Devotion

Chapter 39

Aurora

After a gruesome training day, Caz finally let me walk around the underworld with his supervision. It's been months since I was last at home, and I miss it so much, but so far, there hasn't been any progress.

As we walked down the streets, many of the Ash members were bowing their heads when they saw me. I gave a small smile and nod before spotting a restaurant. I glanced at Caz as he kept a stoic face before his eyes met mine.

"Do you need something?" he asked. I nodded and pointed at the restaurant a few doors down. His gaze followed mine until he spotted the restaurant. He then grinned before rolling his eyes.

We entered the restaurant when a beautiful woman came out of the kitchen. She had teal eyes and hair, and her face was partially covered in flour as she beamed at us.

"Come here to enjoy the usual, Mr. Monroe?" she asked, and she pointed at a table for us to sit at. "I'll bring out the usual," she said as she went back into the kitchen. We began to chat about the training that Caz had been teaching me throughout the weeks.

I've significantly improved controlling my power when it comes to using it during combat. It's not my strongest suit. Erix and Caz usually don't use their powers during battle, but they've insisted on me using them.

My power is extremely ancient and powerful, but I couldn't wrap my head around it. Before my power was fully awoken, I only had enough energy to draw out my sword.

The woman brought two plates of food and placed them in front of us. She smiled at me and went back to the kitchen. "Let's eat!" Caz said as he began to dig in. I nodded and began to eat. The food was creamy, and it melted on my tongue. Before I could take another bite, the door busted open, and Seth was holding a girl with teal eyes and silver hair. Her face was swollen, but her eyes brightened when she laid eyes on me.

"Princess!" she said before Seth covered her mouth with his hand and dragged her to Caz. "We found her roaming in the mortal realm. She's a maid from the Lumar Kingdom," he said. The food I ate now tasted like Ash as I looked at the woman before me. What is she doing here? Was she looking for me? Is she here to take me to Sylas?

Before I could say anything, Caz grabbed her face, and his gaze darkened. "State your business, and I suggest that if you value your life, you spill everything," he muttered as fear entered her eyes. She kept flickering between Caz and me before she began to whisper. He began to laugh before gripping her face even tighter.

"Cut the bullshit and speak up," he menaced. My body tensed as I saw her pleading for her life to be spared, but it didn't budge. "Please! I'm only here to help the Princess!" she yelled before Caz and I tensed up. What does she mean to help me? "What do you mean? Who sent you here?" he asked. I knew he was still coming up with ways to torture her if she was lying. "Princess Xylvie," she breathed.

Caz immediately let her go and turned towards me, wondering if I knew Princess Xylvie. I knew who she was since there were many rumors about her being utterly different from her family. Before, I thought that Princess Xylvie was a rebel and only wanted to inflict pain on people, but now I realize it's the opposite.

"Why would Princess Xylvie send you here?" Seth asked in disbelief. We all looked at her, waiting for her to respond, but the woman came in, yelling at Caz and Seth.

"What the fuck do you two think you're doing to that poor girl?" She scolded before smacking them. They both tried to block her smacks, but that pissed her off even more.

The girl, terrified, scrambled towards me. She immediately held my hand and gave me a bracelet; it was glowing fiercely and as memories immediately flashed through eyes.

+

"Ali, I want you to do your best to protect the Princess... If you find her, make sure my family doesn't know about this" Princess Xlyvie said. As she looked at Ali one last time and cried. They both embraced each other before they let go. Immediately, Ali left venturing out through the mortal realm, blending, hunting, making sure that she doesn't perish.

After what seemed like months, she stumbles across Seth. "You" he growled. She turned and began to run, far and far away from him. She couldn't understand how she ran into an Ash member, so careful, so precise, just how could she mess up? He kept gaining up on her as she forced her legs to move faster. Growing up in poverty, she didn't have the proper education to learn how to use her magic.

She sped through the woods, tripping over some rocks. That one mistake cost her freedom when Seth caught her and knocked her out. 

+

The bracelet glowed once more, snapping me out of the trace that the magic held me in. Not noticing that my eyes were shifting between colors, Ali backed away. She wasn't sure what to do assuming that she never knew that my form still existed. 

"A-are y-you o-okay?" she asked nervously while the other three were still arguing. I nodded and gave her a small smile. She was here under the Princess orders, but why? Why is she going this far to help me? 

"I know that you're telling the truth" I whispered. Her body became more relaxed when I told her that I believed everything she stated. She let out a loose breath and tears slipped through her eyes. The only thing I could do was assure her that she was safe.