The Demon King (Otherworld Series #4)

Chapter 37

"You must forgive." And those were her parting words.

The boat floated away as I stood contemplating her words and watching her stand there alone. Terahar's figure came out of the forest and stood beside her. He lifted a hand in farewell.

I lifted mine as well. Smiling as I passed through a curtain of fog and lost sight of them.

----

I could have gone to Spain or India or Africa, as far from Nikolai as I could but I couldn't make myself to do it. I yearned to see Nikolai's face again. 

His boyishly handsome face. His forest green eyes. His messy blonde hair. His annoying smirk. His nasty scowl. His laughing voice.

I was bombarded with images of him as I sat on the bench in the boat, my hands spanning my legs in a cocoon, my head resting over my knees.

The place was completely covered in fog. I tried calling out a few times but my voice echoed.

It was scary. Not knowing what would happen next. There was a bag pack under the bench filled with Snicker and Mars bars. I'd eaten a few. Couldn't choose which ones to eat first, Snickers or Mars. Both were equally delicious and so I shove both bars into my mouth together at once.

It was fun. But then I had a chocolate hangover and now I can't even look at them without feeling like puking.

I signed. I trusted Runeria but her magic? I didn't know if I could trust it. But I had no choice now. It's not like I could swim my way to Russia.

"Oh, Nikolai. I miss you."

It was the truth. I don't know when, or how but in the few days I'd spent with him, I'd started to like him a bit and now I missed him. But then there was the fact that he'd imprisoned me in a dungeon for years. I would never forget that pain.

There was so much I needed to know.

I needed to know about the scarred face man who appears every time there is a disaster. And the confusion in Nikolai's eyes when I confronted him. I had to still send an 'Apology Accepted' letter to Hanes. And I wanted to do something for the Elder Species...no....Dire wolves, I am a Queen, I can help them, with anything. 

I need more time.

"Help me. Please."

And like magic, the fog cleared before my eyes, I was in a lake before a dense forest. My eyes spotted a Menae. I recognised the place at once.

I gasped. "The forest surrounding the Castle!" I laughed and jumped out of my boat and swam the rest of the way to the riverbank. And without looking behind I ran towards the castle.

The forest was quiet. It was afternoon.

When I burst into the clearing then it was deserted. Usually soldiers would bustle around. But it was silent as hell.

I rushed to the giant doors and banged.

"Nikolai! Alexei! Dimitri! " My small fists banged. My voice strained as I shouted their names.

"Please! Open the doors!" No reaction. I stopped banging. My chest heaved with heavy breaths. I waited in anticipation. Hoping that someone might have heard me.

Or maybe they didn't return at all. Maybe they're still searching me in the North?

"Shit."

Just then the doors swung open. Alexei and Lucelle, half clothed and tousled, stared at me from the other side.

"Alexei! Lucelle! " I cried and threw myself at them. Hugging them tight, I'd never been so happy to see Alexei.

"Lunia! What the hell?!"