Sacred

Chapter 19

   Alex, who had been crawling out behind him gave a squeal of terror before Nick covered her eyes and pushed her back into the tent flap. "Stay in there." He turned to Caine who was trying to dab at the blood with an old piece of gauze that didn't do much other than move the blood around.

   Nick went over to the pack of bandages and pulled out a roll of decent gauze. He unrolled a piece and ripped it off before taking it over to Caine. "Here. This should be better than that."

   Caine nodded and held the gauze to his eye, getting as much blood as he could. He didn't seem very fazed by the pain, but he did seem to be feeling it a little. That and he didn't speak.

   Gabe came over from the king and queen's tent where he had been hiding and he sent a glare at Nick. "Thank you for doing your job. Now I need to speak to you. In private." He started walking down the tunnel and Nick glanced at Caine who nodded and continued to clean his eye.

   Nick caught up with Gabe who went down a few more yards before stopping and whirling around. "You claim you're the leader of the Lights, but I know better. I'm the fifteenth descendent of the Lights' leader. Not you. If you are of the Dreery line then we just have to compete for the princess's heart now won't we?"

   Nick was taken aback. He shrugged and glanced back toward s the campsite. "Well…her father has already granted me permission to marry her. She loves me already. Why would she love you?"

   Gabe smiled an evil smile, walking back towards the camp. "She'd love me if she knew I was a better guardian for her. Who cares how many times you may hide her and hold her close, but nothing will compare to being saved from an attacking Darklen by a man of action." He turned back and sent him a smile. "Once I slay the beast which tries to capture her, she'll fall desperately in love with me."

   With that, he turned all the way and walked back to camp. Nick was a bit shaken. How was he supposed to compete with that? Gabe was handsome, strong, and possibly a better warrior than Nick ever would be. That and he was a fifteenth descendent as well. Maybe fate would draw her and Gabe together instead. He was just a lovestruck puppy, following Alex around for now just so that she could kick him away later.

   He sighed and walked back to camp, deciding not to bring up the topic to Alex for now. When he got back, Gabe was talking to king Jacob, making the king laugh with some inside joke. So that was his game? To try and win over the king so that Jacob would allow him his say when it came to the princess. Nick ignored them and crawled into the tent. Alex was waiting for him, half clothed in only a robe and her undergarments.

   She smiled and brightened as he arrived, but when she saw his face which was tightened in deep thought, she frowned and cupped his cheek. "Is everything alright?"

   He jumped and nodded, blushing as her robe fell open a little at the chest. "Uhh…yeah yeah. I'm just uhh…you know…thinking…about the umm…other Lights."

   She smiled and pulled his head towards her, throwing him off balance and making him fall on top of her. "Don't worry. None of them are half as handsome or adorable as you."

   She giggled and poked him in the nose when she mentioned adorable. He frowned and pulled back a little. "Adorable? You mean I'm not frightening? Or intimidating?"

   She smiled and pulled him down again, kissing him this time. "Of course, but whenever you get all shy and start stumbling over words and blushing, it's just so cute."

   He only emphasized her point by blushing after she'd finished. Before she could start making fun of him, he pushed his lips to hers and drove his embarrassment away. Whenever he kissed her, he felt braver and he also felt like no one could ever force them apart. Not even hot shot Gabe.