Defiance

1.5

Chapter 15

A L D R I C 

For first time, my body refused to get up. I didn't realize it at first, but I had my arms wrapped around Elysia's waist. She was facing the other way, but her hands were holding my arms. 

Moon Goddess. 

Our bodies were completely aligned with one another. Her back was pressed against my chest. My first instinct was to pull away but I didn't. It felt so good to be in her arms, to her hold just this one time. I never wanted to let her go. Unable to move, I just held her in my arms. She was so soft. All I could do was inhale her sweet scent.

Slowly, I unwrapped my arms around her body. She didn't stir, not for a single moment. As I began to pull the arm that was underneath her body, I realized she started to move. 

Fuck. I didn't want to wake her up but I see her body turning until she was face to face with me. When her eyes met, I could hear her heartbeat stop. It did that a lot I realized. Every time she got too close to me or looked directly into my eyes, I noticed the way her heart would just stop as if she forgot how to breathe. 

I realized mine did the opposite. Every time I was close to her, my heartbeat sped up to what felt like the speed of my wolf running. I didn't know if she could hear it the way I could hear hers. I was hoping she wouldn't ask about why I held her the way I did. I hoped she wouldn't ask about why I let her so close to me.

"How - how are you feeling?" Elysia asked instead.

I felt so secure I almost forgot what happened last night. Though Elysia managed to cure the scars I received from fighting Avalon and his group of rogues, Elysia also tried to cure Heera's torture spells. 

At first, I was so furious. She must have done it on purpose but at her each action, I realized it was impossible for her to know. How could a rogue witch possibly know one of the most painful torture spells to exist? I forgot how painful Heera's torture spells on my back were; They were incurable and if anyone tried to cure them, they would burn up.

Suddenly I realized the state Elysia saw me in. She saw how weak I truly was. My back was covered in torture spells. If anyone attacked me there, I would lose everything bit of control I had. The torture spells didn't just physically boil my blood and melt my bones, but they also bought me to my most horrific nightmares. 

All I could hear was Heera's wicked laughter. Elysia saw me in such a state. I pulled my arm from underneath her aggressively this time. I didn't want her to know how truly weak I was.

"I'm fine," I muttered.

I pulled away but her hand caught my arm. She rose from the bed until her back was against the headboard.

"Please," she whispered. "I didn't do it on purpose. I would never hurt you on purpose. I cannot hurt you; I'm also bound by a Blood Oath."

    I realized she thought I was angrily pushing way because she was the reason it happened. But I didn't blame her. How could she know? Besides, whatever spell Elysia used at the end made my whole body feel at peace. If anything, the pain I always carried around in my back eased.

    "What did you do at the end to heal me?" I asked instead.

    "It was a pain-easing spell. I didn't know if it would work -"

    "It shouldn't have worked." Any spell or paste placed on the engraved circles would lead my blood to boil and my bones to melt.

    "It wasn't a healing spell," she says. "It's used to ease the pain. I didn't know if it would but I think it worked better than I anticipated. I can use it again if you're still hurt."