Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in the crook of his neck.
Not strong enough to face my past and my uncertain future, nor the shadows Adeth left behind in my mind, I focus only on Raighne’s warmth as he carries me away from the village.
Only when I hear the rushing of water do I lift my head to glance around us. Seeing he brought me back to the Virtutes Waterfall, I let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper when he sets me down on my feet.
“For what?” His eyes drift over my face.
“Losing my shit,” I mutter as I glance at the inviting pool of water.
“You’ve been through a hell of a lot, Alchera. I think you’re entitled to lose your shit.”
My eyes jump back to his face, and I tug my bottom lip between my teeth before admitting, “It didn’t feel like home.”
Raighne lifts a hand to the side of my neck and brushes his thumb over my skin. “That’s because it’s not.” A frown forms on my forehead, which has him saying, “I’m your home. Your place is with me.”
“My mother didn’t seem to think so,” I mention.
“Let me handle it.” He pulls me to his chest and holds me tightly, making me sigh with relief.
Everything settles inside me, and I soak up his strength like a dry sponge while listening to the rushing of the waterfall and chirping birds in the trees.
After a long while, Raighne pulls back then asks, “Want to see your new home?”
“Your house?” I ask as I glance in the direction of the village.
“Our house,” he corrects me.
When he starts to walk, I fall in beside him. “Are you sure about having me stay with you?”
He lets out a snort and gives me a don’t-ask-me-a-stupid-question look.
“Just checking,” I mutter.
“I have to warn you, the place isn’t big. It’s a simple three-bedroom,” he mentions, looking a little nervous.
I take hold of his hand and weave our fingers together, then say, “I don’t care.” My eyes meet his. “As long as I’m with you, nothing else matters.”
The nervousness fades from his face, and we walk in silence for a while before I admit, “It’s weird. It’s only been four or five months since you came to get me, yet it feels like years have passed.”
“A lot has happened,” he replies before gesturing at a house situated next to a huge, very old looking tree. “That’s home.”
There’s a knee-high wall around the yard that someone has been tending to since there are flowers and it’s not overgrown with weeds.
Feeling nervous, I wipe my palms on my hips while my eyes dart over Raighne’s home.
There’s no key, and he just pushes the front door open.
“You didn’t lock up while you were away?” I ask, my tone filled with surprise.
“We don’t have to lock our doors on Vaalbara. Crime isn’t a problem here,” he replies as he waits for me to step inside.
“Right,” I whisper as I enter.
I glance around the living room, which has chairs like the ones that were in my tent. There’s a coffee table with fresh flowers in a vase.
“Someone expected you home,” I mention as I move closer to the kitchen, where an oven stands near a back door. There’s also a big oak table with six chairs that have patterns carved into them.
“We take care of each other's homes while someone’s away,” Raighne explains.
“It’s nice that you’re all neighborly,” I whisper as I peek into a bedroom where a large bed fills half the space.
“This is your home now, Alchera. Don’t feel uncomfortable.”
My eyes dart to his face, and seeing the love he has for me shining in his gaze, I relax a little.
“Everything’s just new,” I explain.
He takes a deep breath then says, “I’m going to give you some alone time and head up to the palace to tell your mother you’re with me so she won’t worry.”
I nod. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
When Raighne leaves, I take a seat on one of the chairs and stare at a painting of a forest that’s up on the wall.
Knowing I’m in Raighne’s house, I start to relax, and I pull my legs under me as I curl into the seat.
My thoughts don’t return to the past, but instead, I begin to wonder about a future with Raighne. Now that my destiny has been fulfilled, do I dare dream of living a peaceful life with him?
Will the chosen ones be able to adapt to their new lives?
Will I?
Only time will tell.
Just as I start to dose off, I feel the air warm around me while the wind rips at my clothes.
“I always thought she was the most beautiful sister until I saw you.”
I follow Ares’ gaze to where he’s looking up at Thana.
She’s hovering high in the sky, her arms lifted toward the heavens above that are churning with eery-looking clouds. They paint the sky in so many different colors I can’t begin to describe them all. But it feels deadly.