Page 48 of One Last Promise
Chapter sixteen
My mind was deep inthought while I sat with my friends in The Falls tavern.“Alora?”Noor nudged me, motioning to my cup of mead.“You haven’t touched your drink.”
“Sorry, I’m not really in a drinking mood.”It had been two weeks since my orgasm with Darce.I was fantasising about the momentconstantly.Reliving the feel of his mouth, and how his fingers had gripped my thighs roughly while he continued his onslaught on my sex.It was all-consuming.
“What is with you?”Nell shook me.“You’ve been a ghost for weeks.What exactly happens on these monthly hikes alone?You make us cover for you, when you’re gone.Don’t you think we deserve some answers?”
“All you need to know is thatHoly Etherdemands it.That is all I can tell you.”I had explained many years ago about the wisp coming to me in the Barren Lands, but not what it had told me about Darce.In the beginning, it was to protect myself.I knew I would be shamed by my kind if anyone ever found out.Now, it was for one reason only: to protect Darce.He was a mere foot soldier in the Noxlin army.If my father or Xavier ever found out about our training sessions, he wouldn’t stand a chance against their powers.
“Don’t think we haven’t noticed how your body has changed over the years.”Luz sipped her drink, looking at me closely.“You can keep secrets from us, but weknowyou.I have my suspicions of what you are doing.Whatever it is, it’sphysical.”Noor spat her drink out.“Notthatkind of physical, Noor.”Luz shook her head, wiping the table in front of her.“Alora is clearlytrainingfor something.”
“Have your powers begun to manifest?Is that what all this is about?”Noor gasped.“Are you keeping it a secret because you know you’ll be bound to Xavier?”
“No, this isn’t about mypowers.This is about Holy Ether’s wishes.I’m grateful that you all cover for me each month, but my lips are sealed.”Uri never sensed Darce on our first meeting in The Shielding Valley.As Darce had promised, its magic was untouchable, even for a seer like Uri.Darce still had a warding spell done to protect us, though.It was better to be overly cautious.
“So long as you’re safe doing whatever you are doing, that is all that matters to us.”Noor smiled warmly.“None of us could cope if you were putting yourself in danger.”
“I’m perfectly safe.Loki and Enyo are always with me.”Trying not to blush, I took a sip of my drink.As I swallowed, Fynn rushed into the tavern looking for us.
“Xavier found a Noxlin near our lands while out on patrol.”Fynn was speaking so quickly that I could hardly keep up.“He is calling the army into action.He thinks the Noxlin are planning to attack.”What was a Noxlin doing so near to our land?My heart stopped, praying it hadn’t been Darce.“He told me to come and get you three.”Of courseIwasn’t needed, but my friends with their powers would be.“He wants to scout the land to be sure there is no hidden Noxlin army waiting for us.”
“What reason would they have to attack?”I questioned, watching them, all standing to attention.The few soldiers in the tavern were already rushing out the door.
“What reason do theyneed, Alora?They’ll be coming for Silverlight!”Nell seethed.Silverlight was my father’s light sword.The sword that gave light toallour light swords.If the Noxlin king ever got his hands on that sword, our kind would be destroyed.Our light essence would be taken and consumed by darkness.It was the same with the Noxlin dark sword; if we could get our hands on the Noxlin king’s sword, we could destroy their race with light.Including...Darce.Fear rippled through me at the thought.What if Darce had already been captured and was being tortured as I sat here?
“Was this Noxlin male?”I asked, turning to Fynn.“What did they have to say for themselves?”
“He was male, yes, but Xavier destroyed him before he could even speak.”NO!Fighting the tears that were starting to sting my eyes, I tried to focus.
“Don’t we question the enemy anymore?Xavier could have found out valuable information.”
“This isn’t your battleyet, Alora,” Nell soothed.“One day you’ll be able to question Xavier’s decisions, but right now, you need to head back to the palace.”The palace was the furthest place from my mind.I needed to know if Darce was unharmed.“Take Loki and Enyo with you.They’ll keep you safe.”With that, they all followed Fynn, leaving me alone in the tavern.
What should I do?I had no way of finding Darce, or even working out if he had been the Noxlin Xavier had discovered.Darce shouldn’t have been near my land.There was a reason we met up in The Shielding Valley.It was the perfect distance frombothour lands.Trying to settle my mind by listing all the reasons itcouldn’tbe Darce, I wandered back to the palace with Loki and Enyo.
Once I was safely in my chamber, Loki rested his head against the bed next to me while Enyo lay down on the floor.
“He’s going to be fine.It can’t have been him,” I soothed, more to myself than them.“I’ll go and see Xavier once he returns with the army.I’m sure I’ll be able to get some information from him.”
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THE ARMY WAS GONE FORalmost four days.I kept myself busy, practising all the moves Darce had shown me.I was running in the mornings longer than usual, but I needed all the distractions I could manage.The thought of never seeing Darce again, if he had been the one Xavier killed, was driving me insane.My mind was overwhelmed by thoughts and worries about him.
