The Beginning of The End
Chapter 97

I walk out into the gardens, deciding to sit amongst the flowers for a moment, it was the dead of winter back home, and snow covered everything. It killed everything. But here, in this world, the air is warm and pleasant, and the strange flowers grow higher into the sky than any back home.

There are flowers much the same are roses, with soft petals that wrap around one another, but I remember Maddox once telling me that those are carnivorous, which is strange, because they are so beautiful. It is almost like they entice you with their beauty.

I suppose it makes sense; it needs to lure creatures to them some how, but why are they in the garden? Surely you wouldn't put them amongst the less dangerous plants.

I try not to think much about the way Ryker has been treating me, instead I focus on the swirling colours across the sky, the moon was high, but that says nothing about whether it is day or night. Here the moon always shines.

This world is so different from my own, and I'm not sure I will ever get used to it. I used to wish that things were different, that I could travel to another world all on my own. But I never expected it to be this way.

I never expected that my life would be like this.

I never wanted it to be like this.

But fate had different plans for me, plans that I might not have agreed with to begin with, but eventually, I realised that the choice was never mine. Ryker, Maddox and I came together for a reason, and whilst I don't know what that reason could be, I have to give them a chance. Even when I feel like I don't want to.

I just when I hear footsteps coming this way, turning my head to see Ryker searching for me.

I feel like hiding away and not letting him replace me. But I can't do that. It wouldn't be fair, even after the way he's treated me I cannot harm him. Part of me doesn't want to. Though another part does. It is like I am at war with myself. A war that I surely cannot win.

"I'm here." I shout, causing the great dragon king to jump out of his skin.

He looks at me, and I can see the annoyance in his eyes already. "What are you doing hiding in there?" He asks, his tone gruff.

I sigh, not wanting to fight. That's all we seem to do.

I'm tired of fighting with him, it is like he blames me for the attack on him. I know he was hurt, but so was I.

I've been blamed enough for things out of my control.

"I'm not hiding." I eventually say as I stand, coming out from the bed of flowers. "I was trying to replace some peace amongst chaos."

He stares at me, indifferent, "and did you replace that peace?"

I shrug my shoulders, rubbing my arms nervously, "I guess so. But it was over far too soon."

"You mean to say that I disturbed you?" He asks, crossing his arms.

I sigh again, trying my best not to grow angry, "what do you want Ryker?" I ask.

He rubs the back of his neck, "I'm not sure, Maddox and I have been fighting again, and you are the only person who makes me feel human."

"If I make you feel human, why do you struggle against me so much?" I ask, growing angrier by the second. "Why do you constantly make me feel small?"

He takes a step towards me, holding out his arms, "let me hold you Elora, let me feel the bond we have between us."

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I think about denying his request, but the truth is, I want it as much as he does.

I feel the need to be closer to him every-time we are around one another. I feel the need to be touched, held and cherished.

But he is not the type of man to show love to anyone, especially a fae.

I step forward, cautiously allowing him to hold me in his arms, and for once in a long time, I feel calm. It is as though the very arms that want to hurt me are the only safe space in the word for me.

"Do you feel better?" He asks, resting his chin on the top of my head.

"I do." I admit.

"Me too." He says with a sharp breath, "I'm sorry for being so hard on you, Elora. But you must understand the ramifications of our actions. We have begun a war, and we either win or we die. There is not other choice."

It's my turn to heave a sharp breath, "it isn't like I don't know that, because trust me when I say I know how bad it all is." I pull back, "but that does not give you the right to hurt me whenever you get the chance. It was you who told me that mates Should be cherished."

He nods, "I still believe that, but you frustrate me."

I laugh, cold and loud, "and you think that you do not frustrate me?" I cross my arms, putting some distance better the two of us. "You can be cruel and disrespectful, and yet you expect me to be the opposite. You expect me to bow to your every whim, and that is not the sort of person that I am."

"I suppose I am so used to people doing as they are told around me, without question, and I have forgotten that you have your own mind and the things that you want for yourself.” Ryker says. Pulling me close. "But that doesn't mean that I do not care for you. Because I do. You are the moon to my sun. I need you."

He has never said anything like that before. Nothing even close to it. But does he mean it? Are his words true?

I suppose I have to trust that they are.

I have to trust that he is feeling the exact way that I am. Because he is the sunshine to

my night. He brightens the world whenever he is near me.

When he isn't being a complete ass with me.

"I accept your apology." I say, "but only this once. If you test me, I will leave and you will never see me again."

Ryker's eyes go wide, "you will not leave me. You belong to me."

"No," I growl, "I belong with you, you do not own me, I own myself. I always have."

He runs a hand down the side of his face, "I do not wish the start another fight with you."

I hum, "me either."

"Let's go get you some food." He says, taking my hand, "you barely ate anything at dinner."

He's right, and I'm starving, I guess anger really does cloud the mind.