“Alora, what’s going on? Why are you speaking like that?” Magnus tried reading her thoughts, but to him, her mind appeared blank. Why? It never happened before.
“Nothing is going on. I’m stating a fact. I can either live 60, 70, or 80 years. After that, I may not live. Then, what will happen to the prince? I’m just thinking a little ahead of our future,” Alora affirmed, peering into his eyes.
“I may turn you then. But it’s too early to think about all this. You need to live as a human. Remember, what you said to me the first time we argued about it? You said who would wish to live a long life,” Magnus stated.
“But now, the situation has changed. I am now your wife. I know you don’t want me to lose my humanity once I turn into a vampire. But I believe I’ll stay the same Alora,” she murmured while thinking about it.
“It doesn’t happen that way, Alora. I’m a born vampire. Those who are turned lose a lot of their emotions. You may not like yourself then. You may always crave blood. You may not enjoy the life after turning. You may miss all this,” Magnus explained to her.
Alora hummed as she nodded her head. “You never told me how was your life as a vampire. I would like to know more about you. I hope you tell me what was your childhood and teenage days,” she stated.
“I will tell you someday. Come, I’ve to show you a place,” Magnus held her hand and took her ahead with him.
Alora looked at the rope bridge, which connected the two cliffs. “Are we supposed to walk on this?” Alora asked, peering down from the cliff, her head spinning as she caught Magnus’s arm for support.
“Are you afraid of heights?” Magnus observed her unease.
“Yes, I am,” Alora admitted. “Looking at this height, I don’t think I can make it to the other side,” she murmured anxiously.
“Then, let’s go back. I thought you were adventurous,” Magnus stated and he took Alora back to the route from where they had come.
“We can try walking in that rope bridge,” Alora said. She felt Magnus wanted to go to the mysterious place on the other side of the cliff.
“We cannot go to the other side because you are scared. The rope bridge will swing once we start walking on it, you may cry then. Are you sure you want to try it?” Magnus inquired.
“I will. I should overcome my fear. Also, you told me the other side to this is magical,” Alora asserted. She turned around and went back to the rope bridge. Magnus followed her closely.
“If we fall, then we both may die,” Magnus suddenly told her. Alora’s hands which were on the rope for the support suddenly trembled.
“Are you not strong enough to make us land safely? I thought you were immortal,” Alora muttered.
“Anyone who will fall from such a height will not live,” Magnus stated. “But no one has fallen from this bridge so far,” he added.
“How does His Highness know?” Alora questioned.
“Because this bridge is open to walk,” Magnus replied, “there is no signboard that says not to cross this bridge.”
“Hmm. Then, we should walk on it. I put my faith in Prince Magnus that he will save us,” Alora said and she began walking on it. Magnus followed her closely. Soon, they were on the other side of the bridge and Alora celebrated it as her tiny achievement. The fear inside her heart had disappeared after that.
Magnus caught her hand and said, “You are brave. I thought you would complain in the middle to take you back.”
“I thought to end my fear. The air seems different here,” Alora noticed as she sensed a strange scent was dissolved in it. However, to Magnus, it was the same. Since Alora was more connected to the earth and her senses were pretty good, perhaps, she felt that way.
As they walked through the narrow pavement, Magnus felt the presence of the werewolf around them. He halted slowly, and so did Alora.
“What happened?” She asked.
“A werewolf is around,” Magnus replied.
“What? How? Doesn’t this region belong to the vampires only?” Alora was confused.
Suddenly from behind them, a brown-haired werewolf lunged in their direction. Alora instinctively turned around only to find herself looking into the eyes of the werewolf. But Magnus was quick and he covered Alora’s eyes with his palm. He didn’t wish his wife to blame herself if any kind of mishap would happen.
“It’s a normal wolf, not a werewolf,” Magnus told Alora, “my bad! I deduced wrong.” He lowered his eyes from her eyes and saw she had shut them close.
“You can open them,” Magnus stated.
“I could have burned the wolf,” Alora murmured.
“It didn’t happen. I was quick.” He stroked her cheek with his palm. Placing his hand on her back, he took Alora ahead with him.
“Alora!” A faint whisper reached her ear and she looked around. Suddenly, she called it was the same voice she used to hear in her dreams, which stopped after she turned eleven.
“The vast forest of Dragon trees is not far from here,” Magnus informed her.
Alora didn’t respond to him since those voices were reverberating in her ears. She pulled her hand off his grip, making him look at her in amusement.
“What happened?” As Magnus asked the question, he didn’t get a response. Instead, he felt Alora didn’t listen to him. He called out her name and again, he got no response.
Magnus got worried to witness Alora’s silence. He asked her to stop, but she didn’t. Finally, he stood in her way, blocking her way. His hands moved to her shoulders as he shook her. “Alora!” This time he loudly called out her name.
The faint voices lowered and she looked at Magnus.
“I heard voices. Someone is calling me,” Alora replied.
He furrowed his brows, pondering why he was speaking in such a way. He noticed she pointed her finger to the front, telling him they needed to hurry there.
“There are no one here, Alora. I would have sensed,” Magnus said.
“No, there is a woman,” Alora replied.
Magnus’s concern grew to hear that and he decided to go ahead with Alora. Whatever it was, they would face it together. Finally, the dragon trees were visible to them, and a feminine figure too.
“Who is she?” Magnus was momentarily stunned. As they drew closer, he recalled the sketch of the woman who had encountered Rhea when Alora was still in her womb.
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.