AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We are one. Never to be separated from each other. My darkness is accepting that. As Darkans, we are born with this essence that can never be removed. An essence that is pure chakra. It is powerful, but we are a separate consciousness housed in one body. My beast is cunning and merciless. I have a psychic barrier that I control to keep our chakra apart. I lower that barrier to use my beast chakra to become faster, stronger. Over the years, my demon has sought to take control, only to bring destruction. I resisted. If the beast wins and tears down my control, I am lost, and my own kind will hunt me to protect all Amagarians.”
She turned to face him, tipping back her head to hold his gaze.
Many of our people suppress their beast after experiencing the viciousness of its chakra. Many have never lowered the barrier at all. But all warriors and a few civilians have lowered the barrier to learn their beasts’ might and chakra. I have been using its power, but never fought the battle for dominance.
He lightly encircled her neck, and her pulse thrummed beneath the tip of his finger.
“Go on,” he urged when she paused. To be bonded is to learn all the powers of our beasts and use them as ours without it waiting to wrestle control from us. Our beasts accept that it can never be free from us and willingly lend their powers to us. And we in turn feed our beasts on rage, fear and pain, and whatever that is dark and unholy gives it the most satisfaction. So when we bond, not only do our demons accept us, we too must acknowledge what they are, embrace their powers and never shy from such a force.
He remembered the dark strength that had bled from her. “What is your beast?”
She hesitated. “I house a Dracan.”
He dropped his hand and stepped back. “That beast has not existed for over a millennia.”
Cunning shifted across her face. “You know of our demons?”
“I study my enemies.”
She lowered her lids. “As twins, my brother Drac and I are the firsts to be born in hundreds of years with Dracans for our beasts.”
The little he had gleaned only spoke of a terrifying legend with monstrous powers. And she was bonded with its chakra.
She flowed away from him, sinuous and graceful. “We are not all blood letters. I understand that Darkans killed your mother, but it was on the order of Mevia,” she said, her voice throbbing with some dark emotions.
“We do not know where the order came from. It could have been Mevia, Avindar or even Aria, since we had no alliance then. It could have been Caelum—the kingdom that had declared war. Blame was placed on the kingdom that perpetrated the act. Darkans murdered the queen of Nuria, and they will pay.”
She flinched. “Why did you not declare war?”
“I would never embroil my kingdom in another war after the ravages of the second Great War. There are other ways to annihilate a kingdom without overt acts of war. The separation of wealth and access to resources will cripple any kingdom.”
Tehdra’s heart thumped at his flat response. She could offer no contradictions. Her kind was a set of people that believed in vengeance. If Gidon were to fall, murdered by another kingdom, then blood would flow in Amagarie.
Cruelty settled on Ajali’s face. “I blocked all trading opportunities of any resource from Nuria entering the Darkage for years. All petitions from your kingdom were denied, and many kingdoms have agreed with me to not trade with the Darkage for favors only I can grant.”
Tehdra knew. He did not need to explain, the very things he described her king fought against. Gidon’s vision was to end the dark pall that hung over their nation. To improve their wealth, trading between realms, to enhance the prosperity of her people and kingdom. The king of the Darkage had the boldest and fiercest plan of removing the stain of treachery that followed their people, and one way was to show that they were more that their beasts. They were people that loved, laughed, created families and had many talents and gifts from their artisans that they wanted to share. The fight for acceptance would be a long and vicious one, and the goal of Ajali was to prevent her realm from achieving that end.
The quiet between them was deafening.
Are we to be enemies?
Where would you stand, Tehdra of the Darkage, if war was to be declared?
With you…I will never betray my king and realm, but I will stand with you.
She felt the jerk of shock through their connection. The surety, her convictions resounded true.
Because I am your mate?
Yes…you hold my allegiance, my loyalty, my heart.
And if I cannot return your sentiments? His voice hardened imperceptibly as he watched her, his gaze brooding.
I am bound to you for eternity, but you are free to find your kala. She slammed the pathway to their connection shut before he felt the pain slashing through her veins.
He flashed to her, tilting her face to his. He pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips and the breath lodged in her throat.
I must attend to my kingdom’s needs. The Games of Fyre must be cancelled and the heinous act against us addressed. Wait for me in my wing. Servants will attend to you.
