CHAPTER FIFTEEN

T he dream came back that night. Not the one I had of my mother, or the one of Elias kissing me. The one with the wolf – the dream that started this whole mess to begin with. I realized I hadn’t had it since I met Elias. It was a welcomed reprieve, not waking up in a panic most nights.

But I noticed something different this time. I ran from the giant wolf and got to the cliff’s edge. I whipped around and watched the wolf stalk towards me, as it always did. I shut my eyes and put my hand out in a meager defense to block the beast, but was met with human skin instead of fur and teeth. But when my hand pressed against the skin of the person, a familiar shock of energy pulsed through my palm.

My eyes violently shot open, only to see the moonlight peeking through the canopy of trees above me, their dark leaves slightly swaying in the breeze. It was still nighttime. I turned to look over at Elias, who sat on his makeshift bed, carving at a stick with his knife. He glanced down at me and noticed I was awake.

“You’ve only been asleep for an hour or two,” his baritone voice broke the silence of the night. “You can keep resting.”

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. “I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep anytime soon,” I admitted. “You can get some rest now.”

“Are you having strange dreams again?” Elias asked. I couldn’t make out his expression because the fire had died down almost completely and it was too dark to see his face clearly.

“Yes,” I answered, although I knew he was referring to the dreams from the other night.

“Do you…want to talk about it?” he asked hesitantly. I guessed he was unfamiliar with how to comfort people.

I gave a half-smile. “No, I’m alright. But thank you.” I stood and stretched my limbs while Elias made himself comfortable. I watched him slowly drift to sleep, and let him stay that way until the sun began to rise.

Elias knew a shortcut to Monuvia through the lesser mountain passes. Although the hike would be more strenuous, we would get there in only a few days. Each day, we would train for one hour in the morning before starting our hike. I showed improvement during each session, Elias told me. We practiced more defensive maneuvers since overpowering Horus didn’t seem likely. The extra trainings proved valuable, as I was able to knock Elias to the ground once or twice.

His weird behavior from the earlier night seemed to disappear, and he was back to his normal brooding self. I did notice, however, that he seemed a little more alert, like he was expecting a threat to approach us at any moment. It gave me an odd feeling that he could sense something that I could not. But I watched him carefully, and nothing ever came of it.

On the third day, we finally reached Monuvia just before darkness began to settle. I could tell we were close, because the familiar sounds of gentle water and jovial music were heard in the distance.

We approached the kingdom entrance, the sunlight quickly fading. Monuvia was surrounded by a large moat which required a gate to be lowered in order to cross. The kingdom, often called the City of Streams, surrounded itself with water, and had channels and streams running throughout the city itself. Rebellia River flowed right into the moat that surrounded the city, which then flowed into the city itself through manmade channels that were dug under the city walls.

The main source of food for Monuvians was fish and other aquatic animals and plants. The kingdom was very different from my own, but I adored it nonetheless based on my foggy memories. I remembered visiting as a child and swimming in the lakes and springs with Max, otherwise known as Prince Maksym. He was a few years older than myself, but I got along with him well. Like me, Max and his twin sister, Nevaria, knew what it was like to lose a parent. Their father passed from a sudden illness when they were only four, leaving Queen Janness to rule the kingdom. After my own mother passed, the only time I ever got to see Max was when Queen Janness brought the twins to Rimor, which wasn’t often enough.

The gate was not lowered by the time we got there, likely because the sun was setting so quickly. With the cover of darkness and my hood up, I didn’t need to rely too much on a disguise, but I was cautious nonetheless. We made our way to the guard tower and waved down the guard posted there. “Hello,” I shouted up to him, my hood shadowing my face. “We seek entrance to Monuvia. Will you lower the gate?”

The guard that sat atop the tower looked down at us. “Welcome. Who are you and why do you seek entrance to the City of Streams?” he shouted down to us curiously, the music behind him slightly blurring his voice.

“We are hungry travelers, just in need of supplies and somewhere to rest for the night,” I called back.

“What are your names?”

I had forgotten how personable the Monuvians were. It didn’t surprise me that they wanted to know the name of every person who entered the small, peaceful kingdom. I wondered if they kept some sort of list of guests up there in their guard tower.

“My name is Rose, and this is… Gabriel.”

Elias shot me a glance. Even though I wasn’t so sure that Horus even knew his name, I wasn’t going to take any chances. So I picked the name of Magda’s lover. Seemed fitting.

“Where do you reside from?” the guard asked.

“We are nomads who have been traveling between kingdoms in peace,” I replied. I was afraid if I gave a specific kingdom, he would quiz me on it. And although I was well-versed in knowledge of the Four Kingdoms as one of their princesses, I was in a hurry to get in before the guard could potentially recognize me.

The guard shouted an order down to someone who stood behind the gate, then it began to lower. “Welcome to Monuvia,” he then said to us. I bowed, then Elias and I crossed the bridge and entered the kingdom.

The moon was full that night, and it lit up the city beautifully. The streams and channels that flowed through the kingdom reflected the light from the moon and the stars, and I had never seen anything like it. Each waterway had a number of bridges throughout, so people could safely cross.

I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going, but I found myself following the sound of the music, Elias in tow. Eventually we reached Enaver, their main city, and came up on a large group of Monuvians dancing and clapping around three musicians. One played the flute as he danced around, making the children around him laugh and cheer. Next to him sat a woman playing a string instrument that resembled a small harp, her eyes closed as her body swayed with the alluring music she created. Lastly, an elderly man patted his fingers against two large drums, creating a rhythmic beat. He, too, laughed as he watched his colleague dance around with the flute. My eyes lit up at the scene.

It had been some time since I witnessed something so jubilant and festive. Even in Rimor, the only music I heard was when my father hired someone to play for us at the castle. It was nothing like this, with a crowd of people dancing and laughing together. It was never this cheerful and full of life. Per my father, there was nothing to celebrate in Rimor after my mother’s passing. No need for gleeful music and dancing within our castle walls.

I turned to a woman who stood next to me, her arm clinging to a man as they swayed and laughed together. “Excuse me,” I said to her. She looked at me with a big smile. “Is this some sort of festivity? Or does this happen every night?”

The woman dropped her head back and laughed. “No, my dear, we are celebrating the full moon!”

I had almost forgotten the strange traditions Monuvians had. They believed our connection to water brings us closer to the gods, and that water and the moon were somehow linked. It didn’t make sense to me, but it did to them. And clearly it brought them joy and enlightenment, and who was I to argue with that?

Just then, the musicians finished their song and took a bow, the crowd whistling and cheering their appreciation. I turned to Elias, who appeared impassive. He glanced around, eyeing his surroundings carefully. I placed my hand on his, energy silently pulsating through the touch.

“I think we’re safe here, Elias,” I said quietly to him. “You were right. We can relax.” I gave him a reassuring smile. Before he could respond, the musicians began playing another upbeat song that got the crowd going. I started to laugh. “Dance with me?”

Elias peered into my eyes. “I don’t dance,” he said huskily.

“Suit yourself,” I shrugged, and I tossed my pack to him and made my way deeper into the crowd before he could stop me. The music reverberated in my soul, and I bounced with the beat along with the crowd around me. As a princess, I was taught to dance, but they were slow, waltz-like dances that required a partner. This? This was different. I could move the way I wanted to move, and let the music take over my body. It wasn’t an instructive set of movements I had to memorize. I was free to be completely me.

Song after song, I danced with the Monuvian people. It didn’t seem like I would be recognized here. Not when they were so focused on the celebration. Children came up to me and took my hands and I laughed as we danced in circles. One of them gave me her necklace made of flowers. I thanked her and kissed her forehead before continuing our dance. One woman came up and handed me a drink. It smelled like berries and oranges and honey. I took a sip, and it burnt my throat going down, indicating it definitely had some sort of liquor in it. It was delicious though, and I finished it a little too quickly.

I noticed Elias had made his way to a bench where the non-dancers sat and watched joyfully, most of them being elderly people. Elias’s large, brooding frame stood out like a sore thumb between them, which made me laugh. He watched me intently as I let my hair down and danced like the commoner I suddenly wished I was. A commoner who was free to do as she pleased. A commoner who wasn’t bound to a castle by guards and rules. A commoner who didn’t carry the heavy weight of an entire kingdom on her shoulders.

After a few more songs, I quickly realized how tired I truly was as my legs wobbled beneath me. I made my way to Elias, my head slightly buzzing from the drink. Perhaps I shouldn’t have taken it on an empty stomach.

“There is a small inn down the street here,” Elias said to me as I wiped the sweat from my brow. “We can see if they have rooms available.”

“Did you learn that from your new friends?” I joked, nagging him for sitting with the old folks. I playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

Elias pursed his lips. “Have you had too much to drink?”

I scoffed. “No. I only had one.” Or was it two? I couldn’t remember. The pure bliss of the night drowned out everything else.

“Alright, let’s get you to bed,” he said, gently interlocking our arms as he led the way. I complied, and we made our way to a cozy little inn only a few streets down from the city center.

We stepped inside, and the place reminded me of a storybook. A small fire lit up the fireplace, and a few patrons sat around it, drinking and laughing. Decorations hung all over the walls, mostly night-sky themed. The innkeeper who stood behind the bar was a jolly-looking man with a large belly and bulbous nose and round, rosy cheeks. His black beard matched his full head of long, wavy hair, although his beard had much more gray mixed in.

“Welcome to the StarMoon Inn, travelers,” he boomed. “The name is Sam. What can I do for you?”

“We just need lodging for the night,” Elias replied, his solemn demeanor the complete opposite of Sam’s boisterous attitude. I had let go of his arm and walked around the inn’s lobby, admiring the beautifully crafted art that lined its walls .

“You’re in luck, lad. I’ve got one room left for you.” I half-listened to them behind me while I admired the décor and they exchanged coins for a room key. “Breakfast will be available in the morning at no extra charge,” Sam said with a smile. Monuvians really were the friendliest people. I almost wished Rimor was more like that. Compared to the Cracked Hoof, this inn was paradise.

After a moment, Elias came up behind me and gently nudged my arm. I followed him up the staircase and into our safe haven for the night. The room was quite small, but cozy. Similar to those I had seen downstairs, sculptures and paintings of moons, stars, and night skies lined the walls of our room as well. Sam really went all out with the theme of the place.

I sat at the edge of the bed, trying to sober my mind to stop my head from spinning. I had been drunk before, much worse than this, when Rose helped me sneak a few bottles of wine into my room from the castle kitchen. Neither of us could even function the next day. Of course my father found out and was livid.

When I looked up, I saw Elias laying out his blanket on the floor. I gave him a confused look, and turned around to look at the bed. It was much smaller than my one at home, but certainly big enough for two people.

Elias’s voice broke the silence. “We can take advantage of the free breakfast tomorrow, then head to the shops to look for supplies once they open,” he said.

“What are you doing?”

Elias stopped laying out his blanket and looked up at me. “Making my bed.”

“There is already a bed in here,” I retorted, gesturing behind me.

“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor so you can get the bed,” he replied.

“Elias. Neither of us have slept on, let alone even seen a bed in weeks. I am not going to let you sleep on the hard floor.”

He glanced at the bed then at me again. “What do you propose we do then?”

I sighed. “If we can sleep in a small cave barely big enough for both of us in a rainstorm, I think we can share a bed for one night.” He was making this more difficult than it needed to be.

Elias furrowed his brows. “Are you… comfortable with that?” he asked.

What man denies sharing a bed with a beautiful woman, especially a princess , because he doesn’t want to make her uncomfortable? He truly was a gentleman.

“It was my idea, wasn’t it?” I answered. Gods, it was my idea. A few weeks ago, when I was a princess imprisoned in her own castle, I would have never done something like this. Perhaps it was the alcohol talking. Or perhaps I was changing.

Elias looked down at his small blanket on the floor – his poor excuse for a bed – then back up at the soft mattress I was perched on. I watched him contemplate his decision. Maybe he wasn’t worried about my comfort. Maybe he was the one who felt uncomfortable. I frowned, wondering what I could have done to make him feel that way. He watched me intently for a moment before speaking.

“Alright, Princess,” he said in a husky voice. “If it eases your guilt, I will sleep in the bed with you.”

I cleared my throat. “Good,” was all I could think to say, even though butterflies began to flutter in my stomach. Nerves were starting to emerge, no longer numbed by the alcohol, as the man I had feelings for approached the bed.

My head spun, but my heart spun even faster. I slid back and laid myself down on the bed. The second my head hit the pillow, a sigh escaped my lips. It felt like bliss. I rolled over to my side and soaked in the comfort of the mattress. I felt Elias come up behind me and lie down on the bed. I turned my head to see him lying on his back, his hands crossed behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. A small moan escaped him as well, and he smiled.

“Shit,” he laughed. “This is nice, isn’t it?”

I stifled a small giggle and he met my eyes. All at once, we both burst into laughter. I don’t know if it was from the deep fatigue we both suffered, if it was the booze still running through me, or if the situation was really that amusing, but neither of us could control our thundering laughter.

Suddenly, we heard four distinct knocks coming from below us. Elias and I both froze. “Quiet up there!” an elderly sounding female voice shrieked. “Some of us are trying to sleep!”

Okay, so maybe not all Monuvians were friendly.

I tried to stifle my laughter, but as I looked at Elias and we made eye contact once again, neither of us could hold it in any longer. We both burst into another fit of cackles. I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to mute the noise, but failed. And Elias’s laugh was so genuine and so pure, I found it contagious. I was entranced by it, even, as it lit my soul from within.

The old woman thudded on her ceiling once more, and I had to bury my face into Elias’s shoulder to keep from laughing even harder. Soon, we finally began to quiet down.

I took a deep breath in and out, then slowly raised my head to find that Elias’s face was only inches from my own. His gaze met mine and held that stare for a long moment. Too long. Elias, for only a split second, glanced down at my lips then back at my eyes. That tiny shift caused an arousing heat to fill my center, and I swore Elias’s eyes filled with the same hunger as mine. I pleaded in my head for him to inch himself closer, for him to touch me. For our mouths to make contact.

He didn’t move. Didn’t answer my silent plea for his touch. So I reached my hand up and gently brushed my fingers against his cheek, hot sparks flooding my fingertips. His breathing staggered and his pupils dilated slightly. In our close proximity, I thought I could even feel him harden under his pants.

Before I could look down to confirm, Elias turned the other way and shot out of bed so quickly, I couldn’t comprehend the movement. He ran a hand through his dark hair and cleared his throat.

“You can’t…” he began before stopping himself. I gulped. “You can’t do that to me,” he finished in a guttural voice.

The sudden shock of his missing body, and the cold air that took its place, created a lump in my throat. Had I done something wrong?

“Do what?” I asked quietly, nerves building.

He turned his head to look at me, and I swore his eyes flashed like light reflected in them. Perhaps it was the light of the full moon shining through the window. “You’re drunk, Aura,” he argued. “It’s not fair to you.”

“I’m not drunk,” I debated him. Although, I wasn’t quite sure that was true. My head was still spinning more than I would like to admit.

“I’m going to see if I can find you a glass of water, and something to eat.” He dragged his fingers through his hair once again and let out a long breath through his nose. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, and I watched him walk out the bedroom door and listened as his footsteps slowly faded down the stairs.

I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling, the heat in me slowly dissipating. What the hell just happened? I rolled onto my other side, and the head spins rolled along with it. I suddenly felt nauseous, and let out a small moan that was as equally from discomfort as it was from embarrassment. I buried my face into the pillow and tried to stay awake while I waited for Elias to come back, but sleep began to force its way in. Eventually, I succumbed and drifted into deep unconsciousness.