knew this realm existed, but I could never have pictured something like this. There’s so much colour and vibrancy. It’s like there’s life pulsating in every speck around me. I can feel its energy like it’s reaching out to me. It feels alive,” she says in wonder.
“It is alive,” I smile at her.