“Good evening, my king.” The man bowed and then glanced past Kane and to me, quickly diverting his eyes. “I bring information sent from the portal guardian.”
Kane looked back at me, tilting his chin. “Please. Finish getting ready to head down to the library. I will return in a moment.” He didn’t wait for a reply before exiting with the man.
I stood for a moment, perturbed that he had to seek privacy from me for his conversation. But I reminded myself of what he had been reminding me of before Saarzlairn knocked – I was planning on going home. Or at least I thought I was. Even if that thought was standing on shaky ground. My mind was already committing mutiny with the intention of staying.
The water from the sink in the bathroom was refreshing as I splashed my face before brushing my hair and slipping on a pair of the softest knee socks I’ve ever felt and my fur lined boots. Taking a seat, I turned the chair so I could see when he returned.
It wasn’t but a moment later when he came through the door. He was alone, and his expression was pained. Looking at me, his expression shifted. He held his hand out to me again. “Ready?”
Slipping my hand into his, I went with him, my other hand wrapping around his bicep. I kept my green hues on him as we walked, the ornate decor of the hallway catching my attention. "If I didn't choose to go home... what then? And what did that man have to say? He said it was news from the portal guardian?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Why would you not want to return to your home world? Is it that bad?"
A lump formed in my throat as I could feel myself torn. "Bad? No! Well... no. Not really. I just… I mean... it's just... we are..." Crap! I wanted to slap myself for saying anything. I felt foolish as embarrassment reddened my cheeks. "I was just curious. Who knows even if you can get me home, right? Is that not what the man came to say? To confirm the portals are not working? Or what if I decide I love it here? We never know, right? I just might love it here. I just wasn't sure. Curious if I stayed... you know…"
He followed along with my stumbling words, chuckling that he had obviously hit a nerve. "I don't know for a fact that I can get you home, no. The portals and such have not been working at all unless it’s gone unreported. Saarzlairn came to tell me that they have not found an explanation for your portal so far, but they are still looking into it. So, honestly you might be my guest till we figure it out."
We wandered down four flights of stairs and half way down a very long corridor. His words gave me pause. "You're not answering my question. And what do you mean they're not working, and you're not sure if you can get me home?"
"Do you want to know if I would fall for you if you stayed? I would like to think so. Yet, we don't know each other well enough.”
I reached up and touched his arm. "I think I like the idea of that if I stayed.... if."
He turned his head, almost as if he was hiding the smile that formed on his lips. “As far as the portals are concerned, the magic is out in the crystals. There was a war in the world that controls all of that. I fought in it. Our side won. And yet, when I tried to get home, I barely arrived in one piece. Since then, we have not been able to summon another portal. No one that I know that know has been able to either,” he explained.
My eyes cast down and I shook my head. "So much war on every human-like planet. It's sad. But what about other magic? I've not tried a lot, but I think my powers are still working here if not a little stronger. Is that normal?"
With a snap of his fingers, fire appeared, floating just about his skin. He leaned into me and pressed his lips to mine. "Seems there is plenty of magic between us."
I thought about nudging him, giggling about how cheesy that line was, but I saw how his eyes held mine, heavy with emotion. His lips parted.
Instead of kissing me again, he cleared his throat and spoke, “But to answer your question, magic is still very much alive here. But I do not know how a mortal’s powers work once they’re on Naelyra, because I’ve never met anyone with magic from your planet, let alone see how it reacts on mine. I can only speak of those from other planets. If I think about it, I cannot recall anyone from Earth coming here.”
I let myself feel his emotions, letting my ability to feel others’ feelings and thoughts seep into me. And his emotions hit me hard, mirroring my own. I could feel my walls crumbling, my heart running away with the shared attachment we were forming. But I snapped back when he spoke again.
My voice was low and soft, masking the depths of which I was trying desperately to pull myself back out of before he noticed. "So, just the portals, not all magic is gone." I was relieved. "Tell me about magic here? Vampires on my planet don't really have magic. At least not like you seem to have. What else can you do?"
He motioned for me to walk in front of him as we passed through a doorway. "Magic here is more about controlling the elements aside from illusionists; they have a kind of magic that causes you to see
