*MATURE FANTASY*
Bound by fate, torn by betrayal.
Their souls are intertwined.
She is his mate, and he is hers, whether or not this is something they want.
Elara has spent her life hiding from the oppressive forces of the Light, a powerful cult th...
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Over the last few days, I did what I apparently had turned into a customary reaction and avoided Rylan while we sailed to the Dunes Clan tribe. It was a habit needed to break. I couldn't keep sleeping with him and avoiding him only to sleep with him again. It was insanity. And the more I stayed away, the more my thoughts crept towards him. He was torturing me without even having to lift a finger.
This was not something I had delt with before. I had no idea how to approach this thing between us. If he was a typical male, I would have just slept with him once, gotten him out of my system and went on living my life. But he was anything but typical. It was unnerving constantly being pulled to someone so very guarded and largely unknown. The thing that scared me was the safety I felt with him at times. He protected me at the rinks, and that meant something, stirred something within me. Somehow, some part of him began feeling safe after that.
As Nox, Rylan, and I approached the sandstone fortress of one of the small tribes of the Dunes Clan, I couldn't shake the unease settling in my stomach. The rest of the crew remained on the ship, awaiting our return with the demon. The original plan seemed straightforward, but Nox's insistence on bringing Rylan along had raised questions. In a private conversation earlier, I pressed Nox on why he wanted Rylan to accompany us. His response had been ambiguous, mentioning his belief that it would somehow encourage Rylan to aid us in our endeavors. Nox's words left me more perplexed than reassured.
Outside the sandy fortress, we were met by members of the Dunes Clan, their bodies adorned with intricate scars that served as both a symbol of their conjuring gifts and an impregnable barrier against any cut. Every healed scar marring their skin became a shield, something that could not be sliced through again. Most of the Clan's scars were self-inflicted in lines and geometric patterns all over their flesh. They were a perfect opponent for the Silver Blades, for no blade could harm them.
As the Dunes Clan led us inside, I noticed Rylan's discomfort at the sight of the scars, his jaw clenched, gaze trained on the markings. I wondered if all Dunes Clan members made him uncomfortable or whether it was this particular tribe.
"It is good to see you again," Xav greeted us as we entered the first chamber. Though he didn't smile there was a peacefulness to him, a calm in his eyes. Markings covered his shaved head, slicing patterns down his neck before disappearing beneath his robe.
"We are pleased to be here," Nox replied smoothly, his demeanor poised and collected betraying none of the urgency lurking beneath the surface. Get in, take what we purchased and get out, as fast as possible.
"Eager to make the trade?" Xav asked.
"Yes." Nox inclined his head. "The demon will be invaluable to us." His words carried a sense of anticipation, echoing the unspoken significance of everything to this point, and past it. The secretive nature of this particular Dunes tribe played to our advantage, their cautious demeanor shielding the precious prize they held. Not many knew they possessed a demon, one that we were about to take.
