Unknown Darkness (Dominions Book 2)

Chapter 24: Judah

Judah felt sick as he watched Jayden curl up in a ball. He knew that he was blaming himself for what happened in Enflad, but it wasn't his fault. Gowen had his mind made up from the moment that they requested aid when the Plague of Dread came into Encantia.

Judah knew that Jayden was taking it poorly though. Nothing he or anyone else could say would change that. Judah understood too. During fights he often found himself watching as the others used their magic to fight the monsters Gedeon has sent them. He thought back to the gym. All he could do was throw forcefields around the room. Nothing he did could help offensively.

It made him feel out of place at times.

"We need to leave him be," Elle whispered to Judah. He blinked quickly and snapped back into reality. "Mind if we go away and talk?"

Judah nodded and Elle led him to the double doors that led to the Queen's private chambers. Elora and Halayah sat on the center couch that dipped into the floor. They had just finished talking to the leader of the Minotaurs and were planning a way to get the fairy people to them safely.

Elle ducked behind a large door to the side of the main room and pulled Judah into it. She closed the door quietly behind her. When Judah came into the room his jaw dropped. The Queen's bathroom was huge. It was just as big as the main room where she slept. It was a white room that made Judah instantly feel nervous about stepping into it.

There was a large fine stone lined tub that reminded Judah more of a small lap pool than a bathtub in the center of the room. A small white lounging couch sat right next to it. The farthest wall from the door was lined with a vanity that would put any supermodel to shame. Countless beauty and hair care products lined the expensive wood. A closet that stretched across the whole back wall of the room, was right next to the vanity. On the wall closest to them was a mirror that protruded outwards. It was shaped in a diamond formation with four different sides to see your outfit from every angle.

"All of this is going to be gone," Elle said. "It's hard to imagine."

She walked to the center of the room on the white couch and sat down. She patted the seat next to her and Judah walked over. Each step he took he made sure to not scuff the floor with his dirty tennis shoe. Elle giggled as he awkwardly sat down.

"I don't think she's going to care if her bathroom gets a little dirty, Judah," Elle said.

"It's just..." Judah began. "Respectful."

The two sat in an awkward silence after that. The muffled echoes of Elora and Halayah bounced around the silent bathroom. Judah knew what this talk was going to be about. He didn't want to have it. Not yet anyway. Once this conversation was had their relationship would be defined. The truth was, other than when they came for the ball, Judah and Elle hadn't really talked since they hooked up.

There was too much baggage that came with it. Elle was Selena's best friend. Judah was her kind of boyfriend, or at least her entanglement. They should have been simply friend-zoned, but Judah finds himself drawn to Elle. The way she bites her lip when she has to be respectful and quiet. The way her hair smells like strawberries from the shampoo she uses.

Elle was the flame and Judah was the moth that flew dangerously close to her.

"I feel like a shitty person," Elle said breaking the silence. "The more I think about this situation, the more I realize how fucked up it all is. I'm not this girl. Judah, I've always hated this girl. I picked the guy over my friend."

"I cheated on someone," Judah said. "I'm not that guy either."

There was an awkward silence that passed between them. Each knew what needed to be done, but Judah wasn't sure how to word it.