Page 42 of One Last Promise
“Am I not allowed to change my mind?”he whispered against my neck, making every cell in my body tremble.My body was morphing into adulthood.I worked it out years ago, but ignored it as best as I could.My sexual awakening was in full force, and strangely, only stirred when I was around Darce.It made me fear something was wrong with me.Out of all the males I could desire, why would my body choose a Noxlin?My urges towards him could never be carried out.If I allowed him to deflower me, I would be tainted.Holy Ether might never grant me my powers.That fear had helped me to keep my distance.
Knowing Darce’s words were simply to tease me—sexual activity wasn’t something he’d ever desire with me—I spun around and pushed at his chest.“Are we going to start this hand-to-hand combat training or not?I wouldn’t fuck a fickle male like you anyway.Even if I was Noxlin, I’d stay clear.I would probably aim higher than a mere foot soldier.”
He let out a loud laugh—my favourite kind—where I watched the humour light up his gold speckled eyes.“Oh, let me guess, you would aim for a general?”His choice of words made me think of Xavier and I shuddered a little.“Is that your plan?To set your sights on a male in the palace that you work in?”
“I have no plan!Males don’t interest me.”
“Judging by the way you dress, I seriously doubt that.Unless you’re into females?”Gritting my teeth, I gave him an exasperated expression.“What have I said now?”
“Can we get on with the training?That’s what we came here to do!”Darce nodded with a deep sigh.Removing his leather jacket, he revealed a black, sleeveless, open shirt underneath that was fastened with a small grey belt.The muscles on his chest were fully visible, making my body squirm and yearn in a way I only felt with him.His gauntlets strained against his defined arms, and for a split second, I wondered how it would feel to be held in his embrace.Sparring with him looking likethatwas going to be difficult.Damn my sexual awakening!
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“KEEP YOUR ARM STRAIGHT,” Darce ordered.
“My armisstraight!”
“Do you want me to help you or not?”He came up behind me, placing one of his hands on my waist.I wasn’t wearing much due to the heat, and as his hand made contact with my skin, I closed my eyes in an attempt to control the desire surging around my body.“If you want to be a great Dallethas warrior, you need to keep your arm straight.”
“You know if I had another way to learn to fight, I would have taken it.”
“I’m fully aware that you think an Eallarim foot soldier isn’t a good choice of teacher.You’re wrong, though.You forget that I’ve seen plenty more action in battle than that leader of yours.Or your general, for that matter.”
“Do not bring myleaderinto this!Neither of us talk about our kind.That was the deal!”I seethed, trying to pull out of his hold.Darce was too strong, though, and held me in place.“Never forget that I’musingyou to train me.Once I’m satisfied, we’ll never see each other again.This is all formybenefit.”
“And I’m only doing it for thegold,” Darce snarled, gripping my waist tighter.“Now!KEEP.YOUR.DAMN.ARM.STRAIGHT!”
“Prick!”I glared, trying to keep my arm extended.He was right, though: my arm wasn’t straight enough.Not that I would admit that to him.
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“YOU DID WELL TODAY,” Darce finally admitted once we were done.I had stepped into the lake to cool off before returning home.“Once you finally got your arm straight enough.”
“Will there ever be a day that you don’t patronise me?You are such an annoying prick.”
Darce pretended to be thoughtful for a moment, looking up into the sky.“No, I don’t think there will be.We’ve met enough times now for you to realise that, Starshine.”That was his new nickname for me.Another way to tease me because I couldn’t control my light power.“I gave you a compliment.I can’t bethatmuch of a prick.”
“Oh, trust me, I’ve known you long enough to know that you are.”Darce rolled his eyes before starting to get his things together.“When will I finally be able to use a sword?”
“It’s going to be a while, Alora.You might have the strength to wield one, but you need theskills,too.You must be patient.Are you even allowed a light sword?”When I was finally deemed ready, I’d have to steal one.I wouldn’t be able to get one from Xaiver.“I can bring an unpowered dark sword, if needed, when the time comes.”
“You’d do that for me?”The fact that Darce believed in me more than my own kind did still confuse me.
“I promised to train you.I may be a lot of things, but Ineverbreak a promise.”He was suddenly so close that I could feel the heat of his body as he stepped into the lake in front of me.“I will get you there, Alora.Trust me.”Taking my hand, he placed it on his chest.I could feel the gentle beat of his heart.“Ienjoytraining you.I don’t say it enough, but I’ve come to relish our time together.For a Dylin female, you’re not as bad as I first thought.”
“Careful, Darce, you’ll be telling me you find me attractive next.”Still holding my hand against his chest, he gazed deeply into my eyes, almost looking like he was searching for something.
“You better get going.It’s getting late,” he whispered, releasing me.I stumbled back a little at his sudden movement.“I’ll see you next month.Practise those moves I showed you.Boulder,come!”Boulder sprang up in the tall grass, and I watched them leave through the cave entrance without a single glance back at me.
Once I was finished in the lake, I collected my own belongings and then made my way back home.
“Do you think Darce might be developing feelings for me?”I asked Loki and Enyo as they walked with me.It was ridiculous.The large, loveable beasts didn’t understand a word I was saying, but I had to express my feelings to someone.“I’m being foolish, aren’t I?He’s a Noxlin.They are renowned for their carnal desires.Evenifhe found me attractive, it would only be about the sex.Oh, why did I have to get mixed up with my feelings about him.Why is he the only male that sparks my sexual awakening?”When I kicked at a stone in front of me, it skimmed across the cracked desert land.“This is insane!Ican’tdo anything about it!Yet, the longing only intensifies.Justonetouch.Would thatreallybe so bad?”Loki tilted his head, almost as if he was trying to understand.Enyo brushed her body against mine, sensing my unease.I was being naive, desiring one taste of the forbidden fruit.I hadnoidea what sex even was.It wasn’t something we were told until our sexual awakening took over.Dylin males talked to each other about it once they were active, but it wasn’t something Dylin females were allowed to talk about.It somehow tainted us a little if we knew too much.
There had been a shift between Darce and I in the last couple of years, there was no denying it.My body came alive every time he touched me.It was becoming difficult to ignore.He had even admitted to enjoying his time with me.We had becomefriends, as unbelievable as that sounded.It was proof that Noxlin and Dylin could get along if they came to some sort of truce.Even knowing one of his kind killed my mother didn’t make me hatehim.I no longer wanted to take my rage out on the entire Noxlin race.All I needed was the one that killed my mother.They would pay dearly.A life for a life.That was all the revenge I needed.Darce had made me see that not all Noxlin were the enemy.They weren’t all the same.Stopping on the spot, a thought crossed my mind.Could I persuade my father to rethink the endless war with the Noxlins?Probably not.But whenItook the throne, I would be able to make my own choices.If the Noxlin king and queen would agree to meet with me, I would hear them out, and that was all thanks to my feelings for Darce.
My destiny could be to finally bring peace to the Afterlight Veil.Was that what Holy Ether desired from me?With that realisation, would she finally grant me my full powers?Only time would tell.
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