Chapter 22

Alaric

I moan and roll over in bed. The moan is a mixture of pain and longing. Seeing Seraphina — even fully clothed, covered, and eyes to the floor — has excited me beyond belief. It’s so intense it’s nearly painful.

I wonder if there is some way to get Seraphina back here, into my bed. It wouldn’t be a good idea…but maybe that doesn’t matter anymore. Desperate times and all.

The daylight is quickly fading from the room. I let out a heavy sigh thinking of the night to come.

How can I fight laid up like this, I think.

Someone knocks on the door. “It’s Luna Silverthorn,” says the voice on the outside.

“Come in,” I say. I lift myself up and wince with the effort.

Lady Silverthorn enters with her typical poise. She has almost certainly been awake all night but her white healer’s robes are immaculate. Warm blue eyes look out of a round face with soft features. She looks at me intently.

“Your Highness,” she says and gives a little bow. I can see down the gap in her bodice as she bends. She is only twenty-five and well-formed under all that fabric. “I’ve come to observe your progress.”

I fear the excitement from Seraphina has colored my experience of everyone else.

Lady Silverthorn comes to me with a gentle rustle. “Will you show me your leg?” she asks.

I remove the white coverlet to expose my leg. I catch her looking at my chest and she blushes. She turns away quickly to look at my wound. Ever professional.

“Your wound is healing well,” she says with a forced detachment. I can feel that she wants me. And how easy it might be to have her…

“How do you feel?” she asks.

“Like shit, but I need to fight tonight,” I reply.

She purses her lips and knits her brow.

“Your Highness, I have mixed feelings,” she says. “You are not yet healed. But you are clearly needed on the battlefield tonight.”

She looks away. For a split second I can see the exhaustion on her face. Likely the carnage she saw last night is the most she’s ever seen. Having been so close to the action, she surely knows what Elias told me earlier — that despite the reinforcements, I am the only hope for defending the kingdom from the Dark Ones.

“I know you have…abilities,” she continues. “Perhaps there is a way to wield them without putting so much strain on your body.”

“Whatever must be done,” I say. I can’t let those monsters get any closer to the palace, to Seraphina.

Gods it’s so hard to keep her off my mind.

“I’ll talk to Sir Humpston,” says Lady Silverthorn. “Perhaps he can confer with Captain Stormrider to devise a strategy.”

“Please do,” I say, and look her straight in the eye. I can see her melting beneath my gaze, but she quickly masks it. If only my efforts worked as well on Seraphina. Even though I can sense Lady Silverthorn’s desire for me, I can no longer imagine making love to anybody but Seraphina.

Which is unfortunate, since to do so would jeopardize her life. Even her safety in the palace is not guaranteed.

It would be acceptable to keep Seraphina as a plaything. But anything more would be grounds for persecution. A relationship such as ours has been forbidden for centuries — to keep the bloodlines clean.

And I can’t guarantee that I could just fuck her meaninglessly. Our one night together didn’t feel meaningless. To be honest, I’d never felt so alive. I can hardly admit it. I’ve never felt like this before.

Of course, to fall in love is also folly. I can’t risk turning into the same cold-hearted monster that my father did on losing his love. I couldn’t live with myself.

So best not to risk it.

Lady Silverthorn gives a small nod in response and shuts the door behind her as she leaves.

—

They’ve trussed me up on a saddle. My heavy armor clinks with each footstep of my horse.

“Alright princinton?” says Elias with a shit-eating grin. I can’t see his forrest green eyes but surely they are crinkled around the edges in glee.

“Yes,” I muffle through a helmet.

I am flanked by Elias and Captain Stormrider. Fifteen members of the royal guard surround us.

The night has not yet fully descended. Birds murmur in the trees, bidding farewell to the last rays of daylight. An unmistakable chill has descended over the wood.

Elias has told me that Seraphina is stationed on the parapet overlooking the entrance to the wood. Perhaps she can see me. I certainly couldn’t see her — I can barely turn my head.

Exactly what she will be doing I don’t know. What does she mean that she “feels things”? What does it mean that she can “make people feel”?

Well, I know one way in which she makes me feel. I picture the hillock of her ass reflecting the firelight, her ruby-red lips parting in need, her amethyst eyes shining, piercing me…

“Okay Alaric, we’ll move forward. When we see a Dark One, do your thing,” says Elias to me, using this tone out of earshot of the soldiers. Such casual language would not be tolerated.

The Royal Guard carries torches. “Ready…light!” yells Captain Stormrider. Flames light all around me. I am ringed by fire.

We advance deeper into the wood. We see nothing, hear nothing. Yet the familiar cold feeling, as though my bones were covered in frost, intensifies.

I hear a flapping of wings above my head. A raven perches on the shoulder of Elias Humpston. He unrolls the scroll attached to the bird’s foot.

“It’s Seraphina,” he says. I stiffen at the sound of her name. “She says we should extinguish our fire,” continues Elias.

“Extinguish your flames!” I yell to the soldiers. They obey me without question, though they surely know what danger we are inviting.

I begin to feel warm, as though there were a bonfire burning in my chest. An unfamiliar feeling. I realize it’s hope. It’s as though my whole body were pointed in hope.

It feels outside of me, but perfectly natural. I can see myself wielding my powers expertly. I see our squadron fighting, winning.

A sound comes from the darkness. Movement. My eyes have adjusted to the dark. Without fear I look into the wood and see the unmistakable glitter of scales.

I reach out my hand. I know a Dark Ones is close.

I concentrate on the water in the body of the Dark One. I imagine bringing its water to me.

An ear-piercing shriek echoes through the wood.