Page 65 of Rising Out of the Darkness
After making a sizable dent in my breakfast, I tugged on my training leathers and boots and made my way out of the castle. Tossing my hair into a quick braid as I sauntered through the halls, I couldn’t help but feel gazes on me. A few guards watched me with stern expressions, clutching the hilt of their swords. Servants paused their work to bow, bursting into whispers after I passed. By the time I approached the back doors of the castle, I let out a small sigh of relief. Tying a leather band around the end of my braid, I shoved the doors open, stepping into the morning light.
The sun was finally rising, setting the sky ablaze with color. Shades of yellows, vibrant oranges and crimsons were painted across the sky. It appeared the gods had decided to spend their morning using it as their canvas. A cool breeze whipped across my face, tickling my nose with the salty smell of the sea. Waves hummed back and forth beneath the cliff. Everything about this moment felt peaceful, a welcomed change from the stressful events I’d endured recently.
Surprisingly, there was no sign of Declan yet. I made my way over to the cliff and lowered myself down to dangle my feet offthe edge. Time seemed to fade away as I lost myself in the serene view around me.
A few moments later, a deep voice cleared its throat behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and took in the exquisite man who towered above me.
“Why am I not surprised to find you here, dangling inches away from your death?” Declan huffed, notably quite a few paces behind me.
“Well, if you’re so worried about me falling to my doom, perhaps you should come sit beside me?” I patted the smooth edge of the ground beside me.
The lines creased between his eyebrows as he shook his head. “I’m perfectly fine enjoying the view from here,” he said sternly.
Could I have just discovered something that the Lord of Shadows is afraid of?
“You’re afraid of heights, aren’t you?” I turned my head back towards the horizon to hide my smirk.
All I heard was a grumble from behind me, leaving me to chuckle inwardly at his refusal to answer.
“Come on, we have much to do today.”
I scoffed and gave one more longing look at the picturesque view in front of me before shuffling to my feet. As I stood, some of the rock gave way. Panicking, I released a shriek as my arms waved through the air. In seconds, something caught me and whipped me back towards the grass, tossing me several feet away from the edge of the cliff.
It happened so fast that I hadn’t even realized that Declan’s shadows had pulled me away from the edge. As the shadows slithered their way back towards their prince, I stood up with a laugh, dusting myself off. “Well, thank you for?—”
“Dammit, Elena!” He stalked towards me.
“I—I’m sorry, I—” My voice cracked as Declan grabbed me by the shoulders.
His harsh tone radiated through me. “Why do you keep putting yourself into these positions? Stop being so naive and start using your brain. What if I hadn’t been here to save you?”
The words hit me like a slap in the face. Back once more was the frustrating, hot-headed Shadow Lord.
“Get off of me!” I shoved my way out of his grip.
The beats of my heart became erratic, as though it was about to leap straight out of my chest. We both stood glaring at each other, no sounds but the crashing waves from below.Damn him for calling me naive.
If my memory served me well, I seemed to remember that not too long ago that samenaivewoman had saved his life. He had struck a nerve far deeper than he would ever know. No matter how much I fought to be strong and independent, somehow, I always ended up needing saving—an ever-present reminder that I was a failure. Anger surged within me, calling forth my prickling dynamis.
“You’re mad at me? Good. Maybe now you’ll take your training seriously.” He stormed off towards what looked like stairs that led down to the beach.
Fuming, I paced back and forth until I felt the prickle of my dynamis crawl back to its depths. Begrudgingly, I forced my legs to follow him. He might be the worst person alive right now, but I needed to learn how to tame the unstable swell of this power within me. Swallowing my pride, I made my way down the stairs and traversed the sand to the now seated prince.
“Sit,” he said a little more calmly, but there was no denying it was still an order.
Tiptoeing around him, I sat cross-legged in the warm sand across from him. My eyes roamed over him. Eyes closed, legs crossed in front of him, palms resting on each thigh. Meditating.
Wonderful. How was I supposed to fall into a state of calm in the presence of this man? Letting out a grumble, I rolled myneck, releasing the pressure forming beneath. I closed my eyes, gathering all my teachings from Bri, and began to chant my mantra inside my head.
I am the light. No darkness can bind me. I have it within me to hold and to guide me.
Repeating it over and over, I tried to force my body to fall into a peaceful state. However, my mind began to wander, a usual occurrence whenever I tried to meditate. Brietta had tried for years to use meditation to help me with my anxiousness and I’d mimed the part of calm well. I never had the courage to tell her the truth—that during all our times of meditation, I never actually reached a state of peace. Instead, I thought of new recipes for healing elixirs, plants that needed tending in the garden, what I was going to make for dinner, or the last chapters I had just read in my book.
Half of the time my anxiousness faded away not from the meditation, but from me being bored to death from sitting with my own thoughts for hours. The memory roused a smile, just as something slapped me across my right cheek. My eyes flashed open as I searched for the culprit behind the attack.
Nothing sat before me but the Shadow Lord. A smug smile had formed on his face. I looked behind me, only to find no one near us at all. Frustrated, I rubbed my cheek, closed my eyes and attempted to meditate once more.
Just as I began my mantra again, something tugged on my braid, forcing my eyes wide open.
