novelxo Chapter Chapter Seventeen
The creature was fighting to control Rhol but Rhol was much stronger than him. Soon the yellow light beam out his chest. The black crystal armor and the protrusions on his back began to dissolve against his skin. He shrunk, still battling with all his might to get the upper hand but Rhol was not letting it happen. His tattoos slithered from underneath his skin and emerged out again. The black color in them faded and they glowed purple brightly with another set of new tattoos which were engraved on his torso by Lyrah’s energy.
Again, the emotions were overwhelming that Lyrah found herself being pulled back into her body. She collapsed to the floor with a soft moan but she didn’t wait another second without laying her eyes on her mate. She dashed through the hallway, ignoring the flashing sorcerers, escaping for their lives because their leader had turned tail and fled. When she arrived, Rhol was surrounded by his warriors, each one trying to help him where they could.
“I can stand on my own two feet, thank you very much!” He rasped and a smile played on Lyrah’s face. Old grumpy and brooding Rhol was back. She had never thought there would be a day when she readily welcomed his grouchy ways.
She made her way through the warriors and found herself standing right in front of him. He was beautiful with his old and new set of tattoos on his skin. He looked every bit the male he was once but he wasn’t dark anymore. Even the dark eyes were gone.
“Guess I have marked you now.” She grinned up at him. “Every time you look at those tattoos, know who you belong to, Jinn King.”
A chorus of laughter echoed around them.
“You just got owned, my King!” Someone howled and more laughter rang in the room.
Rhol did something that left everyone’s mouth falling down from their jaws. He went down on his knee, placed the Thyest Bow beside him and bowed to Lyrah. “I belong to you and only you, my queen. You own me.”
Lyrah’s eyes widened. She didn’t expect him to do that so her mouth ran dry. “Uh—get up, Rhol.”
He did and before she could say anything, she found herself being pulled into his arms. Her skin glowed and so did the new set of tattoos on Rhol’s skin.
Everyone cleared their throats meekly and went about making sure none of the rogue dragons nor the sorcerers were alive. Most of the injured sorcerers were able to flash away but were followed behind by the remaining Mage warriors. Ron and several of his rogue dragons were apprehended but some of them escaped. The injured warriors were quickly rushed to the infirmary. Feror had lost consciousness due to the intensity of being attacked by a Mortal Lock. They all expected him to die but it was miracle that he was alive with a nasty burn mark down his arm.
“I can feel you deep inside me, keeping me away from the darkness and the demons.” Rhol touched his fingers against where his heart was.
“When I persuade fading spirits back to this world, I stay connected with them for as long as they live but I have never seen the people transform like you.” She ran her fingers over his gold tattoos and the purple ones quickly slithered against her skin, cooing her and keeping her warm.
“I owe you my life, dirani peeta.” His voice thickened as he looked at her.
“Well, you actually owe it to Feror because if it weren’t for him, you would have killed me with that.” She pointed distastefully at the bow beside him.
Rhol’s face paled. “I wanted to kill you?”
“It wasn’t exactly you but you did release an arrow towards my heart with the Thyest Bow. If I had died, it would have driven you totally into the darkness. That was Rowan’s plan for you.”
Rhol touched her cheek lightly but his eyes were thunderous. It was a new thing not seeing his eyes and tattoos changing color when he was in a foul mood. Now they only glowed brighter. “I swear to you, on my life, that Rowan will pay for what he did.”
Lyrah placed her hands over his hand. “First get better and--” She looked around at the half destroyed Fortress littered with bodies and smelling like death then sighed. “--we need a new place to crush.”
A grin appeared on his face as he bent down and kissed her softly. Lyrah sighed in relief feeling his warm lips against hers. He was alive and though he wasn’t exactly the same, the fact that he was standing in front of her was all that mattered.
“Rowan has vanished again. I couldn’t find him anywhere.” The Lord Mage returned and found Rhol eying the remnants of what was once the greatest Fortress in the whole of the Realm of the Dark. His heart hurt because he had caused all this. Several bodies of helpers were being carried for the preparations of their cremation together with the warriors and Rhol couldn’t believe that he, who had done everything in his power to keep everyone safe, was responsible for all that demise. He aligned with the enemy, brought them home, and aided them in attacking his own people. He deserved nothing else but damnation.
“I will find him and destroy him myself.” Rhol promised to the Lord Mage darkly.
“You sound just like me when Ron tried to kill my mate.” Lord Mage said lightly.
Rhol turned to the tired and wounded male barely keeping himself from kissing the floor. “The dark Fae has been captured together with some of his dragons. You are free to take him with you to your Realm to answer for his crimes.”
“I was planning to with or without your permission.” The resolve in Lord Mage’s eyes told Rhol the male wasn’t joking.
“By the way, I was scouting Aidan’s old fortress and I found a female—a warrior of this Realm. She was gravely injured but she was alive. I brought her back with me. She’s being attended to as we speak.”
Rhol’s head snapped towards the Lord Mage. “Cleo is alive?”
Lord Mage nodded. “Yes but her condition is critical.”
“I watched Rowan pass a blade right through her and there was nothing I could do to help her.” Rhol found himself saying. “If she is alive then I have a chance to ask her for forgiveness for being so weak.”
A heavy hand landed on Rhol’s shoulder. “We have all done things we wish we could take back but we can’t. Just be grateful she was alive to begin with. Now, come with me so that we deal with these prisoners we managed to capture. I don’t want my sister surrounded by them.”
“All the survivors and the entire Fortress staff is being moved to my Fortress in Mekkon in the time being but the prisoners will remain here and be interrogated until we find out everything they know about Rowan’s plans.” Rhol told the Lord Mage.
The male nodded.
Rhol couldn’t help but finally smirk at him. “By the way, you look like shit.”
A smile played on Lord Mage’s lips. “And you are the one to talk.”
“You both look like you got your asses whipped.” A small female voice came on the other side of the room.
Both Rhol and the Lord Mage turned to Lady Lyrah as she entered. She was cleaned up and had a bandage here and there plus a sling on her hand that had Rhol narrow his eyes at.
“Oh don’t worry about this.” She quickly told him pointing at it. “I haven’t broken my hand or anything but the healer thought it was best to have it on because I used the hand too much today. The muscles are exhausted.”
Rhol grunted but he was not impressed at all when he was told of how his mate fought along side the warriors that day. The last time he saw her, she was a safe distance away from all the danger with Eva, Dante and Muriel. Why did she return to the danger, why did she have to fight without him watching over her? His eyes turned accusingly towards the Lord Mage. And why didn’t this idiot-of-a-brother of hers stop her?
Lord Mage gave Rhol the are-you-kidding-me look then turned to the door barely hanging on its hinges. “You’ll find me in the infirmary.”
When the Lord Mage left, Rhol turned to the petite female in front of him. Who would have thought that High Lady Lyrah would have fought alongside horned warriors and come out of it alive? Other royal females he had known couldn’t even hold a sword but Lyrah was something else entirely. He was almost proud of her...if he wasn’t worried to his stomach if something had happened to her.
His new tattoos began to glow at the sight of her enchanting beauty and her purest of heart. Though he rejected her three times, Lyrah never let go. He didn’t understand why she would put herself through so much for what she too wasn’t in favor of but now he understood why she was there and why she wanted him to align with the Lord Mage. “Mage of Life. I believe you were sent to me to rid me of the darkness that had ruled over me for as long as I can remember.”
“And don’t you forget it.” Lyrah smiled softly as him then approached him and stood before him. “I was not going to let you do just like that. You still have a lot to accomplish here.”
Rhol nodded softly. “With you beside me I feel like I can accomplish anything.”
A light rose color bloomed of Lyrah’s cheeks at her eyes danced with happiness. Her skin took on that glow that he had learned to enjoy. “But promise me you would not endanger your life like that again. I don’t want you to fight with my warriors ever again. If you want a brawl, come to me and I will do that with you but don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
The smile faltered from her face. “Only if you promise me that you will keep yourself safe.”
“That is my promise to you.” He inclined her head to her.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine!”
Rhol touched her lips lightly then bent down a placed a kiss on them. “Good.”
“You still haven’t told me where you’ve hidden the Thyest Bow.”
“It’s somewhere safe, away from Rowan’s greedy fingers.”
Rhol made sure the Mortal Lock was hidden somewhere where it would take a thousand males’ lives to retreat it, all thanks to the Lord Mage and Muriel. Muriel had to return to the Realm of Spells because of Nolan and also to take back the good news.
“I want you to go and prepare for our departure early tomorrow morning. I can not stand having you here one more day while very dangerous prisoners are in the dungeons downstairs.”
“I think you have seen it yourself that I can take care of myself—plus I have mastered my new ability—wanna see?”
Rhol was about to protest when suddenly Lyrah’s body fell limply into his arms. His new golden tattoos began to shimmer as they slithered around it, protecting it.
“See.” Her voice echoed somewhere in the room and before him, he could see the outline of her spirit form as it became visible. “I can control whether I want to be visible or not. And I can also control the pulsing energies. Awesome, isn’t it?”
Rhol swallowed hard and in a thick voice he said. “It’s not awesome when I am holding your body while you go around wrecking havoc.”
Lyrah giggled softly and that sound traveled down Rhol’s body filling him up in his pants. The need for his mate was overwhelming. Again, Lyrah jumped back into her body and the shimmering tattoos went back to reattach themselves on his skin.
Rhol didn’t let her go. His eyes burnt with untold desire for Lyrah. All he wanted at that moment was to take her up to their chambers and just ravish in her body until his hunger was completely satisfied. She, too, must have seen the look on his face because she caressed his braid and cleared her throat nervously.
“You need to see a healer.” She said.
“Not until I have you first.” He flushed them to their quarters right into the bathroom.
He was glad the entire place was still intact. Rhol stood in front of Lyrah and removed the her hairband, letting her silver hair fall down in locks. She just looked up at him, her eyes trusting and filled with the love he never thought he deserved. He reached behind her neck and slowly undid the sling. Lyrah winced softly as her hand went to her side.
“Does it hurt that much? Do you need to go back to see the healer?” He asked in concern.
Lyrah took a deep breath and shook her head. “It’s okay.”
Rhol nodded and turned to put on the shower. He made sure the water was at optimum temperature before he started undressing the female in front of him. She had changed from the bloodied clothes into clean ones. Rhol would have patiently removed her white T-shirt but because her arm was still a little stiff he ended up ripping it in middle. She had several bruises on her soft body that had Rhol set his teeth in fury. He found himself going on his knees and touching the bruises lightly.
Lyrah placed her hands on his head and said. “They don’t hurt. The healers have already taken care of them. In three days’ time, these bruises will be gone.”
“This shouldn’t have happened to you.” Rhol growled in anger. “I should have been able to protect my own female.”
“Rhol, stop it.” Lyrah reprimanded him.
Rhol drew forward and placed a kiss on each one of the bruises. He undid the button of her skinny jeans and unzipped them then pushed them down, lifting each leg so that she stepped out of them. She stood in front of him in nothing but a red thong. More bruises appeared on her legs and he treated them the same way as he did the ones on her abdomen. He finally removed the thong and brushed his hand softly over the light powder of curly silvery hair on her sex. He heard her bite back a moan and he stood up. He couldn’t wait any longer. He quickly undressed and stepped under the shower with her. The blood and grime on his skin ran down his body until soon enough he was somehow clean enough to touch his mate’s body.
Rhol teased Lyrah’s lips with small kisses, caressing her wet and slick hair behind her back down to just below her butt. She had the sexiest butt he had ever seen and he just couldn’t keep his hands away from it.
Finally, Rhol took her lips into a mind-swaying kiss. A moan escaped her lips and that just fed the fire to his desire. His tongue mated with hers, dueling in her mouth, mimicking the movements of his hips as he ground his erection against her stomach. Her small hands went around him and his tattoos quickly slithered over her, locking them together.
Rhol’s lips traveled to her neck. He wanted to taste each part of her, brand his lips, his tongue and his nostrils with her taste and her scent. He nipped and licked down her neck, earning a couple of gasps and moans that drove his sanity to the edge. Her breasts were ever so soft as he cupped one and teased it with his teeth. Lyrah’s fingers bit hard into his scalp as she held on to him. She, too, was on fire. Her body was raging, in need of his. The scent of her arousal teased the beast him, wanting him to take her body and be done with but he wanted to explore her, know all the secrets to her, taste everything that she had to offer and give back all that he could without losing himself into her. Eventually, Rhol took the nipple into his mouth as sucked hard. That tore a muffled cry from her as she held him close.
“Rhol, please!” She whimpered. “You are driving me crazy with want!”
And that exactly how he wanted her. He wanted to prolong her need for him for as long as he could because he wanted her exhausted, dreamily and dazed by the time he was done with her. “Not yet.” He rasped against her, taking the other nipple and giving it the same treatment as its twin.
Hot water cascaded down his back as he found himself on his knees in front of her once more. He kissed more of her flat and slick stomach then teased her navel and Lyrah threw her head back and cried out for him.
Rhol looked up at her and her eyes glittered with desire. Rhol went back to driving her crazy, lifting her left leg and hooking it over his shoulder, exposing her to him. He teased the folds of her sex open and ran his index finger over the bundle of nerves throbbing with the fast beating of her heart.
“Rhol!” Lyrah cried softly.
Rhol slurped the bundle into his mouth and Lyrah’s body arched off the glass shower wall. All the while his middle finger had found its way into her entrance and was slowly filling her. She clenched greedily around his finger, her entrance slick and ready for his invasion but he wasn’t quite done with her.
Rhol gorged hard on her while he pumped into her at a steady speed. Her cries got louder, driving him out of control. All the time, the beast in him prowled around his head wanting to take over.
“Oh heavens Rhol, I’m going to lose my mind!”
“I want you to lose it because only I can make you do that. Every fiber in my body wants me to punish you for putting yourself in danger. I want you to think of this every time to think to defy my direct orders!” Rhol found himself growling at her as he increased the movement of his finger in and out of her until he felt her nearing her release then stopped abruptly.
Lyrah whimpered and shuddered.
Again, Rhol built up her pleasure, still sucking hard on her clit while caressing her channel. He made sure she was just on the brink of release before he stopped again.
Lyrah’s body trembled with the assault and frustration that she couldn’t reach a climax.
“Promise me you would never do that again.” He said.
“I—I--” Her eyes were dazed with desire, her body limp and trembling with pleasure that she couldn’t even form a sentence.
“Say it!” Rhol got up and snarled, hooking her leg on his hip as sought out her entrance with the thick head of his erection.
“I will not defy you again, my king.” Lyrah said drunk in love and in need of him, touching his cheek lightly then she moving forward and placing a kiss on his lips just as Rhol pushed deep inside her.
A cry of utter pleasure tore from Lyrah’s lips as Rhol filled her up, thick and pulsing inside of her. Ripples of pleasure went through her and curled up her toes as Rhol took her body like he had never before. He thrust into her like a raging beast, building up her pleasure until she was numb with it. She felt his teeth against her neck, a little pinch and a soft suck. Lyrah’s body ground itself against Rhol’s. Both his old and his new tattoos had intertwined and locked them together. Her body was glowing brighter than ever as she tumbled blindly into a time-stopping orgasm. It went on for the longest time to the point she thought she was going to shutter from it and if Rhol wasn’t there to hold her up, she would have collapsed onto the shower basin.
Rhol’s climax was violent as he arched back and roared, pouring his essence into her. Lyrah held onto him like her entire existence depended on the male before her. His head fell against her shoulder, his tongue teasing the area she knew he marked her. She rolled her eyes still trying hard to catch her breath. How typical of all males, she thought.
Rhol took his time to clean her up and massaging her stiff muscles until she felt as content as a kitten. Once he was done, he wrapped her in a fluffy ruby-red towel and carried her back to their bed.
Lyrah just needed her back to touch the plush bed for her to realize just how exhausted she was.
“Try and get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day.” Rhol whispered to her, covering her with the cool sheets.
“I love you, Rhol.” Lyrah muttered as she quickly drifted to sleep.
She felt Rhol’s lips on her forehead just before she was completely out. She didn’t even feel her mate flashing away from her.
Rhol walked over the crystal and stone debris downstairs. There were splashes of blood and other things that he didn’t even want to begin thinking on the walls. The bodies had been cleared and the remaining helpers were trying to collect everything that had survived the attack.
“I thought you’d be in the infirmary by now.” A voice behind him asked and Rhol found himself stiffening.
That was the voice of the male he had always thought was his younger brother but now as he turned to him, he was complete stranger. How did he miss this throughout his existence?
“I’m fine.” Rhol assured him.
Yosurn glanced at him with concern then shrugged his shoulders. “Can I tell you something?” He was cleaned and dressed casually in a blood red T-shirt and black pants. It was the first time Rhol had ever seen his brother--uh--whoever he was--not so formal.
Rhol grunted.
“When the news reached me that you had disappeared, I was filled with so much guilt that I found myself returning home as fast as possible.” Yosurn lifted a chair that had its back broken and flipped it over then sat on it.
“Why were you feeling guilty, Yosurn? You have never done anything to me to make you feel guilt.” Rhol wondered if the boy knew about the non-blood relation between them.
“Rhol, you are my only brother but for as long as we grew up, I have always been a pain in your ass. I was always tormenting you one way or the other.” Yosurn said looking up at Rhol with remorse in his eyes. “Never once had i ever thought how much you meant to me until I heard that you were gone. I mean you were always there and no matter where I slipped, you found a way to pick me up, although I must say your techniques were sometimes a little…brutal.” A small smile appeared on his face. “Look, all I want to say is that--I am glad I have my brother back. This is where you belong and it is my turn to look out for you from now on.”
“And you will do that all the way from the Realm of Water?” Rhol felt his throat close. Yosurn had no idea about what Uzrel said. Could Rhol bring himself to tell him the truth? But what was the truth? If he wasn’t his brother then who was he? And how come they resembled each other so much?
“I am still the High Lord of this Realm. And if it weren’t for Selma’s dicks-of-brothers, she would have been living here with me.”
“Keep her away from here.” Rhol said. “It is still not safe. With Rowan at large, we are still in a lot of danger.”
Yosurn agreed. “Maybe you are right. I heard Darius relayed the information that the army they were pursuing down to the Gates of Elba has also disappeared.”
Rhol’s eyes widened. “It has disappeared?”
Yosurn nodded. “Not only that but until this moment, the Mage have to been unable to find the lair in the Legin Glacier. They brought down the caves to prevent them from being used in case Rowan decided to inhabit them once more.”
Rhol felt venom coursing through his veins. Rowan might have escaped this one time but he was sure the next time he would have his head! “When are you heading back to the Realm of Water?”
“As soon as I make sure you are safely settled in Mekkon. You do know that the rebel group of the mer-people have declared war to anyone who aids the Lord Mage right? This means that you have just bought yourself more trouble.” Yosurn scratched the back on his neck, looking uncomfortable in telling his brother.
Rhol felt a growl making its way up his throat. “They will not try it if they don’t want me to take the war back to them.”
Yosurn chuckled. “You may not admit to this, Rhol, but you and the Lord Mage are quite alike. I think it is the reason why you don’t get along.”
Rhol didn’t like the comparison but Yosurn was right. When it came to protecting his honor, both of them were ready to turn mountains for it. Throughout the experience he had with the male, Rhol discovered there could have been a moment when he was glad to have the Lord Mage beside him--just a tiny split second that is. Lord Mage was honorable and it was thanks to him that the Realm was still his to rule.
“Don’t insult me.” Rhol snarled at his brother.
Yosurn laughed shaking his head. “That pride of yours will be the end of you. And speaking of the Mage, how is High Lady Lyrah?”
“She is resting. She will be alright.”
Yosurn nodded and frowned. “I saw her fighting beside her brother and I must say, next time I offend her, tell me to run for the hills because I don’t want to be on her bad side. I mean I let her have the upper hand the first day I met her here with you but she is scary when she’s angry. Best not get her upset.”
A smile raised one side of Rhol’s lips. “I knew you were pretending that day. For all I know, you are one of the most fit males I know. It was amusing though how you went on your knees like that. It would be fantastic if you stayed like that for all time.”
Yosurn simpered. “You would enjoy that, wouldn’t you?” He slapped his hands on his thighs then got up and stretched. “Anyway, it was great talking to you. I better get some sleep too.”
“Yosurn.” Rhol called to him before he disappeared. He had every intention to tell him the truth but he found himself stuttering when Yosurn turned to him. “Uh--thank you for all that you have done.”
Yosurn grinned and patted Rhol’s shoulder. “That is what it feels like to have a brother--don’t ever forget that. Good night.” He flashed away.
Rhol swallowed the large clot in his throat. He decided he wasn’t going to tell Yosurn until he saw the Priestess and confirmed that what he saw wa just a figure of his imagination or not. If it wasn’t then he was going to find out all he could about his brother before finally trying again to tell him.
Rhol walked aimlessly through his Fortress. Everything was quiet and peaceful again. Even the voices in his head were gone. Oh, how he had longed for such peace for a long time. Now he had it, and he also had his mate safe and sound. It was blissful.