I can feel Briar breathing comfortably against me, and I tighten my hand around her arm, continuing. "Of all the suitors and all the loves she could've had in her life, she chose Drogaem. She thought together, she and Drogaem could do grand things. She thought together, they could create the world she had always imagined."
Briar shakes her head, her nose wrinkling. "I thought Lilith was bad. I can't even imagine how horrible this woman must have been."
I turn toward her, and she looks at me curiously. Taking her face in my hands, I shake my head. "On the contrary, she was quite the opposite. Lux was the kindest soul in all the underworld."
Briar gasps, her mouth falling open just slightly. I watch as she nervously runs her tongue over her lips, and I fight the urge to lean forward and kiss them. Her eyes shift down, and I can see she's thinking deep and hard. When she looks back up at me, she shakes her head. "I never knew that Lux chose Drogaem. I've seen her and him in my visions. I know there was love at one point, maybe even always, but I thought that…"
"She was forced?" I asked. "No."
"And Drogaem was already known to be a cruel man?" She asks.
I smile at her. "What are the stories you heard of me before you came here?"
Her eyes shift away from mine, and she turns back toward the window. "That you were cruel. That you cared nothing for others. And that you would kill me one day. But even with all of those things, I can't even imagine you being as evil as Drogaem is. The only thing that kept me searching for you when Drogaem had taken over your body was the fact that I knew deep down, even before I knew about Drogaem, you were not a bad man. That something had happened. If I didn't know that, I don't think I'd have ever been able to…"
Her voice trails off, and I can tell that her mind has gone somewhere else. I know it's hard for her to hear these things, to understand them even, given she doesn't even recognize her own powers fully, but they are vital if she is to take control. No matter how much I tell myself I'm doing this for the betterment and the best of my kingdom, I know that I'm doing it to help her survive as well. Everything changed the day she walked into my life, and I want her to continue to be there when this is done.
Chapter 9
Briar
Kane enlightens me with his stories of Lux, but even more so, he shows me that love is possible no matter what. That even the foulest of men can be loved by someone. I want to tell Kane that I love him. I think it's essential that he understand the depths that I will go to keep us together. But over the last several days, I have seen him pull away from me. He doesn't fool me though, I know it's not because he doesn't care for me. He's trying to protect me from Drogaem. He's trying to keep my mind straight and on task, as well as his own.
Thinking back to the way things were before we went on our journey, Kane and I were constantly distracted by each other. Whether it be through our connected emotions or the heat and lust between us, whenever we were together, our minds were not on task. Even now, standing in the same room as him, I'm pulled toward him. I want to wrap my arms around him. I want to press my lips to his. It seems that wherever I turn, we are treading on forbidden ground, and it only makes my lust for him more robust.
Visions of our moments in the garden bombard my thoughts. I can feel the heat between us as my legs wrap around him, lips pressed together, souls intertwining. It sends waves of excitement over me, making my knees weak and my thighs shake. I have to push those thoughts back. However, being here with him, watching him prepare for our training, I feel it almost necessary to have a moment for us. To have that one moment where I can show him where my heart is. I can tell, though, that Kane doesn't feel the same way. I know he's ridden with guilt, having never meant to pull me into a life like this. His reasons have always come out as stark and cold, but I know he's a good man at heart. I know he cares immensely for, not just me, but for his kingdom as well.
With the little bit of time we have together, I desperately want to spend it wrapped in his arms. This is the perfect moment, but he insists on trying to train me to use my magic. I won't lie, I'm feeling a bit frustrated. I want some reprieve. I want to do nothing, even if it's just for a moment. To forget the horrible situation we are in, and just absorb each other. But it's nearly impossible, and not just because of Kane's determination. Each and every time I consider telling Kane, breaking through my fears, I feel the impact of Drogaem's hand across my face, and it nearly cripples me.
"Briar?"
Kane's voice rings out, and I shake my head. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something. Kane…"
He interrupts me before I can continue. "I know you've got
