Defiance

2.7

Chapter 27

Aldric

I was finally able to come back to my room around midnight. I had tried to come to before to drop off lunch but my wolves and I had been in the battle room, planning.

For the first time in almost three years, we found out where Heera was.

We had spend hours finalizing the plans, organizing the weapons, and choosing the soldiers - all of it had to be done by tomorrow morning so we could leave by sunrise. Now that we knew where Heera was, the plan was to move quickly and attack; she might relocate and we might never find her location again.

The plan to attack was immediate; I was selecting the soldiers I would take. The truth was that I didn't want more than twenty. There were a lot of things that could go wrong and I wanted to ensure there would be as little casualties as possible - for my wolves and even the mortals and witches living in those villages.

The goal was Heera - and Heera alone.

She was the witch who ruined everything.

Elysia was on my bed, running through the magic books. Despite all that had happened, some things did not change. For once, she was wearing a sleeveless baby pink nightgown.

Almost immediately, I grabbed her from the side, feeling the curves of her waist, hips.

"I missed you, gods," she said, laughing as I held her even closer.

It was her lips that would drive me crazy. Or her midnight black curls of her hair. Or the fire in her eyes. Or the redness of her cheeks. Or just her. I turned to kiss her properly. I spend one day without Elysia and it almost hurt to be without her.

Moon Goddess.

I pulled Elysia's entire body until she was on my lap and I kissed her again. My lips trailed kisses down her neck, back to her lips.

"I missed you too," I finally said.

I placed my head on her lap and I felt Elysia grin even wider. Her fingers gently traced the tattoo on my face.

"I - I sneaked out today," Elysia said.

"What?" I demanded, moving off her lap. Did she realize the danger she was putting herself into? If my wolves caught even a whiff of her scent, I knew they would snarl and bully her.

"Elysia - if I'm not there, I can't guarantee your safety. I'm not letting you -"

"I can take care of myself," she retorted and crossed her arms.

"You're a witch in a den of wolves. You can't," I snapped just as angrily.

I knew we disagreed on a lot of things and I knew I was stubborn as she was, but her safety was so important to me. Why didn't she regard it to just as important?

"Aldric. I'm not going to stay in here all day," she said. "I'm not some trophy you keep hidden in your room."

I sighed.

I couldn't be mad at her for it. I was asking her to stay locked up in the Vani Cabin like a secret prize. I knew she deserved to go out and be free to do what she wanted. Yet, I wasn't sure I trusted my wolves.

"I won't try to stop you," I finally said. "But please just be careful. Don't get caught."

I watch her eyes light up in almost joy and she nodded. But at the same there, I saw the lines on her forehead as if she was worried about something.