19. Gorthak

19

GORTHAK

I feel her soft body stirring in my arms, and I look down to see Cassia's eyes fluttering open. She looks around, confused, and then her gaze settles on me. "Are we...dead?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I can't help but chuckle at the thought. "No, my love. We are very much alive." I stroke her cheek gently, marveling at her beauty.

She looks up at me with a mixture of confusion and relief. "But...how? I saw you...you fell out the window with those creatures."

I nod, remembering the moment I made the decision to save her. "When I looked at you, I remembered something I had been told. 'You will find her. And when you do, you will know what you must do.' I knew that to save you, I would have to force those creatures out of the window. But what I didn't realize was that I would wake up in what I previously thought was the dream world."

Cassia's eyes widen in understanding. "So this...this is the dream world?"

I shake my head. "No. This is the real world. And I am real. And you are real." I pull her closer to me.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the rage that's building inside of me. "When I woke up, I was back in that damn locked room. I knew that bastard dark elf sorcerer had something to do with it."

"What happened next?"

"I managed to break out of the room and make my way to the basement. That's where I found you, unconscious in your cage, surrounded by those vile dark elves who were trying to buy you like cattle."

"Like from my dream," she whispers.

"I wish it had been a dream," I say, my voice filled with anger. "But it was all too real. The elves had been using their servant, who you know as the Master, to keep prisoners in their manor in a semi-conscious state. Some were trophies, some weapons, others slaves… and those like you were used for entertainment and bedsport."

Cassia's face pales at the revelation.

Just remembering it makes me livid all over again.

"I killed every last one of those bastards," I growl, my hands clenched into fists at the memory. "And I set the prisoners free, including my crewmates. Many of them I thought were dead."

Because I killed them for trying to keep us apart, but that is far from the point.

She sits up, her eyes meeting mine. "But...what we thought was the dream world...it was actually reality?"

I nod again. "Yes. It's all real. And I'm glad I found you in time."

Cassia looks at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and understanding. "I know you," she says softly. "Even though we've never met before."

I smile, my heart swelling with emotion. "We are mates," I tell her.

Cassia leans forward, her lips meeting mine in a soft, tender kiss. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close and feeling a sense of peace and contentment that I've never known before.

"But I have these memories of you," Cassia says, her voice trembling. "Memories from before."

I nod, my heart heavy with the realization. "I have them, too."

"How is that possible?" she asks, her eyes wide with confusion.

"I believe... we weren't strangers when they brought us here," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. "That we had met before we were imprisoned."

Cassia's eyes fill with tears, and she buries her face in her hands. "It's not fair," she sobs. "They stole our memories. They forced us apart."

I pull her into my arms, holding her tight. "I know, my love. But we're together now. That's all that matters."

She looks up at me, her eyes red and puffy. "How did you find me?"

I hold up my hand, showing her the bloody stump where my finger used to be. "I found a ring," I say. "It guided me to you."

Cassia's eyes widen in shock. "A ring? Gorthak, y- your finger…"

"Don't worry. I still have plenty to pleasure you with," I promise with a mischievous grin before sighing deeply. "It's a long story. I'm not sure how or why… but it infiltrated the sorcerer's dream world and it woke us up."

Without explanation, she reaches down and tears a strip of fabric from her clothes, wrapping it around my hand.

"Where is it now?"

I shrug carelessly. I don't give a damn where it is. It served its purpose. It brought me to my mate. Reaching up with my good hand, my fingers brush the curly hair from Cassia's face.

She leans forward, pressing her lips to mine in a soft, gentle kiss. "I love you, Gorthak," she whispers.

I grin, ecstatic that I've finally heard her say so. "I love you, Cassia."

We sit there for a moment, holding each other close, grateful for the chance to be together again.

"I'm sorry I ever thought you weren't real." Her eyes are filled with regret.

I cup her chin and force those green eyes to look at me. "I've already told you once. You will not apologize. Not for anything."

Cassia's eyes water again, but I don't let her cry. I kiss her before the tears can fall, and she climbs further onto my lap, pressing her skin to mine as if she wants us to meld into a single being. I hold her tightly, caressing her bare thighs and feeling the warmth of her body against mine.

She looks up at me with a mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. "What are we going to do now?" she asks, her voice trembling.

I grin, feeling a surge of confidence and determination. "We build an empire," I tell her, my voice filled with conviction.

Cassia's eyes widen in surprise, and she looks at me as if she's not sure if I'm joking or not. "An empire?" she repeats, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nod, kissing playfully at her full lips. "Yes. And you will be my queen."