Chapter 93 Chapter 93

Chapter 93 Chapter 93
Kael.

She slumped against me, letting out a loud yawn as exhaustion blanketed her features, her eyes blinking lazily. Helen returned to clear the dishes, and we left in blessed silence.

I began to stroke her back, holding her close to me as I listened to her soft breathing.

"Aira? I have something to say," I let out suddenly, and she glanced up at me.

"What is it?"

"I'll be leaving this place tomorrow," I announced, and she paused, her eyes narrowing. I held her gaze.

"I want to check up on the kingdom and see what Mortis is up to now," I revealed. She nodded jerkily, resting her head on my chest, and I noticed with painful clarity that her heartbeat had quickened.

"Okay... That's long overdue," she breathed out, her voice having a slight tremor to it. My beast whined at the sound, feeling sad, yet also boiling with fury at the idiot who put us in this situation.

I turned her to face me, holding her face as my gaze locked into hers.

With a deep breath, I began to speak. "Tell me what to do, Aira. I know what I should do, but I'm afraid that I'll get there and cause more havoc than necessary." That wasn't hard to do with the nature of the beast I had within me. Close friend or not, Lord Mortis had betrayed me, and I wanted to show him the full extent of my fury.

She gulped, flattening her hands on my chest, her gaze flickering as the wheels in her head turned. Then, she looked at me, and I saw the determination reflected in them.

"I want you to take back your throne and kingdom. It doesn't belong to Lord Mortis, but you. You're the heir, the sole ruler The throne belongs to your family line. Lord Mortis does not deserve to sit on it as long as you're alive. Not after what he did."

I nodded, branding every one of her words to my heart.

"Oh, and also, the people who sided with him during this period, punish them too. They have no loyalty towards you."

My lips twitched, but didn't quite form a smile.

"Consider it done."
.
.
.
I gently tapped Aira while she slept, watching as she stirred, mumbling incoherent things to herself in displeasure, her eyes still closed. With a sigh, I tapped her again, more firmly this time, calling out her name, and her eyes snapped open.

"Kael?" she called out, her gaze snapping towards me, taking in my appearance. I didn't have much on, but the little I had was enough to send a message to Aira that had her face paling, sleep clearing from her eyes.

"You're all dressed," she muttered, her voice having a slight tremor to it as she sat up. I knelt beside her on the cot.

"Yes, I'm about to go now. I wanted to let you know first," I said, my voice soft. She bit her lips before hastily nodding her head.

"Okay..." She trailed off, her eyes glistening with tears already.

"Are you going alone?" she asked, moving closer, but I stopped her, knowing how uncomfortable that was for her.

"No. Eiran will be coming with me. I just want to scout the area. I might be gone for a while..." I trailed off, clenching my jaw. Reaching to hold her hands, I squeezed them gently, holding her gaze.

"You'll be safe here. The old lady has promised to make sure of it."

She let out a shuddering breath, willing to be brave, just for me.

"Okay. Please, be careful. I have faith in you."

She whispered, and my beast pranced happily in my chest.

"I will." I groaned, leaning in to kiss her. She responded instantly, parting her mouth for easy entry. I groaned, angling her face to kiss her deeper. She melted into me, her hands tugging my tunic as she pulled me closer to herself, the kiss turning frenzied, feverish.

Anymore of this, and I'm going to forget that I'm supposed to be hunting down Mortis. I stopped the kiss way too soon, holding her cheeks as we tried to catch our breaths.

"I'll see you soon." I groaned, my voice husky.

She hummed a response, too inebriated to respond just yet. Pressing another kiss on her forehead, I stood to my feet and walked out of the space, barely acknowledging the young lady who stood to the side.

Eiran was waiting for me outside the cave, bowing immediately the moment he saw me approach. It was still dark outside, the noises of nocturnal animals still loud in the forest. The perfect time for a run.

"Are you ready?" I asked Eiran, who nodded vigorously, his face set into a grim line.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

My beast was already growling, restless as it moved around in me. I was letting my it seep to the surface when I heard her call. I stopped, whipping my head back in time to watch her limp out of the cave, favoring one leg over another as she rested heavily on Helen.

Alarmed, I rushed to her, but she stopped me.

"Wait. No need to come back. I just wanted to tell you something." She rushed out, and I paused midway. I watched as her lips trembled, but she balled her hands into fists, saying what she needed to say.

"I love you; please come back," she said, her voice filled with the fear she tried so hard to hide.

I froze, the words striking a chord in me. Nodding my head once, I took a step back, clenching my jaw in determination.

"You have my word."

Turning around, I broke into a sprint, disappearing into the forest with Eiran beside me.

It took us a full day to get to the kingdom, as I had to occasionally stop for rest because of the person accompanying me. But it wouldn't be until the night of the second day that we would successfully sneak into the palace. There were soldiers everywhere, in and outside the walls, moving around as they guarded the streets, a good number of them dragging along humans they had captured. I grew murderous, and it took several deep breaths for me to calm myself down. Not wanting to attract attention to us, I found one of the secret pathways that led straight to the castle, and Eiran and I used it.

Armed with a makeshift torch, we trailed through the desolate, underground pathway, moving quietly and stealthily until we reached an opening I was sure was in the palace grounds. Eiran snuffed out the light while I pushed open the cover, and Eiran and I entered one of the castle courtyards.

"Find Alfred and ask him how many loyal men he has been able to hide. I'll look for Lord Mortis."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Eiran answered, immediately slipping into the shadows, his movements quick and soundless.