Wings of Avaloria

Chapter 9

IT WAS EYLARIC.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked, his voice low and measured.

His eyes scanned over me, taking in my disheveled appearance with concern. "I could ask you the same thing," I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite the nervousness building up inside me.

Eylaric sat down next to me on the side of the waterfall. He was silent for a moment before speaking again. "I saw the death toll tonight," he said gravely. "It's a reminder of how fleeting life can be."

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat at the mention of all those lives lost. He knew I stayed and watched it, but again, it was my choice.

Eylaric turned his gaze to me, and for a moment, his expression softened. "You shouldn't be out here alone," he told me.

"I'm not alone; I'm with you," I told him. He smirked a little, and as soon as I noticed, he quickly masked it away.

"You really shouldn't be out here, Marcella," he repeated, his voice low and almost seductive. "It's not safe."

"Maybe I don't want to be safe," I whispered, my lips dangerously close to his ear. "Clearly," he said.

Eylaric's eyes darkened with desire as he turned his head to look at me. He shook his head, fighting the urge to look at me.

I could feel the tension between us, thick and palpable. I leaned in closer to him, feeling his breath on my skin. "What are you so afraid of, Eylaric?" I asked softly, daring to touch his arm.

He flinched slightly at my touch but didn't pull away. "I'm not afraid," he replied gruffly. "You are the one who should be afraid of me."

"You won't hurt me," I said confidently, feeling a rush of boldness coursing through my veins.

Eylaric turned his head away from me, clearly struggling with his emotions. I wanted nothing more than to know what he was thinking- to

peel back the layers of his complicated personality and find the man beneath.

I leaned closer to him. I could feel the heat emanating from his body as he let out a shuddering breath. "Marcella," he murmured in a warning tone. But I didn't listen. Instead, I traced my fingers along his jawline, urging him to give in to the desire that was simmering between us.

Suddenly, Eylaric pulled away from me with a growl of frustration. "We can't do this," he said roughly, standing up from his spot next to me. "It's too dangerous. And plus you need to focus on your training. You can't have any weaknesses."

"Plus, I like to know the women I'm with win their battles," he smirked. I grabbed my dagger from my side and threw it at him. It disappeared in thin air. It was Eylaric using his power of darkness.

"You almost got me, Mercy," he said.
"Mercy?" I questioned. he nodded.
"That's my new nickname for you now since you clearly love showing

mercy to your opponents." I rolled my eyes at his teasing nickname, feeling a mixture of annoyance and fondness toward him.

Eylaric walked towards me, took my hand, and pulled me to my feet. "Come on," he said, his voice low and inviting. "Let's get you back to your room before Telium sends out a search party." He turns to look at him, "What do you even see in him anyways?" he asks me. I furrowed my eyebrows. "That's none of your concern." I tell him, and he looks at me, "Alright." He said, turning away from me, and I allowed Eylaric to lead me back to my dorm, the memory of his touch still lingering on my skin.

As we walked, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing for him- a desire that burned hotly within me and refused to be ignored.

I turn to him. After taking a moment to think about his question, I let out a sigh and decided to answer him truthfully. "I consider Telium to be one of my closest friends," I said, looking over at Eylaric as we walked towards my dorm. "We've been friends for as long as I can remember."