Shielded - The Marilla Chronicles

Chapter 13

After half an hour of flying, I fucken counted, Malaki began to slow down.

"Open your eyes princess." He spoke close enough into my ear, that his breath tickled my skin.

I released a breath of frustration, purely because he had been urging me to open my eyes and each time, his lips had gotten closer and closer to my ear.

I reluctantly decided to give in.

My eyes opened up and my lips parted in astonishment.

We approached an Island, not much bigger than the one Isaac had shielded. On top of the Island took a beautiful modern home. The mansion was an architectural masterpiece where form followed function, but still incorporated minimalistic beauty. Modern simple forms with glass walls and cantilevers shapes. It was designed to blend into its surroundings.

He brought us gently down to a balcony, and slowly let me slip down until my feet touched the cold tiled floor. My hands gripped onto his chest though, as I still felt wobbly from the flight. He did not seem to mind, and luckily decided not to comment as I steadied myself.

Once I felt stable enough, I released him. His wings folded tightly into his back, and swiftly vanished. I wondered how he did that? I also noticed that his clothes were intact, no tears.

His eyes had fortunately not been focused on me as I had been on his wings. He looked at the sliding door that stood behind us. "Maybe we can be back before night after all." He said walking towards the glass doors, and opened them up.

"This is your house?" I asked looking back out from where we came from. "How far are we from the Island?"

"About two hundred miles." He said keeping the door open for me.

I stared at him as my mouth opened in amazement. "You have been this close the whole time?" I asked with a voice filled with complete shock.

"It seems like it." He said with a deep chuckle.

I shook me head and stepped into his house, listening as he slid the door shut behind us, trapping out the ocean breeze.

I stood a moment as I took in his minimalistic dark furniture and decorations. His walls were left bare, and his living room consisted of nothing except some couches and a fire place.

I continued to follow him into the kitchen, with the same minimalistic feel as the living room. Everything was ultra modern. The stoves, the fridges, the televisions.

"When I thought about where the Dark Prince lived," I stopped and looked around, "I expected it to look... Well Gothic archways, and blood." I said examining the house. I turned to face the Dark Prince.

He was looking at me with a very smug smile, "Nice to know you were imagining what my rooms looked like."

I narrowed my eyes at him tightened me jaw. "Sword." I demanded. He always had to make it sound... Dirty.

His smirk did not fall away but he gestured for me to follow him with his head, "This way." He said walking down a corridor.

I followed behind him and noticed the paintings that stood on the walls. I stopped at one of them. A sketch, a hyper realistic sketch of smoke. Nothing more, just smoke. Tendrils of darkness that slowly rose onto the large white paper.

"Princess." His voice snapped my attention back to him. He was standing at the end of the corridor. I swallowed as I thought about the same black tendrils that spread across those skies in my memory.

He looked at the picture I had been examining. "I did that a few years back."

My eyes widened, and I looked back at the sketch. I wanted to compliment it, but given that he proudly declared how he had done it, he knew he was talented. He needed no approval from me.

I stepped away from the picture and towards him. I maintained a calm face, as he narrowed his gaze at me. Searching for a response.

Once realizing he would get none from me, he swiftly stepped into the room that lay behind him. I followed in after him.

The bedroom was completely open plan, and faced out towards large curtains that were blocking out the sun.

"Open curtains." Malaki casually ordered as he turned to a desk in the room. I watched in awe as the curtains moved exposing the beautiful view of the beach below us. How I wished to swim in that water.

Have a smart house seemed so pointless for Malaki though. He was the Dark Prince, son of the Dark One. He could have hundreds of servants, and even without them. His magic would have been able to draw back those curtains with a single wave.

But still, he had a smart house.

"Here we go." Malaki said bringing my attention to him, he stood holding his sword in his hands.

I swallowed back as I looked at the shimmering silver blade, the handle was created out of a black metal, and in its pommel of the blade, stood a beautiful black stone. It swirled around in that crystal, the darkness, similar to how Malaki's own tendrils of smoke moved. Malaki looked like the personified version of his own blade.

I began to feel my nerves stand up. I searched for escape route, in case. In case the Dark Prince decided here and now to kill me.

"You still don't trust me Princess?" I looked up and saw how Malaki's eyes were filled with disappointment.

I arched my eyebrow at him, "Of course not." I stated calmly, "Logically, killing me now would make sense." I felt my blood begin boil and the panic start to rise, "Killing me now would break our deal." I swallowed and my instincts began to kick in. My fingers slightly twirled.

Malaki flew at me with such speed I was unable to defend. He pinned me against the wall, and had both my hands securely tightened in his grip, ensuring I could not move them. "Don't use your powers." He barked, his face now a hair breath away from mine. "He will sense it."

He meant the Dark One. I swallowed as I understood how close I had come to using my powers. His silver eyes traced over my face. I saw that darker line that ringed his iris. He was waiting for me to give some hint of understanding.

I nodded, and slowly he released my hands, and pressed off of me.

"I don't want to hurt you Princess," He took a step back, "Therefor I won't."

I looked at the sword that rested in his hand. He had not brought it up to me while I was pinned. "Am I supposed to just take your word on that?" I asked with a snarl.

He didn't respond, but his eyes seemed to explode with molten silver as he starred down at me. Contemplating something. His glare made me feel completely exposed.

"We should go." I said breaking the tension and turning on my heels.

"I'm cashing in a favor." His words brought me to an abrupt halt, not from shock, but because of the magic that wrapped around me. I could not move until he told me what he wanted.

My mind began to panic as I thought about all the things, he could ask from me. My skin grew cold as I waited.

"I want you to have dinner with me, here, tonight."