Shielded - The Marilla Chronicles

Chapter 17

I lay on Malaki's bed staring up at his darkened ceilings. I would roll over to get comfortable but I found that I could smell Malaki on the sheets. I could smell him on the clothes.

How do people sleep in beds, what do you do with your hair? How do you choose where to put your head? It all seemed like a lot of trouble.

I sat up deciding sleeping in the bed was not going to work, since I couldn't sleep in the ocean I would just have to settle with walking around the house.

I hoped he wouldn't mind. I wouldn't go digging any shelves. I just, knew, sleeping was not an option.

I swung my legs over the bed and made my way out of the bedroom. The house was pitch dark, so I guided my path by pressing my hand gently on the wall.

I walked towards the kitchen and living area noticing a light coming from the patio. I looked out through the windows to see Malaki.

He sat against a chair with his white hair blowing in the wind. He wore no shirt, exposing his chiseled chest. In front of him stood a table, and on it his sword.

He seemed to pondering over something as his fingers pressed against his brow. In the books I read, mermaids were supposed to be the fairest creatures of them all, but staring at Malaki, I couldn't quite imagine a more beautiful sight.

I began to take a step backwards. I didn't want to disturb him.

"Couldn't sleep Princess?" He calmly. I frozen and shook my head.

"How did you know I am here?" I asked taking a step towards the patio.

He huffed out and looked over his shoulder, "I guess stealth is something we will need to work on with you."

I rolled my eyes as I stepped through the open sliding and onto the patio. I walked over to the railing and leaned against it with my elbows. I took in a deep breath, savoring the smell of my friend the ocean. "No offence, but no bed beats the ocean."

"Can't say I've ever tried." He said with a smirk.

I looked over the horizon at the moon's reflection on the water. I felt the water call for me to dive into her depths, but of course I couldn't. It would make me glow, the Dark One would sense me, like they did that night on the beach.

I felt Malaki's eyes on me. I could still him in, on the clothes I wore. There was something so peaceful about the scent. I shook my head, trying to remember that he was evil.

I stepped back towards him, and calmly took a seat next to him. I folded my legs up, and wrapped my arms around them.

His breath shallowed and I looked to see his eyes fully focused on my every move. His eyes were glazed over, fighting some internal battle.

"You said you killed a child, how?" I broken the silence, broke whatever he was thinking about. I did it and tried to remind myself who he was. The Dark prince.

His muscles tensed and his eyes now filled with remorse. He looked back towards the ocean.

"I was fighting a soldier and the child got slashed down during combat." He said the words with no emotion, and it made my stomach sick.

"That's terrible." I said feeling all my hints of desire for Malaki fade.

"People die in war." His words were heartless.

I snapped my head. He was trailing a finger down his sword. His face was back to looking cold.

"You can't be that heartless?" I don't know why I sounded surprised.

I suppose because he didn't kill me, because he could have given me to Lenora, and he chose not to, because he could have used the deal magic to make me do terrible things, but all he wanted was dinner.

He eyes shot to mine, "I am." He said with an arched eyebrow, "I am literally part demon."

I felt like that was a pitiful of an excuse.

"Did you expect something else Princess?"

"I'm trying to understand you." I said examining his face. "You have everything at your fingertips." My blue eyes were searching his face, searching for that hint of emotion, "You could rule the Fae, with a powerful enchantress at your side." She was probably stunning, but I did not feel like adding that. You are powerful yourself, nearly unstoppable."

His silver eyes were seemed to glimmer hints of a storm I was tapping into.

I leaned towards him and watched as his nostrils flared. "All you have to do is kill me." He seemed to freeze, "But you don't. Why haven't you killed me?"

In swifter motion that I had ever countered for, the edge of his sword was pressing against my neck. He had me pinned against the seat, his blade to my neck, and his other arm caging me in. "Is that what would make you happy? Killing you?" He said with a cold tone.

"No, but it would make sense." I said keeping a calm composure. My breath did not faulter. Something about him, about the fact that he had had multiple chances to kill me, had me believing he would not now.

He brought his face down so that his lips were inches from mine. My heart began to race, but worse, I did not want him to pull away, to stop.

"Unfortunately for us Princess," He reached down past my cheeks and brushed my ear, "Logic had failed us," His breath was warm as he continued to tease it, "I don't want to kill you."

He lowered his sword from my neck as he leaned away slightly. I looked up at his eyes. I knew he wouldn't kill me, I only knew it, because I couldn't kill him.

He pushed off the couch completely and examined my face.

"You need to sleep Princess." He said softly. "Come on." He said getting up and gesturing me to follow him.

He was heading back into the house. I don't think he understands that I cannot sleep on the bed. But a rolled my neck and released a breath of frustration before I followed after him.

He walked into his room again, and this time, he placed himself on the bed. I arched my eyebrow at him as he began to pat the empty side of the bed.

I shook my head. "No thanks." I said sternly.

"Come on." He said patting the bed next to him. "Trust me."

Trust, he had said if were to work together, we needed to trust each other. "I am not fucking you." I blurted out in defense.

He chuckled as he placed himself against the bed frame, "I didn't know Princess's could speak like that."

I rolled my eyes but strode over to the bed, "Queen." I corrected him. I was not a Princess, like he kept saying. I was a queen.

I climbed into the bed, and onto the empty side. His bed was massive, which made keeping to my own side relatively easy. I rolled over to face away from him. I was still very uncomfortable, and very annoyed that he wanted to share the bed.

"Not like that." He groaned. In swift motion he had his arms wrapped around me, and pulled me over to rest my temple against his chest.

The movement of his beaths while his chest rose and sunk was surprisingly soothing. Reminded me of the feeling of being swayed back and forth in the water.

He traced his fingers over my shoulders and I felt more waves of tranquility descend into my heart.

"Better?" He whispered gently.

"How?" I asked feeling the effects of sleep swiftly drifting in.

"Doesn't matter." He stated softly. "Sleep."

I must have been lying like that for less than five minutes, before darkness drifted over me, and soon I was fast asleep.