Her slippered feet led to the very centre of Arcadia and down a lonely hallway. Here the path was dimly lit, growing darker and darker as they made their way down the sloping hallway and towards the stairs that greeted them at the very end. No one uttered a word, all enraptured in the prospect of seeing what laid ahead. The only sound that could be heard was the soft pit pat of footfalls and the heavy breathing that grew even louder as the walls began to close in on them. Mynera led the pack, a very excited Hale breathing down her neck. She didn't mind the closeness. She liked it, liked the waves of excitement she felt radiating off him.
Madeline was close by and Mynera could practically feel the bottled tension emanating off the blond queen. She knew she was enthusiastic and Mynera sent a quick glance over her shoulder, a smile tugging on her lips when she saw Madeline gripping Barron's sleeve in an attempt to control her eagerness. Barron didn't seem bothered by the grip on his sleeve however; she even spotted a soft smile grace his lips before falling away when they came to the end of the stairs.
Mynera walked forward, not looking back when she heard the others spill out behind her and the gasps of surprise and awe that rose up into the air. The armory was massive, spanning out so far that there were corners to take and doors that led off to other sections. The area they stepped out into had swords of different shapes and sizes all spanned out on the right wall, rapiers, broadswords, longswords and the works.
On the opposite wall held spears, of different lengths and grips, battle axes, iron claws, iron fists. More weapons than all the guests who set foot down here have ever seen in their entire lifetimes. They gathered near the entrance, lycans, Hale, Madeline, Barron, all looking around with their jaws dragging along the floor. Even Lute, who hid in the shadows, had interest and shock sparking his bright gold eyes. Mynera turned to them with a wide smile.
The priestesses mingled in among them. She had asked them to help her with the training, knowing that every single one of them had intense knowledge and skill with every weapon in this expansive armory. The only person she saw missing was Ceres, who had headed back to her office to finish up whatever High Priestess work she had to do. Mynera didn't miss her presence too much. She knew that, for now, they could handle this much. The hundreds of lycans continued poring in, the extremely large armory able to accommodate them all. Mynera waited patiently until the last of them entered.
"Welcome to our hidden armory," she said, once she knew everyone was present. "As you can see, there are more than enough weapons available for every one of you, so, by all means, help yourself." She raised her hands behind her, indicating that they go wild. And they didn't disappoint. As soon as she gave them the get-go, every single one of them started running, racing each other towards the weapons along the walls.
"This is incredible." Hale stepped up beside her. "Who knew something like this existed underneath Arcadia?"
"It runs as far as the building above." Mynera felt pride bloom in her chest at the awe in everyone's eyes. She clasped her hands in front of her, unable to keep the smile off her face. "You could get lost down here."
"I don't doubt it," Barron said beside her. His now washed brown hair was held up in a small ponytail and folded over. Mynera saw the wide grin on his face. "You priestesses never fail to surprise me."
"I'll take that as a compliment," she laughed. "What are you waiting for? Go check everything out before they're all gone."
Madeline looked like a child being offered candied apples. Her grin spread even wider at Mynera's prompt but she refrained from running forward. Instead, she smiled widely up into Barron's face, sneaking closer to him as she gazed up at him. Mynera laughed again at the child she saw before her, nothing like the dominant queen who had made it her mission to insult her whenever she could. Whatever it was Barron said or did to her, it made her a different person. Now, he just smiled at her. "Let's go then," he said, gesturing with his hand. Madeline let out a tiny squeal and ran forward, Barron walking close behind her.
Mynera watched them. Lute walked up beside her, his arms crossed. "Impressive," he stated gruffly.
"You think so?"
"I suppose you priestess humans deserve that much praise from me." His sharp golden eyes shifted over to her and she saw the sincerity shining in them. It didn't matter how stoic his words were, this was the best she would ever get. And she was grateful.
"Thank you very much, Lute," she said genuinely. "Oh by the way, I heard this morning that Reginald was up. Is he still awake?"
Lute shook his head. "No. He went back to slumber after we spoke a bit."
"What did you two speak about?" she inquired.
"He seems to have come up with a strategy for attacking the capital. He wanted to run it by me first to see my thoughts on it."
"Really?" Mynera bristled. "Why did he not come to me?"
Lute glanced over at her, regarding her. She stared back at him, her question jabbing at him with her eyes. "I think it would be best if you asked him that yourself."
He left on that note, leaving her staring after him, blinking in confusion.
For a minute, Mynera just stood there and watched him go before her eyes wandered over to the others. The lycans were all testing the weapons out, laughter a constant presence among them. They chattered on with the priestesses, who add to the laughter with their giggles, the two parties getting along greatly. She smiled at them. It made her happy seeing them like this; she liked seeing these people, outcasts for hundreds of years, getting along with her people. It made hope bloom in her chest.
That minute cut short when someone came up beside her. His approach set everything inside her on fire, before she tampered it down with a mental bashing. He had been lingering behind them all, so silent she almost forgot he was there. Almost. He was a constant presence in her head. She knew he was there, every second of the way, but she managed to ignore him all the way. Now that he was beside her, it was impossible.
"Like it?" she asked him.
He took a while to answer. She looked up at him to see his face hard underneath the lantern light. "Saenar?" she called him.
"This is ..."
She took his lack of words as a good sign. "I'd like to think so," she beamed.
He looked at her, finally. "You like hearing that, don't you?"
"Of course I do. It makes me proud to see everyone in such awe at what we have here."
"You ladies deserve all the praise you get." His voice sounded serious and she couldn't help but smile.
Suddenly a bit excited, she turned to him, a bright smile on her face. "Would you like to see something?" she asked him.
Saenar looked down at her with a surprised raise of his brows. She looked like a child right then and there, as if she was ready to divulge her most guarded spot. He blinked at it, the brightness in her eyes, shining so dazzlingly at him he felt ensconced in it. It pulled at him and there was no way, no way in hell, he would have said no to anything she said.
Mynera didn't wait for his reply. She grabbed his wrist and began pulling him forward and down into the crowd of lycans. She weaved expertly between them all, dragging Saenar behind her. As they walked, her hand subconsciously slipped from his wrist and down to grip his hands. Her fingers entwined with his and Saenar looked down at it. She didn't know she was doing it, he knew, but he didn't mind it. That touch, that intimate, yet innocent touch, gave him life.
She led him through two doors before they reached their destination. It was a simple room, big, a storehouses for dozens of different types of bows hung all over the walls and a target board set up at the very end. She rushed forward and grabbed a bow off the wall.
"This," she half whispered to him, holding it up.
Saenar came forward to get a closer look. The bow was a deep brown, the wood carved magnificently to hold the taut bowstring. There was something different about it however. Halfway down the riser – near the grip – were three dug in notches.
"It's my very first bow," she said to him.
"Your first bow?"
"The first one I've ever made." Her voice was filled with pride as she spoke. "The High Priestess thought it was so good, she she added it to the armory."
Mynera couldn't help beaming at her work, her masterpiece. She held it up to him, coming so close, they shared the same air. "See here?" she said, pointing to the notches. "I made these to allow easier shooting."
"And multiple arrows at once."
Mynera grabbed his sleeve with happiness. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "You see, you can shoot three arrows at the same time without much trouble. Or at least, not as much trouble as doing without these notches would be."
"What did you call it?"
"Triple Shooter," she grinned. "Not very creative, I know. But that was the first thing that came to my mind and it ... well, stuck."
She bit her lip, looking down at her bow. Saenar fought the sudden urge to pull her into him. Instead, he just smiled. "That's a nice name. Very self explanatory. Care to show me how to do it?"
"Oh, you mean the high and mighty Prince Saenar doesn't know how to do something? You must be kidding me."
"Mynera..."
"Oh, don't mind me, Saenar. Just thinking about this morning." She waved it off with her hand. "I'll show you. Here."
She pushed the bow into his hand and grabbed three arrows from a nearby quiver. She handed him the three arrows. "Have you ever used one of these before?"
"Once," he admitted. "When I was younger."
"Were you any good?"
"I was horrible."
That made her laugh. "I find that very hard to believe." She focused on the task at hand, trying her best not to look up at him, to falter in front of him.
"Trust me, Mynera," he said with a laugh. "I almost got the groom's son's head off."
"You didn't!" This time, the laugh that bubbled forward was louder and crippling. Saenar joined in and for a second, Mynera forgot everything that had happened today, the spar, the failed seduction attempt, the argument in the Archives. For now, they were just two persons, laughing at trivial things. It felt good. She liked this; being comfortable with Saenar, him being comfortable with her.
The laughter died away. Mynera held his arms up, positioning it in the archer's stance. She tried ignoring his heated breath on her. She was burning up. She couldn't be quite sure if it was the blood rushing madly through her veins or the closed quarters they occupied. The former seemed likely, not that she would ever admit it.
"Make a fist," she commanded softly. The heat grew smoldering and she could feel his eyes on her. Slowly, he did as he was told.
"Now tuck the arrows in between your fingers." Her voice kept getting softer and the mood in the room kept getting more intense. Saenar did as she said, tucking the arrows in between his fingers. Mynera folded her lips over each other. "Put it up to the bowstrings."
"Yes, my lady." Saenar's breath brushed past her ear and she involuntarily shivered. Oh God, she needed to step back. Now.
Mynera got away from him as quickly as she could. She was only too aware of them, just doors away from an entire horde of lycans. Inside her, a whole kaleidoscope of feelings were shooting up in her. Confusion, lust, happiness, wariness. The Saenar she saw this morning and the Saenar she saw now were two very different persons.
Saenar's eyes were deep and heated. He stared at her, couldn't keep his eyes away. She had shed the sexy red dress and had don one of the simple dresses she often wore since they've arrived. But no matter what, all he could see were the curves hidden beneath the dress, the way her hair spilled over on her back, the way she knew exactly what to do to get him riled.
Then he thought of the same girl this morning. The one dressed in the simple dress, the barefooted one wielding a sword with such precision he had felt a glimmer of fear race through him. That strong independent woman with impossible skills and a body to kill. It wasn't the moment she had entered the dining hall did Saenar realize she would be impossible to ignore; it was when she had stood facing him with a sword in her hand as the wind whipped her hair around. He knew, then and there, he wouldn't be able to hold back anymore. All the cold stares, all the effort he put in trying to push her away, every time he imagined his past lover's face, it was to no avail. Mynera Antarian was impossible to overlook. And he was done fighting it.
Mynera didn't want to look into his eyes, she didn't want to be drawn into them as she knew she would be. But there was no turning back now. One hapless glance and she was a goner.
Standing in archer's stance, his hands upraised, Saenar released his hold on the bowstrings. As soon as the arrows left his fingers, he dropped the bow and was before her in two long strides. He grabbed her face in his hands and his lips were on hers, the two pairs willing and pliant to receive the other.
As heat exploded in them both at the contact of their lips, neither saw the arrows it their target.
--
Finally! Their second kiss! I bet you guys were wondering when that would happen :)
Thanks for reading. Don't forget to vote and comment you thoughts. Love you all xoxo
-Marissa