Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Thirty-Five: Radiant

Wrapping my arms around myself, I stood on the balcony as my nightgown quickly got sopping wet with ice-cold water. I started to shiver as the temperature dropped several degrees. I am tired. Tired of keeping secrets. Tired of hiding what I truly am. Tired of hiding Alethea away from the skies.

I clenched my fingers through my hair and let out a frustrated scream. The windows of the building behind me cracked as some of my magic slipped out. Why. Why did the world have to be this cruel?

Thunder drowned out my continued frustrated scream. I clamped my mouth shut and stared up at the night sky, occasionally being lit by lightning.

"I hate this place," I whispered to myself as I dug my fingers into my sides. "I hate this place. I hate this place. I hate this place."

Repeating the words like they would magically transport me to another place. A faraway place. One that would make me forget that I had ever stepped foot in this city. Salty tears mixed with raindrops.

Is crying a sign of weakness? Or a show of compassion?

I found my world spinning as I went from a rain-soaked world to one of glow orbs and cold stone. When the world stopped spinning, an arm was wrapped around my rain-soaked body as a hand gently pressed my head into the soft linen of a shirt.

"What has possessed you to stand out in a thunderstorm!?!" Murtagh shouted, hoarsely at me. "Do you want to get sick!?!"

I was shivering against his chest. The cold rain already soaked into my bones and cooling my body temperature. My lips trembled as I tried to stop the tears that had previously been rolling down my face. I no longer had rain to hide the salty liquid.

My body would not stop shaking, whether it was from the cold bite of the rain, or my slight meltdown minutes prior.

"Mal?" I looked up at Murtagh.

"I hate this place." I whimpered. "I hate this place so much."

"Tell me how I can help you, Mal?" He asked me gently.

"I need to forget," I said as water from my hair rolled down my face and dripped onto the floor. "I need to forget."

"There's no going back from that" He replied quietly as his hand moving to cup my face. His thumb ran across my cheekbone.

"Make me forget, Murtagh," I whispered. "Please, make me forget this horrible place."

Seconds after uttering my last words, Murtagh pressed his lips to mine. Murtagh's touch burned red hot compared to the wet chill of my drenched skin, and I welcomed it. My fingers, which had been hanging limp at my side, reached up and dug into his shirt.

I needed contact. I needed warmth. I needed him. And he gave himself to me.

His lips burned hot against my cold ones as we both hungrily, desperately, searching for some sort of distraction from this desolate castle. We would only find that answer in each other's arms.

I breathed heavily as his burning touch left my lips and slowly started to make its way down the column of my neck. My fingers trailed up his neck to bury themselves in his wild brown hair.

A moan escaped my lips as an unfamiliar sensation burst from my neck. Desire, unlike anything I have ever felt rushed through my body. I found myself migrating backward until calloused hands gripped my nightgown and ripped it from my body.