Chapter 50 Deep within my mind
Ira's POV
The knock on my door nearly throws me out of my own skin. I jump out of bed so fast I nearly trip over my bedsheet.
Anything to stop thinking about Commander Ruel and the memory of my hands on his thighs, the heat of his groin on my cheek, or the way my legs shivered even as I walked away.
I yank the door open.
Catherine grins like she woke up on the best side of the bed.
“Ira!” She exclaims, pulling me straight into a bone-crushing hug before I even get to react.
“Cath, I can’t….breathe.” I wheeze, my eyes drifting to Sia who’s standing quietly behind her.
“Sia has a lot of yummy things to tell you.” Cath winks, finally loosening her arms. My gaze stays on Ira, she looks… off. She has dark circles underneath her eyes, but aside that, she looks alright.
I reach for her. “Sia, are you okay?”
“Oh, she is now. She kept telling me everything that happened yesterday and what Elric said and what Ruel did and honestly I think she’s more than okay.”
I arc a brow at Catherine. “I asked her, not you.”
Cath gasps, feigning hurt with her hand placed on her chest, her face twisted in disbelief.
Sia glances at the floor, her face staining pink from embarassment. Catherine, however, bursts out laughing.
For a moment I want to grab her by the hair and teach her why it’s wrong to laugh at another’s discomfort. How is any of this funny?
“What is wrong with you?” I snap, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
Catherine wipes her eyes, “Relax, Sia’s fine. How would she not be fine when she has been gushing all morning about her demigod, Ben?”
Sia gasps, “Catherine! Stop.” She swats her arm.
“Now I want to know what really happened.” I say, turning to Sia.
“We have work to do,” She mutters quickly, her face turning redder. “And I hope today they stop assigning Catherine with us.”
“How do you always end up with us anyway?” I ask as we step out of my room.
Catherine leans close and whispers loud enough for three people to hear. “I volunteer at the clinic. Surprisingly it comes with benefits like choosing who I work with. I picked you two.”
Sia throws her head back. “Why?” She groans.
Catherine frowns like the reason is obvious. “I picked Ira. You just follow her everywhere.”
“What a bitch.” Sia mutters.
I shake my head in amusement, before proceeding to pack water bottles into a bucket for the warriors. Both girls join me, moving quickly as Catherine launches into a story about some chaos that happened in the clinic earlier in the week.
While Catherine talks, I lean toward Sia. “Are you really okay?”
She blushes immediately. “Well….”
“Well?”
I watch how she presses her lips together, fighting a smile. “Guard Xaivier, he called me to his room, claiming he wanted me to rewash his sheets.”
“Ira?” I drop my bucket gently, my eyes wide in fear.
She shakes her head, “He didn’t get the chance to hurt me.”
I’m about to respond when she sighs dreamily. “Ben. Ira, Ben came out of nowhere.”
She steps closer, her voice soft like she is afraid someone else will hear. No one is listening. Not even Catherine who’s now far ahead, still busy talking to herself.
“When that animal grabbed me,” Sia says, “I was so scared. Then suddenly Ben was there. I didn’t even hear him approach.”
I blink. “You literally have stars in your eyes.”
“Shut up.” She hisses the words but she fails to hide her blush. “You don’t get it. He wasn’t normal, Ira, he was furious. I’ve never seen him fight like that.”
“Isn’t he always serious and strong?” I ask.
“No. Yes. I mean… ugh.” She puts a hand dramatically on her chest. “Last night he was like some prophecy warrior. Like the ones in old library stories.”
I laugh at how dreamy she sounds. Although I don't know any old library stories.
“What?” Sia frowns.
“You like him,” Catherine sings from ahead, surprising us.
“No I don’t!” Sia shoots.
I smile, knowing she certainly does.
We move to the fields, Sia and Cath arguing like little pups. It reminds me of Anna and Oren… on days when they are fighting over food. Food that I no longer have to steal to get.
How peaceful my heart would have been if i had then here with me.
“Talk to him,” Cath nudges Sia and when I look up, I discover we are already close to the warriors currently training.
“Absolutely not.” Sia mutters, her gaze fixed on Ben who pulls himself up on two poles, his muscles straining, that bronze skin glowing.
“Goddess, he’s so hot.” Sia mumbles unknowingly.
Cath doesn’t hide her laughter, and I smile, finding Sia's tomato cheeks hilarious.
But then the air shifts… Heat crawls down my spine, and suddenly I feel like eyes are on me.
I turn slightly sideways, finding Commander Ruel’s gaze drilling into me.
His hands are folded, his gaze unwavering like he has been watching for a while. But what stuns me is the look on his face, for a heartbeat there is awe in those eyes.Like the image of me smiling amazes him.
My smile drops.
His expression changes instantly every delight disappearing as his jaw clenches. His eyes shift to Catherine and Sia like they are in the way.
My breath stutters, my cheeks burning as I remember last night. As I remember how hot I'd felt, how powerful I'd felt… that was a weird feeling, right?
I break eye contact walking closer, yet ignoring him as we take position at our usual corner.
“Sergeant Elric and a few warriors noticed rogue trails along our walls last night. We will be running a full check today.” Ruel states and at his voice, everyone stands at attention.
He glances at me again. Brief, but enough to pull me straight into his eyes.
Elric steps in, whispering to Ruel who nods and turns his back. Suddenly I watch as Elric looks ahead with wide eyes and aggressively pushes Ruel with so much force that he stumbles to his knees while Elric jerks as an arrow pierces through his shoulder.
Chaos erupts, orders being thrown. Sia and Cath run, hiding somewhere away from sight.
Elric hisses as he pulls out the weapon, causing blood to pour out from the wound.
Everyone is moving, everyone except me.
My legs refuse to work.
A scream tears through the air. But that sound isn't in the present. It’s coming from deep within my mind, like a lost memory.
Then it's accompanied by the sound of wolves ripping into each other's flesh, the wail of a suffering mother.
“IRA!” Ruel's deep voice breaks through the chaos and I blink, trying to focus on reality when he slams into me, knocking me down and covering my body with his.
The world snaps out of focus, everything turning pitch black.