DESTRUCTIVE MYTH

Drathis chuckled heading towards the bath, “Relax will you, she was teasing you, knowing she would get a kick out of it.”

“Why though?” She followed him behind the screen divider.

“Why not? In her old age perhaps, she has seen enough to know the signs.” He pulled off his coat hanging it over the wooden screen.

“The signs? What signs? You didn’t even say anything, didn’t even deny we were together, that’s probably why she thought she saw signs.” She snapped at him.

“I’m honestly too tired to entertain an innkeeper and her games. Who cares if she thinks we are or are not together? It’s not as if we will see her ever again once we leave here.” He sighed beginning to run the bath taking his shirt off.

“I care, it ruins my reputation.” She snapped again double blinking registering the fact that he was undressing and the bath was filling up. Drathis frowned stepping nearer to her as he ran a hand through his hair, she watched as the muscles in his powerful arms rippled following it down his perfectly sculpted chest, rock-hard stomach to the perfect V-line being cut off by his belt.

“But sharing a one-bedroom with me doesn’t? You didn’t object to sharing the room, only of us being together. Would it really be that bad to be with someone like me?” His brow deepened, his relaxed demeanor dissolving.

“I’m not saying that.” She whispered suddenly deflated looking up at him as he stepped nearer. The bath was filling up with hot water creating steam around them. She breathed in shallowly as he stopped right before her looking at her with such intensity.

“What are you saying then, because from this side it sounds like a simple kiss from this rogue could ruin your reputation, a pathetic excuse in a land where none know us.” He whispered, his eyes gaining the smallest hint of an emerald unnatural glow. His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute, his stomach twisting building up such an intense feeling he couldn’t understand, did he want to kiss her? Better yet would she let him? She seemed so determined to keep him at arm’s length.

“I never said anything about kissing you.” She whispered breathlessly frozen in place. Her mind failing her, she couldn’t think around this overbearing elf.

“Your eyes say different.” He whispered as he placed his hands on either side of her arms leaning in closer, a breath away from her lips. “Do you really wish to prove the innkeeper wrong?” His voice came out in a husky whisper that almost curled her toes with desire. Unable to speak she looked into his eyes almost losing the function to breathe.

He leaned nearer pulling her into him sucking in a breath wanting nothing more at that moment to just lose himself in her. She was addictive, everything about this woman called to him, his soul cried out demanding he claim her. Was this love? Ridiculous! He hardly knew her, well at least who she was now, yet his mind didn’t care, his heartbeat with a new purpose.

She tilted her head back ready for his kiss closing her eyes, less than a breath away his lips almost touched hers, he could feel the heat of her, then pulled away reluctantly at the sound of trickling water. The bath was overfilling spilling over the sides. Drathis rushed to turn it off then grabbed the bucket to empty it a bit.

Sinira stood in her place trying to regain her composure; one moment, she had been in a rage over what Mrs. Clove had thought of her, making every excuse under the sun to avoid her knowing she was attracted to Drathis, the next moment she had been in a completely different world with no time, no matter, just him.

“Do you wish to bathe first?” He asked placing the bucket back down.

“No, you may.” She smiled weakly turning to leave him.

“You’re welcome to join me.” He grabbed her arm gently stopping her a mischievous spark in his eyes, the almost kiss had his every nerve on static end. He hated the water for ruining his chance, as much as he put on a brave face and acted casual, he was often moments away from acting like a babbling fool in front of her.

“What would Mrs. Clove say.” She winked mimicking the elderly woman.

“I ran the bath for you, now use it.” He smiled stepping out.

“But you were undressing?”

“Yes, so I can change and wash that shirt once you’re done, they don’t magically clean themselves, unfortunately.”

She watched him step out making his way to the bed falling on it backward, lacing his fingers through his hair under his head sighing. Slowly she began to undress constantly peeping through the wood carvings of the screen to see if he was watching her, but his eyes were closed, perhaps he fell asleep.

Feeling the water with the tips of her fingers she climbed in sinking into the warm water, closing her eyes enjoying every moment, forgetting her aches, forgetting her…

She shot up sitting properly; she had no clothing, only his spare clean clothes that sat too baggy on her anyways. Peeking through one of the slits in the screen she caught his predatory eyes watching her, jumping must have woken him as he was sitting up, and their eyes locked.

Her heart stopped, and at that moment, he looked so much like Galaleiath. If someone had told her it was, she might have believed it; they had the exact same look of lust towards her. Studying him now, she noticed slight differences, Galaleiath had lust, a craving for everything a woman had, and a dark promise of no return. Drathis had the same yet not, his eyes showed all the desire for her, all the passion they could have with no darkness, yet no love either. There was a wall behind his eyes, a wall so high and thick she doubted if even his one true mate would be able to break it.

A secret part of her suddenly wanted to be the one that broke through those walls, got to see who he truly was deep down. He put on this act of being big bad and very intimidating but was it just a shield for all he had been through? This poor man had nothing but been shut down his entire upbringing.

Would he even know love if she showed it? She had seen him look almost vulnerable once, but since then his walls had been reinforced leaving her with a detached flirting sexy god. Sinira wasn’t complaining each flirt had her toes almost curling in anticipation, but it wasn’t real. Perhaps he did want her like his brother had, then dispose of her afterward. Get-it-while-it-was-hot kind of thing. But looking still into those pools of emerald she knew there had to be more behind those walls. A man like this could give a woman everything from babies to kisses and hugs right into their frail last days, and still have the woman believing she was as beautiful as when they first met in her youth, an endless life of love.

His brows furrowed slightly watching her and she wondered if her thoughts were almost transparent, her cheeks flushed, realizing she had been trying to envision herself as his mate. Sinira had no idea what was behind those defenses, for all she knew he could be just like Galaleiath, or worse. It was too far against the odds for her to be his mate, impossible actually. Their entire race had been destroyed yet two true mates are left alive? Unlikely!

* * *

In the blink of an eye, an entire week and a half had gone by and in that time, they had explored the town, Drathis had bought her new clothing with his stolen money, they had become friendly with a few locals and even met a few dwarfs living in the town which were nothing like the legends had said they would be. Together they had visited a winter festival and chatted most of the time away, even till the early hours in the morning about life, goals, selective bits of their past. To her annoyance not once had he tried to flirt with her or touch her, perhaps it was her reserve around the bath last week. Now after another filling dinner at the pub they were walking on their way back to Clove inn when he just couldn’t take it anymore, they had one of the best times in his life, yet so much was left unsaid, unanswered.

“Why did Velda want you?” He asked softly.

“Why don’t you use magic?” She retaliated more out of shock than anything else, they had both danced around the subject all week.

“Touché” He stopped looking down at her with a smirk, then looked behind him and around, “Follow me.” He said diverting from their usual path.

“Where are we going?” Sinira following intrigued.

“Heard a few mentions of a spot not far from here that has a view of the titan range.”

“Really? Thought you said we weren’t close?”

“No, they still quite a distance, but their size can be seen from miles, apparently.”

Climbing up a hill they followed a well-walked path through the forest till they reached stairs up a hill. On top were stairs sunken into two large stairs leading up to a deck high above the ground.

Climbing them they reached the wooden deck large enough to hold an odd fifty people with just one other couple at one end nodding towards them, they nodded back walking towards the railing on the other end.

“Wow.” She breathed out leaning on the railing looking out. Before them lay half of the town then nothing but untouched land dotted with snow-covered forests, a few frozen lakes and in the north, and the full moon illuminating the white caps of the titan range. They had both heard of it, Sinira had even seen paintings of its likeness, but they were nothing compared to actually seeing them.

“Agreed.”

She side-eyed him as she had been all weak stealing a gorgeous peek of him, but this time his face held that of surprise and awe.

“Ever head the myth behind the titan mountains?”

“Yeah, sadly untrue.”

“Untrue?”

“Yes, untrue, the titans died out centuries ago along with dragons. Those might be what remains, but they are not alive.”

He sighed looking at them again.

“I wish dragons were, but perhaps those are the last titans left to roam Relangathian.”

“They haven’t moved in many lifetimes.”

“They don’t have to, titans sleep for centuries and only move when they need to, thankfully there hasn’t been an earthquake in quite some time.” She laughed at the end, he looked to his left watching her laugh at her own statement. How was she so full of life, so carefree?

“What?” She asked touching her neck as if something had blown onto her, spotting a look she couldn’t quite place on his face. Every time she laughed or said something that amused him this past week, she had caught him giving her an odd look, as if weighing his options, and something else she couldn’t quite place.

“Nothing.” He cleared his throat looking back out.

“Tell me.” She insisted touching his arm, instantly shutting down behind those dam walls of his. He looked down at his arm feeling the heat through his coat coursing through his veins. Each touch had his body kick into overdrive wanting more and more of her to the point where he could lose his mind in want.

“Good night.” Called the other couple making their way down the stairs leaving them alone. Drathis slipped his arm free from her hand turning to face her.

“How about we play a little game.” She picked up instantly the smallest threat in the statement, looking up into his eyes she saw his softness gone when she had laughed replaced with those dam walls of coldness.

“I have a feeling I won’t like this game?”

“You might just.” He smiled slowly taking a few steps back.

“Ok?” She asked slowly watching him walk away to stop at the other end of the deck.

“We have gotten to know each other rather well.”

“Yes.” She answered that which wasn’t a question.

“Yet this friendship is surface deep.”

The word friendship cut her; she kept her face neutral watching him slowly pace the other side of the deck on a mission. It was her fault they had remained friends, she had babbled on and on about her reputation and not asking to be kissed, what a fool she had been! He had been so very right, no one knew them here.

“If we are to trust each other, we need to stop dodging,” He paused emphasizing the word, she knew what he meant, “I will be as open as I can to you, but,” Drathis paused, closing his eyes, a small smile curving his lips as he ran a hand through his hair, almost laughing at a private joke. Then he looked up at her and his face were colder than she had ever seen him, as if a complete stranger. “But if you betray me and my secrets, I swear i’ll cut you out my life faster than you can blink, you came looking for me as we are the same race after the same cause, but don’t betray me, I have no room for forgiveness.” He said softly, making fists at his sides.

She nodded slowly as a shiver ran down her spine realizing that without knowing how, he was breaking down those walls she had failed to all week, this was it, she was finally going to get to see who this man was, oh gods, she was terrified!

“The game is this, we ask each other a question, each has a chance, each one that answers truthfuly will take a step nearer to the other, you lose a step for every lie, yes I will know when it’s a lie.” He smirked.

“Winner gets?”

“What do you want?”

You, she thought then blinked trying to breathe evenly thinking of something she may want.

“If I win, I wish to ride Galaxy with you at the back, and you take me to buy any weapons I wish in town.” She smiled arrogantly, he mimicked her smile remaining still, he knew she loved small knives, had a wicked throwing arm and was bloody amazing at archery.

“What do you want?” She continued to smile placing her hand on her hips tapping her foot impatiently. Drathis looked at her a long time deciding the best way to say it without scaring her off. Looking out the mountains he clenched his jaw in frustration, fear, uncertainty. Then back to her through hooded lids.

“You.” He half-whispered.

“What?” She copied his volume dropping her hands to her sides.

“One simple, unmasked kiss for this rogue, from you.”

If her heart could race any faster, she would catch fire.

“Why?” She breathed.

“Is this your first question?” He smiled pleased her response didn’t have a no in it yet.

“Am I to begin?” She stammered.

“Ladies first.”

Taking a deep shaky breath, she nodded clasping her hands to stop them from shaking, did she want to kiss him? Abso-bloody-lutly! “Ok, so the terms are set?”

“You agree?” He asked slowly as if the answer meant a great deal.

“Yes, I accept the terms.” She said confidently trying to calm her shaking hands, wow.

“Then begin.” He bowed, a proud arrogant smile on his face.

Looking around making sure they were truly alone she stood tall taking a deep breath, she wanted to more than anything ask why he wanted to kiss her, but her senses would leave her knowing the answer, not allowing her to keep her wits for the questions she really needed answers to first.

“Why do you not use your powers?”

“Jumping straight into the deep end?”

“Yes I am.”

Closing his eyes taking a deep breath he clenched his jaw again; she could see he was at war with himself.

“I can’t,” he looked back up into her eyes, “When Gareth,” he paused with a frown correcting himself, “Galaleiath and I were young we only trained in combat in the village we were hidden in, he always said magic was to be the last resort.”

“To keep you two safe.” She chipped in nodding understanding.

“Yes, then when I was imprisoned, I just couldn’t. I had spent countless days and nights trying to conjure anything everything, but how does one begin having never been shown?” He shook his head as if expelling bad memories, “Anyway, I found out my cell had been warded against magical use, so if I did or didn’t get it right, I would never know.” He sighed running his hand through his hair. “So, there you go, the only elf to live that doesn’t know magic.” He frowned clenching his jaw again.

“But your magical birth mark, its huge! You must be powerful beyond!” She called out in shock.

“Maybe, maybe not, I won’t know, I get random short bursts of power I am unable to control but that’s it.”

“I will teach you!”

“Ha!” He snorted a laugh in surprise at her willingness with no judgment. “We shall see.” He said taking one step forward towards her having answered truthfully. Frowning over what she had just learnt she tried to put it aside ready for his question.

“Who else knew about your identity at Zitex apart from Ashleigh?”

“None.”

“Not even my brother?”

“I think he knew there was something odd about me but no, not to my knowledge.” She smiled taking a step forward “That was easy.”

“Just you wait,” He mirrored her smile standing waiting for her next question.

“That sword you carry is not yours.”

“Correct.” He smiled taking a cheeky step forward.

“Oh no, back up Mr, I wasn’t done with my question.” She laughed shooing him with her hand.

“Pity.” He winked stepping back. Flushing she carried on with her question.

“Who’s is it and what is going on with it? It seems to have a life of its own. I recall trying to reach for it in the woods fighting the leopards but it acted strangely.”

A cold sweat ran across him at the thought of her being killed by it.

“I honestly know very little about it, I stole it from Dimas while escaping her castle, I know it reacts to certain types of magic and vibrates as a warning when things go wrong, it kills those that are not naturally magical instantly, and that it has many legends behind it having won many wars for the Black Maser, but that’s about it.” He shrugged looking down at it hanging on his hip. “I hope to find someone that knows more about it someday, I’m confident someone at Talgrim will know” He took a step forward.

“How do you know Goddess Velda?”

She sighed looking to her feet taking a few moments before speaking.

“She had learnt there was an elf alive in Zitex, out of curiosity I guess she had come to seek him out, unfortunately, he was not at the castle, out on some unknown mission I guess, and her senses had picked up on me.” She looked out at the view before continuing, “She became instantly interested in me, who I was, if I was alone, told her yes, yet she somehow knew about my parents, yet refused to answer me if they were alive.” She trailed off.

“That doesn’t seem so bad, the way you spoke about it before suggested something more.”

“There is…” She sighed looking to her shoes again, “She decided to make it her mission to keep me safe, going on about being the last female, and keeping me a secret saying there were those out there that would kill me in a heartbeat for being a young elven female. That the only way to truly protect me was to choose a mate.” She looked up at him slowly watching the color leave his face. “Yes, she was persistent your brother was my fated mate as we ended up in the same castle.”

“Where you ever with my brother?” perhaps the kiss and wanting her had been a mistake, he would not have her knowing she had wanted Galaleiath, them touching each other had him wanting to explode. He looked down at his trembling hands, how could it be, how could he have been so wrong to want her, claim her as his when she belonged to another.

“That’s not how this game works…”

“Dam the game!” He snapped cutting her off storming up towards her, “Are you, his mate?” He growled grabbing her by both arms. Fool! How could he fall for her without knowing the past, it was so obvious, how had he not seen it. To his knowledge they were the last two elves left, they might not have at first agreed to be together, but if his brother was anything like him, Sinira was too addictive to avoid trying to pursue.

“Drathis, calm down.” She whispered looking into his dark face.

“Why did you leave your mate willingly? Thought you could try both brothers to see which you preferred?”

“What?” She shouted shoving out of his grip, “Do you think of me so lowly? I am not some common slut! I haven’t even kissed you, you asshole!” She spun on her heel storming off.

“Because he is better?” He called out after her stopping her in her tracks.

“No!” She snapped turning around storming to face him poking at his chest repeatedly as she attacked him. “Because he is an arrogant, low-life, piece of shit that humps almost anything that moves, and even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be my type. Galaleiath is an overbearing, self-righteous, vindictive, dark, and twisted elf that wants everything his way and only his way! What he can’t have he tortures into submission, and I am no victim!” She raised her voice at the end becoming slightly winded putting down her poker, looking up from where she had been poking relentlessly to see his face. She had backed him up against the railing with the moon shining behind him casting a shadow over his face she couldn’t read. The only thing she could see was his magical eyes glowing with an unreadable emotion.

“I am not someone that can just give myself to anyone,” She said more calmly, “He wanted me, that much was obvious, but I didn’t want him, I knew in my heart he was wrong, he was too dark, too evil, that man is not my mate.”

He chuckled, a distant cold look crossing his face as he looked away.

“If a god says your meant to be, then who am I to interfere.” He sneered snorting another small cold laugh shaking his head, he pushed her back gently to walk away, leaving her alone on the deck.

“I don’t believe it to be true, gods have been wrong before!” She called out after him. He paused down the first few steps looking back up to her.

“Good for you.” He called out continuing down.

“Drathis!” She called out following him, “Stop!”

He ignored her reaching the bottom step.

“Drathis!”

“What?” He spun in a rage, “What do you want? I will not stand in the way of fated mates, I will not take what isn’t mine!” He growled backing away again, so much hurt in his voice she felt as if she had wielded the dagger now in his heart.

“I think the goddess got the brothers mixed up!” She called out hoarsely, her voice cracking with emotion, dear gods, did she love him was this what this was? she loved him and he was jealous, could he love her back without just wanting to bed her like his brother.

“What?’ He frowned facing her.

“I think,” She sucked in a breath unable to complete her declaration to him.

“You think? You think the goddess mixed the brothers up? Why?” He asked not moving.

She couldn’t think of a response that wouldn’t make her sound like a stupid little girl handing over her heart.

“Forget it.” She swallowed traitorous tears slipping out, she turned away to wipe them calling out goodnight. Drathis watched her race back up to the deck trying to breathe in a consistent rhythm and failing. He turned to go back down the hill then stopped going back to the deck taking the steps two at a time.

“What now?” She asked defeated hearing him come up the stairs wiping another tear from her eyes trying to hide behind a placid mask and failing.

Stalking towards her he slipped one hand around her waist and the other on her cheek pulling her into him.

“Dam the gods, dam my brother and anyone else who thinks they can take this away from me!” He looked down at her with such intensity she nearly melted. Before she could object, he drew her nearer closing the distance claiming her lips possessively, hungrily, with more passion than she could understand.