Page 36 of Alora: The Portal (Alora 2)

“Wait… I’ll talk to you. But no kissing, okay? Kissing confuses me, and I can’t think straight.” She reached up with shaking fingers, and he grasped her hand.

“No kissing, then.”

He led her to the couch in the family room. Collapsing onto the couch, he pulled her to sit beside him. But she perched forward, staring straight ahead in awkward silence. When she attempted to withdraw her hand, he held tight.

“Alora, you misunderstood my words. I didn’t say I was in love with you. I said I love you. I’m not certain how those words are interpreted in Montana, but in Laegenshire, it’s a commitment. From the moment I knew we were soulmates, I made a commitment to you.”

“Great, so you don’t even care about me? I’m just a commitment.”

“I care about you even more because I’m committed to you. And I want you to know my commitment isn’t dependent on our soulmate bond—not anymore. Even if the council should find a way to dissolve the bond, I want to be with you for the rest of our lives.”

She pulled her hand away. “I’m not ready for that. It makes me nervous to talk about marriage.”

“I realize you’re still immature, but I’m willing to wait for you. And as I’m older, I can provide guidance and—”

“Immature? You think I’m immature?”

“I only meant you’re younger, and I’m older. And being a man, I’m naturally stronger, so I can take care of you.”

Alora’s eyes widened as she stood up, glaring down at him with clenched fists. Her face turned a dark shade of red from her neck to her forehead. Her mouth opened, and she took a breath as if to speak. But she snapped her lips together, pivoted on one foot, marched down the hallway into her bedroom, and shut the door with a resounding clunk.

Did I say something wrong?

*****

Daegreth opened his eyes, blinking at the fuzzy images before his face. His time in this strange place had passed in a fog of agony and dreamless sleep. But he felt more alert than before, and the pain was less intense.

“Do you want a drink?”

A beautiful fair-haired maiden in strange clothing was standing beside him. Her lips spread in a breathtaking smile, displaying even, white teeth. Framing her face were lovely spiral curls that danced about when she moved. She regarded him with almond shaped eyes of an unusual golden brown color. She must be a heavenly creature—there was no other explanation. He’d always heard there was no pain in heaven, yet surely such a magnificent creature could not exist in any other place.

“Hea—” The word stuck in his parched throat.

“Here. Take a drink.”

She placed a strange tube against his lips. He tested it with his teeth, and found it flexible, but tasteless.

She giggled. “Are you too groggy to remember how to use a straw? I think we need to cut back on your morphine. Here, let me sit you up a little bit more, first.”

The bed beneath him began to shake and move, groaning and shifting. He struggled to escape, but found his arms secured to the bed’s frame.

“Sorry about that. I’m not sure why they still have you restrained since you’re not intubated any more. I’ll see if Dr. Sanders will let us take those straps off your arms. There—that should be up enough to help you drink.”

The bed stopped its noisy quaking motion, and she again placed the tube to his lips. “Just close your lips around the straw and suck.”

He obeyed, surprised and delighted when water rushed into his dry mouth. He drank with greedy abandon.

“Woah! Slow down, there. You haven’t had anything in your stomach for a couple of days. Don’t drink too fast.”

He licked his lips and studied her smooth features. “Heaven? Is this heaven? Are you a heavenly creature?”

Her tinkling laugh danced in his ears. “Are you using a line on me? Asking if I’m an angel? I’m going to let it slide since you’re on morphine. Not that you’ll remember this conversation when I come back for my shift tomorrow.”

A young man with dark stringy hair appeared behind her. “Hi, Ellen.”

“Hi, Carson. You need a little blood?”

“Yes, we got orders for some lab work. Oh… he’s restrained? What’s up?”