Anokhian: Invasion

24

"Bliss," I whispered.

He let out a soft chuckle that sounded like water running over rocks, sending shivers down my spine. It made him sound even better, more handsome.

"Tell me more," he said. His breath felt warm against my face as if his lips had been pressed against mine. I took his advice, telling him how my senses were overwhelmed when I was near him. 

I wanted to tell him everything, but I was scared to say anything more. I peeked at him and saw him looking at me through half-lidded eyes as if he already knew what I was going to say. I could tell by the smile forming on his face he did. He was teasing me, enjoying himself as much as I was. He didn't want my confessions to end, not yet. He wanted me to talk more, to share something more with him.

I thought about how this situation had turned into something more than a lesson but I ignored that fact and instead told him about how I loved the way his scent seemed to be infused with electricity, like a storm brewing cold purple lightning within its grey clouds.

I could tell by the look on his face that he was having fun, enjoying our little exchange. So, despite my embarrassment, I kept talking, and soon, my heart began to slow down.

My words slowed down to a whisper before they trailed off into nothingness. The crackling of the fire next to us seemed nonexistent, the only things I could hear were my own breaths and the sound of our hearts beating faster.

I heard his low chuckle once again. I could feel his chest vibrate next to me as he gave my knee a gentle squeeze. I looked up, into his violet eyes and saw everything.

Happiness, love, joy, sorrow. All swirling together in one place like the swirls of a stormcloud and somehow I just knew that he understood everything about me. Every feeling I'd ever experienced, he'd felt them somewhere along in his life too. I felt so understood, so comforted by his existence.

Yet I still wondered how it was that I could see all of his emotions, yet his radiant was nonexistent. I needed to know how.

"How..?" I spoke with doubt. Doubt that I would ever be able to make myself appear numb as they do.

"How do you not give everything away when you feel something? How is it that you can walk around with all of these emotions burning inside of you and not show a thing?" My frustration was building with every word I spoke into existence.

He looked at me with an unreadable expression before he said softly, "it's called control, Vivian.  The fact that I don't show anything outward means nothing." He stared deeply into my eyes, like he could touch the depths of my soul. "I can feel you. I feel your emotions as if they manifested within my own heart. Anokhian royals don't need to see you to know what you feel.  They simply sense the presence of someone else with their mind, whether it's another royal or just someone from outside their family."

"How do I control it? How can I when I feel everything so deeply?" I ask him and he chuckles, looking down at me with those dark eyes.

"You can learn." He tells me in his low voice, his accent even more pronounced now than before. "It will be easier once you're done training."

I looked away, frustrated at the fact that I had to train at all.

"Viviana, please." He touched my knee again in an attempt to gain my gaze once again. He looked into my eyes, "you must stop thinking about this as a battle. Just think of this as a test."

"A test we could die taking?" I shot back. "I don't want to lose anyone else Radeon.. I don't want to lose you." I tell him with tears threatening my eyes.

The thought of losing my most understanding and powerful ally makes me sick with anxiety. It was clear, I needed Radeon. To be honest with myself, I wanted him too.

It was one thing fighting against Phaèryon. It was one thing battling for my life against Ninak just to gain Phaèryon as a mate. This wasn't something I wanted to fight for. I didn't want any part of Phaèryon. But I understood now, that I would fight if I wanted to live.

I could only hope that by my winning in the claiming that I would gain Radeon as a mate instead of Phaèryon.

And then it hit me like a freight train. What if I lost? There would be no one to save me, no one to take care of me. I would die alone without even having said goodbye to anybody, though who did I have to say goodbye to anyways? I felt my hands shake as my heart started beating faster.

I needed to focus. I had to win this battle for survival. I couldn't lose. Not again. It was too late. I already lost two people I loved with all my heart. I'd never forgive myself if I lost another. I had to win. I had to kill Ninak and force Phaèryon to spare Radeon's life.

And I knew, somewhere in this dark place of my mind, that the idea didn't feel right. That was why I didn't like it. But what choice did I have? I was stuck. I had to win.

If I didn't I would be killed anyway. And if I survived, then Radeon would probably be killed anyway. So either way, there were only two options. Win or die. And since it seemed like I was going to die anyway, I might as well go down fighting.

For now, I had to concentrate. I needed to think of strategies to win the battle against Ninak. But how?

Hey guys, I'm back to writing, trying to write a little everyday! Hope you guys enjoy this update. I love your comments, can't believe this story has as many reads as it does. Warms my heart. ♥️♥️