The Forgotten Prophecy

Chapter 44

Her gaze rested upon the sun rays coming through the cracks of green. The clearing they had chosen for the night was bathed in vivacious, diffuse light, and the forest around them was slowly coming alive in that icy cold morning.

Ines brought her hand over her eyes and glanced up the sky. The clouds had moored themselves in the blue, as if to reflect her emotions, and she knew rain would soon fall on the snowy ground. She got up, searching for the others, but only Matthew was still asleep a few metres away from her.

She took tentative steps towards him and inspected his face closely. He seemed much better than the day before, his cheeks had gained their colour and his wounds had cleared up. She reached out to touch his cheek, to feel his temperature, and fortunately he was in the clear.

He seemed to sense her light touch, because his face twitched and he unexpectedly opened his eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat and she blinked at him without knowing what to say. A lazy smile crept up his lips, like he enjoyed catching her off guard, and he moved to stand up.

Right then, Inerma and Landos appeared in the clearing, chatting lively with cheerful expressions on their faces. Ines knew that was the time to act. With pointy looks she neared the elves and spoke in hushed tones so that Matthew wouldn't hear. 'You should take him with you, I'll go on in my own.'

'Are you sure?' Inerma hesitated.

'Yeah. Just let him decide where he wants to stay and ensure his safety.'

'I'll accompany him,' Landos offered.

'What are you talking about?' Matthew suddenly said from behind her.

'Nothing,' Ines turned to look at him, 'only that it would be better for you to take a break from all this.'

'What do you mean "take a break"?' he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

'You have already done enough for me; you should go back now. It's too risky.'

'Give us a minute please,' he beckoned the elves to leave. 'I want to speak with her. Alone.'

'But you-' Landos protested.

'Leave! Now!'

The elves, noting his anger, looked at Ines for her permission and she nodded at them to do as he requested. She had kinda expected such a reaction from him, so she was prepared to withstand his arguments and stick to her decision. He would thank her later.

'Can you explain to me what is going on?' Matthew carped loudly when the elves were out of earshot. He started pacing back and forth in impatience, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with anger. He ran a hand through his dark locks and glanced down at her, waiting for her answer.

'Nothing is going on,' Ines averted her gaze away from his piercing stare.

'Then why do you want me to leave?'

'I'd rather you be free from danger. You have gone through too much for my sake.'

Matthew scoffed at her words. 'So, you wouldn't mind my leaving, is that what you're saying?'

'Yes.'

'And after all this time together you would be just fine if I wasn't at your side?'

Ines nodded at him without speaking. She didn't trust herself to articulate another lie, when she clearly knew how broken she would be once they went their separate ways. On the outside she appeared strong, but on the inside, she was cowering in dread of their parting.

Matthew's features hardened upon realising the unwavering firmness of her choice and he began walking towards her with determined strides. Ines, feeling suddenly nervous, kept stepping backwards to put some distance between them, but he was unrelenting.

He took a step forward, and then another, and another. In the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of her and when Ines vainly tried to escape again, her back unexpectedly collided on a tree. Her nerves caught on fire and her heartbeat increased tenfold. She was trapped.

They stood that close, she had to crane her neck to look up at him. That close, she could see every tiny detail of his handsome face. That close, she could feel his hot breath tickling her nose. The minutes trickled by with Matthew remaining still. The sounds of the woods seemed to have dimmed in comparison to her racing heart.

His features were unfathomable as he studied her, revealing nothing, and Ines felt heat rising on her skin while she stared into his mesmerising but haunting eyes. The silence stretched between them. No one dared to move a muscle.

'I heard you,' Matthew said. Ines knitted her brows in confusion. She had no idea what he was referring to. 'You thought I didn't, but I did. I heard you confess what you really feel about me.'

Realisation dawned on her face. He had listened to her saying she loved him. Worried that she would begin to furiously blush, she quickly looked away towards the forest around them and struggled with the fact that the deep emotions that had sprung inside her had been revealed.

'So don't lie to me,' he went on, 'because I know the real truth. I have promised to myself to protect you. Only in death will I be kept from this oath.'

Matthew brought his hand under her chin and gently turned her face towards him. Ines had no choice but to meet his gaze, her eyes boring into his in a magical trance. She would have gladly agreed to his decision to follow her if the vivid memories of him getting constantly injured had been forgotten.

'Matthew, I can't let history repeat itself,' she said with a gloomy sigh.

'It's not your choice to make!'

'Yes, it is!'

'Damn it, Peter!' he exclaimed. 'Why won't you listen to me?'

His ragged breathing fanned her face and Ines had to reprimand herself for enjoying the sparks that ignited on her skin. She fought the urge to reach up and stroke his unruly hair to calm him down and looked at him with a serious expression. She hoped she was getting her thoughts across.

'You know what?' he raised his hands in defeat and took a few steps away from her. 'Wether you like it or not, you are stuck with me, and you'd better accept the fact that I am not to be casted aside. This is the last time I warn you. Now I'm gonna go find the others.'

Those were his last words before he abruptly turned around and walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Ines behind.

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A/N:  Hello people! How did you like this chapter? Don't be shyyy, leave your sweet comments below. I'm kinda sad they had that little fighting. Do you know what would make me happy? Stars, stars, stars!

Phrase of chapter:  veni, vidi, vici / I came, I saw, I conquered  - Caesar