“His Highness is full of surprises,” Alora remarked, her eyes wide with admiration as she clasped her hands together in awe.
“Fifty years ago, Gabriel challenged me to learn this,” Magnus shared, a hint of nostalgia coloring his voice as they glided further away from the dockyard.
Alora leaned over the side of the boat, her gaze fixated on the crystal-clear water below. Entranced by her own reflection dancing upon the surface, she reached out a hand to graze the cool liquid.
As her fingertips made contact, gentle ripples cascaded across the water’s smooth expanse, eliciting a delighted smile from Alora. Magnus watched fondly as she continued to dip her hand into the water, marveling at the simple joy radiating from her.
As Alora pulled her arm back and sat upright, she reveled in the picturesque surroundings enveloping them. The tranquil scene unfolded around her as they glided effortlessly through the water.
Passing beneath a bridge, Alora’s gaze lifted to admire the towering structure above, marveling at its height. Meanwhile, Magnus couldn’t help but feel a surge of happiness wash over him as he watched her delight in the journey.
Leaving the bustling market behind, they ventured deeper into the vast expanse of Velaris’s largest lake. Surrounded by dense forests and with a majestic hill rising on one side, the serene beauty of their surroundings only added to the magic of their boat ride.
As they reached the middle of the lake, Magnus stopped stirring the oars in the water and pulled them up.
Alora, on the other hand, kept scanning her eyes around. “I never knew Velaris was this beautiful,” she mumbled as she looked at the hill, covered in clouds.
Her eyes locked with Magnus and she thanked him for bringing her there. “It seems we are the only one present here,” she stated.
“Yes, we are the only ones here,” Magnus agreed with her.
“I feel free. I wish to live in such a place, where people don’t have to look at me or talk about me,” Alora asserted.
“You’ve been humiliated for your eyes all this time. They aren’t flawed. They are just blessed. You need not to leave my life just because my mother asked you to,” Magnus pronounced, bringing a shocked look to Alora’s face.
When Magnus mentioned how Alora should not take his mother’s advice for leaving his life, she left astonished and the same time, scared.
“I cannot even get angry at you. You don’t know how terrible my anger is. I guess, it is your charm that doesn’t give me any right to even scold you for thinking about disappearing from my life,” Magnus stated, staring deep into her eyes as if he would bore holes into her soul.
Alora’s lips quivered as she was unable to find the right words to explain to him. She curled her fingers in fear, thinking Queen Margaret would begin to hate her. She failed in the Queen’s eyes.
“What is love for you, Alora?” Magnus asked. His facial expressions were unreadable because they appeared neutral. “This time I’m serious. Is it about pleasing those who will never love you or pleasing the person who cares for you?”
“It is about making the person happy who cares for you,” Alora replied in a low voice.
“Then, why?” Magnus felt betrayed. His eyes depicted how hurt he was.
“To keep you happy for a long time,” Alora said and bit her bottom lip, her eyes brimmed with tears.
“By leaving my side,” Magnus chuckled at her response. “Do you think my feelings are a joke to you?” His voice laced with anger this time, but still, he kept his tone in control.
“Never, Your Highness,” Alora promptly answered.
“Then, why did you not answer my mother when she asked you to stay away from me, not think about having a life with me? Why did you stay quiet? Why can’t you think about yourself rather than the others, who don’t even matter in your life?” Magnus rained questions at her.
Tears rolled down Alora’s eyes and she lowered her head. “I don’t know,” she said and sniffled. “What I know is that I love you so much that I cannot see you getting hurt because of my eyes in the future,” she asserted.
“I’ll kill every such person who will force you to leave my life,” Magnus pronounced, “I don’t care if those people will be my parents or my siblings. They have lived enough of their lives and it is the time, you should live a life. Be selfish, not selfless.”
Alora gazed at him as she stopped blinking. She was out of words seeing Magnus’s love for her. It was her low confidence, her low self-esteem, which could never be built. All her life, she heard from the people around her not to live and stay alone, closed inside a room. No one ever tried to give her much-needed company.
Suddenly Magnus appeared in front of her. He was on his knees and he held her hands. “Alora, I know it is hard for you to think about yourself. You are insecure because of your eyes. People always made you feel low. I have never seen a person like you and that’s why I like you and want to do everything for you,” he said. His voice was softened as he peered into her eyes.
His thumb traced her cheeks and he wiped those tears. “It is okay to choose your happiness over the others. This time I forgive you, but next time, it won’t happen. Do you understand?” Magnus asked, his hands cupped her face.
Alora nodded at him. “I understand. I will learn to speak up for myself. Forgive me. I was wrong,” she asserted.
Magnus smiled and sat beside her. “I told you not to underestimate the powers of your eyes. They are special and you are chosen to carry them for a reason,” he affirmed.
Alora believed what he said. She scolded herself internally for thinking of leaving Magnus. “How did His Highness read my thoughts? I didn’t think-“
“I never told about my special power to my parents or siblings. Nothing is hidden from me,” Magnus replied and turned his head to look at her, “nothing.”
Alora gulped to learn that. “Isn’t that a headache to hear everyone’s thoughts?” she asked.
“It’s fun to know the people’s fears and secrets,” Magnus stated.
“What fears and secrets did His Highness learn from reading my mind? Was it fun?” She queried.
“All you’ve have are fears and painful experiences. I never saw a single memory of your life, where you were happy for yourself. All I saw was the yearning to be loved,” Magnus truthfully told her and tilted his head to look at her. “There were no secrets.”
“Hmm. I do have fears,” Alora admitted.
“You are Magnus’s wife. You should not have fears when you’ve me. I make people fear. You also fear people but you don’t carry that fear in your voice, your attitude. We are a match made in heaven,” he pronounced.
Alora smiled to hear that. “Now, I understand why even Prince Izaak, who is the eldest vampire prince, agrees to you instantly,” she murmured.
“I pierced dagger in his cold heart once,” Magnus revealed.
“What?” Alora’s smile disappeared. She didn’t know Magnus was serious about that.
“Yes. He tried to set me up with someone,” Magnus said.
“That’s-” Alora’s eyes fluttered and she couldn’t find the right word to describe it.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.