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It was only a matter of time before he came for them.
Chapter 19 - Ianora
Ianora woke to yet another glorious night in Castor's arms. It felt so strange that things could have gone from so terrible between them to so amazing, and all it had taken was them reaching a breaking point. Instead of breaking, it had brought them together, to heal.
She relaxed into Castor's hold, breathing a contented sigh as she traced his powerful biceps. As they lay together, the only sound was the crackling of the fire in the hearth. It felt so peaceful and calm, like nothing could ever go wrong at this moment.
But deep down, Ianora knew that was far from true.
She had seen what Johnathan was capable of. She had felt his power firsthand when he'd beaten her. And she knew that as long as he existed, she and Castor would always be in danger.
Yet somehow, when she was alone with Castor like this, she still believed there was a chance for them to have a future together, one where they weren't weighed down by fear. Maybe it was sheer optimism on her part, or maybe it was just blind faith. But whatever it was, Ianora clung to it with all her might.
It didn't matter how many obstacles stood between them; all that mattered was being together right here and right now.
And as far as Ianora was concerned, that made everything worth fighting for.
Castor kissed Ianora's forehead as she stirred beside him. "I wish we could lie like this forever," he murmured against her hair.
"Can't we?"
He kissed lower, capturing her mouth with his. "Unfortunately, I am still a king, one who likes to take an active role in ruling his kingdom. I have an important meeting today that I can't push aside." He pressed his mouth harder against hers, making her heart flutter, and liquid heat settle between her legs. "Don't worry," Castor said, sensing her thoughts. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and smiled down at her tenderly. "I won't be gone for long."
"Then you better get going."
With a smile, he got out of bed to dress, and then he was gone with one last kiss, leaving Ianora in bed, alone and cold. Despite his reassurances, Ianora still felt anxious as he left the room. But she knew that whatever dangers awaited them in their future, she wasn't alone anymore. She steeled herself against the ache already welled inside her at the thought of losing him again. They were in this together now, and nothing could stop them from facing whatever came their way.
But neither could she sit here and wait for that fate to come to her. She needed to get up and do...something. What, she hadn't decided yet, even after she slid into a simple yet elegant dress befitting a queen and strode out into the palace corridor.
As she walked, her eyes were drawn to the paintings lining the walls. Before, most had been obscured by the overgrown thorny roses, which had recently begun to recede. Ianora wondered if it meant the curse was losing its effectiveness, and if so, why? Was it a result of her and Castor finally coming together?
Ianora paused in front of one painting, in particular, a haunting image of a young woman dressed in white gazing out at her with piercing blue eyes.
Ianora stared back into those eyes, feeling as though she had seen them somewhere before. And just as suddenly as it had come over her, the feeling passed, and Ianora was left blinking and wondering what on earth had come over her.
But before she could ponder it further, something swept past her inside the palace corridor: a wisp of white that surprised Ianora. She knew that ghostly figure.
"Mitron? Is that you?" she whispered. "I didn't think I would see you again."
The young woman's features solidified, appearing sheepish. "I did not think you would want to, after last time...but I only wished to come to say that I am glad you and Castor found happiness together after all this time. If anyone deserves it, it is you two."
Ianora found herself stunned by the woman's kindness, despite how horrible Ianora had treated her last time they'd seen each other. The horrible things she'd said...while not unprovoked, had been entirely unwarranted.
"I'll be on my way, then," Mitron said, and she floated backward, beginning to fade away.
"Wait! Don't go," Ianora said.
Mitron's form darkened again, and she came closer. "Really? You're not...you're not going to send me away again?"
Ianora shook her head. "Mitron...thank you. It means a lot to me that you would come out here, despite everything I said to you before, to say something so kind to me."
"Really?"
"Yes, I mean it." Ianora stepped closer, her hands clasped at her chest. "It was horrible what I said to you before...no one deserves to be trapped haunting a place like this, especially during the years where Castor was wicked and cruel. To live through that, and still be able to see the goodness in him..."
"I knew him before his heart went cold," Mitron said. "It hurt me to see how his love for you had been twisted so. I blamed you for a very long time, seeing how much you hurt him. But after years of watching him, I realized how much he loved you. His love was the core of his pain. I wanted nothing more for you two to heal the rift and come together again. So it makes my heart soar to find you two happy now, after all this time."
"I'm glad he's had you to watch over him all this time." Ianora fidgeted with her hands. "I can tell that you truly care about him."
