Unknown Darkness (Dominions Book 2)

Chapter 33: Asher

ONE WEEK LATER

Asher woke up in Chantel's studio apartment and smiled. She rested next to him, layers of her hair covering her pillow, her beautiful face covered by her locks cascading over it. He felt at peace, which several days earlier, he had not been sure he would feel again.

He slowly got out of bed and grabbed his clothes from the floor. He slid into his pants, and then his shirt and quietly exited the studio apartment. He quietly locked the door behind him. When he was in the hall of the apartment building he pulled out his phone. He had several missed calls from Jayden.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself as he redialed the number and placed the phone to his ear.

"Dude, Elora has been needing to meet with us."

"I was busy," said Asher.

"Yes, we know you and Chantel can't keep your hands off each other. Meet me at Encantia."

The guardians were able to stop the Plague of Dread after their fight with Gedeon. It had been messy, and not nearly as easy as when they were consumed by it, but with their magic intertwined it was able to go. Elora had instantly begun planning an extravagant ball to celebrate the heroes of their realms, but Asher didn't want that. He asked if Chantel could come, and Elora was hesitant about it. He started to realize that she and this world don't mix. He wanted to experience a normal time with his girlfriend. Netflix and chill, pizza, a bad movie that they didn't watch.

This magic thing was cool at first, but now it feels overwhelming. There were more responsibilities that he didn't realize he would have with the rebuilding of Glorianna. The newly freed people looked to him like a leader, and Asher had never led anything before in his life.

That scared him.

It dawned on him that a choice would have to be made one way or another. This world with Chantel, or Glorianna, and everything that came with it. He didn't know which one he wanted to pick.

He walked to a corner of the hallway and whispered "Aperta," to the wall. The blue misty portal appeared in front of him and he stepped through it. The apartment complex peeled away, and now he stood in the lavish entrance to Queen Halayah's castle. Jayden arrived seconds later and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Come on," he said. "She summoned us to her chambers."

Asher followed Jayden up the large lavish staircase. When they got to the top of the stairs they marched down the hall, passing all of the expensive Fairy decors, and knocked on Queen Halayah's door. When they walked into the room Judah, Selena, Elle, and Elora were already there. Judah had his arm around Selena and she curled up into his chest. Asher noticed Elle looked sad as she watched them cuddle together on the large dipped couch.

When they joined them, Halayah entered the room from her bathroom and smiled. "It has been a great honor working with you all to overthrow Gedeon. We had a great victory over Coventry, and with Ander being restored to his Havenite form, we should be able to make sure creatures of dark find no footing in there again."

Everyone in the room smiled and nodded, and Halayah's face grew somber. "The fact remains that Gedeon should be considered at large. His armies are destroyed, and he is extremely weakened, but there's no telling what he could do with time."

A silence fell over the room, and Asher felt his stomach knot. It wasn't but one week ago he was chained to an altar about to be sacrificed to him. Selena told them the story of how she was kidnapped. What if Gedeon finds a way to do that again to one of them? Or worse, Chantel?

"But that's a conversation for another time," Elora said. "Tonight is a great ball. It will be the most lavish event the realm has ever seen, and it will honor you, kids, for everything you did for us. You truly are the saviors of the realms. My only regret is Glorianna is still needing to be rebuilt and we are having it not at home."

"It's getting there," Halayah said encouragingly. "My generals assure me the progress is astounding."

"The Elves aren't invited, right?" Jayden asked bitterly.

"Gowen has had his tail tucked between his legs since we won the battle," Halayah said. "He will not be included in the ball, and he was also kicked out of the MCA. With that being said, go get ready, and dress nicely."

The rest of the guardians got up and left the room. Asher looked at Elora hopeful. He was nervous about how this next question would be answered. "Did you give any more thought to Chantel coming? Elora looked at Halayah and nodded. "We would love to meet her Asher."

"However," Halayah said. "Are you sure she's ready for all of this? Seeing your boyfriend do magic when you didn't know it existed is one thing. Seeing magical creatures you considered fairy tales is entirely another thing,"

"She's ready," Asher said.

"Very well," Elora said. "I look forward to meeting her."

"I'll have the stylist bring dresses for her when they come and fit you this afternoon," said Halayah.

Asher beamed as he stood from the couch. "Thank you," he said as he bowed to Halayah and Elora. He ran out of the room and joined the others as they walked through their separate portals. Jayden had already left, and Selena and Elle were talking in the hallway. Judah stood next to Selena, his arm still wrapped around her.

"See you tonight," Selena said to Elle as she and Judah disappeared behind into the mist. Asher looked at Elle and watched her give a fake smile. When their portal disappeared she wiped a tear off her face

"Are you okay?" Asher asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Elle snapped. She shook her head and looked at Asher apologetically. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just-"

"A lot," Asher finished for her. "I get it. No hard feelings."

Elle nodded appreciatively and she disappeared through her portal. Asher pictured Chantel's studio apartment before he held up his hand and whispered the word "Aperta." When he stepped through the blue mist he was back in the small studio apartment. Chantel was sitting up in bed wrapped in a blanket. She looked at him and smiled as he walked over to her bed and got down on one knee.

"Princess," said Asher as he looked at her with a dashing smile. "Would you like to attend a ball with me this evening?"

"Like an actual ball?" Chantel said uncurling from the blanket. "Asher I don't have anything to wear."

"That's taken care of," said Asher. "This is a big night for me. You're a big part of my life. I want you to be there."

Chantel bit her lower lip and threw her arms around Asher. She kissed his face gently and hugged his neck. "Of course, I'll attend your ball, Prince Charming."

Asher smiled. Though Chantel and Glorianna might not mix, for now, tonight, they did. He imagined her dolled up in her beautiful dress and hair styled to perfection. She was going to be the most beautiful girl at the ball.

"Then let's start getting ready," Asher whispered to her. He scooped her up off the bed and brought her into the bathroom. He closed the door behind them as she turned on the water to the shower and he began to undress.

"Just no glass slippers, okay?" Chantel asked playfully as she disappeared behind the shower curtain.

"Deal," Asher smiled.