ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 2: TEMPTING THE DARK KING

Lyrah parted the tree branches and her eyes widened in awe. Who would have known there was some place as beautiful as where she had found herself? A twig snapped behind and she groaned inwardly. And here she thought that she could actually sneak out of the Fortress without being discovered.

That morning when she woke up she discovered that Rhol was gone again. Because of the attack from Rowan, Rhol was taking extra measures to make sure the people in his Realm were safe. He had meetings with army leaders, conference calls with teams on different parts of the Realm reporting any indications of a possible attack or not. He took extra measures for his Mage members, in case Rowan thought to use whatever he did to cripple them.

Rhol never told her about what Darius found in the caves but she had a pretty good picture that it was not good or he wouldn’t have stepped up his protection. She wondered if the Thyest Bow was any close to be found.

Lyrah shed her shoes and rolled up her pants to her knees then dabbled into the clean blue waters of the lake she stumbled in. Smooth surfaced boulders were littered all around the banks of the lake and from a distance she could hear the crystal sound of falling water. What looked like dragon-flies skipped above the water as she perched herself on one of the boulders and soaked her feet into the water. It was cool and soothing around her. This was such a nice place, especially for a picnic or just trying to get away from everything.

She wondered if she could coax Rhol to come out here with her one day.

A branch snapped behind her and she groaned softly then turned around and eyed the seemingly empty bushes.

“I know you are there!” She called out to the guards. “You might as well make yourselves comfortable. I think I will be here for a while.”

She heard small muffling sounds as if children were arguing then suddenly a small dark haired girl was pushed out of the bushes. She had a streak of white hair on the center of her head and her eyes were as dark as the rest of her hair. She tangled the end of her braid between her fingers as her eyes widened in fear and puffed away.

Lyrah leaped from the boulder as she felt a burst of energy up the tree where the little girl had flashed herself. This was one of the children she had seen the other day at the stables when she went to see Tatiana.

“Hey there.” Lyrah tried to smile to the girl and she heard the shuffling in the bush where she had come from. There were more hiding in there. “Come on out. I am not going to hurt you.”

“B--but you are the queen.” A small voice from the bush murmured.

Lyrah grinned. “Aren’t queens allowed to have fun too?”

Suddenly three faces popped out from the bushes as they eyed her curiously. Their big eyes varied in color from pale blue to bright green. They looked like they were the same age, ten or eleven. The girl up the tree came down slowly, her eyes cautious and suspicious.

The other three boys also came out and stood in front of her.

One boy eyed around the lake and frowned. “Where is your horse?”

Lyrah crouched in front of them so that she was at the same level and grinned. “Tatiana is not a horse. She is a unicorn and she is digging up her favorite roots down the lake.” She pointed to the other side of the lake.

“She’s no unicorn!” Another boy glowered at her. “She doesn’t have a horn!”

“It’s because she hides it so that no one can capture and hurt her.”

“Oh!” the children said in awe.

“My name is Lyrah. What are your names?”

The girl came forward and grinned. She was missing a tooth in front but she was still as pretty as ever. “My name is Nile. My mother says in the human world the Nile is a precious river passing through a desert bringing life to its people--like me.”

“That is a very pretty name, just like you.” Lyrah touched the girl’s braid and she beamed at her.

“I am Furis and I am going to join the army when I grow up!” The boy who looked like the ring-leader of that small group puffed up his chest at her.

“My,” Lyrah acted impressed. “You should join the royal guards so that you could protect me.”

Furis grinned happily.

“My name is--Sor.” the shy boy looked up at Lyrah then his face turned red. “I think you are very pretty.”

“Thank you, Sor.” Lyrah touched the boy’s cheek and he turned scarlet! Lyrah turned to the one who was busy looking for Tatiana. “What about you?”

He turned to her and said. “Jemsen--are you sure Tatiana is okay by herself?”

As if on cue, Tatiana snorted lightly as she made her way back. Jemsen’s eyes widened when he saw her.

“You want to touch her, Jemsen?” Lyrah asked as she straightened up.

Tatiana came from behind and rested her head on Lyrah’s shoulder then eyed the little buggers in front of her.

“It seems you have your very own fan base right here in Karah, Tatiana.” Lyrah touched the unicorn lightly.

Tatiana snorted again as if she was scoffing.

“Can--can we see your horn?” Jemsen was totally mesmerized by the large white mythical creature.

Lyrah turned to Tatiana who looked a little bored. She turned her head away and Lyrah rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. They think you are a horse.”

That touched a nerve. Unicorns had egos rivaling with those of the males of the enchanted world. Calling her a mere horse was offending. Her ears snapped back and she knocked her front hooves on the ground several times sending the children a little away from her. Then she shook her overly-long mane and lifted her head. A shimmer appeared over her body as it rippled and the glassy-like scales appeared over it. Sharp bony-like protrusions appeared at the backs of her hooves and her body enlarged. Finally, a jagged white crystal-like horn appeared between her eyes.

She shifted her weight on her back hinds and kicked her front hooves into the air while she neighed loudly.

The children cheered in happiness.

“She really is a unicorn. Awesome!” Jemsen’s eyes sparkled with undiluted child happiness and excitement.

Lyrah had to admit, Tatiana’s transformation was always awesome. She, too, was excited about it.

“Wanna ride her?” She asked the children. She needed to get them back to the fortress before the people got worried. She wondered how they walked all the way there while she had to take Tatiana?

“Yes!” All the children exclaimed.

Luckily unicorns were much bigger than horses and with the transformation they got even bigger so Lyrah could fit the four children on Tatiana’s back without a problem.

Tatiana knelt down as the children were piled on her back; Jemsen was first followed by Nile then Sor and finally the protector Furis. When Tatiana got up the children exclaimed in happiness. Lyrah smiled and put on her shoes before she started guiding Tatiana back towards the Fortress.

“So, do you go to school?” Lyrah looked up at the children who were so mesmerized by Tatiana that they forgot she existed.

“Yes. We all go to the same school. We are cousins!” Furis said proudly.

“Why are you not in school then?”

The children went awfully silent before Nile turned to her with sad eyes. “The Ghouls burnt down our school.”

Lyrah felt her heart heave inside her ribs. The Ghouls attacked a school? “When did this happen?”

“A few weeks back. We were transferred to a different school though but everyone is still too scared to go back to school.” Furis answered.

That was terrible, Lyrah thought.

Suddenly Tatiana stopped and her ears went up in alert.

“What is it girl?” Lyrah combed her fingers through the unicorn’s mane.

Tatiana snorted. Lyrah wished she had her brother’s ability to communicate with her psychically but she couldn’t. She could only feel her anxiety and at that moment Tatiana was very anxious.

Then Lyrah heard the subtle energy, as if someone was cloaking themselves but what they didn’t know if that Lyrah felt it all, the living, the decaying and the dying. Whatever this was, it was decaying….Ghouls maybe.

Her heart thundered loudly and all she could think of was to keep those children safe.

“Come on, Tatiana, let’s take the children to safety first.”

Tatiana nodded her head and started trotting forward again, following the narrow path through the thick forest. Why was she always putting herself in danger as Rhol had once said? Even though she was not out of the Fortress premises, she didn’t take guards and now she was risking her life as well as those kids with her.

Again, Tatiana stopped and began digging her hooves into the ground, swinging her head to the side.

“Is something wrong with Tatiana, Queen Lyrah?” Jemsen turned nervously at her.

Lyrah swallowed hard and tried to smile to the boy. “I think she has smelled something that is not pleasant and wants to take a different root.”

“But home is that way!” Furis pointed up ahead.

Lyrah nodded as she softly injected Tatiana with assurance and soothing energy then looked up at Furis. “Tell me, Furis, how far can you guys flash?”

Furis shrugged. “I am the strongest but I can only move a few yards.”

“I tend to flash into close trees or rooftops.” Nile looked a little ashamed. “But Sor can’t flash at all!”

This wasn’t good. Lyrah caught the sound of something slithering in the leaves. A serpent? She didn’t know what they were about to face but she didn’t need those kids there.

“Okay, Tatiana will take you back home but you need to go tell the guards there is something in the woods. Okay?” Lyrah rubbed her damp palms against her pants as Tatiana got a little more agitated. Her emotions were all over the place and all she could think of was whether to bolt with the children or fight with her rider.

“What about you?” Nile whimpered.

“I will be fine. I can flash further than you guys but you have to be safe first--”

A slithering sound echoed in front of them and Tatiana took a step back. Some of the bushes were moving and the thing rattled in warning. All the hairs at the back of Lyrah’s neck stood up as she too took a step back.

“Tatiana, get the children out of here!” She screamed.

Tatiana broke into a gallop through the trees. Lyrah would have flashed away, following the children behind and making sure that they got back safe but something wrapped itself around her ankle and dragged her down. The end of a staff touched just above her left breast and excruciating and cold pain rippled into her body. Lyrah screamed and could have sworn she ripped her vocal chords as a dark figure appeared above her.

“Mage of Life.” The intruder hissed, the sound sending shivers of dread down Lyrah’s spine. “I have been searching for you.”

A sorceress! Only sorcerers went around carrying staffs because they turned their backs on the purity of the energies of the Mage and so they could no longer harness enough energy to live thus they needed the staff like a bank reserve feeding on energies from other beings. A sorcerer’s soul died and they were wholly evil. They could never go back to being Mage and they needed to be destroyed.

“What are you?” Lyrah tried to crawl away but the staff was still over her heart, pumping something cold and vile into her body.

The sorceress drew forward and Lyrah’s eyes widened in shock. The sorceress had some parts of her skin scaled like a snake. Even her eyes were green and slitted. When she smiled viciously, two fangs appeared. “I was once like you, a weakling.” She sighed lightly as she circled Lyrah, her eyes cunning and calculating. “But I knew deep in my heart that I was destined for greater things--and now look at me. I am harnessing unimaginable power.”

“You are evil and vile!” Lyrah spat.

“You have no idea what Rowan has install for you, do you? Call me evil now but we will see just how evil you can get later.” The sorceress sneered.

“I will never be like you!” Lyrah assured the female.

She nodded. “Of course you can never be like me; you’ll be much worse.“As she hissed the last word, a forked-tongue like that of a snake slithered from her mouth.

Lyrah had never seen such a thing. Just how powerful was Rowan that he could merge one of his sorceresses with a serpent? And what was this demented female talking about? Lyrah was good and pure through and through. No one could corrupt the energy of a Lift Giver. And just to prove a point, Lyrah began harnessing enough energy to rebuff whatever was being pumped into her heart. The cold slithered through her veins touching every part of her body but Lyrah let her pure energy radiate out, chasing away the cold and replacing it with the warmth of life and vitality.

“So, it is true that you have grown stronger but you are no match for Rowan.” The sorceress hissed.

Lyrah flipped her eyes towards her and she hesitated for a moment. Lyrah staggered to her feet and face her enemy. “You have no idea what you have just unleashed.”

The sorceress murmured an enchantment to her staff and a black inky abomination slithered out taking form of dozens of serpents. They snapped their fangs towards Lyrah, circling her and preventing her from trying to escape.

Lyrah breathed in and suddenly her eyes glowed with yellow energy as it swelled out of her. The trees around her began to sway as the energy expanded catching some of the snakes and vaporizing them with the purity of her energy. Leaves and branches began to thrush as the wind around them picked up speed. The sorceress shielded herself from the onslaught, chanting louder, raising her voice so that her spells could work but Lyrah countered them.

Finally the sorceress got frustrated and rushed towards Lyrah, wanting to attack her physically. Her enchanted staff circled itself around Lyrah’s neck and began choking the life out of her but Lyrah didn’t deter from what she was doing. More of her energy expanded out and the wind became a small cyclone with the two of them in the eye of it. Lyrah gripped the staff and yanked it away from the sorceress. Her eyes widened with fear. She rushed to Lyrah again and clawed her on her arm and cheek and as she was about to attack Lyrah’s neck, Lyrah caught her arm and twisted it, hearing a satisfying crack in the bone. The sorceress screeched in pain, her voice grating the insides of Lyrah’s ears but all Lyrah could think of was how much she wanted that vile creature gone from that world.

The sorceress limped away and eyed her staff in wariness.

“What are you planning to do? Do you think by killing me, everything will be over? There is a bigger picture here and not even you are strong enough to stop it.” She laughed nervously. “Something very powerful is rising and you will not be strong enough to counter it.”

“What is Rowan planning? Where is he going to attack first? Did he send you here to kill me?” So many questions were buzzing in Lyrah’s mind but she knew she didn’t have enough time to ask all of them.

“Oh, you will know exactly what Rowan is planning for you and the Jinn King. This is what you get for treading where you don’t belong. This whole Realm will be destroyed, every single person dead--even those little rascals you sent away with your unicorn will die. You thought you could keep them safe from me--well I sent them away with a little gift.”

Lyrah eyed the woman then one side of her mouth quirked into a smile. “Well, I think I am about done here. I can see you will not talk to save your life so let’s end this--and I don’t think your little gift will exist if its energy source is destroyed. Lyrah’s hand pulsed with energy as she pumped her pure energy into the staff.

“No!” The sorceress screamed.

The staff began to splinter as the energy overwhelmed it. The stone on its crown shimmered bright red and it finally cracked and exploded. The staff turned into ash and withered away.

Black smoke began to seep out of the sorceress as she dropped to her knees.

“Send Rowan this message; evil can never reign over goodness. Hurry up now, before your dead body deteriorates.”

The sorceress flashed away.

Once Lyrah was sure the evil had left the premises, she dropped the macho act and tumbled to her knees. Her hand was bleeding profusely and her cheek burnt. Even her neck was bruised and she could feel her throat swelling up already.

“Lady Lyrah!” She heard the familiar voice from a distance. “Oh Lady Lyrah are you alright?”

It was Muriel and she was very distressed. Behind her was Dante and two other Mage warriors.

Lyrah managed to smile. “You should have seen it, Muriel. I was able to control my new ability.” Before she could add anything more, her eyes turned up and she lost consciousness.

Rhol rushed towards the infirmary with the Lord Mage close behind him. He felt the suddenly tug in his heart while he was talking to the Lord Mage and knew immediately that something was wrong. Lord Mage must have felt it too because they both got up and flashed themselves to the Realm of the Dark.

Now, they were both rushing through the hallway to get to Lyrah.

“Where is she?” He burst into the infirmary and the nurses jumped up with a start.

Without a word, they pointed to the private wards.

Rhol stormed towards the room where there were muffling voices. Rhol didn’t even knock and yanked the door open. Lyrah’s slight body was on the bed, her eyes bright with mirth and a small smile on her face. Her skin had lost color slightly and she had a bandage or her cheek and arm. She was surrounded by Zafrina, Dante, Muriel and Zax and they all looked at ease. Rhol felt his heart go through a wave of emotions he didn’t even have a name for.

“Everyone, out.” He muttered thickly, eying the female on the bed with a mixture of rage, relief and regret.

No one wanted to cross him so everyone flashed out.

Lord Tyran entered the room and stood on one side of the bed, his emotions as stormy as his own. Rhol saw the way white energy was pulsing around the male and knew Lyrah was up for a long lecture from him--but only after she heard what he had to say, so he took his position on the other side of the bed and both of them eyed her suspiciously.

Lyrah swallowed hard staring from one male to the other. “It wasn’t my fault.” she murmured.

Tyran looked up at Rhol then back to his sister. “Then, can you enlighten us as to whose fault it was?”

“Wait, what are you two doing together? Are you teaming up or something?” She frowned.

“Answer the question, dirani peeta.” Rhol growled, his eyes glowing at his mate.

“A sorceress found her way into the premises--”

Both Tyran and Rhol glanced at each other. “A sorceress?”

“That’s impossible!” Rhol stated. “No sorceress can enter these premises.”

“She was here but she wasn’t entirely herself.” Lyrah shivered lightly and Rhol frowned.

“What do you mean she wasn’t entirely herself.”

Lyrah sighed and rubbed her arms as if chasing away a chill. “She was half sorceress, half serpent. She was quite powerful and she told me that Rowan was planning something big for you and me. Rhol, Rowan has teamed up with the sorcerers and I think they are planning to attack us again!”

Rhol turned to Tyran and ground his teeth. He thought to keep his mate safe by not telling her but guess what, she was intelligent enough to discover it for herself.

“You two don’t look surprised.” She frowned. “Did you know about this already?” then she turned to him and her frown deepened. “Is that why he is here? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What good would it have done to tell you?” Rhol raked his hand through his hair.

“I would have prepared myself!” She exclaimed.

“What is important right now is that you are safe.” Tyran cut through. “Now, important things first, did you get any information from the sorceress? Did she give you any hint as to what is being planned?”

Lyrah narrowed her eyes at Rhol and he knew he was in for it later then she turned to her brother and shrugged her shoulders. The action made her flinch because of her wound. “I tried to pry some information from her but all she said was that whatever was happening was more powerful than me and that it had something to do with me and Rhol.”

Rhol remembered Rowan said the same thing to him. “You can’t stay here, Lyrah. It’s too dangerous.”

“But I can help!” Lyrah protested.

“You can help by staying safe!” Both Tyran and Rhol countered.

“I hate you both.” Lyrah pushed the sheets away and wanted to walk out when Rhol found himself stopping her.

“You need to get healed.” He muttered to her, hating the way she was looking up at him.

“Stop dictating to me and get out of my way.” Lyrah frowned at him.

“Lyrah--” Before Tyran was able to say anything, Lyrah flashed herself out of the room. “She’s pissed.” Tyran grunted.

Rhol ground his teeth. “Tell me about it. But I don’t care how much she will hate me later, she needs to head back to the Realm of Spells.”

“Are you sure you can handle the distance?” Tyran eyed him warily.

“You are handling it just fine.” Rhol pointed out.

Tyran snorted. “It does get better with time.”

“We need to discuss details--”

“Aren’t you going to follow her, make sure she is alright?” Tyran crossed his arms.

Rhol grinned wickedly. “You forget she has a temper rivaling with yours. Besides, I doubt it very much that you would approach the Queen Mage if she were in this situation.”

Tyran smirked. “Noelle once threatened to gut me with my own sword when she discovered one of the females I used to share my bed with.”

Rhol cringed visibly. “Lyrah would bring down the Fortress on my head if she ever did.”

Tyran threw his head back and barked a laugh. “But you need to make her understand.”

“I intend to when she has cooled down a bit.” Rhol assured the male and sighed. “My office?”

“Lead the way.”

“I bet your brother would have done a much better job than me.” Dante eyed Lyrah as he pumped small doses of energy into her wounds. Black inky-like substance oozed out with a nauseating smell that made the both of them gag.

“I am angry with him.” Lyrah pouted but she couldn’t deny the fact that she was happy to see him again. “In fact, I’m angry with the both of them.”

Dante chuckled lightly and turned to the pacing female a few feet from them. Lyrah was lying on the bed in their quarters and she managed to call Dante and Eva up to keep her company while she waited to confront Rhol once more. “Eva, could you come here for a moment. I need you.”

Eva stood and turned to them before her cheeks turned red as she rushed over. “I am sorry.”

Lyrah smiled softly at her. “Do you still want me to introduce you to my brother?”

Dante frowned lightly. “And why would you do that?”

Lyrah pursed her lips. Was there a male that didn’t get possessive at the mention of another male with his mate? “My brother has quite a reputation to uphold.”

Dante turned to Eva who was caught between feeling guilty and excitement that the Lord Mage was within the Fortress. He sighed and continued what he was doing, handing Eva a cloth. “Fine, but I will go with you. In the mean time, use that warm water to clean the wounds. Make sure you don’t touch the black substance--” Dante was rendered speechless when Eva drew forward and placed a shy kiss on his cheek.

Dante’s eyes swirled scarlet as he turned to her. Lyrah understood how the mate hunger worked. She had seen Rhol several times needing her to sate it and now she understood that Dante needed his mate to sate his. Her face turned red as he cleared his throat and muttered. “I hope this gives you a measure of relief. When you have solved your differences with your brother, I think you should undergo another healing session. I am only as strong a Mage as I am a Jinn.”

Lyrah nodded and breathed softly. “Fine.” Eva finished cleaning her wounds and dressed them before she stood up and smiled down at her masterpiece.

“All done.” She sighed.

Lyrah pushed the sleeves of the overly large shirt she wore after removing the soiled garments down and arranged the pillows behind her well. “Thanks you two. Now, I need to get some rest if I am going to win by battle with my brother and my mate.” She feigned tiredness.

Dante wrapped his arm around Eva’s shoulders and pulled her close before he kissed her temple and they flashed away.

Lyrah breathed in hard and tried not to think about the sorceress and how she had almost lost her life to her but she couldn’t help but wonder how it was possible that she had become a serpent. Perhaps the evil they carried inside finally manifested itself in the true nature of the person’s soul? But truth be told, Lyrah had never had to fight a sorcerer before so she wouldn’t know. Tyran, however, has had to defend himself against one.

And then there was the situation in which Rhol and her were to play the big role in the Realm’s demise. That was the last thing Lyrah wanted. There was so much goodness and innocence there. She saw it in the nature, in the people and in their children. She would die if she did anything to jeopardize their lives. Maybe Rhol was right, she had to go back to the Realm of Spells until everything was sorted out and Rowan was destroyed but just the thought of being away from her mate made her heart moan for his absence.

She was terrified for what was to come but at the same time she was relieved that the two males she trusted the most were working together to bring the enemy to justice.

Lyrah felt the presence of her mate even before he appeared and feigned sleep. Her heart began to jackhammer in her chest when she heard his boots knock softly on the floor. He was approaching the bed, that much she knew but would she really want him touching her when all he could ever do was make up rules of what she could and couldn’t do.

She felt his weight just beside her and his dark scent filtered to her nostrils quivering every nerve of her body with the desire of him. He smelled delicious. Suddenly she felt a light tugging on her temple as he pushed her locks away from her face and ran his finger lightly down to her cheek. A shiver went down her spine as she opened her eyes and stared up at him.

She didn’t know for how long they had been staring at each other like that but finally he broke the spell when he inhaled sharply and moved his hand away.

“I’m sorry for what happened today. I didn’t mean to scold you--”

“You always grab every opportunity you get to scold me.” Lyrah pouted.

Rhol narrowed his eyes in warning. “--but I was worried about you...and relieved that nothing worse had happened to you.”

“I can take care of myself, you know. I destroyed the sorceress’ staff—it is as good as destroying her. You should have seen it, Rhol. I was able to control my new ability--” Rhol’s violet eyes suddenly darkened and Lyrah knew she should have kept her mouth shut.

“I don’t want you to use that ability until we have a full understanding of it.” Rhol growled at her. “If something happens to you, I—I don’t know what I will tell your brother.”

“What about you? What will you do if something happened to me?” Lyrah asked.

Rhol’s hand shot forward and he cupped her cheek. “I’d die.”

Lyrah’s mouth fell open and Rhol took that opportunity to place a kiss on it. So what did that mean? Did it mean he was trusting her more, or maybe he was developing feelings for her like she already did? What did it mean!

When they parted, Lyrah stretched a little and flinched when her wounds began throbbing again. “Rest with me, Rhol—hold me until I fall asleep.”

A smile cracked on his face. “And leave your brother to roam around my Fortress like an errant child?”

“My brother’s curiosity baffles even me. Even if you put a thousand guards to watch over him, he will always find his way into the most secret parts of your residence.” Lyrah assured him.

“I have nothing to hide.” Rhol shrugged his shoulders.

“Then you have nothing to worry about.”

Rhol smiled lightly and stood up then shed his boots and his lynak shirt before he slipped behind Lyrah creating a protective cocoon around her.

His warmth seeped into her body, his breath teased the little hairs on her temple and his ragged chin caressed her cheek. His bare chest was warm, rippling against her back and sending all sorts of sensations through her body.

“How is this?” He asked wrapping his arms around her small body making sure he didn’t touch her wounds.

Lyrah tangled her feet with his and purred. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

She felt him place a kiss on her cheek before he rested his head back on the pillow.

Lyrah wanted the fact that Rhol was there with her to ease her mind but it didn’t. the anxiety welling inside her was overwhelming to the point she felt it closing its cold fingers around her throat and was choking the life out of her.

“Hey.” Rhol lifted his head and peered at her. “What is it?”

Lyrah opened her eyes and turned to him. “I just can’t shake away the feeling that something terrible is about to happen.”

“And that’s the reason why I don’t want you here when it does. The sooner you go to the Realm of Spells the better.”

Lyrah cupped his cheeks. “What about you? Aren’t you worried about your safety too?”

“I am but yours is always above mine. Do this one thing for me and I will never ask anything of you again. I promise.” He nuzzled her cheek.

Rhol was really worried about her and the last thing she wanted was to make him worry more with all that was happening around them. Besides, she missed the Queen Mage terribly and they needed some time to catch up. “Fine, I will go to the Realm of Spells.”

Rhol looked down at her, his eyes smoldering with approval and relief. “Thank you.”

Lyrah hummed lightly and went back into the warm circle of his arms. “It’s funny how cute you can be when you are not commanding or growling and snapped your teeth at me when you want everything your way.” She felt the grin spreading on his face and pursed her lips to stop the smile from betraying her feigned frown.

“It will be a whole lot easier if you stop defying me every once in a while.” Rhol nipped at her ear and Lyrah yelped.

“Again with the teeth!” She glowered at him as her face turned pink.

A soft rumble reverberated from deep within Rhol’s gut and made its way up to his throat in a light chuckle. “I will miss you, dirani peeta.”

Lyrah couldn’t help but smile. “Does that mean you are beginning to like me?”

The smile on Rhol’s face turned into a pensive one then disappeared all together and he looked like he was having a hard time trying to figure out just what he felt for her--if he liked her a little more than he did when they first met. He tucked his arm under his head, his violet tattoos lazily and quietly slithering on his skin and closed his eyes.

Rhol didn’t answer the question and Lyrah didn’t press on. The only thing that she wanted from him now was that he remained safe. She closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer to the heavens before she called on sleep.