Page 72 of Rising Out of the Darkness (Divine Guardians Duology #1)

Elena

L eaning against the wall of the hallway, I regretted the basket of rolls I’d devoured earlier. All of them now felt like boulders inside my stomach, which turned upside down with each step I took towards the ballroom. Towards Declan.

What I’d give to have dynamis that could allow me to time-travel. I could go back to the past and force Declan to stay inside the castle walls. To not leave, to not change his mind about us…about me. With a heavy heart, I pushed open the door and shuffled into the ballroom.

Servants bustled about, setting up the room for the ball tomorrow. By the look of things, the king had spared no expense for this event. Everything dripped in gold, and the light shining through the stained-glass windows made the room come alive with color.

As my eyes roved through the room, my breath hitched at the sight of him. He stood with his back to me, his gaze set on the golden thrones perched at the front of the room.

“Leave us.” His stern voice reverberated against the glass windows of the ballroom. The staff scattered towards the exits, leaving Declan and I alone.

As he ran his hand through his already disheveled hair, it pulled the silky black tunic tighter against his muscular body. The memory of it pressing against mine invaded my mind, and my body felt that familiar pull in his direction.

Biting my lip, I struggled to find my anger that I’d been holding onto for days. Until he turned around.

Dark circles had taken root under his eyes, and his chestnut waves were tousled. His lips pressed into a thin line at the sight of me. He folded his arms across his chest. “Took you long enough.”

“Seriously, that’s the first thing you say to me?

Both arms fell to his sides, fists clenching, and in three long strides he was towering over me. His hot breath scorched my forehead.

“You...” he rasped, as if he struggled to say the words but was forcing himself despite the pain. “You’ve invaded every crevasse of my mind. I can’t think straight around you. You’re a distraction.”

His words cut me deep, too deep. They tore open the barely healed wound that he had already given me.

Maybe I’d been a fool this entire time, maybe this had always been the plan for me. Now I was feeling everything at all once, all too fast. Scalding heat flooded my body, my dynamis vibrating against my skin like a caged animal begging to be released.

When I glanced down, the familiar golden glow illuminated my skin. Planting my feet firmly into the ground, I raised my trembling hands and shoved the prince. Unfortunately, he only slightly wavered, yet instead of his scowl his face melted into something resembling remorse.

“Was this your plan all along? Hmm?” I seethed, shoving him again. “Thought you could build me up, make me feel strong, independent, powerful… loved? ”

Verdant eyes widened on my last word, his lips parting slightly.

“All for what exactly?” My palms battered once more against his solid chest as I pushed myself away. “Was it just a challenge to break me? Or to entertain you while I shattered into a million pieces across the floor? Is that what you wanted?” My temper flared, and I knew I was spiraling.

“Fine! You win! I’m broken, okay?” I cringed when the sob tore through me, displaying my failure to hold onto control.

“I’m done! I can’t take whatever this is anymore …

Declan, I’m tired, so tired. This whirlwind of emotions is wrecking me.

I’ll stop being your distraction. Will has made me an offer, perhaps I’ll just take him up on that.

” The words barely floated across my lips.

Tears streamed down my face as I used every bit of strength I had to turn around and escape towards the door. I just wanted to go home.

A strong hand gripped my wrist, pulling me back towards his chest. Once I was slammed against it, both of his arms wrapped against my body and held tight.

Prickly stubble scratched against the side of my cheek as a rough voice warmed my ear. “Wildfire, I never meant to hurt you. You mean everything to me, and I hate that I’m causing you distress.” He brushed a featherlight kiss to my neck. “I’m so damn sorry.”

What?

He turned me around and tucked my hair tenderly behind my ear. “Allow me to help you find your light, the one that I know burns through you like wildfire and ignites your very soul.”

The whiplash of this entire encounter stunned me into silence. Mere moments ago, he’d told me I was a distraction, now he was pleading to help me with my light dynamis.

“There’s an emotion that seems to be incredibly powerful for you, Lena. It’s helped you accomplish feats with your dynamis that the rest of us have never witnessed.”

Thoughts of the peony bush and the twirling roots of the gods’ tree flashed before my eyes.

“What is that one emotion that you call to?

The dilemma of whether to be open and vulnerable with the man behind me threw me off balance. The anger within me told me to tell him what he could do with himself. The more levelheaded part of me noticed the pain in his voice and the genuine tone in his apology.

There was more to his change of behavior than he was letting on. Something was eating him alive.

“Love.” My voice cracked as I made my decision. His fist covered his lips, tears clouded his emerald eyes. “Dec?—”

He lowered his hand. “Hold on tight to that emotion and command your dynamis. Go on, Elena, show yourself how powerful you truly are.”

All at once, every emotion inside of me collided. It was like his words were the key to unlock everything I’d kept sealed within me for so long.

Love. Hopelessness. Frustration. Hate. Anger.

Fear. Anxiousness. Happiness. Confusion.

Sadness, and so many more. Never did I think it was possible to feel so many emotions at once.

It felt like a million embers sparking against the dynamis within me.

Everything inside of me ignited, and for once I let it consume me entirely.

Images flashed inside my mind of everything that warmed my soul and kept it kindled all these years. I saw images of me closing my eyes towards the sky, the sun warming my skin and freckles.

Flash .

Now I was dancing with my mom in her garden, her copper hair waving around her like the flames of a fire. Our laughter was so loud, it was like I was there now.

Flash.

I sat on the roof of my home. Darkness surrounded me, but the stars provided me comfort and peace.

Flash.

I watched my mother and father dance together. This moment was the first time that I fully understood the meaning of romantic love. The way they looked lost in the depths of each other’s eyes made me yearn to have someone look at me that way one day.

When they caught me watching, their smiles reached their ears as they pulled me into their arms. I’d never felt safer than I had at that moment.

Flash.

The next images flew by my eyes fast, but not too fast for me to feel the impact of each of them.

Every person I’d ever loved, cared for, shared a laugh with passed before me.

So many familiar faces, even a few new ones.

Like a playfully smirking Liam as he splashed me with water, or a mischievous laugh from Clara as we clinked our wine glasses together.

Flash.

The last image was too hard to see, and I fought to lift my eyelids. Searching my mind, I tried to will other memories into existence, but it didn’t budge.

Declan’s emerald eyes gleamed against the moonlight. It was the memory of the night we defeated the beasts. The night our dynamis had intertwined. It was the night that he was given a glimpse of respect…forgiveness, from the city he loved so deeply.

Bright eyes locked onto mine, their hold so strong I couldn’t break away.

They were full of gratitude, euphoria, relief…

love. With each stride he took towards me, I felt a tug pull deep within my chest. That same feeling I’d felt when our eyes first met.

The same ache I felt every time I was around him. It wrapped around me and pulled tight.

Everything went quiet in my mind, and I surrendered to the warmth and fell to my knees. Thoroughly spent, I took in the astounding sight that surrounded me. Tears fell from my eyes, cooling my heated skin.

Darkness engulfed the entire ballroom. The only lights illuminating the room now were millions of tiny, golden spheres of light.

Shining stars in a sea of darkness.

An ethereal image of what I looked like broken apart and scattered across the floor.

They pulsed within the darkness, almost in tune with my heartbeat. As I rose to my feet, I spread my arms and twirled between the tiny stars I’d created.

It reminded me of the first vision I’d seen during my Ascension, except I was awake. This was real, tangible, something I’d created from nothing. I held one of the golden spheres in my palms, and a smile grew on my lips.

“You’re astounding, love.” Warm knuckles brushed against the side of my cheek, sending shivers down my spine.

Lifting my chin, I was met with the darkened eyes of the man in front of me, void of almost all their verdant green but reflecting the golden light of my stars within them.

“Wildfire, you’re glowing.”

Sheepishly, I shrugged off his words, as it had become somewhat of a regular occurrence these past few days.

“Look down,” he whispered, as his throat bobbed. When I looked down, my breath hitched at the sight.

Every freckle on my body was consumed in a warm golden glow. Every. Single. One.

The mark of my dynamis also hummed with light as well. Instantly, my hands rose to my cheeks and I wondered if I glowed there as well.

“Yes, Wildfire. You’re glowing there too.” Declan’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths.

I lowered my trembling hands to my pants, squeezing the fabric between my fingers. My heart thrummed against my chest, and I could feel the familiar ache tug inside it as I took two steps back.