Alexandria: The Rebel Princess

Chapter 6

It was like the air had left my lungs, his lips sucked all the energy from me and I was left in a haze. An uncontrollable force entered my body and I found myself matching his lips. Tugging my hands, I fight against an invisible force stopping me from wrapping my arms around him. His warm breath breathes a new life back into me, and I knew in that moment, I was his. It was his breath that filled my lungs with life, it was him that my heart pulsed for. My husband.

My lips tingle with a yearning as our lips parted. More, I want more. His touch, his kiss, him! Tipping his head down, our foreheads connect and I moan under the warmth of his breath fanning across my face. Our eyes connect and his brown eyes swirl with lust and regret.

"Kalen," I moan, lunging forward, my lips desperate for more.

"Ease, princess," he chuckles. His finger swirls around my necklace, and his thumb glides along it in silent prayer.

Suddenly, that force straining my arms, pulls me back and I scream. The heavy cackles of two familiar voices chills my bones, and I struggle against the invisible force, reaching out for Kalen.

A soft smile never reaches his eyes and he kneels down. A shine of a blade glistens above him. An axe in the hands of Nicholas, his blue eyes shine like the buffed blade raised above him. "No, no, no. Please no!"

Our eyes are locked the whole time and his lips part, "trust me."

"No!" The blade swings down and Kalen's head falls to the hallway floor, rolling towards me. A pool of blood coats the tiles. His lifeless eyes fade of their usual brown colouring and I cry, falling to my knees.

~

"Kalen!" Her voice rips me from my deep sleep.

Fear bursted into my muscles and I shout out grabbing my sword. Rolling to my feet, I scan all around. The eerie silence in the bushes leaves no movement, not an echo or even a slight wind.

Jeremy turns in the dark of night, ready for an ambush. "Where?" Jeremy whispers gruffly.

Movement draws my attention to a sleeping Chloe. She flails in her sleep struggling against the blanket that has wrapped around her legs and she whimpers, "No."

Another nightmare, they haunted me in my wake. With a heavy sigh, I knelt down beside her. Untangling her legs, she swats a hand at me. Lightly catching it, I rub gentle circles along her smooth skin. Tears roll down the sides of her face, and she tugs disorientedly against me.

"It's alright. I'm here now, chicken," I coo, brushing back the fallen tears.

Glancing over my shoulder, I stare at Jeremy. The small once brave girl continued to whimper and struggle beneath me. It has become usual since she arrived, the crying and screaming. These nightmares never ended. Why had she always been so tight lipped about it? "She won't tell me, I've tried," I whisper in frustration. Jeremy audibly gulped with guilt. "What happened to her?" It was a question I had asked many times before, but he remained silent. It was like they were both sworn to secrecy over something.

Xavier bent down beside me and brushed back some fallen hairs. "This girl has been through a lot, there is no doubt in that," Xavier sighs, "But seems to be holding on for something."

"If only I knew," I mumble, thinking back to one of her first nights at Midcross' brothel.

Her small frame trembled in my arms, the men in the room groan in announce. Screams woke us in the dead of night again. Placing her down on the table, she whimpers when my touch leaves her, it was like she feared I'd vanish. Trying to get her to drink a cup of water was shocking. With a flick of her wrist and a screech the cup goes flying, splattering across the floor. She fell off the chair, scrambling along the floor into the corner. She was never like this before, she was adventurous and brave. I was at a loss for words and had no idea how to help her this time. Climbing down beside her, I took her into my arms, and pet her hair flat. We had sat there till morning, her hand clenched around her chest as if holding something dear. Octavius came out of the room and ordered us to bed.