~LENORA'S POV
The scent of incense and the soft glow of candles filled the room, a world apart from the life I was supposed to be living.
The voice of my psychology professor, Mrs. Wilson, would've drone in the background. But now, the thought of it reminded me of the mundane world I'd left behind.
The days blended, a slow, syrupy haze of worry and watchfulness, as I sat by Alaric's side, with my eyes tracing the gentle rise and fall of his chest.
Five days had passed since he had fallen ill. I made sure to visit everyday, trying to make sense of the emotions swirling inside me.
The first two days were a blur of memories, my mind caught in a loop of that night we'd shared, replaying it over and over.
My cheeks flushed with warmth as I remembered the intimacy, the feel of his skin against mine, the sound of the words whispered in my ears, and the silver glow in his orbs.
I had thought my first time would be a sad story to tell, a tale of awkwardness and regret, but Alaric had made it unforgettable.
And the weirdest part of it all was, we had never spoken, never shared a space alone, but there was an undeniable connection between us, and I didn't understand any of it.
As I watched him, my gaze lingered on his face, drinking in the beauty of his features.
He looked so peaceful, so beautiful, without his blindfold. His long lashes cast a delicate shadow on his cheeks, with his silver hair sprawled across the pillow.
I had always wondered if he was born blind, or if there was a story behind his blindness, if it was either a tale of loss or sacrifice.
My hand reached out of its own accord, gently brushing a strand of hair from his forehead with trembling hands.
The touch made me feel something in my chest, making me pull back with a racing heart.
I continued to watch him, the quiet rhythm of his chest, the way his features softened even in sleep.
I felt a magnetic tug I couldn't explain. It wasn't just desire or lust. No, it was more than that.
It was the same pull I felt towards Lucian and Zephyr, a connection that went beyond my understanding, like a bond binding all four of us.
I bit my lip nervously, wondering if I was insane to want all three brothers just to myself.
The thought sent a wave of guilt washing over me, a sense of shame that I couldn't shake, a feeling that I was somehow betraying the natural order of things.
Am I... a whore?
With a sigh, I let my thoughts drift toward Skye, and as usual, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I recalled the way she'd smiled at me, pretending to care, while secretly plotting to steal my ex.
She had swooped in like a vulture, taking him for herself, just days after I'd gone missing.
My shoulders tensed, and I felt a dull ache in my chest, like a bruise that refused to heal, a painful reminder that I'd been played by the two people I loved the most.
I stood up, my legs carrying me away from Alaric's bedside. I quietly paced the room, while trying to process my emotions.
But still, I was unsettled.
I decided to visit the dragon. I had been visiting him every day, and each time I did, it always felt like the first.
I navigated the secret passage in Alaric's chamber, my footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls as I made my way to the stairway that led to Khaos.
The more I descended, the colder the air grew.
The silence down here was oppressive. A chilling sensation ran down my spine as I reached the depths, adjusting my eyes to the dim light.
My gaze landed on the Dragon curled in a C-like shape at the corner of the room.
He was asleep.
The sound of his gentle breathing was soothing, a reminder that even in this strange world, there was still a sense of peace to be found.
I approached him quietly, not wanting to disturb his rest. I gently lay beside him, resting my back against his warm, scaly side.
After acknowledging him, I let my eyes wander, tracing the lines of the dungeon, wondering if it was safe for the dragon to be locked in here, without spreading its wings.
My gaze drifted upward, lingering on the upper arches where light rarely reached.
The more I looked, the more the shadows seemed to shift, as if the cavern itself was holding its breath.
Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat at the sight I was seeing.
There, in the upper part of the lair, something glimmered faintly.
A transparent glass enclosure was hung delicately on the ceiling, crafted in a way to preserve whatever lay within.
Inside the enclosure... were wings.
They were massive and elegant, their feathers layered in perfect symmetry.
Even folded, they stretched wide enough to fill the room, their tips brushing against the runed edges of the glass.
For a moment, I thought of Zephyr and his dark crimson wings which seemed alive in their own right.
But these… these were different.
My chest ached as understanding began to dawn upon me.
The color of the wings was undeniable.
They were Silver.
And they belonged to Alaric.
Wings weren't something you cut lightly. To separate them from a being... it must have been excruciating both physically and mentally.
My fingers curled slightly at my sides, the thought sinking deep into my stomach.
He is a blind king, with wings that had been cut off. What could he have possibly done to deserve such cruel punishments? And who exactly had the authority to punish a whole King of the demon world?
I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper. "I hope he's okay."
It was a small hope, almost consumed by the awe I felt staring at the wings. Even as my gaze returned to Khaos, the silver feathers lingered in my mind, impossibly alive, impossibly beautiful, and impossibly Alaric's.
As I settled in, my mind began to wander, drifting back to my mother. A sad smile graced my lips, knowing she was happier with me being absent.
I never got to meet my father, as I was a product of one-night stand, a mistake, a regret that had become a painful truth.
She'd made sure to remind me, time and time again, of how I'd ruined her 'beautiful life,' a phrase that had become a constant reminder of my supposed failures, echoing in my mind all the time.
The irony was bitter, I'd never asked to be born, never told her to sleep with a stranger, never told her not to use protection.
Condoms weren't even expensive.
Yet, somehow, I was the faulty one, the mistake that needed to be corrected, the scapegoat for her unhappiness.
My eyes closed, and I felt a wave of memories wash over me.
I'd struggled hard, taking on jobs and shifts at age thirteen, trying to fend for myself, as my mother was a distant, often violent presence in my life.
I only get to see her maybe once a month, and those visits were always marked by anger, verbal abuse, a cycle of pain that I'd tried to escape.
But I'd persevered, studying hard, securing a scholarship at one of the best universities around, driven by a desire to get a degree in criminology, to make a better life for myself, and to escape the toxic cycle of my past.
But now, everything felt like a distant dream, a goal that seemed to slip further and further away.
As I sat there, lost in thought, I felt a shift behind me, a subtle movement that brought me back to the present.
Khaos took a deep breath, his chest expanding, before releasing a whiny growl.
I quickly stood up, and moved to his front, my eyes locking onto his cloudy orbs.
"Hey," I greeted the dragon softly, taking a step closer.
He lifted up his tail, and dropped it back to the floor. The motion made me stumble back, as my hands flailed for balance.
"Easy there, I'm not one of those strong demons here. You can't just do that to me," I warned, a childlike pout creeping into my voice.
With a glare, I took another step closer, "one move from you to me and my brains would go flying out." I gestured wildly, my hands wapping through the air.
I gently placed my palm on his head which rested on the floor. He sniffed my palm, his hot breath washing over me, before darting his tongue out to lick my skin.
"Ew, Khaos, that was gross," I said, a playful smile spreading across my face as I pulled my hand back, and wiped it across my dress.
But my amusement was short-lived when I felt a presence in the room with me.
Goosebumps appeared on my forearm due to the sudden wind that blew through the lair.
"What are you doing here?"
The voice growled irritably, making me tense.
My heart picked up an inhuman rhythm, before I slowly mustered myself to turn around.
Immediately I did, my gaze locked with the figure that stood in the shadows.
"H-hey…"