Chapter 15—Secrets Within Asher’s Mind

Sarai looked about the room, noticing another door that had been chained up and appeared to be pretty solid. This door was nothing like the previous one she stepped through. But how do I leave? I am beyond tired of being in here…Is Asher forcing me to stay? Maybe I have to break through all the barriers before I can leave…I examined the door but was completely frustrated by the whole exercise Asher was making me go through.

My iron-clad will must have been fueled by this aggravation as it seemed this door was easier to get past than the former. The chains broke, making a piercing noise as they hit the ground and the door flew open. As I walked inside, the door forcefully shut closed behind me.

I was now presented with a jealous Asher watching Rory excel at everything that was thrown at him. He even felt envious as he became King Aldwyn’s favorite soldier. This grudge grew rapidly as Rory became Silas’ chosen ‘follower.’ All of Rory’s successes soon corrupted Asher as Silas’s reign depraved everyone in Shanaledge.

Soon Asher, Rory, and David were sent on a mission to Terrah to find the ‘mysterious girl’ with all the answers to Silas’ desires. Asher became suspicious of Rory who disappeared for days at a time. I watched as Asher follows Rory to confirm his suspicions.

A devious smile spread across his face as he found a way to thwart Rory’s achievements and reputation. I was now standing before Asher and Silas. “Sir, I have evidence that Rory is hiding Sarai from you and has been intentionally giving her information about you and our realm.”

Silas became furious. “Bring them to me.”

Asher bowed before leaving the king’s quarters. He collected David and a few other followers to find and capture Rory and me.

I watched helplessly as Rory was tortured for days for trying to foil Silas’ plans. All I could do was scream with tears falling down my face. Asher felt a twinge of guilt by this, but it was quickly replaced by pride as Silas praised his efforts. A new hatred for Asher consumed me as I witnessed Asher personally harm my soulmate. I also saw how they treated my former self. They locked me in a room, far away from Rory, unable to come to his aid. This version of me lacked the abilities needed to communicate with him. He could reach out to me, but I could not reach out to him. In these moments, I had no idea anything that was happening to Rory. But the harshest punishment that Silas could inflict on me was keeping me away from my love and keeping me blind to what he had in store for Rory. Challenging as it was, Rory never stopped trying to reach out to me.

One day, Silas brought my previous self from the room I was being confined and down to the courtyard. My heart leaped from my chest when I saw Rory chained, unable to move. He slowly raised his head to see that not one hair on my body had been harmed. But he was bleeding severely from cuts that ran all over his body. The gashes were so deep that it was surprising to think he hadn’t died or passed out from major blood loss. His face was swollen from being beaten and was badly bruised.

“Rory, you are brought here today in front of all my soldiers for them to witness what happens if you cross me!” Silas began in a loud tone. “You have proven yourself to be a very useful and intelligent subordinate, but your cunning actions have revealed your true motives and all because of this girl!” He walked closer to Rory as he left me behind, making his guards hold me. He knelt closer to Rory and said lowly, “I had planned such greatness for you, Rory. You could’ve been living an unimaginably great life if you hadn’t deceived me.”

“Nothing you could have given me would’ve been great,” Rory began breathlessly. “I resent the day my king died by your hand and hate the atrocities I’ve committed honoring his last wish.”

Anger overcame Silas as he walked away from Rory to my side. He spoke loudly again for everyone to hear. “Rory is hereby banished from Shanaledge. Any soldier who sees him in this realm or one that I collect must kill him on site.” He looked at me then Asher. “Kill him.”

My former self began fighting the soldiers who restrained her. “No! Rory!”

Asher thought for a moment, with a saddened glint reflecting in his eyes.

“Kill him!” Silas ordered again.

Asher obeyed as I screamed and cried.

I fell to the ground as Silas began, “Now my plans shall come to fruition.” And he laughed at my despair.

As I fought to keep myself composed, compared to the one on the ground in shambles, Asher watched my previous self and felt ashamed.

Not long after this occurrence, I was escorted and locked in my room. I was tested by Silas now and then, but he always left with anger and disappointment by my lack of skill. Two days later, the castle was in a frenzy as Asher walked the halls. There was such a commotion that Silas was even alerted by the raucous.

“What the hell is going on? Shouldn’t you all be doing something other than disturbing me?” he voiced angrily at his followers.

The room became still as no one dared to make a noise, frightened by the news that gossiped the halls yet paralyzed with horror by Silas’s reaction.

“Asher, I demand you to tell me what has happened.”

Asher didn’t respond as he looked at everyone else questioningly. “Well, I would, but I haven’t the slightest clue.”

Silas lashed out as he started down the hall towards the room I, my former self, was locked in. The door was open, but it appeared as if no one were inside.

“Why isn’t this door locked? Who let her escape?” he protested as he entered the room. Suddenly, there was a loud crash followed by the sound of objects being thrown and broken as Silas let out a scream of despair.

Asher quickly ran into the room to find Silas throwing a tantrum as my body was left lifeless on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood. I had taken my own life.

But there was more to these memories as centuries after centuries and era after era. I was taken on a journey where the result always had a horrible end. Each time, Asher found me, twice killing Rory and abducting me. There was more guilt and shame that grew within him. But how could he stop himself from being this monster now? If he stood against Silas, he would be alone and dead.

Each night, Asher was now haunted by his betrayals for a goal that he knew nothing about. The only underlying truth anyone truly knew was that I was key to gaining Silas’s power back. Yet, the details were the one thing that Silas never confided in anyone.

I couldn’t bear to watch another moment of these visions. Just seeing all of these episodes was torturous to me. Continuously witnessing the deaths of everyone I loved was too much.

Frantically, I searched for a way out, a way to stop all of these memories and emotions. I closed my eyes, taking slow breaths to keep from having a panic attack. When I opened my eyes, I was somewhere completely different.

I was in the parking lot on graduation day at our high school. Asher’s emotions took hold of me as he watched Ruth excitedly run up to him. I already knew the ending to this story and was reluctant to watch it. But everything that happened was heart-wrenching.

Asher watched over her, sneaking away from Shanaledge unbeknownst to Silas, just to see her. There was an overwhelming desire from him to run up to her; to hold her again, but he knew what the consequences would be.

He couldn’t allow Silas to know he found his soulmate because then there was a sign of weakness. Silas never approved for his soldiers to have soulmates and never trusted those who did. Asher needed to have Silas’s trust; if he didn’t, then all of his efforts and betrayals would be in vain. But now, all of us are in danger because Silas will surely figure out what is going on, whether it be from me (accidentally of course) or other means, such as his soldiers. If Asher has arisen any type of suspicion within Silas, there will be followers spying on us.

***

My eyes flew open as I looked around and saw everyone staring at me. It felt as though I had been trapped inside of Asher’s mind for days, but everyone was in their original positions. It couldn’t have been more than a few hours.

“How long have I been in there?” I asked, staring at everyone’s shocked expression.

“A few minutes,” Rory responded.

“It felt like days,” I replied, standing up.

“That’s because of all the information you needed to process,” Asher responded monotonously.

I looked down at Asher, a new feeling overcame me. It was a feeling of pity yet understanding. Even though there was no doubt in my mind that there was at least somewhat of a human being underneath that skin.

“Now you know everything, Sarai,” Asher said, still staring at the blazing fire.

I looked over to Rory, who stared blankly back at me. “Can we leave?” I asked, emotionless, still trying to process everything that I witnessed.

Rory nodded, then we walked together. Before we got far, I heard Ruth’s voice. “Goodnight, Sarai!” she called out to me. I didn’t reply. Her voice barely registered as I walked in a dazed state with Rory toward our tent.

There was still a little daylight as the sun was passed setting. The night was about to begin. Everything had that weird tint to it where objects were slightly visible yet fuzzy as they started to blend with the darkness. It was very quiet as Rory and I journeyed together. We didn’t speak a word to one another. The only sound that filled the silence were the leaves and sticks cracking under our feet with an occasional chirp from some bugs out in the distance.

“So, what did you find out about our ‘pal’?” Rory asked nonchalantly.

Letting out a deep sigh, I said, “You two have a very complex relationship.”

Rory stared at me, eyes furrowed in confusion.

“His feelings for Ruth are clearer than what he feels for you.”

“Could you be more specific?” Rory asked, irritated.

“He always saw you as his friend, but when you were better at your duties and as you climbed the ranks with the king’s guard and becoming the king’s favorite soldier, he became jealous. That jealousy quickly turned you into his enemy and when he saw the opportunity to strike you down, he did.”

Rory became angry by my explanation. “I’ll show him what it feels like to lose everything,” he stated coldly as he turned to walk back towards Asher.

I grabbed him by his arm. “Rory, don’t. There is enough guilt in him to torment him for several lifetimes.”

He looked at me, unconvinced.

“Asher is going through a lot right now. He is keeping Ruth a secret from Silas, he hurts worse than you can imagine for everything he has done in the past; more importantly to you…” Rory wasn’t swayed by my confession. “Let’s just go back to our tent before you do anything too rash…Ok?”

He nodded his head as we walked silently back to our camp.

***

On our way back to our tent, Rory became playful. Teasing me, jumping out at me, and eventually chasing me. I laughed, as I haven’t seen this side of him before.

Eden was passed out next to the fire again when Rory and I arrived. We both laughed as we tried to quietly sneak past him without disturbing him.

“He must’ve been having one hell of a dream to be kicking and whining like a dog,” I said to Rory when we were safely in our tent.

Rory was smiling at me with a gleam in his eyes. Something about the way he looked changed; it made my heart race as I felt my face become hot.

“What is it?” I asked nervously at his seductive expression.

He walked up to me, caressed my cheek, and stared longingly into my eyes. “You are so beautiful,” he replied.

My lips started to tremble as I smiled.

Rory wrapped his arms around my waist and began kissing me passionately. From every touch, there was an electric sensation that would spread throughout my whole body. My heart started racing faster as Rory’s hands moved down my back, to cup my ass. My hands made their way up under his shirt, feeling his abs.

His fingers move to play at the bottom of my shirt; they gently caress my skin, slightly tickling me, as he slowly removes my shirt. Rory’s tender touch had caused goosebumps to form on my skin as my core trembled. Before I had realized it, my shirt and bra were gone, as I helped him remove his shirt.

Rory gently laid me down on the sleeping bags. He rests on his side, with me on my back, at first taking in the sight of me before tenderly kissing me. My tongue tasting his deliciously sweet mouth as my heart started to race fast, his hand wandered from my breasts to the rim of my pants, undoing the button and zipper. His hand slowly found its way under my panties, causing my heat to melt. A moan escaped my lips as he continued caressing my core.

His excitement grew, as it pressed hard against my thigh. My hands moved to unbutton his pants. Rory breaks our kiss; both of us out of breath, with lust filling his eyes. He was trying to show restraint. A look of desire, but not wanting to sully the moment displayed on his face.

Before he could speak, before he could ask any questions, my raspy voice said, “Make love to me.”

Unbuttoning his pants, he studied me, causing me to blush. I looked up at him, feeling slightly embarrassed and self-conscious. No one has ever seen me naked before. Rory just smiled before kissing my neck, causing a soft moan to escape my lips, and him to harden more.

Rory hovered over me, kissing me passionately with my fingers playing in his hair. He slowly thrust himself into my heat. After a little discomfort, an overwhelming sensation came over me, rendering me immobile. Another thrusts and goosebumps appeared on my skin again. Electricity surged through my body, as I pulled him closer.

Rory looked euphoric as I grabbed on to him tightly. A grunt coming from him almost every time I became vocal. His eyes would roll back as if trying to focus every time a new wave would strike my core. Every drive would cause my nails to dig into his back and I would softly moan his name.

Over an hour later, both of us were out of breath and tired. We lay wrapped up in each other’s arms. After regaining my senses, I smiled up at him.

Smiling back, he placed his hand on the side of my face and caressed my cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I replied, giving him another long kiss before turning over on my side to get comfy. My butt brushed up against him, and I could feel him harden again. “Really?” I asked amused as I sit up to look at him.

“Yeah…I’m sorry, don’t pay any mind to that,” he said with an unforgiving smirk. “I can’t help the way you make me feel.”

I turned my body towards him, kissing him again. I reached down to grasp his excitement.

Rory stopped kissing me, his eyes still closed; he rested his forehead against mine. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to speak. “Baby…” he moaned. “You don’t have to…” He paused, breathless. “…You need to get rest…”

Bringing his face to mine, I kissed him again, then moved on top of him.

“We don’t have to—” he began again.

“I want to,” I stated, straddling him. His hands gripped my love handles, moving up my curves to cup my breasts as he entered my core.

“Sarai…” he moaned.