Crave ✔

Chapter 38

Sorry for any grammar and editing mistakes!

Please comment, vote, and follow!

Enjoy!

-&-

Chapter 38

       Fear flashed through Liberius's gaze once again, the snide amusement falling away as Adranus slowly pulled away from me. "What was your goal in all of this?" He started softly, his voice a dark, somber drawl as those red eyes flashed against the darkness of the storm.

       "You kidnapped my star. Tried to steal her soul, tried to kill her, and summoned me to this godforsaken pit. And for what?" His voice rose with every word, the fury in his eyes practically glowing as he stepped towards the thin creature before us. Liberius took drastic steps back.

       "To trap me? To steal my power? Or hand me over to that insignificant prick who promised to return your position?" The god shook his head, his dark hair falling across that beautiful face as he let out one dark, snide, chuckle.

       The demons that tramping through the clearing had all but vanished, or had been completely destroyed by the wolf-bornes. The storm was still rumbling overhead, but the lightening had finally faded. I didn't know what to do. Adranus didn't need my help, but I didn't want to run towards the trees. And I needed to find Eirik-

       "I could live on this realm for thousands of years, and still have the power to destroy Arie at his best. What do you think I will do to you?"

       I watched as the thin, traitorous man glanced around helplessly, searching for any demon that would come to his aid, but the few that were left scattered quickly into the dense trees. I wanted to squash the hope rising in my chest, but it was hard. All this mess was nearly over.

       "L-Lord Adranus, let's talk about this... T-the girl isn't hurt, her soul is intact. No genuine harm was done-"

       Adranus snarled, the sound vicious even though it passed from human lips. My stomach twisted at the ferocity of the noise. "You took my star. You are a fool if you did not see this coming." Those words were so simple, but spoken with such an intensity they made my stomach flip.

       His star.

       All sense of that earlier joy and composure had left the pathetic excuse of a man, and he began backing away from the god in absolute panic. "She's in love with King!" He shouted in a stutter, those yellow eyes wide in fright. "They have slept together! You mean nothing to her now!"

       His exclamations shot straight through my heart, like a sharp dagger piercing skin. "That's not true!" I stammered as Adranus tensed, the muscles of his shoulders clenching with the pause. My breathing nearly stopped at the action.

       I was in love with Eirik, but that didn't mean the life Adranus and I had once shared was not true. I had loved him more than anything once. I still did. I-I think. But the last thing I needed to worry about were the two directions my heart kept tearing in.

       My words hung like a heavy cloud over our heads, and although the panic did not fade from Liberius's face, a smug glint danced in his eyes at Adranus's hesitation. Then immortal let out a slow, deep breath, and that smug glint in the seer's eyes disappeared.

       "Emerense is mine." He spoke low against the fading thunder, but every word was as crystal clear as the waters of the Lower Kingdom. "She will always be mine."

       Then he was suddenly crouching to the hard, cold, ground, his red eyes glowing in the darkness as his hand curled into the damp earth. My brow pulled into a frown. What in the world was playing around in the dirt going to accomplish?