Page 72 of Rising Out of the Darkness
The cutest pink tint flushed her cheeks. “We’ve been dancing around each other for years. Every time I thought he was going to take a chance, he would talk about his duty to the kingdom. He has always been extremely focused on making sure nothing gets in the way of their mission…they all have.”
I sat for a moment as I considered her words. Assuming “they” was the group of captains and a brooding lord, I was curious what mission they were all so intent on fulfilling at all costs. It had to be something important enough to overlook finding happiness with someone they loved.
Instead of falling into the spiral of what ifs, I chose to cling onto hope. Hope that Killian and Clara would have their chanceone day. I couldn’t think of two people more perfect for each other. Just the idea of it made my heart sing.
“All done, Lady Elena.”
She turned me around so that I could look at myself in the mirror. Gold flecks sparkled over my eyelids, and the way she used the charcoal to line my eyes made them appear more open and wider than ever before. Just like Eloise, she had managed to me feel beautiful, something I didn’t feel often.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime, Lena.” She tilted her glass of wine to her lips, finishing it in one gulp. Clara noticed my raised eyebrows and let out a snort.
“Being trapped inside this castle for so long, you learn how to grow a tolerance for a hefty amount of wine.”
I followed suit and drained my glass in one gulp. “I might as well join you then.”
“You’re a quick learner, Lena.” We assessed our appearance once more in the mirror, and she squeezed my hand. “Let’s get going before Liam drinks all the whiskey.”
Clara practically dragged me down the stairs. I thought my arm might detach from my body. By the time we set foot in the open-air Killian, Liam and Nayla were all waiting outside.
Clara ran ahead and jumped into Nayla’s arms, knocking her over, and they tumbled onto the ground. The men chased after them, trying to bring both back to their feet. Nayla and Clara just pulled them straight down to the ground alongside them.
An ache blossomed in my heart as I watched the four of them laughing on the ground. The only friend I’d ever had was Will,and now I was questioning if that friendship had been as real as I’d thought it had been.
I’d known this group of people for an incredibly short time, yet somehow, they’d filled a void in my soul that I hadn’t known I needed filling. They replaced the emptiness that I’d had since the day we rode out of my town.
They’d been a flicker of light in the dark. Despite the fact they lived in proximity to such evil—the king and Alastor—here they were thriving, living proof that light could still grow in the darkness. I might not always understand the decisions of the gods or fate, but a glimmer of hope settled in my heart that these people had been brought into my life for a reason.
As I started towards them, a thick arm wrapped around my middle, pulling me back.
“You look absolutely enchanting tonight, Lena.”
“Dec—?” I breathed. He spun me around before I could finish speaking.
With one hand still wrapped around my middle, he smoothed away a rogue hair that had fallen into my face. Just the slightest caress of his calloused fingers, and I melted like a puddle.
“Are you ready to see the city?”
“Yes.”
One word. That was all I was able to squeak out. Declan spun me around and gave me a gentle shove to the small of my back towards the direction of our friends. Adrenaline rushed through me, and I couldn’t help but feel giddy. The night air felt electric, and my soul felt alive with pulsing energy.
“Let’s go have some fun—that is if you wild animals can find your feet again,” Declan quipped.
In unison, they all shouted back.
“To the tavern!”
Chapter 28
Declan
Though my smile was fixed, underneath I was boiling over with nerves. I hadn’t been lying when I’d told Elena that this city was beautiful. It held so many memories for me of a time before evil crept its way into it.
There was still beauty within it, but its light had been forever dimmed by my father’s actions. Just like Pinepeak, there were some who knew the truth of my purpose here in the city, but the rest? They only knew me as the malicious Lord of Shadows.
As we crossed the bridge connecting the castle to the rest of the city, Elena’s eyes sparkled with wonder. The closer to the castle, the more affluence was evident. Flowers blossomed on top of pristinely painted windowsills, larger homes with extravagant gardens and balconies. Those outside nodded their heads toward us as we walked, but as soon as we came closer to the main courtyard of the city, the looks began to shift.
