The Tainted Earth (Royals of the Realm Series #3)

Chapter 8

"All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." - Blaise Pascal

Earth Kingdom
The Immortal Tree

Cara's POV

I screamed when he jumped to attack. Alexander pulled Jino out of the way as Azrael grabbed Alorah sideways. Grange pulled me towards him and we ran because the Ogre seemed to take a liking on us.

I summoned one of my swords, letting it fly and make its mark on the monster's chest. He howled in pain, deranged eyes now focused on me.

Alexander caught him with his vines, twisting it until he writhed in pain. He snarled, ripping it off and jumping on top of me and Grange.

"Cara!" Azrael flew straight to his right eye and embedded a sharp-edged rock. When he howled in pain we crawled our way out under him and ran as fast as we can towards Alexander, Alorah, Jino and the other elf. "Fuck! No!"

I looked back just in time to see the bloody sharp-edged rock going straight at me. Azrael chased the speeding rock but it hit me first, the impact sending me a few feet back like a cannon. I wheezed as air left my lungs and my vision blackened.

Then nothing.

Slowly, my hearing adjusted and far away I heard a woman's cry. I opened my eyes to see cave walls and light. All noises became background music as I slowly drifted high up in the air. My eyes fell sideways and saw people flocking on a lifeless body. A huge creature is fighting with a black-winged man not too far from them.

"Cara! No...wake up, baby! Open your eyes!" An earth elf is holding the body, fear and pain reflected on his eyes. They caught my attention and I willed myself to drift closer to them. "You promised you'll stay with me everyday, baby. Please, wake up."

I can see their aura. The girl's a light green hue, while the rest around the body has bright green auras. The man holding the body has golden hue in his and a bright green stone in it. As his desperation grew the stone grew tentacles and wrapped around the dead body tightly as if waking her up. The man's eyes grew bright viridian and he growled in frustration, pain and possessiveness before he bit the neck of the lifeless girl and the tentacles elongated, reaching for me.

It wrapped around my midsection, my wrists and ankles, pulling me towards the dead body. I struggled but the pull was stronger and I stopped resisting the force. When I was inside the body everything disappeared once again, all my senses dulled and my mind goes blank of everything.

***

Alexander's POV

The stone vibrated violently in my soul and my growling never stopped. I rocked her body back and forth in hopes of waking her up. My tears kept falling and her neck's wet with my tears but she's still lifeless in my arms. I cried out, the Leon in me clawing out of my system and I gave way. In a second, I was over her body protectively as an armored lion.

Alorah pulled her close in an embrace as I raced ragingly towards the ogre and Azrael. My jaws bit hard on his nape, throwing him around like a rag doll before pouncing on him again and tearing a limb from his body. The process happened over and over again until all I can see is the ogre's mutilated body.

It took me moments to calm down before finally hearing the commotion around Cara. I ran back towards her, noticing the bloody rock we pulled embedded in her stomach.

"She's healing, Alexander. Your bite must've done this!" Alorah said excitedly and I happily licked Cara's wounds to fasten her recovery. I purred when sparks erupted everywhere we touch. She's now breathing and slightly twitching, which means she felt the pain and the sparks.

As her wounds magically closed they put her on my back together with Alorah to keep her balanced. Grange and Azrael carried Jino while my other soldier, Rion, led the way. Jino's already awake and hurting, no doubt, but atleast we know he's still alive. We reached the fortress of the Swan-shifters who immediately swarmed us and carried Jino to a feathery bed to fuss over him. A flash of white flew and tackled Alorah off my back.

"TORIEL! YOU DUMB DUMBO!"

Azrael slid Cara off my back carefully and deposited her next to me gently before joining the two tackling each other, Alorah and Toriel.

I focused on my beautiful spitfire and licked her face off her blood, my body loving the feeling of her all over our body. A swan-shifter gave me a drink before leaving me once again with my queen.

Damn. I found my queen.

I curled around her protectively, making sure she's comfortable and as near as we can be. When Alorah came to clean her up I stayed and watched them closely. I didn't even make a move to clean myself off the ogre's blood.

Nighttime came and we decided to spend the night in here, waiting for Cara to wake up and for Jino to feel better. Rion and Grange slept beside me and Cara throughout the night. Alorah, Toriel and Azrael on the other hand remained awake talking about what happened to them when they weren't in each other's presence.

At around dawn, I felt Cara stirring. Her hands gripped my fur softly before burying her face in my neck. I purred, giving her temple a quick kiss.

"What happened? I feel like a battered doll." She murmured, opening her golden eyes to look at me.

I chuckled inwardly, "We're safe, that's all that matters."

She nodded, fingers digging in my fur. "You feel good. Electrifying."

"You smell divine. Damn delectable." I inhaled, burying my snout in her luscious neck.

"There you go again, Alex. Don't use that big nose on me or I'll end up in your lungs." She groaned and I laughed heartily.

"Get some more rest, we'll go home in the morning." I nudged her with my nose.

"Hug me," she pleaded. "Elf Alex this time, not lion Alex."

My heart burst with pride and joy, immediately transitioning into my own body. I wrapped my arms around her, the sparks intensifying. She snuggled close to me and whispered 'good night' before falling asleep again. My only response is to give her a kiss on her forehead, whispering 'sweet dreams' before finally closing my eyes to sleep, assured that she's now fine and very much alive.

My queen.