Page 48 of When Death Called Life Home (When Deities Awaken #1)

Chapter 48

Life’s Map

ALORA

B urnt beans filled Alora’s nose as the fog lifted from the ground outside the library’s windows. The corners of Alora’s eyes wrinkled as strong arms wrapped around her middle and lifted up a steaming hot mug of coffee . Three years later and she’d finally figured out which drink it was so similar to on Earth.

“Good morning, Commander,” she hummed and plucked the mug from his grasp.

Ascian pressed his lips to her shoulder and then to her cheek. “It would’ve been better if we didn’t have to be up so early.”

Alora laughed, turning and leaning into his warmth. “Yes, well, unfortunately we have a council to form and a world to protect.”

Ascian scrunched his nose. “Technically two worlds.”

“Either way,” Alora hummed, pausing to sip her coffee. “Once today’s over, we can spend the rest of autumn staying in bed till late, and creating enough friction to start a lightning storm.”

Ascian raised an eyebrow at her, his lips curving. “I don’t know if the other scholars would appreciate that.”

Alora clicked her tongue, bringing the mug to her lips again but a pull from beneath stopped it from tipping and instead dragging it away from her desired location. Ascian dipped down and replaced it with his own mouth. A tease of a kiss at first, the briefest brushing of delicately soft lips. She followed him as he moved back, and that damned smirk stretched across his face. Alora placed her coffee on the table beside them without looking away, and then grabbed the front of Ascian’s shirt, dragging him back towards her and closing the distance between them.

He chuckled against her, bracketing her hips with his hands, his fingertips dipping beneath the waistband of her pants. ‘You’ll get us in trouble, amorsa.’

‘Wouldn’t be the first time,’ she quipped back.

The library door slammed shut and they broke apart to find Zillah, hand on her hip, glaring at them. “A library is for reading, studying, or researching. Not make-out sessions at six in the morning. Go to your meeting!”

Alora sucked her lips between her teeth as she quickly grabbed her coffee and dashed for the door, Ascian close behind her. She let her laugh leave her body once they were far enough away that Zillah wouldn’t hear.

Ascian only stared at her, lips parted with a look of wonder in his eyes.

“What?” Alora asked between laughs.

He shook his head, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know how she doesn’t scare you. I mean, she scares me.”

Alora laughed more, the effort causing a sharp ache to start at the bottom of her ribs. It took her four tries before she could fully respond without breaking into laughter again. “Because it’s Zillah. What she is means nothing when I know who she is. She’s our friend. Yes, she acts threatening at times, but do you honestly believe she’d do anything to hurt us?”

He didn’t need to think long before she saw the answer form on his face. “No.”

“No,” Alora reinforced. She leaned into him, breathing in the safety he always provided her with. “You just probably can’t help the protectiveness you get.”

“You almost died, Alora,” he grumbled.

“Three years ago, Ascian!” Alora laughed, squeezing her arms around his torso, though being careful not to spill her coffee. “And now with the others, it’s unlikely that’ll ever happen again … unless it’s of old age.”

Ascian scowled. “I still hate that he’s a part of us.”

Alora’s mood dampened, her lips pursing. It made sense. It made too much sense, really, and they should have seen it coming before it happened, but they’d been focused on other things.

“He was fooled by her like all of us, Az. He’s trying to make up for it in any way he can, and like Osiris, we have to let him. Otherwise, we’re no better than the Elders.”

“I didn’t think Life was merciful?” Ascian asked slyly.

She rolled her eyes, downing the rest of her coffee and stopping before the doors to the meeting room. “She isn’t, but She can also see when others have been taken advantage of, and for that I will be lenient.”

“Is there a difference?” Ascian pushed.

Alora shrugged. “Possibly not, but I’m just following my instincts.”

Ascian nodded, cupping her face and grazing the pad of his thumb over her cheek. “And they’re telling you to trust him?”

“They’re telling me that behind this door are eight deities waiting for us.”

“Elysian’s with deity energy,” Ascian corrected playfully.

“Is there a difference?” She repeated back with the same playfulness.

He grinned and shook his head. “We have nothing to compare it to, so I couldn’t tell you for sure.”

Alora crouched and put her mug on the ground to the side of the door, then straightened. The loss of Ascian’s touch almost unbearable. She slipped her hands into his, feeling every callus and scar that covered them. A map of his life so far, and stories they’d tell to their children should they have any. With a lifespan like theirs, there was no saying when they’d decide the time was right. Was it ever? She doubted it’d been the best time for her to be pushed through the portal and lose her memories when she did, and yet that worked out better than expected. She never thought there’d ever be a right time for her to fall in love with an overprotective man, and yet, she’d done just that. It hadn’t stopped there, either. Each day she felt her love for Ascian strengthen more and more.

Fate never waited for Time to say it was right, She just made things happen. Alora hoped and wished she got to meet that deity one day, so she could thank Her for all the events She caused to get Alora back to Ascian. Back to Elysia, and back to the family waiting for her.

“Then let us give future generations something to compare it to,” Alora hummed in reply. She then turned and entered the room where the other deities waited.