Slicing My Flesh

37

"No, we'll go." Acacia stated. I felt the sadness radiating off her.

"Well, let's go before the vampire realm comes back... we'll gladly shove you there." Nyx smirked while Acacia glared.

We stood up and walked after the angels. I smiled at seeing how happy Nyx and Ken looked. Nyx was more childish than Ken, so she'd often annoy her mate. It sort of reminded me of my moms, but there wasn't a mature person in that relationship. I felt the sadness coming from Acacia, so I held her hand. She smiled and brought it to her lips.

"Here you go!"

Nyx gestured to the barrier between this Greek imitation and an ethereal forest. I was about to step through it, but Acacia stiffened. I turned to look at her, but she was intently staring at the barrier. Was something wrong? Could she sense something we couldn't?

"What's wrong?" Ken asked.

"This is the entrance to the elven realm."

"And?" Nyx pushed.

"And I would prefer not to enter that domain." She shot Nyx a look. "My parents and I aren't on the best foot right now. I also don't know what lies Eris has been spewing."

"All the more reason to go home." Nyx pushed. "And you can introduce them to your girlfriend." Acacia and I blushed since we didn't establish our relationship status. "Run along you two." Nyx shoved us through the barrier.

We turned around to yell at her, but we saw the barrier spazz. Acacia and I took a step back as the barrier changed to a dark background. That must be a demon or some other domain we don't want to enter. Acacia took my hand and led me away. I was in awe as we strolled through the forest. I smiled as the pixie fairies flew by. They left a trail of pixie dust in their wake.

I touched it and began playing with the mist. I had fun making shapes in the air with it. I turned and saw Acacia staring at something carved into the tree. I was about to say something, but I noticed myself getting taller. I was surprised since I began to reach Acacia's height. I was about to tell her that I'm her height, but then I began to freak out when I was taller than her.

I yelled when I looked down. Why the hell am I floating?! Acacia turned and her jaw dropped. She immediately clasped onto my ankle. Her eyes then widened since we kept elevating in the air. She reached out and grabbed onto a branch. I grabbed onto another branch while we were still being pulled upwards.

"Did you touch pixie dust by any chance?" She gave me an amused smile.

"Whaaaaa... nah... I would never do something like that." She chuckled and then did a spell.

I released the branch when we slowly began to descend. I smiled when my feet touched the ground. Acacia shook her head in amusement and grabbed my hand. She pulled me in the direction of... I guess where we should be going. I have no idea since we're deep in a forest.

"How do you know where to go?" I looked at Acacia.

"I grew up here." She smiled. "I know this place like the back of my hand. I used to sneak out and hide from my responsibilities. The only person who could always find my hiding spots was my dad." She giggled. "I could never hide from him since he showed me the best hiding spots!"I laughed with her.

"This place is so beautiful. It's also mystical. I can feel the magic in the air."

"It's special like that." I watched as she jumped onto a narrow log. She effortlessly kept her balance while walking next to me. "I miss the levity of home, not the responsibilities." She spoke. "I am happy you like it." She beamed and turned around so she was walking backwards. I was nervous that her foot would slip on the log and she'd fall. "Don't worry. I'm a profes-"

She didn't get a chance to finish her snarky comment because I flicked my wrist. I used magic to make her misstep on the log. She squealed as she fell, but I zoomed to catch her in my arms. She was momentarily stunned before her eyes narrowed at me. I stuck my tongue out at her. She responded with a devious smirk. I was too shocked to respond to her sucking on my tongue. She pulled back and laughed at my red face.

I wanted the joke to be on her, so I tossed her a few feet in the air. She screamed as she fell back into my arms. I laughed and continued swaying her. I determined I liked having her in my arms, so I continued to carry her. Acacia seemed to be enjoying it since she didn't complain.

I felt Acacia suddenly stiffen. I glanced up and saw a palace fashioned out of trees into the side of a mountain. I watched as the waterfall majestically flowed over the side of the mountain. I was in awe, so I didn't realize Acacia had jumped out of my arms. She pecked my lips and then dragged me down the cliff.

It seemed we had to pass through the town before we got to the bridge connected to the palace. My eyes were transfixed on the elves' pointy ears. I turned to look at Acacia's, but her ears were like a humans. I pouted and then used my index finger to poke her ears. She turned to give me a weird look. I then motioned between her ears and the other elves'. She seems to understand what I was referring to.

"I would rather not." She tried to walk, but I held her back.

"Why not?" I whined.

"I'm insecure about it." She blushed and shyly looked down.

"But they're so cute." She skeptically looked at me. "I'm serious. You have to understand that I think of elves like-like Santa's little helpers."

"Seriously?" She sounded unimpressed.

"That or tinker bell." I smirked at her annoyance. "The point is that they're sooo cute. My gran and Hailey got me an elf hat for Christmas and I loved it because of the ears." I began poking her ears again, resulting in her slapping my hand away. "Come on." I continued poking.

"Fine."

She huffed and turned around so her back was facing me. Her shoulders relaxed as she murmured something in a language I didn't recognize. My eyes widened as I saw the magical veil fall. She nervously turned around to face me. I squealed and began touching her pointy ears. She tried slapping my hands away, but I was quicker.

"You should show your natural form around me. You look so beautiful." We both blushed at my words. "It's just that I like them." I scratched the back of my neck.

"Thanks." She mumbled. "Now, you're gonna stand out with your round ears." She smirked and dragged me into the town.

"What do you mean my ears are round?!"