The Lost Heir

Chapter 31

AMON POV

It was a good decision to bring her back to the human relm. I haven't seen her this happy in years. The moment we exited the crater and she felt the cool night air caress her skin, she gasped then giggled. She then proceeded to frolic in the water. I had created the crater to let it open up by the waterfall.

While she was playing, I returned to retrieved some dinner for us. When I came back, Raven was sitting on one of the moss covered rocks by the basin, her feet dangling in a shallow pool of water. For a moment I couldn't move. She looked mesmerising. Her back hair streaked silver with the moonlight. Her eyes shone brightly, illuminated by the light reflecting off the water's surface. Her nightgown clung to the curve of the body. She really did look stunning.

"Little Raven?"

Turning her head slightly, my breath caught in my throat. Her body was giving off irradiant glow. A dim red and white hue was radiating off her body. I felt a tightening in my groin. Fuck. Why is the urge to mate with her so overwhelming lately? Trying my best to ignore my body and my carnal urges, I walked closer to her.

"Dinner time." My voice sounded strained.

Smiling sweetly, she took her plate. I had brought back roasted vegetables and potatoes with roasted lamb and gravy. To drink was red wine for me and water for Raven. We ate in silence, a comfortable silence. Enjoying the sounds of nature of night. Every time she heard a night creature, she would stop eating only to listen to them, then resume her meal after a few seconds. She really did miss the outside world.

After she ate, she tucked herself against my side. Finishing my meal, I wrapped my arms around her. In a peaceful silence, we watched the fireflies dance on the water's surface while the reflected off its surface.

How am I supposed to ask her about attending the Ball with me tomorrow night? Ronove said he already explained everything to her about it. Just not the fact as to why I actually wanted her there. I wanted Raven to be my bride. Not even a candidate but my actual bride.

I've thought about it long and hard over the past three weeks. Asking Ronove for her hand in marriage was the scariest thing I ever did. And I've done a lot, so that's saying something. I honestly thought he would have killed me on the spot the way his eyes turned crimson and his magic blasted me to the dungeon door. But he did agree, saying that he couldn't stop it even if we wanted to. As mates, we would always find a way to each other no matter what tried to keep us apart.

Securing Ronove's approval was important, but so was knowing how Raven felt. We may be mated to eachother but it doesn't necessarily mean that Raven loves me. She's never said the words. I don't think she even knows what love is. As she grew up, I never had a reason to explain what love was. Her Valac mating mark has recognised me as the one that she loves, but has she?

I sighed heavily, which only brought Raven's attention away from the waterfall back to me.

"Is something wrong Ami?" She asked moving back just enough to see my face.

"Remember this morning I told you that I had something to talk to you about?" I asked I'm certainly.

"Is it about the Kings Ball tomorrow night? My father already told me for you."

"He told you half of the reason why I wanted you there." Here goes everything. "I was given a deadline to find a bride candidate or they take the throne away from me if someone more powerful is found that is. It's highly unlikely.

"Anyway. I would like you to attend the Ball with me. Not to learn about your heritage, but as my date. As my bride to be."

"Bride as in the woman staying by your side forever until one of you dies?"

"No. Bride as in the woman I want by my side to share the rest of my life with."

Her eyes widen in realisation. I waited with baited breath for her response. It seemed like eternity stretched in the span of mere minutes. After a long, prolonged moment of silence, a wide grin slowly crawled to her lips.

Slamming her body against mine, she pushed both of us off the rock we were seated on. Wrapping my arms around her, I ensured that I got the brunt of the fall. We fell in the shallow pool, our clothes splashing with the water. This recklessly, wild woman. Is she trying to hurt us? Well rather herself since a fall like that wont hurt me. I was about to reprimand her when her lips covered mine.

Forgetting our slowly dampening clothes, I returned the kiss. I really shouldn't seeing as how I'm awaiting her answer and what happened last night. But I couldn't help it. What was it about her that made my issues disappear just by being around her? That made me want more of her with a single touch.

As I was about the deepen the kiss, she did it for me. Her hands gripped my face as her tongue delved into the cavern of my mouth. Groaning into her mouth, I gripped her legs, pulling her to straddling my hips. By now I had a full grown erection and didn't want to scare her again. Before I could pull away, she pressed her hips against mine.

Fuck! What is she doing? Is she even aware of her actions?! A low moan escaped her, allowing me to take control. I broke the kiss, trailing my lips down her neck. She tilted her head back, giving me better access.

Her pulse was beating fast against my lips and she was breathing heavily. I brought us up to a sitting position so that I could better see her face. It was then that I noticed that her right eye had turned crimson red. This wasn't my Raven.

I stopped immediately. There was a faint glow coming from the inside of the dress, right where her mating mark was located. Moving my own shirt, I saw my mating mark glowing. So that's why she's acting this way. She's trying to mate with me. But this isn't her. This is the Valac blood within her. As much as i want to be buried deep in her, I can't. Not like this. I will hate myself if I took advantage of her when she was like this. And she would hate me when she realises as well. The time for that isn't now.

Instead of continuing, I hugged her, waiting for her heart to stop racing and her breathing to return to normal. Our clothes were soaking wet by now but I was grateful for it. When the blood flow returned to my brain, I stood up, helping her as I did. Before I could ask her anything, she was nodding.

"Yes." She just stated.

"Yes what?" I was confused now.

"Yes I will attend the Ball with you as your bride to be." She said looking up at me, her right eye returning to it deep cobalt blue.

With our make session a few moments ago I almost forgot the question I had asked her. But she said yes. She accepted my proposal! Lifting her up I spun her around. She laughed happily. Placing her back down, I brought our lips together briefly before hugging her.

"Thank you Raven."

She had no idea how happy she made me by just saying yes. All I wanted to do was make love to her but I held myself back. I was about to say something again when she yawned.

"Let's go back. We need to get you out of those clothes and into dry ones."

All she did was nod and held onto me. Opening the crater, I felt her body stiffen like it did before, when we came here. A sudden hum of magic paused me from entering the crater. Where was that coming from? It doesn't seem as though Raven felt it. As a Valac she's supposed to be able to detect magic being used and from where. Is she not able to as yet? Whatever that magic was, it was powerful. Almost as powerful as Ronove. There is nothing as powerful as a Valac except a sorcerer. But there are no sorcerers left.

As I entered the crater there were two things I was positive of. There was magic in the human relm hiding and it was only responding to me. I will have to investigate that. But after the Kings' Ball