Celestia | A fantasy romance

Chapter Thirty-Three

Celestia

Terror clawed at my heart as I rushed back home, fear for my family swallowing me up whole. If what Dracyian said is true then Mallum is the one we should have feared and not him. It means Mallum has a way of communicating with the king no matter how far they were. It means he could have easily revealed our location to the guard from under our nose and it also means that we're no longer safe here.

Our journey back is delayed as valeyers appear out of nowhere and we're stuck defending ourselves from the monstrosities. I breathe out a sigh of relief when I spot our village from a distance, exhuastion creeping into my limbs and clouding my vision.

"You okay there, little demon?" Dracyian asked, concern lacing his words. He fought effortlessly, dropping valeyers with every swish of his fingers and not so much as a frown gracing his beautiful face.

"Kindness doesn't suit you, your highness." I grunted out as I drove my blade through the chest of the monster. "You should be true to your brooding, uncaring self."

He laughed and his eyes crinkled at the corners with the action as my attention faltered for a bit. The distraction cost me dearly as agony spread across my side where a valeyer swiped it's claws against my flesh. I cried out in anguish but managed to sever it's head before dropping to my knees.

Dracyian yelled out in alarm before pushing me to the floor just as something heavy landed on the spot I was kneeling on just a moment ago. I ran my eyes up the braid like structure before landing on a huge towering figure made of shadows and darkness. It's eyes glowed a bright red, marking it as a creature that didn't belong in this realm.

The braid of darkness lifted before turning to fall over us again. I screamed before I was pushed out of the way as it hit Dracyian in the chest and something like claws ripped into it to grab ahold of his heart.

"No!" I yelled and slashed the braid off with my blade only for it to pass through it like it was nothing but smoke. Dracyian's eyes rolled back into his skull and I cried out as I tried to grab the thing but my fingers just kept passing right through it.

I held his hand instead then, urging him to open his eyes and try to force this thing out of him. "Come on, Dracyian. Come on." I begged but he couldn't moved no matter how much he tried, I could only make that out by the way his muscles bulged in effort.

Panic rose in me as I continued to do everything I could to help him, the eerie feeling of it being too late pressing in in quick waves. How could he do this to me? He's put himself in danger for me so many times and I fucking hate him for it. Who gave him the right to break my heart this way? To make me feel as though there's nothing left inside of me anymore, the little bit of my soul that had been left being engulfed by the fear of losing him?

I screamed again at the thought of losing someone I loved again, the wound of losing my mother being torn open and a new tear pulling at my heart as I started to believe I've truly lost him. Raw energy build up inside my chest and I sobbed in relief as he finally opened his eyes, but the feeling was short lived as I took in his bloodshot eyes and pale skin.

I took a wary step towards him, and he turned his gaze to me as the creature retreated it's claws from him and screeched in delight. "Dracyian..?" I called out cautiously, fear ebbing away at my soul and sweating beading at my skin.

His eyes cleared for a moment, some blood rising to his cheeks, and hope leapt up in my chest as he moved his lips to speak one damned word.

"Run."

In a heartbeat, he was gone again, the bloody eyes returning as he jumped to attack me with a growl. My feet pounded against the ground as I ran as fast as I could, not knowing where to go or what to do but certain about one thing. I will not lead him back home.