Page 9 of The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles #1)

Chapter Eight

M other hurriedly entered our home about half an hour later, and I knew word had spread about what happened to our neighbors.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I ran up and hugged her.

She let out a soft cry. “She was my friend. Gods, I didn’t even know she was one of us.” She pulled away and wiped her eyes. “It surely is a wake-up call.”

Seeing Mother cry always broke me. So much suffering she had been through…

“We should lay low for a while,” I said calmly. “Maybe make less potent elixirs…I don’t know.” I sighed. “How were they found out? Did you hear anything?”

“Someone said something about ice coming from Iliera.” She shook her head. “She must have just acquired it. I wonder what could have caused her heartbreak.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Elemental magic is heavily tied to our emotions. Only tragic devastation unlocks ice.”

There was so much I didn’t know regarding our powers.

“I know she and Xaro were trying for a baby,” she continued. “I wonder…” She shook her head again at the thought and exhaled sharply. “You’re looking…different.” Mother mumbled, changing the subject.

My eyebrows scrunched together. “How so?”

“I don’t know…stronger? More fit?” She smiled. “You look good.”

“Oh…thank you.” I suppose Quill’s regimen was starting to have its effects. I would do my routine in my room, save for my cardio. If she ever heard me working out, she made no mention of it.

“How are things with Quill?”

To that, I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a blueberry scone to munch on. “Fine.”

“Just fine?” Mother followed me and sat at our dining table, giving me a raised brow. “You two have been spending time together for the last three weeks, and it’s just fine? What do you two do together, anyway?”

I willed my face not to show any signs of emotion. “We just…hang out. Talk.” It was not entirely a lie. “I don’t know much about him still. But he told me he’s training to be an Otacian soldier.”

Her eyes broadened. “Oh my, that explains his build.”

I stuffed the rest of the pastry in my mouth, hoping this conversation would end.

“You’ll have to be careful dating a soldier. ”

I choked on my scone. “We are not dating!” I exclaimed as bits of the pastry flew out my mouth.

Mother just laughed.

The following week, I was already prepared when Quill showed up at the cottage, wearing the same outfit I wore every week. I felt ashamed at first, but I didn’t have many clothes. At least I cleaned them. Plus, Quill never mentioned anything about it, either.

Except for today.

“Dress in something nice today, darling,” Quill said with a grin.

Today, he wore all black—a button-up shirt and trousers, still paired with black boots. He wore a navy cloak and, as always, sported his sword. He looked infuriatingly sexy, like always.

I crossed my arms at his comment, suddenly feeling insecure. “Excuse me?”

“We’re going to take a break from training today,” he continued, walking closer to me. “I want you to show me around the Outer Ring.”

I blinked. “You want me to give you a tour of the Outer Ring?” I asked skeptically.

He smiled softly and shrugged with one shoulder. “I want to be more familiar with your home. Show me some of your favorite places—where you like to spend your time. ”

Other than me doing my studies, I mostly spent my days at home tending the garden, and, if not doing that, sitting by the creek reading a novel. But I supposed there were a few places I liked to visit.

“Very well, then,” I replied, the corners of my lips turning upward. I had never known anyone from the Inner Ring entering the Outer Ring for fun, let alone wanting a tour of it. Save for the Queen, I supposed, though she was from the Center.

While Quill waited in the living room, I entered my room and released my hair, loose waves falling against my back. I hadn’t worn my hair entirely down in…I didn’t know how long. Since it was May, I put on my cream chemise again, this time pairing it with a deep blue overdress similar to the shade of Quill’s cloak, and slipped on a pair of slippers. It was not fancy, but I hoped I looked decent enough.

Quill was waiting at my dining room table, and his eyes rose from the ground to meet my gaze as I exited my room.

“Is this better?” I ask sheepishly, brushing the wrinkles out of my dress.

He looked me up and down with a grin. “You look beautiful.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the compliment.

“So, where to?” he asked. “Pizza?”

I laughed. “Pizza for breakfast? Um, no.”

I decided to first take him to Sen’s Bakery. We walked into the small establishment, the smell of cinnamon and coffee filling the air .

We stopped at the end of the line formed, a handful of people ahead of us waiting to make their purchase. “They have wonderful cinnamon rolls here,” I said with an embarrassed smile. “I can’t always afford them, but with the Queen’s donation, we can get one each.”

“I will be treating you today.” He tapped the small pouch secured along his belt.

I frowned at him. “You know I don’t like that.”

“Yes, well, I am the one who wanted to do this today. It is only fair.”

My lips formed a tight line, but I didn’t argue. Quill looked at the other things available in the bakery box, but we ended up settling on three cinnamon rolls, Quill being kind enough to get one for my mother as well.

We walked towards Linora Park, and since it was still early, the only people outside were artists painting in the grass.

“I enjoy coming here. Most of the Outer Ring is…unkept. At least in comparison to the Inner Ring.” I beamed at him. “But not here. It’s like its own little island here.”

“It’s relaxing,” Quill grinned back as we sat in the grass, enjoying the blissful morning breeze. The sky was light blue, and the fluffy clouds mesmerized me as they slowly moved across the sky.

He brought his cinnamon roll to his lips and took a bite, and I started to feel nervous as I watched him chew. “I’ve never had food in the Inner Ring…so I’m not sure how it compares,” I said with a wince.

His eyes rolled back, and he smiled. “This is amazing,” he said, licking his lips after swallowing. That shouldn’t have turned me on as much as it did. “You know, I actually really like it down here. ”

I gave him a skeptical look, which earned me a laugh. “Truly,” he continued. “I very much like the people here, the energy. People are not concerned with image or status or materialistic desires. They just live.” He leaned his head toward me, his eyes looking up to where the top of the castle was visible. “Everyone thinks they will reach happiness if they have those things. But it is a constant fight to keep it.” I watched him as he took another bite. After he swallowed, he continued, his voice lowering as he said, “Image is a constant act. Status is dependent on that act. And material relies on status.” He sighed. “It is all so dreary.” He turned to me with his lazy smile. “I suppose I sound like a privileged bastard.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” I teased, and he laughed, laying back in the grass after finishing the rest of the treat.

I lay next to him, and we stared at the sky. “It does make sense, though,” I responded. “I think most of humanity is unhappy in some way. Regardless of what they do or do not have.”

We lay there in peaceful silence and continued to gaze up at the sky as I ate the last of my cinnamon roll.

After a few moments, he turned his head to me, and a mischievous look crept over his face.

I turned on my side, my elbow propping me up and my hand resting on my cheek. I raised a brow, mirroring his expression. “What?”

He propped himself up, too, and his eyes went down to my lips. He leaned forward, and before I could react, he slid his tongue over my bottom lip and pulled away with a grin and half-lidded eyes. My eyes could not have been more expansive, and I knew my face had to be red.

That was the last thing I was expecting him to do .

“You had icing on your lip,” he said in a smoky voice.

“O-oh,” I breathed. His eyes darkened as they trailed to my lips, down my body, and back to my eyes again.

Oh Gods, how am I supposed to react?

Part of me wanted to get up and run far, far away. And the other part, the more dominant part, wanted to jump on top of him and take him right here in this park.

My heart was pounding, and I was thankful that Quill sat up and stood, reaching his hand out so I could stand with him.

“Where to next?” he asked as if nothing happened.

I was tempted to stab the male for making me all high-strung like this. I lifted my shoulders and shook off the thoughts.

“Wait,” he said as he gave me a devious smirk. “I recall us making a deal. You said there is a pond we should visit. On a warm day, yes?”

We were nearing the kingdom’s exit, heading for Amethyst Pond. Quill was right; I had made a deal with him. I was more than excited to see his reaction to it. Just as we were on our way out, taking a different way than we normally had, Quill’s eyes drifted to one of the darker alleys.

“We don’t go over there,” I whispered, putting my hand in his, surprising myself with how comfortable I felt doing so.

“Why ever not?”

“You haven’t heard of Serpent’s Cove? It’s where the main gang of criminals live. Drugs, violence—you do not want trouble with them.”

He frowned towards a group of men perched outside one of the taverns. Their eyes trailed over me, over my body. I shivered in disgust. Even if some may think I was a pretty girl, I was still that, a girl.

He continued his glare, and a man with dark hair and a beard ultimately caught him and leaned off the wall, giving him an equally nasty stare. Quill didn’t back down, and neither did the man.

“Quill!” I hissed quietly. He turned his head to me first, dropped the staring contest, and eventually, his eyes met mine.

“Lead on, Flower.”

When we finally left the kingdom and passed the bridge, I turned my head toward him.

“What was that about, Quill? Do you want trouble?”

He gave me an exasperated look. “Did you not see how they gazed at you? Like predators to their prey. I did not like that.”

I flushed. I did see it, but it was common knowledge most of those men were creeps.

“I am fine. They can’t hurt me with their eyes alone, gross as it is.” I tugged on his sleeve. “I won’t, however, be fine if you go and get yourself pummeled over it.”

He tensed and looked forward, us winding through the trees of the Western Forest now.

“You don’t think I could take them?”

I clicked my tongue. “It’s not that, and you know it. There are a lot of them, and only one of you. Let’s forget about them, okay?”

He nodded, but his frown remained .

After a half-hour, we made it to Amethyst Pond. Steam emitted from the pond’s pure violet water, and an array of flowers were in bloom all around us. I watched Quill as he took it in, complete awe on his face.

“Wow,” he whispered. “I see why it is called Amethyst Pond.” He glanced around the environment. “Just beautiful.” He crouched down and dipped his hand in the water, the corners of his lips turning up as he swirled his fingers. “How pleasant.”

I stepped up to his side. “I suppose it’s warm enough to enjoy on a chilly day, but I prefer it in warmth.”

He squinted his eyes. “Are those…?”

“Yes, amethyst crystals are scattered all along the bottom of this pond,” I replied as Quill stood. “It’s remarkable—”

I did a double take when I caught Quill unbuttoning his shirt.

“W-what are you doing?” I stuttered.

He grinned at me. “What, you bring me to this and don’t expect me to swim in it?” he asked while stripping off his shirt.

My mouth fell open.

His body was unlike anything I’d ever seen, certainly nothing like the other boys my age. He was perfectly sculpted, with defined abs and lines pointing downward in a V. His golden skin only made his body appear more toned.

He unbuttoned his pants, his eyes on mine and a mischievous smirk on his face. I quickly turned the other way as he chuckled, and then moments later, I heard a large splash. I whirled over and watched Quill emerge from the water. He brushed his dark hair out of his face, water dripping down him, and his grin was broad.

I glanced at where his clothes were discarded .

He took off everything .

“Well, you aren’t just going to leave me alone in here, are you?”

I crossed my arms. “I have no interest in getting my clothes wet.”

“I’ll look away.”

I hesitated, and Quill gave me a pout. I couldn’t help but grin as I motioned him to turn around.

Am I really going to strip in the middle of the woods?

I studied the muscles in Quill’s back, and after debating it for a few more seconds, I slowly began to remove my clothing.

My overdress fell first, then my chemise. My hands trembled as I quickly removed my undergarments and discarded them on the ground.

And there I was. Entirely bare for the world.

I dipped my toes into the water and slowly lowered myself in, just the bottom of my hair getting wet. The last thing I needed was my mascara pouring down my face.

“May I turn around?” he asked.

“I suppose.”

Quill spun around, then looked at me with a playful grin.

“Oh, stop your gawking,” I giggled as I splashed him.

“It is of great difficulty not to.”

I splashed him again, and his eyes widened in excitement as he splashed me back. “It’s not wise to start a battle you cannot win, remember?”

“You don’t think I can take you , Quill?”

He smirked, inched closer to me, and dipped his head down, the water line just below his nose. I could feel my heartbeat quickening as he gripped my waist, pulling me on top of one of his thighs, my sex now resting on his bare skin.

My eyes enlarged as he pushed his leg higher, pressing it into me, and I inhaled sharply at the pleasurable feeling. My hands shook as they gripped his shoulders. He then gently spit the water he had collected in his mouth over my lips, not hiding that wicked amusement in his eyes. I felt desperate pressure between my legs.

Fuck.

I squealed as he lifted his leg slightly higher, causing part of my body to emerge from the water.

My eyes quickly shot downward at myself, noting the droplets dripping down my now-exposed breasts, and then drifted back to Quill’s face. My chest was rising and falling, my body trembling as he took my appearance in.

What if he doesn’t like what he sees? What if I repulse him?

My breathing became labored. I believed my body to be decent enough, but I had never let anyone see me like this before.

“Lena,” he whispered in a sultry voice, his eyes now trailing up from my breasts to meet mine with an intensity I’d never seen before. “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

I exhaled as he slid his left hand down to my ass and wrapped his right arm around my waist, pulling me close.

What I had been dreaming of for weeks came true as he tugged me close and pressed his lips against mine.