Page 47 of When Death Called Life Home (When Deities Awaken #1)
Chapter 47
The New Commander
ASCIAN
S oft sheets brushed against his back as his lips trailed kisses down her sternum and over the soft skin of her abdomen. The sun's warmth heated his body, shining through an overhead window. One that Ascian had completely forgotten about. It’d been too long since he’d spent time in his bedroom while the sun was up. Too long since he’d rested for longer than a few hours while sleeping.
Gentle fingers slid through his hair and down to cup his face, bringing it back up to sweet tasting lips. Lips he’d die happy kissing.
Alora wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him flush against her body. He chuckled against her and moved to bury his face in her hair. “My beloved amorsa, we should get dressed and find something to eat.”
Alora hummed, stretching her arms out behind her and arching her body into his. He silently cursed her, closing his eyes and relishing in her skin pressing against his. She’d turned into an addiction, and one he’d kill for.
“Alora,” he purred as he pressed kisses to her neck. “We’ve not left this room in three days.”
“The Reapers are probably needing guidance, aren’t they?” She murmured with a sigh. “I guess I’m being selfish for wishing to keep you all to myself.”
Ascian lifted himself to hover over her and laughed at the frown wrinkling her forehead. “You are allowed to be selfish, amorsa. I am yours before anyone else’s.”
The frown smoothed out as Alora’s lips curved into a soft smile. “As I am yours, until our souls rest.”
Ascian lowered himself to lay beside her, pulling her to his chest. “I do need to introduce the new commander, though.”
“Do you think your reapers will follow him?” She asked quietly.
Ascian sighed, brushing his fingertips up and down Alora’s side. “They’ll learn to. His style may be different to mine, but he still leads well.”
Alora sat up, the blankets falling from around her and pooling in her lap. Her hair glowed in the sunlight, shifting to a silken gold. “And you’re sure you want to give this up? Releasing souls, and leading the others in doing the same?”
His hand skimmed the small of her back, creating swirls in the same shape she’d left on the reaper's chest with her butterfly arrow. “It’s only for now. We need the time and distance to create a new order in Elysia. Figure out how to decide and run things without the Elders.”
She nodded, leaning back and pressing a kiss to his lips before she slipped out of bed and started dressing herself. “And that’s not even mentioning the fact that we’re only the first deities to awaken.”
Ascian hummed in agreement, watching her as she pulled her clothes on. She glanced at him, a tiny, mischievous grin playing on her lips as she grabbed his larger cloak and attached it around her shoulders. “What are you doing, amorsa? ”
“ I am going to get something to eat.” Her grin widened as she backed towards the door.
Ascian narrowed his eyes at her. “And you’re taking my cloak with you?”
Alora shrugged casually, tapping her thigh with a glance at Basilius. “Well, you don’t need it just walking around the Grotto, do you?”
Ascian pulled himself out of the bed and took tentative steps towards her. “Who says I don’t?”
Basilius stretched as he stood and then padded over to Alora’s side, pressing his head against her stomach and smooching across it. She rested her hand atop his back. “If you do, you’ll just have to go without this morning.”
She slipped out the door and down the hallway with Basilius at her heels. Ascian dove after her, freezing halfway down the hallway when he came across Maelo and Verena who both raised their eyebrows. Maelo, however, immediately cringed when she registered him naked and gagged as she spun away from him.
“Ascian! Where are your clothes!?”
Ascian covered himself with his hands and started back towards his bedroom. “Currently running away from me.”
An hour later Ascian leaned against the kitchen counter, still no cloak weighing on his shoulders, but a gorgeous blonde at his side. The rest of his reapers stood before him. A quick chat with Maelo, and she’d wrangled them all into the large room to hear what would happen moving forward. Not that Ascian knew the full extent of what was coming. Deities were powerful beings, but they weren’t fortune tellers.
He cleared his throat once everyone arrived, spotting the head of silver dreads strolling in at the back and resting against the wall.
“As most of you will have heard by now, the Reaper Elders are dead,” Ascian started. His voice carried, helped by a small breeze from Alora. “And I can confirm the rumours. I'm sure you’ve also heard about us being the ones to kill them. We did, on the account that they have been lying to us for I couldn’t say how long. Potentially with more things than I have recently caught them out on. Many of you have received punishments for actions you were ordered to do, and that unfairness was not lost on me. I’ve questioned the Elders more times than I previously liked to admit, and I’ve fought with the Forest Nymphs more times than I can count on both hands to prevent some of those punishments.”
Alora’s hand found his, intertwining their fingers and squeezing gently. Ascian swallowed. “Because of everything that has happened, and everything I am certain will come, I’ve decided to step away from my position as your commander so that we can create a new way to enforce laws and rules in Elysia.”
Whispers broke out amongst the group, pairs heads turned into each other while their gazes remained locked on Ascian. Osiris was perhaps the only one not to do so. Understanding filled his expression as he watched and listened. That would be his next task, sending Osiris on his own individual mission to make up for his past behaviour.
“However,” Ascian hummed, nodding to the new male at the back. “I am leaving you in more than capable hands.”
The dark skinned man pushed off the wall and headed towards Ascian. The other reapers turned to look, shifting out of the way as he moved through them. He bowed his head in greeting to Alora, and then turned to Ascian.
“Everyone, this is Casimir, your new commander.” Ascian shifted out of the way, for Casimir to take his place. “I’d like to say treat him with respect, but we all know you’ll test his fucking boundaries, so instead I’ll say; have fun. ”
Casimir chuckled, deep and rich. It carried over the renewed chatter of the Reapers and drew the attention of a few of them. One, however, with long dark hair and pale skin, walked out. Casimir raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ascian. He shook his head, mouthing ‘ Verena ’ to him in explanation. Casimir lips formed an ‘o’ and he nodded. Yes, they’d spoken about her. She’d be the hardest to earn the respect of, but Casimir had seemed up for the challenge. Welcomed it, even, from the anticipatory vibes Ascian got.
He left the male to his own introductions and walked with Alora out into the hallway. A glimpse back found Osiris following after them.
“You’re really giving up your position?” He asked once he reached them.
“I wouldn’t say giving up, more so taking a break from it to recreate balance,” Ascian replied.
“And me?” Osiris folded his arms.
“And you?” Ascian asked innocently, receiving a shove to his side from Alora. He glanced down at her and grinned.
“What do I have to do to earn your trust back, Az?” Osiris asked, his voice tripping over the nickname. Ascian didn’t blame him considering it threw him off balance, too, hearing it spoken from Osiris’ lips.
“Grieve so you can start thinking clearly again.”
Osiris shook his head. “No. I need a task. Something to prove I’m not the asshole I was being.”
Ascian sighed, lifting his free hand to rub over his face. A little squeeze to his other drew his attention to Alora. ‘Yes, amorsa?’
‘What about Emilia?’
Ascian’s back straightened and he slowly nodded. “Alright, there’s something you can do, but if you fuck it up, I’ll have your head hung on my wall.”
Osiris swallowed. “Which is..?”
Ascian studied him for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek. ‘You’re sure about this, amorsa?’
Alora turned into him and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. ‘I am, Commander.’
A shiver raced up his spine, and he shared a heated look with her before pushing it away to give Osiris the task. He cleared his throat, pulling Osiris’ attention back to them after he — thankfully — gave them a little privacy.
“Emilia wishes to return to Earth, however, there’s a few things that have happened and I’d like for her to visit Dréki and have her bloodline checked.”
Osiris paused, brows furrowed. “Dréki? The witch in the mountains?”
“Yes,” Ascian answered.
“You want me to chaperone a human to the witch in the mountains to have her bloodline checked?” Osiris asked slowly.
“Yes,” Ascian repeated with more force this time. Was he mumbling? “And no seducing her into bed, either.”
Osiris narrowed his eyes at Ascian, lifting his chin. “Are you seriously forbidding me from sleeping with some woman who wants to return to Earth?”
“The fact that you just called her ‘woman’ instead of ‘girl’ suggests the thought has already crossed your mind, so yes, I’m forbidding it.”
Osiris’ jaw worked, arm muscles flexing.
“You will also stay with her while she’s at Dréki’s, and if she passes the tests with flying colours, I want you to take her back to the portal. Send us a message and we’ll organise them to be opened.”
“And you’ll trust me again, after that? ”
Ascian sighed. “It’ll be a good start to fixing things.”
“Okay.” Osiris nodded. “I’m guessing she’s still at the Academy?”
Both Alora and Ascian nodded.
“I’ll return with you guys, then, and she and I can head to the witches from there.”
“Thank you,” Alora said from beside Ascian, offering Osiris a smile. “Not just for agreeing to protect Emilia, but also for your help with the Elders.”
“It was the least I could do for torturing you,” Osiris muttered, scratching the back of his neck.
Ascian’s stare hardened. “And with that, we’ll see you at sunrise tomorrow.” He turned and hoisted Alora over his shoulder. She squealed, her fingers gripping at his back as he walked back to the bedroom, where he planned to remain for the remainder of the day and night.