Page 3 of The Time Of Kings (An Afterlife Story #1)

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HERE WE GO AGAIN

T hankfully, by the time our significant others came to find us in the library, we had made our plans. Which meant came the hardest part of this mission…

Lying to those we loved.

In all honesty, this had always been the part I struggled with the most and despite always being forgiven, I always feared the question…

When would enough be enough?

Which lie told, despite doing so for the greater good, would be the last one to break him? But that's what happened when you were so in love. And despite being together for so long, it was near crazy to think that such love simply continued to grow. To believe that you could still feel butterflies in your stomach whenever you saw them, despite seeing them every day. That you would miss them so much when you were apart. To feel as though a piece of you had disappeared and you only became whole again when they came back to you.

In our time together, decades spent as man and wife, Draven had sometimes needed to travel and, unfortunately, that travel didn't always include me. But no matter how many times this had happened, I had still not become used to it. It didn't make it easier. But like a plant was nurtured by water and grew tall under the sunlight, with time, the stronger the roots became. And as for Draven and I, well…

He was my sun, and I was his water.

So, as I watched Lucius carry his new wife from the room, I knew that the same love would only grow stronger over time for them both. The type of love I had only ever wished for them to find together. Especially after having discovered if for myself so long ago with Draven. And well, it warmed my heart to see how much they loved and adored each other. It was all a mother could ever wish for… well, maybe minus the ‘going back in time and risking it all’. That I could have definitely done without. But like I said, there was no way I was letting my daughter do this alone.

Speaking of which, I was faced with my own husband who could read me like no other. The moment we were alone, I felt the back of his fingers caress a soft journey down my cheek before he used them to raise my face up to his.

“That looks like a heavy mind, wife of mine,” he said. calling me this as if having me as his wife for three decades wasn’t yet enough to stop reminding himself of this fact as often as possible. And just like all the times before, it warmed my heart to hear it, despite how heavy it felt in this moment. Because all the problems we had faced in our time together usually started with the lies we felt we needed to tell.

But it had been so long in my need to tell them, it felt like acid on my tongue to have to tell him what I now knew would no doubt be the first lie of many,

“I am just tired.”

He granted me a soft smile before sweeping me up in his arms and making me gasp, despite it being done a thousand times before.

“Then I best get my Queen to bed.”

I couldn’t help but smile and tell him in a teasing tone,

“Yes, and as I keep reminding you, this queen does have legs.” I kicked them slightly as if to prove my point.

“Mmm, and what fine legs they are indeed… especially when wrapped around me,” he added after ducking his head so his lips were closer to my ear.

“Ah, so that’s why you want to get me to bed, is it?” I teased.

“Isn’t it always, Vixen?” he replied, making me giggle and relax into him. Just the smell of him centred my turbulent mind. That sandalwood scent of him was like breathing in a powerful elixir. But that was the power of Draven, as even after all this time spent together, I still felt those butterflies take flight in my stomach at just the sight of him. I still pinched myself, asking if this was really my life.

So many wonderful memories had come and gone, and each day offered so many more. It was like living in a dream, one that had started to take shape in my mind long before we even became a couple. Back when Draven purposely denied himself the temptation of having me and making me his. Of course, I understood it now, especially as all of his fears had come to fruition, with one kidnapping and attack after another. His enemies all lined up at the gates just waiting for their shot at me. The one he had declared to meaning more to his heart than any other.

It was why we had kept such a tight rein on our daughter, her upbringing being an unconventional one at best. We were guilty of trying to shield her from so much, that in the end, it hadn’t mattered. She had fallen victim to the Fates’ plan, regardless of our decisions and now it was happening once again.

Of course, now she was no longer mortal, I knew she could handle most things, having the strength of her father’s blood and now that of her husband’s also. So, we both knew she was more than capable. But this was also where my greatest fear lay, as what if it was like it had been for me? What if we went back into the past and we both stepped into that ancient world as mortal as the day we had been destined to start life as?

Oh, who was I kidding, there was a million and one things that could go wrong here, and all I had to hold on to was that four-letter word that seemed to hold the most weight in our world…

Fate.

“Oh, we are here,” I said the moment I realised we were back in our bedroom, one that had greatly changed over the years. It now looked more like a homage of our time together. Pictures of our family, along with artwork that I had painted, had long ago replaced the tapestries. Antiques had also been replaced by pieces of furniture we had collected on our travels, replacing the old with the newly bought together.

Of course, our bed remained the same as I didn’t think Draven would have ever parted with the first place he had made love to me, and nearly every night since.

The sheets, however, looked far less gothic and no longer resembled something out of a Bram Stoker novel. No, instead they were slightly more feminine, with a light purple fleur-de-lis design intertwined with darker purple roses. Just like the outside space, no longer an empty balcony but one now filled with outdoor furniture. This was so we could enjoy the view with our morning tea or curled up in each other’s arms while watching the sunset.

Draven had also taken to reading the classics to me, while I snuggled by his side just listening to his deep voice and loving every word he read. It was an idyllic life, and one I would miss deeply every second I was parted from it. Because that was the danger of going back in time. What could only feel like minutes for those we left behind, for those of us forced to take that time traveling leap, it was often far longer than we were willing to trade Fate for.

However, the biggest question of all wasn’t how long the past would keep me for this time. No, it was what type of Draven would be there to meet me?

And would history end up repeating itself…

With his blade held against my neck?