11 Prince Auril

Caleb knew that it was coming. He chewed on the food, placed the mug down and said, "Tell me about it all over again."

By the time Caleb finished his food, Ileus briefed him again about Galahar's situation.

"How long will I be there?"

"Two weeks," said Ileus, drinking juice from his crystal. He marveled as to how Arawn managed this cabin in the wilderness of Fulshire forest, but then he was the keeper from thousands of years. He would know everything very nicely now.

"Two weeks!" Caleb barked at him. How could he stay two weeks away from Elize? She would starve. "That's a fucking long time, Ileus!"

"I know," he replied, not saying that it could roll over two weeks. If he revealed that, then Caleb would never come with him. "But that is the minimum. We are creating water tunnels in the kingdom of Galahar and the work is done as a secret. Every foreign moment in the land of Galahar is sensed by the king. Only you can emulate his magic and match it." Ileus went on to explain his plan.

At the end of it, Caleb said, "What about Elize?"

"She will stay here safely for the entire duration you are gone. It will be Arawn's responsibility. Once you return, she can go back to Yorkshire."

Arawn raised his crystal up in agreement. "I will take care of her."

"You do know she is a vampire," Caleb stated because he wanted her to have a steady diet of blood in here. That was the only thing she had as food.

"Of course!" Arawn said. He jumped up from his place, ambled to the fridge in the kitchen and opened it. There was a line of blood bags stacked in it.

Caleb's mouth curled up. "Thanks," he replied. "Please make sure that she doesn't get out of the cabin. This place is alien to her and she would be uncomfortable."

Arawn nodded tightly with pursed lips. "I will be here for another day, however after that I will be leaving. So, she will be on her own mostly." When he saw Caleb's brows drawing together, he added, "This cabin is charmed. Her safety is ensured."

A long silence followed in which Caleb weighed all the pros and cons and then turned his gaze to see Ileus. "When do we leave?"

"Before dawn."

Caleb gulped the last of the juice and said, "I am ready. Let's finish this!" His mate was well protected and he trusted Arawn for that.

---

When Elize woke up in the morning, her head was dizzy. She swiveled her head around to see where she was as memories of the last night flashed in her mind.

Caleb. Ileus. A horse.

Bathtub. Blood… It tasted citrusy… His scent… honeysuckle mixed with cinnamon.

Elize's lips parted and toes curled as she remembered the fragments of memories. A shudder passed through her body. She was feeling so much better. Her wounds had healed completely. Her throat that was always so parched, was feeling like it had drunk elixir. Her stomach had stopped grumbling. Her body was singing the song of love and health.

But just yesterday she saw her papa in his coffin and it was all because of him. Her hands clenched into fists as her throat bobbed at the painful memory. Her father had been her supporting pillar. Throughout her illness he had not once quit her side, even though the doctors had given up on her. He had patiently sat by her side and encouraged her. She could see dried tears on his face but he never once cried in front of her. All he would say is how she resembled her mother. He would stroke her hair with love, in silence.

Her lips trembled as her eyes looked at the fire hearth, where only embers were showing through the gray ash. So, Caleb had kidnapped her with his cousin's help and brought her here? Fury burned her chest and anger swelled. How could he do that? How could he make her drink his blood when she had so strongly refused it?

In one swift movement, she removed her blanket and got out of the bed. A dizziness later, she found herself sitting back on the bed. Breathe in. Breathe out. Calm down. This was surely the effect of the sweet smelling gas they had used to sedate her.

She opened her eyes again as she drank the room in. On the side table there was a small glass of orange juice and a note. She picked it up and opened it. It read:

Dear Elize,

I am sorry for yesterday, but it was necessary. You are going to be absolutely safe here in Arawn's cabin. There is everything that you would need…

I am leaving for two weeks and when I will come back, let's talk…

Yours,

Caleb.

Elize clenched her jaws, crushed the letter in her hand and threw it on the ground. Well, she would never talk to him and before he came here, she would leave.

---

Druid Kingdom of Zelena

Heart of Fulshire Forests

Prince Auril Greenwood, crested a hill full of wildflowers and dropped his satchel to the ground. Last night he had sprawled inside a large hollow of a willow, the branches of which had spread around him protectively. The willow branches had shivered and retracted, dusting snow off its leaves, a gust of chilly wind swept across. The birds hidden in their nests had woken him up well before the sun's first rays had spread in the sky, which was a deep cerulean hue. There was a message in their trills. His mother had summoned him.

Over the last several months, he had been in constant arguments with his mother, Queen Shalia of the kingdom of Zelena. The last time their argument resulted in him walking out of the home. He had picked up his satchel, packed some food and then simply walked out and ended up going on a long, sharp and high trek to the top of the Talv Falls.

His eyes scanned the horizon in every direction. Other than the east where he could see a smattering of white rooftops covered with a layer of snow, there were rolling hills, glens and occasional meadows. His kingdom was absolutely breathtaking, its people were fiercely loyal to him, but his mother— He rolled his arctic blue eyes and placed his hands on his hips. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible. Auril ran his hands in his deep auburn hair, the curls of which fell on his head. Auril's primal power and magic came from the forces of nature. It's not that he could mentally communicate with the wild beasts, but they lived peacefully together. He was a trained warrior and could use almost any weapon. But what separated him from the druids was his ability as an expert herbalist. There was nothing in the forest's flora, he didn't know about.

Auril noticed a small stream that was running on the left of the hill. He picked up his satchel and rushed down the hill, trampling the flowers in his wake. The stream was packed with ice at every boulder and twig that dared to jut out. He filled his leather skin with cool water and swallowed it greedily. He splashed water on his face and when he looked up, he heard a faint scream as if out of frustration. He jerked his head in the direction of the sound, but there was nothing. The winds blew again and more birds flew around him, conveying his mother's orders. Perhaps he was just imagining.

"I am going!" he snapped at them. He got up and then ran down the hill to where his kingdom was. This time he was going to go and meet Orla and tell her the reason why he can't marry her.

As Auril crossed the long wooden bridge over the narrow river that meandered around his small kingdom, he could see two women standing on the other side. They watched him curiously. As soon as he was on the other side of the bridge, one of the girls said, "You are going to be in so much trouble, Prince Auril!" She handed him a cloak, which he quickly wore over his mud-stained white shirt. The girl couldn't help noticing his powerful build. Those strong arms could snap a head in a heartbeat. The long legs, the muscles of which rippled under the fabric as he walked, were to die for.

Auril scowled. "When is she not angry?"

He saw that a few more had come out of their homes, as he walked down his picturesque kingdom. Thick trees made a canopy overhead. The little cottages made from stones and logs with shingled roofs, looked huddled in the weather. Surrounded by fences, the small homes had lovely gardens but they were also covered with snow. He continued on the dirt road, which then led to a long cobblestone one. A guard was standing with his stallion over there, but Auril refused to get on it. He simply walked to the villa, which was his home—the most beautiful house in the kingdom. Arched doorways with ivy covering the walls, the villa looked stately. He could see smoke rising in heavy tendril through the two chimneys. He hurried his steps inside an arched gateway that led to the courtyard. He continued walking through it, ignoring the curious eyes.

Auril had returned after a month and had no intentions of meeting his mother, but this was an order he couldn't pass.

He stopped right in front of the heavy mahogany double doors. The two guards stationed there bowed to him as soon as they saw him. He took in a deep breath and then pushed them open.

His mother, Queen Shalia, was waiting for him over a cup of herbal tea. A smile tugged her lips up. "Auril, I have been waiting for you, son. Come join me," she crooned and poured tea for him.