CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

E lias led me north towards the Shadow Peak Mountains. Traveling through the mountains would be dangerous, but it was the fastest way to Zolmara without having to get too close to Sprath. The climb would not be an easy one. There would be many cliffs to scale, as well as the possibility of running into bears and other wild beasts that Elias said frequented those mountains.

“Sprath is starting to look a little less scary,” I joked as we walked through the forest.

But Elias only stiffened. “As dangerous as they are, nothing in those mountains will come close to the wrath of the Sprathian King.”

“Why?” I asked. My father hated King Volund. My uncle despised him. And now Elias appeared to have the same feelings. “How could you possibly know that?”

“I’ve been to Sprath. Seen what their king is capable of. Seen him whip a man in the middle of the streets just for daring to speak to him. You may see your father as ruthless, but at least he treats his people fairly. Volund has no such conviction. His people are nothing but the dirt beneath his feet.”

I paused, the forest floor no longer crunching under my boots. “I…I knew he was sly and untrustworthy. But I didn’t know those are the things he did to his own people,” I admitted.

Elias stopped walking as well, turning to face me. He closed the gap so we were only inches apart. “I imagine your father wanted to protect you from that. I want to protect you from that,” he said, brushing the back of his fingers across my cheek.

“Fair enough,” I said, trying not to tremble at the pleasure his touch brought. “You once told me you were in Sprath before you came to Rimor, right?”

Elias’s hand fell. “Yes, that’s right.”

“But you’re not Sprathian?”

“No.”

“Then what were you doing there?”

He let out a breath. “I travel all of the Four Kingdoms for work.”

“And what kind of work do you do?”

“I find people.”

My brow rose. “Like a bounty hunter?”

“Something like that.”

That explained his vast knowledge of the geography of the Four Kingdoms.

“But you decided to help me instead of finishing your bounty?”

He grinned. “Like I told you before, you paid better.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course.”

Elias nodded his head north, urging us forward. “Come on, princess. We’ll need to hurry if we want to make it to the base of the mountain before sundown.”

And so I followed, now thankful that we were nowhere near Sprath.

The good news was, there was a very slim chance that my father or his search parties would be looking for me in the Shadow Peak Mountains. Not many dared to venture through its rough terrain. And with the many caves throughout its ranges, it would not be difficult for us to find shelter, so long as it wasn’t inhabited by a predator.

Per Elias, we should make camp before starting the upward hike, giving us another night of rest from our injuries before starting the climb. We walked for a few hours, and when sundown hit, Elias had us walk some more.

“The closer we get to the mountains, the better,” he stated. I knew he meant that the closer we got to Shadow Peak, the less likely we would be found.

“Lead the way,” I replied, as the sun sank deeper and the darkness grew wider. Again, it almost seemed like Elias could see in the dark. He held my hand as he led me through the forest, until he finally found a spot he deemed good enough to stop and make camp.

The weather was warm and calm, so we did not make a fire. Elias told me to rest and he could take first watch, but I refused. “When is the last time you slept?” I asked accusingly, fairly certain I already knew the answer.

He was quiet for a moment. “Our last night in Monuvia,” he said at last.

My eyes widened. “Elias, that was three nights ago ,” I remarked sternly. “How are you even still standing?”

In the darkness, I heard him let out a breath. “Good question,” he said quietly, and the exhaustion in his voice was clearer than ever.

My protective instincts took over. “Get some sleep, Elias. I will take first watch. And if you argue with me, I will punch you right in your wound. If your stitches rupture, that’s on you.”

He laughed at the empty threat. “As you wish, princess,” he beamed. “If you feel tired, wake me,” he ordered.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said as I waved him off. I had heard it all before.

I barely made out his dark silhouette as he laid his head on the ground. I sat myself next to him so he was only an arm’s reach away. I placed my bow and arrows gently at my other side, not that it would do me much good in the dark.

It took less than a minute for his breathing to become deep and even, indicating he was already asleep. I smiled, and gently glided my hand up and down his arm. Even though I knew he was asleep and wouldn’t feel the relaxing sensation, I continued. I was doing it more for me, I realized. Even as he slept, the energy from our skin-to-skin contact ran up my arm through my fingertips.

In that moment, I finally decided to really reflect on what that feeling could be. Is…is that what love feels like? I had never been in love. Maybe there were odd, unspoken sensations that only those in love could experience. If so, did that mean I loved Elias from the moment I met him?

I stared down at him, and couldn’t help the smile that formed on my lips. If I didn’t love him then, I most definitely did now. The sound of his laugh. The way his smile filled my heart like nothing else ever had. The way he protected me, but still gave me my freedom. I was falling, and I was falling hard.

I had so many questions about love now, of which I had never even fathomed before I met Elias. The only love I had ever witnessed from an outside perspective was between my parents. Maybe when this whole mess was over, and if it was possible for my father and I to get back on good terms, I would ask him. The love between them was so pure, so deep, so real. Now that I had a somewhat better understanding of it, I could recognize why my dad went a little crazy after my mother’s death.

If I lost Elias… I couldn’t even think about it. But would I go as far as to lock him up so I wouldn’t lose him like my father had done to me?

No. I definitely wouldn’t. I could never do that to someone I loved. That much, I knew.

I shook off the uncomfortable thought, and rested my hand on his arm. The warmth and energy that I felt as I touched him brought me comfort, and relaxed my body and my mind. It also caused the dull ache in my head wound to dissipate once again. Was it possible for love to do that too, or was there something more at play here?

Elias’s chest rose and fell in a deep rhythm as I watched him, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. I found comfort in knowing he was finally getting the rest he so greatly needed and deserved, because climbing the Shadow Peak Mountains was the heaviest task ahead of us before we finally reached the Forest of Torment. Reached Zolmara.

Zolmara will have the answers you seek . My Uncle Balor spoke those exact words to me the last time I saw him. I pondered what answers I was destined to find. What my father and uncle had been keeping from me my whole life. Maybe I would find out why the memories of my life before my mother’s murder were so few and far between.

I thought back to the one thing that sparked all these questions to begin with.

The dream.

I had the dream fifteen, twenty, maybe even two dozen times. Each time, it was exactly the same – except the last time I had it, where the human that replaced the wolf felt familiar. Elias stood where the wolf had almost either eaten me or pushed me off the cliff. Elias saved me from the wolf .

This got me thinking about all the times in the last few weeks that I thought I saw a giant wolf in the woods with us. The river, where it followed me through the tree line. The bandits, where I thought I heard a howl and a large black beast appeared. Both times, Elias saved me from certain death. Were my dreams foreshadowing Elias as my savior? Were the silhouettes of a wolf I saw just figments of my imagination, brought on by the recurring dream?

I thought for a while longer before Elias started to stir. I looked down at him again, and confirmed by his deep, rhythmic breaths that he was still asleep.

When we finally reached Zolmara, what would become of us? Could I just go back home – go back to being the Princess of Rimor, with Elias at my side? I decided to force the thoughts away. I still had some time to think it over, and tonight I was too tired.

Elias woke me the next morning, advising the importance of starting our mountainous hike before a Monuvian scout or Rimorian soldier found us. I had woken him only three hours before sunrise, knowing he needed the rest much more than I did, and I would survive on only a few hours of sleep. He wasn’t happy about that, but it was already done.

After a light breakfast of some of the Monuvian goods we had in our packs, I checked that Elias’s sutures were still intact before we headed up Shadow Peak.

“Are you a good climber?” Elias asked as we reached the base of the mountains.

I smirked. “I have scaled the walls of Rimor Castle probably dozens of times without falling. I think I can tackle a mountain. ”

“The cliff walls are much less durable than the solid stone of a castle,” Elias advised. “One wrong move, one grab of a loose rock, and you could plummet to your death.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Way to have faith in me.”

“I mean it, Aura. I can’t save you if you fall.” Slight desperation was heard in his voice.

I relaxed my shoulders, immediately wanting to ease his worries. I took his hand in mine and squeezed gently. “I’ll be careful,” I promised. Elias nodded and we turned to head up the mountain.

The first hour or two up the mountain was not that bad. We had hiked steep hills before, and it didn’t seem much different. But after that first trek, I noticed that the steep hills were becoming more vertical as time went on. Soon, the two of us were using our hands to keep heading upward, instead of just our feet. After another hour, my arms began to burn. We found a large protruding rock that was lodged into the mountain’s side, and we happily planted ourselves on top of it to catch our breath.

Well, for me to catch my breath. Even with Elias’s injury, he was barely breaking a sweat. Me on the other hand – my head was splitting. I winced as the sun shined down on us, making the pain in my head multiply.

“How is your head?” Elias asked, as if he already knew what was wrong.

“It feels like something is trying to pry it open from the inside,” I replied.

Elias scooted towards me and caressed my cheek with his hand, his fingertips creating small shockwaves that immediately dulled the pain.

“How the hell do you do that?” I asked. My eyes were closed as I let the pleasure of his touch completely take over the pain that was there only seconds before .

“Do what?” he asked, a genuine look of curiosity on his face when I opened my eyes.

“Take the pain away,” I was able to mutter.

“I…didn’t know I was,” he answered.

I tilted my head. Elias’s hand still caressed my cheek and I soaked in the pleasure. “When you touch me, I feel this energy. Like an icy hot jolt of energy, but in a good way.” It was hard to find the words to describe it. “And when you touch me, the pain in my head subsides. It’s incredible.” It felt good, finally confronting it out loud.

I swore Elias tensed for a moment, but it was brief. “I didn’t know you felt it,” he nearly whispered, my cheek still cupped in his palm.

My eyes began to widen. “Do you feel it too?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Is it normal? To have this sensation when you have feelings for someone?” I wasn’t sure how else to ask.

Elias chuckled. “No,” he said with a smile. “This is…unique.” He paused like he needed a second to think of a word for it.

“Oh.” I furrowed my brow. “Well what the heck is it then?”

I watched Elias glance away, momentarily lost in thought. A frown started to form on his lips. “Maybe it’s the gods trying to tell us something,” he said.

I pondered this for a moment. Maybe every weird thing that had happened to me lately was the gods trying to tell me something. The recurring wolf dream, and hallucinations of a wolf. The dream of my mother. Finding the book in Rimor Library.

Everyone in the Four Kingdoms had the same belief in the gods, but some worshiped them differently than others. The gods were one collective, and in Rimor, there was a ceremony once per year where Rimorians celebrated them and prayed for bountiful harvests, freedom from plague, and continuous peace. I hadn’t attended the celebration since before my mother died. My father didn’t either. After her death, there was nothing to celebrate. But Rose told me they still had it, in the center of Oreross. I was glad my people had something to look forward to each year, even if their king and princess were no longer involved.

Monuvia, as I just experienced firsthand, worshiped the gods way more frequently, with rituals and ceremonies and customs that were foreign to me. I wasn’t sure how Chatus and Sprath honored or worshiped them, but I knew there was a collective understanding that it was the gods who were responsible for our fate.

“What do you think they’re trying to say?” I asked Elias, very curious to hear his answer.

“I…” he paused. He dropped his hand and I immediately felt a cool breeze in place of the warm energy, already missing his touch. “That’s a good question,” he finished.

“Indeed,” I sighed. And after a few more minutes of rest, we started our ascent up the mountain once again.

We spent the next few hours scaling cliffs and climbing vines, trees, and whatever else clung to the side of the mountain. By nightfall, my arms and legs were screaming. Scaling the walls of Rimor Castle took maybe an hour. This was much harsher, and we were at it all day.

Before the sun completely set, we found a cave. Elias scoped it out and confirmed it hadn’t been recently inhabited by any dangerous predators. Even though the cave was fairly deep, a steady breeze seemed to consistently travel through it and I found myself shivering. The air at this height was much colder than the forest floor. Elias made a fire for us, but it was the heat of his body as he sat on the cave floor next to me that warmed me the most.

We sat quietly for a moment before Elias broke the silence. “Tell me about your mother,” he said.

His request caught me completely off guard, and I leaned away so I could get a good look at him. “What?” I said, clearly confused.

Elias gave a half-smile. “You started telling Trybe about your life in Rimor, and you were right when you said I never asked.” He brushed a hand through his dark, silky hair as I stared at him. “I never asked because I was afraid to get too close to you, but now… I’d like to know more about you.”

I slowly closed my mouth and relaxed my posture. “I see,” I said quietly. “Well, I know she was beautiful and kind. And extremely loved by everyone she met. She cared deeply for her kingdom, and for me and my father. But…” I trailed off, not sure how to explain. “But when it comes to my memories of her…they’re so foggy. It’s like a literal haze surrounds each memory, and I can only recall small bits and pieces.”

Elias’s brow quirked. “That’s strange,” he stated.

“I know. I think about her a lot, but only small things are able to come through. I barely even remember the day she died.”

Elias placed his hand over mine, and it brought a sense of calm to my now restless mind. “What do you remember from that day? If you don’t mind me asking.” His voice was soft and inviting, not demanding.

“I…I don’t know.” I paused to think, Elias squeezing my hand gently in encouragement. “We were in a carriage with two of our guards, heading to Chatus. We left a day early, and my father was going to meet us there the following day. It was almost dusk, and we were still a few hours away. I remember the carriage stopping suddenly, and my mother called out to the driver to ask why we stopped, but he didn’t answer. Both of the guards stepped out and closed the door behind them. We heard the clanking of metal and some screams. My mother grabbed me and told me to run towards the woods, and not look back. So we did. She pulled me along and we ran as fast as we could. Then…I don’t know. I woke up days later in the infirmary, and my mother was dead, along with the two guards and the carriage driver. They told me it was bandits.”

By the end of the story, my voice was trembling. Halfway through, Elias had placed his arm around me and pulled me closer.

“They found her body before they found me, but waited for me to wake before we buried her.” I sniffled slightly. “She was so beautiful, even in death.”

I remembered how I saw her lying in the casket, as if she were only sleeping. They adorned her hair with flowers, and she wore her favorite dress. My father put on a stoic face for the whole funeral, like the king that he was – strong and controlled. But that night, behind closed doors, I heard him weep until the sun rose.

“I’m so sorry, Aura.,” Elias said. I rested my head against his shoulder while he caressed my arm.

“It felt like something was taken from my soul the day she died.” I meant that in the most literal sense, but never told anyone. Not even Rose or Balor.

“I understand,” Elias said. “When my family was taken from me, I felt like I lost a piece of myself. My parents. My brothers and sisters. Gone.”

I turned to him. I lost my mother to a killer. Elias lost his entire family . I caressed his cheek for a moment. “I can’t imagine,” I whispered. “But I also mean…I don’t know. Something was literally taken from me. From my soul. I wish I knew how to explain it. Ever since her death, something has felt empty – missing. Like whatever happened to me that night actually ripped something from my spirit.”

Elias pursed his lips, but listened patiently. I shook my head. “You must think I’m insane,” I laughed, feeling embarrassed.

“Not at all,” Elias reassured. “I wish I knew how to help you with that. With finding the missing part of you.”

I smiled. “That’s exactly what you’re doing, Elias. According to my uncle, Zolmara has those answers. And you’re helping me get there to find them. All the money in the world couldn’t repay you for helping me. I just hope my Uncle Balor was right.”

Even if Zolmara didn’t have answers for me, I knew I would come out of this stronger. And, I met Elias. That alone made the journey worth it, answers or not.

Elias gave me a gentle smile. “Glad I could be of service,” he teased before kissing me on the forehead. We sat together in silence for a moment, enjoying the presence of one another and watching the crackling fire. Then Elias spoke again. “Facing the bandits must have been even more difficult for you, knowing what your mother must have experienced,” he said.

I nodded, but then my blood froze over as I processed his words. It had just occurred to me that Vick could have been my mother’s murderer. Her death took place ten years ago, and Vick seemed old enough that he could have been raiding, stealing, and murdering for the last decade or longer. But was Vick even strong enough to take out two highly skilled Rimorian guards when he could barely even take me on? And then also take out my mother and the poor carriage driver? I was the only survivor by some sort of miracle.

That’s what they told me. That my survival was a miracle. It didn’t feel like a miracle, when I awoke and my mother was dead. But I didn’t remember seeing the bandits at all, so there’s no way I could confirm it was him, especially now that he was dead.

“What are you thinking?” Elias asked, giving me a worried look.

I looked up at him, his sweet breath barely caressing my forehead. “I’m wondering if the bandits you killed were the ones that took my mother from me,” I said in a near whisper, my fists beginning to clench at my sides.

Elias pressed his lips against my forehead in a gentle kiss that sent blissful sensations through the rest of my body. “I’m sorry I killed them before you could find out,” he said against my forehead.

“It’s okay,” I assured him. “Whether they were her killers or not, I still think you did the right thing.” I felt Elias pull away and we both sat up straight as he looked down at me.

“How do you still think so highly of me, even after knowing I’ve killed people?” The tone of his question was dismal, almost sorrowful.

I looked him in his eyes and held my gaze firm. “I told you this weeks ago and I’ll tell you again. I know you’re a good person. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your past.” He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted before he could. “And if you didn’t kill Vick and his dreadful crew, who knows how many other women they would have kidnapped.”

Elias glanced down and turned away, shielding his expression from me. I reached up and placed my hand on his cheek, guiding his face back to look at me. “You’re good, Elias. I know it. I feel it.”

The painful look in his eyes nearly broke me. I pulled his face towards me until our lips met. Elias reached up and rested a hand at the back of my head, weaving his fingers through my hair. I parted my lips, and our tongues moved together until I could taste every bit of his sweet breath.

A steady heat began to rise between my legs, and the delicious energy from our joined lips amplified the feeling. I lifted up the bottom of his shirt and placed my hand gently against his stomach. I felt his muscles shudder beneath me, and he let out a small breath against my mouth, heightening my arousal even more. I forced myself to open my eyes and glanced down, finding the proof beneath his pants that he was just as aroused as me.

I had never laid with a man before, but my body was screaming at me to join with his. Instinct took over, and my hand moved south towards his belt.

Elias’s free hand quickly and gently grabbed mine before I could go any further. “Aura…” he said against my mouth, sounding out of breath. “I…we can’t.”

I pulled my lips away from him and looked up to meet his eyes, which seemed to be almost glowing. It must have been the reflection from the fire.

“Why can’t we?” I asked, just as out of breath as he was. I kissed him again, but this time he did not kiss back. I pulled away, worry building in my chest.

He pulled his hand out from behind my hair and cupped my face instead. “I want to. You have no idea how badly I want to.”

His words alone caused the heat between my thighs to pulse. “Then why can’t we?” I repeated the question, not wavering from his gaze.

“It’s not…it’s not the right time.” His thumb caressed my bottom lip, and my body trembled.

I let out a sharp breath in response to the pleasure. “We are alone, in a cave, on the side of a mountain. What better time is there?”

Elias laughed, but I didn’t think it was funny. I ached for him more in that moment than I ever had.

“I’m sorry, Aura. I need you to trust me. I need more time.”

I bit my lower lip. “You do want me…right?” I couldn’t hide the sadness in my tone.

Elias let out a breath. “More than anything,” he said sternly.

“Then why…” I stopped myself when I saw the pleading look in his eyes to stop asking questions. This man would be the death of me. “Okay,” I finally agreed. “If the time isn’t right for you, it isn’t right for me.”

“Thank you,” he said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

I smiled back. “Let’s get some rest, yeah?”

“Of course,” he replied. “We have another day of climbing ahead of us, maybe two. Then we’ll reach the top and begin our descent, which will take no more than a day and a half. ”

“The way down is always easier than the way up,” I said with a smile.

“Not always,” Elias snickered, and I laughed at his not-so-subtle innuendo. “Get some rest, princess,” he said before planting a kiss on my forehead that sent a tremor of energy through me. Luckily, we could both fall asleep together that night since there was a near impossible chance that we would be found.

“You too, Elias.” And with that, we fell asleep in each other’s arms.