Charm Of Sensuality

Chapter 24

Kane pulled his sweater on as he walked from the storage space. The Knights of the High Court often lodged in a communal area, very few opted out for their own space aside from those with mates and children. He ran a hand down the overgrown stubble on his face. Though now, it was more of a unkept incoming beard. He made a mental note to trim once the two of them were back in the safety of their appointed "home." And home was used loosely, neither of them had had a choice in the place assigned to them. There were many nights in the last month when he had to grit his teeth to not pack them both up and leave the realm. But he knew better, he knew Eden was not equipped for a life of extreme monitoring that was sure to happen if they weren't within reach.

It had been approximately one full month since Eden's welcome into the coven. Everyday she was a little different. Quieter. Morphing into the safety of herself. He didn't like it, but he also wasn't sure of what he could do. This place wasn't where she was meant to be. It was growing obvious by the day.

His mind wandered to Abril, his words a constant reminder that he was being kept out of the loop of something important. His conversations with Abril had been heated lately. Every time they spoke it erupted into a stand-off. Abril had given him a warning earlier, cryptic and ominous, "Whatever you do, don't go near the high council within the coming week. Even if they summon you."

He had demanded to know why, and besides, it wasn't as if he had any loyalty to the council, not after the way Vidal had been rampaging with her newfound position. Abril hadn't given him a reason why; he had instead reinforced that the situation required secrecy and Eden.

If the situation only involved him, he had no fear. But Eden? His Eden? He would summon hell fire on every corner of this realm and watch it burn if any harm came to her. Abril knew that... everyone knew that. And so, they planned in secret, making sure to avoid telling him finer details. But he was no fool, he had not risen to the ranks of Knighthood in this place without the ability to read between the lines. He could spot danger miles away, could smell it in the atmosphere. Things had been peaceful for too long. They had all allowed Eden too much freedom recently, no one mentioning the rapid speed in which her powers were growing.

No one mentioned why she was so sought after in the first place now that she was here. It bothered him, all of it. There was a chill in the air, the cycle of seasons here was something he was used to. He gently rolled up the length of his long sleeves to his forearm. As he passed by a group of newly minted Knights, their conversation stopped him in his tracks. He turned to look at them, his voice calling out to them, "Wait, what did you just say?"

The men turned to look at him, the giddy expressions on their faces melting away and turning into fear. He moved closer to them, "Repeat what you just said."

One of them stood a little straighter before clearing his throat to say, "Sunflowers. They're sprouting from the bricks. Everywhere."

"I heard that part," Kane said as he balled his hands into fists, "what was said after that?"

"They... that is... we suspect it was... your, uh, your mates doing. Everyone thinks it's her fault."

A small smirk slid across his lips, "And if it is?"

The two men said nothing. Kane turned from them then, moving faster now. Crowds of people were gathering, and the ground was beginning to shift. Kane picked up his pace pushing through the growing crowd and heading for Eden. In the ocean of black and dark reds, her lavender attire was like a beacon. He reached out and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her against his chest.

She looked up at him, her eyes wild. Her pupils dilated. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and with his other hand cupped her face. He ran his thumb gently up and down her cheek, murmuring soothing words. "Eden, sweetheart, talk to me."

She shook her head, panic setting in. "I ruined everything. The sunflowers, I... I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm trying to be strong like you. I've learned so much, I can do the spells now too. I-I don't know. I don't know!"

"Hey, hey...," he soothed, "You're not of this world, Eden. It's going to take you longer than four weeks to get accustomed to it. It's ok, do you understand?" He kissed at her temple, her tear-soaked cheeks, and her trembling lips. Her whole body was shaking. The ground shook, and beneath their feet the dirt split in half.

He pulled her back as rows of sunflowers pushed up through the ground, large roots interconnected and growing haphazardly around them. The commotion in the street turned to screams as people ran in groups, each trying to avoid the crackling earth, and the large stalks of flowers budding. The flowers were sprouting everywhere now, pushing through buildings and exploding out of walls, roofs, and marble flooring. Each plant kept growing, pushing higher and higher toward the sky. Inevitably pushing past clouds and out of view.

He pulled her into the crook of an alley, it too was overgrown with stems. They watched as those around them tried cutting the stalks or using magic to stop the growth only for more to continue to push through the ground and continue their ascent upward. "Eden, what spell did you use?"

She looked at him, her mouth agape in horror. "I just... I just asked them to grow. I told them they didn't belong down here. I told them to grow toward the-the sun."

He sighed but couldn't help the small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. All of this chaos, because she had used earth magic?

She noticed his grin and frowned, "Don't laugh. This isn't funny, Kane! Look what I did!"

He shushed her, "This is fixable. You must tell them to stop. They can't grow here. Not like this. They don't have free reign here."

Eden nodded her head. She reached out, the palm of her hand lying flat against one of the emerging buds. "This is not your realm. You do not have dominion here. Floris carcerem, crescere prohibitum."

The ground ceased its rumbling. Each long stalk began to creak and then they were all splitting in half, falling onto the ground and melting into tiny buds. Eden sucked in a breath of relief before flinging herself into Kane's arms.

"I'm sorry. I'm messing everything up."

Before Kane could answer, a haughty voice interrupted them, "Yes, you are."