“We have electricity within the castle, however it hasn’t been run to the connecting farms yet. We’re still working through everything. It’s new to us.” It’s amazing to me how this land is a mix of old and some more modern amenities like the electricity and hot water running throughout the castle. Such a paradox. Then I have an “aha moment” and wonder if that key was having some fun all of those years it laid in wait for me in the pewter box. Maybe it was busy bringing others to this realm through different doors. Interesting.
It’s nice up here now that I’ve looked around. Not as scary as I thought. Maybe that’s because I can’t see much; I’m not sure. The wind causes my hair to whip around my face. Too bad I didn’t bring a hair tie with me. Of course, who knew I was going to be flying on a dragon.
We fly for a while, I’m not sure how long. I see another large, lit up area in the distance, but we bank hard to the left before we can get close enough. I’m once again hugging the dragon, while my heart pounds in my chest.
“What’s with the evasive maneuvering?” I yell.
“We reached the border of our land and sky. We have to stay within our boundaries.”
“What was the place I saw lit up in the distance?”
“That was the Pine Kingdom.” I stiffen. I’m not sure if it’s from fear of my life, fear of the man who is my father being a ruthless killer, or fear that I may never meet him. I’m so conflicted. I don’t know what to do. On one hand, he’s my father. I’d like to hope that he would never hurt me. On the other, Lucas is adamant about me staying with him and that King Pine is a vicious man. If only I could meet him. Then there’s Lucas. I want to stay safe with the man who is currently warming me in a way I thought had long gone dormant.
Question
Once Lucas feels me shiver in front of him, he decides to head back. We land safely on the side of the cliff where we jumped. I have to refrain from bending down and kissing the stone pathway under my feet. The ground never looked so good.
He takes my hand in his, and we walk back into the building with Tali close behind. As I watch her, she sniffs the air, and moves her head from side to side like she’s scanning the area for potential threats. I hadn’t noticed that before. She could be, but I don’t know enough about her to know for sure.
Lucas swings the door to her area open wide. She doesn’t go in right away. Instead, she stops in front of us and nudges me with her nose. I gently pat the side of her face as to not impale myself on any of her horns. I study her. Earlier I was too afraid to. Her amethyst eyes close as I continue to run my hand along her scales. Maybe she likes me after all.
Leaning down, I put my face near hers and rest my forehead on her briefly. She didn’t let me die up in the air; that has to count for something. I need to show I trust her, even if it’s not fully.
“She’s warmed up to you,” Lucas observes from beside me.
“I’ve warmed up to her, too.”
He runs his hand next to mine, then ushers her inside. I stand by the door while he walks in. If I’m not mistaken, I hear him say, “I’m glad you like her.” I smile, hoping that’s what he said. I can’t explain this attraction to him, but it’s something that’s existed since he first appeared in my dreams. Although, I couldn’t see him well, I felt like I knew him. Never did I think he was real and was, in fact, having the same dreams as me.
He walks out and shuts the door before taking my hand. We stroll through the building hand-in-hand. He doesn’t let go until we’re tucked away back inside his home. Standing, facing one another, he looks into my eyes. I’m captivated by him. This evening has been much better than earlier. It almost makes up for me being thrown into a dungeon. Almost.
With a gentle hand, he reaches up to cup my cheek. His thumb skims along my skin. He leans forward and I think he’s going to kiss me. I close my eyes anticipating his move, however his lips never touch me. I feel his forehead rest against mine. I open my eyes and see his are closed and his breath appears labored.
“Alison,” he breathes. “How badly I want to kiss you.”
“Then please do.”
He shakes his head without losing contact with mine. “I don’t want to push things with you. You’re far too important for me to be rushing into something with you. I want to treat you right. I want to keep you on the pedestal you deserve to be put on. I want you to know just how much you’ve come to mean to me.”
“Lucas–”
“Luke. Please call me Luke.”
“Luke. You barely know me. I don’t understand how you can feel so strongly.”
He pulls back to look at me, his eyes searching mine. “And you feel nothing?”
“I didn’t say that. It’s just so quick. I don’t know how to deal with it. You’re supposed to get to know someone. Go on dates. Take your time, yet I want to skip all of that with you.”
“You can go at whichever speed you wish. I’ll be here regardless.”
I start to swim in those blue eyes of his. “Kiss me.”
“No. You deserve more. You deserve respect and admiration. I’ve been craving your touch for so long. Ever since you first appeared in my dreams, I’ve wished you were real. To have you standing before me, in my home, it’s too much. I’m scared you’re going to disappear, or I’m going to wake and this will all be another cruel dream that ends without you in my arms.”
I warm all over at his words: so sweet and so real. I didn’t know a man could speak his feelings this way. My ex-husband was a prick extraordinaire. He rarely told me how he felt; outside of saying he loved me every now and then. Even at that, it felt more forced than anything else. That was only the tip of the iceberg as to why things went downhill with him.
Here I am. Standing in a kingdom I knew nothing of a couple of days ago, in front of a prince who wants me. Me! Too bad I don’t have any friends back at home who would swoon right along with me.
Then reality comes crashing down around me with a loud pounding at the door. Lucas, Luke, growls and his body goes rigid. “Stay behind me.”
He opens the door, but fills the open space with his body, not letting the door open any wider. I remain hidden behind it.
“From the king, Your Highness,” a masculine voice says. Luke nods and shuts the door.
He turns and I notice a piece of paper in his hands. His eyes shift back and forth as he reads it. “What does it say?” I ask.
He crumples the paper and throws it across the room. Turning away from me, he rakes a hand through his windblown hair. It makes me wonder, for a moment, what mine looks like. I dread trying to pull a comb through it.
He speaks while pacing. “My father wants us present for breakfast in the morning. Seems he wants to discuss the trade. King Pine is aware of your presence here.” He faces me, his jaw hard with anger. “He wants you immediately sent to him. Oliver, too. My father hasn’t responded yet. This is why he wants us at breakfast. To discuss things.”