Chapter 44

Nuriel had seen that look on the faces of most of the others during the council meeting. How they had looked at Flame as if staring at an inevitability that they refused to accept. He didn't understand why though. Why they weren't all as happy as he had expected them to be. He just hoped that they would get over whatever it was before the first pairing was completed. 

Because then they'd have no choice but to accept it. It was how things were supposed to be. They had all made a promise, and the noble thing to do would be to follow through with it to the end. 

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It was nightfall by the time Nuriel and the others decided to stop the search. At the moment the only thing they could do was wait for Bastians return. 

He stopped by the library to grab something before heading to his chambers. 

He expected Flame to be asleep, but instead he found her seated quietly by the window, deep in thought with her feet propped up on the seat. She sensed him the second he walked in. And she wanted to jump off the luxurious couch and run over to him. But he walked over to her instead. His eyes never leaving hers as he approached. 

" Is everything okay? " he asked when he neared. Sensing that there was something wrong without her even having to say so. Flame was still conflicted about whether or not to tell him about what had happened. What she feared would keep on happening if she didn't try to do anything about it. But her angel looked so tired. And she had never seen him look like that, as if he carried the weight of the entire Kingdom on his shoulders. Which she guessed was true. 

So she decided that there was no reason to worry him with her problems. She had seen how he reacted whenever anything happened to her. He tended to exaggerate the issue. And perhaps everything actually had a logical explanation. Perhaps she had been imagining things. 

" Yeah, I'm okay. Did you find anything? " 

He gently lifted her feet off the couch, then he sat down and placed them on his lap. It shocked him just how great the extent of his love for her was. 

" Not yet. And we checked the entire kingdom..." he shook his head. His eyes narrowing in thought as he re-examined everything. Flame simply sat and watched him, it bothered her to see him looking so distraught and if there was anything she could have done to help then she would have done so without a second thought. 

" You know, Victor thinks that it might be someone from the kingdom, and if that's the case then it's just going to be harder to find out who is behind it all. And everyone in the kingdom basically knows each other so it's a surprise that no one has come forward with any suspicions. But for now all we can do is wait for Bastian to return from Umallen with his findings. And it's been days since he left, I'm starting to worry that perhaps something bad happened to him. I'm considering - " 

He stopped talking. Realising that he was babbling on and on about issues of the kingdom to Flame and she most likely didn't understand most of what he was saying. But she was looking at him as if she did. Listening closely to whatever he was saying. 

" I'm sorry, I shouldn't be worrying you with such things. "

She chuckled lightly. Leaning in closer towards him. 

" That's okay, I like listening to you speak. "

" Do you now? "

She smiled, then laughed when he ran his thumb across the middle of her foot. Pulling it away she asked him to stop. 

" It's ticklish! " 

He hadn't intended to make her laugh but he liked the fact that he had. The sound of her laughter managed to relieve him of most of his stress. That magical sound that she produced so freely made its way to his heart, soothing him. 

Once the laughter died down she looked outside and through the window to avoid his gaze. Then he watched as her eyes narrowed after a while and she turned to him. 

" Have you considered setting a trap for the person? " 

He raised his brows. 

" A trap? "

" Yeah. According to everything I heard this morning, whoever is behind the murders only targets the people that are in isolated places... places where they're not likely get any help. And maybe the fact that he killed the first female means that he's getting desperate because people are growing more scared of those places. So you can use that to your advantage. Just wait for a while, then - "

"..Then send someone out as bait to lure him out! M'eudail that's brilliant! " he cut in strongly. Gazing up as he thought about her idea, it could very well work of they executed it well enough. 

Turning to her, his focused look was replaced with one of admiration. His lovely mate with the strong spirit was turning out to be even more smarter than he had thought. 

" You really think it could work? "

" It's worth giving a shot. "

He cupped her cheek. And when she leaned into his touch the amount of joy he felt was indescribable. She was delicate, but strong at the same time. And he wanted to share with her all the simple joys and immense pleasures that could be shared. 

" You know, I just realized that I've pretty much met all your friends, " 

It was an attempt to dilute the situation that was growing more intense by the second. 

" Not all, there is still Bastian. " 

He pulled her closer, she almost screamed at the unexpected move. And once she was close enough he lifted her up onto his laps. Those little flecks of emotions that rose to life whenever she was in his presence went to work. 

" You keep saying that you sent him somewhere. Where exactly is it? " 

Her breathing was starting to hike up slowly. And no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop looking at him. In that proximity he looked every bit like the angelic being that he truly was. And she recalled his kisses. How sweet they were and how hot they made her feel .Even now, it felt as if the room had been lit up. 

" Umallen... " he whispered as he inched in. Touching his forehead to hers and simply breathing in. 

" Where's that? " she flicked her eyes across both of his. Then they landed on his lips and remained there. 

" It's another kingdom in the realm. But it's inhabited by the witches and wizards, "

On hearing that she was momentarily pulled out of her trance. She frowned as she looked up at him. Trying to see whether he was being serious. And he didn't appear to be joking. 

" W.. witches? Really?" 

He wondered what the shock was about. But he kept forgetting that his Flame was from earth. A place that was entirely different from theirs. One that did not possess most of the things that theirs did. And that meant that she would keep on being surprised at all the new things that she would keep coming across as she stayed there. 

" Yes. Our realm is made up of three kingdoms. Zalian, which is my kingdom, Umallen, the kingdom of the witches and Greyden which is inhabited by.... " he stopped. Looked down to see her keenly listening. Then he smiled.

" You know, I think I'll let that be a surprise. "

" What? No, that's not fair, just tell me! " she had never been so curious before. And if he refused to tell her then she would strive to find out on her own. Which he did. She gave him a look that was half anger, half two year old's pout. But as adorable as he found it, he refused to talk. 

Wrapping an arm around her waist he pulled her closer to him. 

Sometimes it was hard for him to believe that she was actually his. With a hand on his chest she looked up. The intensity that had began to build up just a while ago returning two times stronger. 

That desire that had been urging him to just take her was now rising. He could feel it. He moved the silk of her hair back to expose her long and delicate neck. Wrapping his hand around it afterwards. Gently so as not to choke her. 

" Do you trust me? " the question was asked next to her ear. She felt flushed all of a sudden. Licking her dry lips she raised her hand to his shoulder and gripped it tightly.

" It depends.... why are you asking? " 

He pulled away, his silver eyes that others considered hard to read were like an open book when it came to her. When it came to portraying his intentions and those emotions that he never showed in front of anyone else. 

But she saw them. 

Because she saw him. Him and everything that pertained to him.