Solar Reign

X X V I

Andorra tried to give Nohx a little playful slap, but he caught her hand before pressing a kiss against her palm. Then, Nohx slid out from under the blankets, moving towards the dresser of clothing. Andorra was content to stay in bed and watch as Nohx rummaged for clothes.

My soulmate, she thought to herself. My Noah.

He tossed a shirt and pants to her in the bed. "As much as I love seeing you in our bed, we need to go. There are idiots to save and all that. Idiots that absolutely don't deserve it."

Andorra grinned. "Yes sir."

By the time the two of them were dressed and ready, Andorra felt a little more sobered. What they were about to do, it was dangerous. It could result in Andorra losing her memory entirely. It could result in losing everything.

Nohx could read the change of thought on her face. He reached for her hand and gave it a long squeeze. "It's going to be okay, Andy. I promise."

She wanted to believe him. And she knew that she could; Nohx was never wrong, it seemed. "What if he erases all of my memories? What's our next step going to be?" Her voice was anxious, and she felt reduced to the old version of herself. The one she thought she had long shed. "I don't want to forget you."

Nohx ran his knuckles down Andorra's cheek softly. "If he erases your memories, I will search all of Anlithamy until I find another fae who can alter memories. And if I cannot find one, well, I'll just have to make you fall in love with me again." His smile was soft and gentle. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I'm not worried about having to do that."

"Kyle is unpredictable." Andorra nibbled on the edge of her fingernail. "What if he's so mad that he just... takes it all?"

"Then Callum will kill him." Nohx shrugged. "And when Callum is done, Obe will probably incinerate his body. And finally, when all is said and done, I will bring you home and we will restart. Just like this time when I found you, and you had no recollection of who I was. Painful for me, yes. But I'm not worried."

Andorra swallowed the fear that was sliding up her throat. She squared her shoulders and gave Nohx's hand a tight squeeze. "You better not be mean to me this time around," she barely choked out as she pulled up the gate to the in-between. "Be nice, right from the get go."

Nohx let out a loud, surprised laugh. "What, you didn't enjoy our witty banter and your complete hatred for me?" His tone was teasing, lighthearted.

Andorra was too focused to navigate them to the castle to shoot him a dirty look.

When they stepped out from the in-between, right in front of Callum, he flinched. Then, he rounded on Andorra with a burning anger that should have caught the hallway on fire. "Are you insane?" he barked at her.

"Hi. We're going to visit Kyle," she said in response. "Care to come?"

"That's it? You run away from the castle and disappear for an entire day and night, and that's all you have to say?" He was seething, nearly foaming at the mouth. "When I tell you Andorra that I-"

"Callum, breathe. If I was dead, you would know." She raised her eyebrow at him. "I was visiting the Prophet, who doesn't like you and wouldn't have let you come with. And then I ran into Nohx." She looked up at the man in question, smiling at him.

Callum narrowed his eyes when Nohx smiled back, small and secretive. Then, he eyes honed in on the hand holding.

"Are you... are you going to announce to the entirety of Anlithamy that you're courting out of the caste? Because that is a whole different can of worms to open right now when we're on the brink of war with the Spring Court, and there is an enemy in our castle, in case you have forgotten!"