Kissing Danger ✔️

SEVENTEEN

Word Count: 1985

~Aven

My feet touch solid ground almost immediately after everything around me transformed into a vortex of darkness.

I gasp, bright shining light assaulting my vision for a moment. When I am finally able to open my eyes, I realise I'm staring at the large expanse of an ocean, the dark blues in the distance framed by a sky of orange, sapphire and violet melting together as the sun sinks below.

Yelping, I stumble back, my lowered gaze discovering I'm inches away from falling down a sprawling cliff and onto the pale sands below. A hand still grips me - Eryk - who stops me from tripping over my own feet.

The fog over my brain settles as my heart rate lowers, realising that I'm standing on a balcony that overlooks the sea, and that the railing would have stopped me from hurtling over and into the rocky cliffs below. With a hand resting on my chest, I turn, slipping from Eryk's grip.

Large glass doors are open onto the marble balcony we stand on, sheer ivory curtains blowing out in the breeze, brushing against my skin. Beyond the doors, a large room with vaulted ceilings, a floor of light polished stone, and dark blue and grey furnishings. Nothing about this is familiar, and nothing about this is what I expected...

I glance at Stace, who upon his earlier arrival, stands amidst the billowing curtains, hands tucked in his pockets. "This is your home?"

"One of them, yes," he replies softly, as if not to daunt me.

From beside me, mother and Lei collectively gasp, looking out at the view. Like me, they have never seen anything so wondrous. I wonder if this is any different to how seas look in my home realm, as it's almost too beautiful to imagine, the deep rusty rays of the setting sun tinting the surface of the sea a rich, golden colour.

"It's beautiful," I murmur, following him as he steps back and into the home, the scent of vanilla and sea salt luring me in. I stop at the threshold, looking into the room with the light grey walls. "But I can't stay here."

"It's not safe to return back. I know that you are aware of that, Aven," Stace replies, a hint of a warning in his tone.

I look back at my company, noting Eryk watching them, as if he is at all concerned they may be so tempted by the view, they would vault the balcony railings to get a closer look. "If I'm staying, so is Lei and my mother."

"They cannot stay. They are not of this realm," Stace explains coolly. "You would be putting them in danger by requiring them to stay."

I ignore the feeling of my heart sinking all the way to my stomach. "Can they visit?"

"Once she leaves, she wouldn't be able to come back in. And you most definitely cannot leave." He sounds remorseful, but at the same time he knows he has to tell me things straight, aware that's how I want to hear things right now.

A blanket of quiet dread drapes over me."Forever?"

Stace hesitates, dark eyes looking over my shoulder for a long moment before he replies. "Not forever."

The false sense of calm I had managed to erect over myself is being slowly shredded with each word Stace shares with me. I am to stay here alone, with a magical man whose power is so impressive I'm sure I would flee were I to be aware of its extent, and a man whose task is to keep me alive, and other than that, doesn't seem to like me that much. I can't quite think of a much worse fate.

Mother and Lei brush past me, stepping into the room I seem to be so terrified of. It feels final, like I am accepting that I am to stay here, in this Realm with Stace and Eryk. Neither of them look as scared, staring quizzically at the paintings on the wall, of the unknown lands they depict.