The Elven King's Consort

Chapter 53: Answers

Like it had never happened before, the forest was alive and well and completely different from a few weeks ago. A faint glow lined each living thing, forcing a slight glare and vibration like a visible pulse of the heart. The pixies and fairies raced around, their wings and bodies smaller than my hand as they flew by. Curiously observing us from a safe distance, they jingled like bells of different tunes. Although above our heads, the dark sky speckled with bright stars and a full moon should have encased the forest in darkness with only the soft noise of crickets. Instead, it seemed more like daylight, for it was so luminous, and every creature roamed around full of energy.

We walked on behind the floating orbs in front of us. The spherical objects were thin and iridescent. Each one was a different color that matched its fairy or pixie. The only difference was the sizes of these majestic creatures. Pixies were twice as small as fairies. They jingled each time they changed a direction; each one was different. It was a smooth, tiny, and lovely sound.

Demetri looked around, taking in our surroundings and keeping up without a sweat. He and Cesteil really pissed me off. Especially Demetri. I know this was all his doing mainly. To think they worked together to separate Cesteil from me just so the lycan king could fuel his curiosity and have his way with me? He was testing me. To see if I can meet his standards and gain his trust. Well, he's in for disappointment because I told myself I wouldn't associate with him any longer.
Three days I spent practicing and going through extreme regimens to gain some sort of balance with these mysterious abilities of mine under scrutiny. Constant surveillance. Just to appease him. No, it's enough. He had smashed my spirit so much that I didn't want to amend our broken relationship.
Increasing my speed, I tried to put some distance between us, and my anger rose higher. I don't think I could forgive him for tormenting me for so long, to be honest, even if Cesteil or Maylyn begged me to. What was it that they saw in Demetri? I turned slightly to look at him. He only stared right back at me with cold eyes, but he wasn't glaring for the first time in a long time. Turning to face forward, my brows furrowed deeper.

He was so rude and ruthless to me. Always jabbing at me and accusing me of things of the past. Why was he like this to me? Suddenly, I remembered Kaiden. This all started because of that incident. If Demetri knew the truth, would he finally leave me be? Would he even believe me? I halted in my tracks and twisted around violently. I can't tell him I knew who actually killed Kaiden. Cesteil would never trust me again, and I can't hurt him like that. He'll have to tell Demetri one day when the time is right that's if it ever will be.

"You've acted so hostile to me since Kaiden's death," raising my voice loud enough to reach him. He kept walking to stand only a few inches from me, annoyed.

"I've told you I was innocent in his death, and even you said I was cleared of suspicion," I continued, not allowing him a turn to speak," yet here you are treating me worse than the dirt under our shoes. Like I'm some vile, evil mad woman that has committed endless atrocities."

Breathing heavily, clenching my fists tightly, I searched those shifting eyes that glowed under the many rays of colorful lights. It was almost like a hallucination how well his eyes fit in with the magical orbs filled with fairies and pixies that floated around us, speaking in their own bell-like whispers and watching us with concerned looks on their tiny, beautiful, enchanting faces.

"I've tried to prove myself to you, to gain your trust in many ways, yet it was all futile. Everything and anything I do, you come in like a raging storm and squash my resolve. I hate it. I hate this!" I was screaming now and pointing at him; my face and neck burned with the fire within me. My last words stung, and even he winced just the slightest after they left my lips:" I hate you."

I stepped back, panting. It felt so relieving to finally get everything out in the open and off my chest. For so long, I endured and allowed my emotions to pile up, afraid to hurt our strained relationship because of Maylyn and Cesteil. Trying to stop the rumors of the past from haunting me for the rest of my life, the hot-headed, sickly princess because of one man. No lycan.
He watched me unmoving. Those cold eyes stared into me, but I felt nothing, enjoying the rush of adrenaline that coursed through my veins. There was a clear-cut line of heavy silence between us, and for the longest moment, even the sounds and noises of life around us ceased to exist.