Chapter Eighteen

Elara's POV

It's been a couple of days since Elrik got back and I had been at his side everyday. I,Elissa and Vaelen took turns staying with him overnight and tonight it would be my turn

He's a bit better,The injury started clotting immediately he was given some herbs and then it was stitched shut.He woke up occasionally to eat and went back to bed

Xaden has been coming everyday to check in on him but Elissa made it clear she didn't want him around our brother but that didn't stop him from coming every day

The healer said he'll be able to stand soon but it would hurt him a lot

Tonight I sat by his bedside telling him stories of when we were children. "Do you you remember when father had that meeting and you decided it was a brilliant idea to put Styra in the dinner that was supposed to be served" I chuckled softly to myself "Father was not happy one bit,every one kept laughing for hours"

"Or do you remember when you pushed me down the stairwell and father had you chained to the tree in the garden"

"The one that makes me laugh the most is when we played hide and go seek and you didn't seek for me,I stayed hidden for hours and eventually slept there"i laughed and let out a sigh

I looked at his face while he slept,his face was a little scrunched from the underlining pain "You weren't the best brother but you were all I had" a small pause "When father and mother and even Elissa didn't pay me any mind,you made sure I wasn't stuck sitting in bed playing all by myself"I muttered under my breath taking his hands in mine

"I ... I love you" I finally said,I was never one for all these emotional talks but Elrik....he was,he said it a lot.He said words like 'I am proud of you' 'I believe in you' and he had told me he loved me multiple times but I never said them back

Times when I sat in my room and my father had forgotten my birthday for the 10th time in a row,he knew I wouldn't get a 'Happy Birthday' from him so he comes up to my room every morning immediately the clock struck 12 in the dead of the night holding a little cake and a candle on top

I take it back,I didn't want Vaelen to be my brother Elrik was the one brother for me.

Thinking back I was looking at it all wrong,if he had treated me softly he knew I would feel bad,knew I would sense that he pitied me so he treated me the only way he knew how

"I love you"I repeated with tears streaming down my eyes "I know I have never said those words to you before but I do love you.Thank you for everything

It's when I thought I had lost you that I thought back to everything,Thank you for being the best brother a girl like me could ever ask for"

I cried for a long while as I held his hands so tight.I tried to stop myself but it kept flowing before sleep caught up with me.I was seated on a stool beside the bed and my head placed on the bed

I felt it deep in me this gut wrenching fear,I was back here,back to having being tormented by my dreams.But I wasn't in my room,I was with Elrik and I knew all too well that if this dream was like the others it was going to wake everyone in the infirmary

But I didn't have one ounce of control,but this dream was different.For one I was in the Academy and I was watching the figure with the eyes-I was following him from behind and if he noticed didn't seem to care

Then he looked back at me and smiled,I could see his large set of teeth's before he started running and I chased after him we ran for a while before I saw him running into the infirmary,I wanted to shout,shout for Elrik to get up and run but I didn't have a voice so I chased him down but I got in to see my brother bleeding profusely ,his hands cold and his face void of color

I wanted to shout but I couldn't so I dropped to my knees and cried

"Elara!!" I heard a voice call out to me,shaking me awake.I opened my eyes and I looked around the room,my heart racing as I realized where I was and who was shaking me awake

My eyes met his and for the first time I actually saw them.They held a unique allure-a striking fusion of deep blue and black.The blue reminiscent of a moon lit ocean and the black like the reflection of the night sky

I felt his warm touch on my shoulders,he was touching me and my face recoiled in disgust and the urge to shake it off surged through me

"Don't you touch me"I said as I moved swiftly away from his touch

He didn't say anything as his hands dropped gently to his side and he placed them in his pockets

He put on a black hoodie and a black short and I could see two figures standing outside the door-obviously Bran and Alden

I traced my eyes back to him to see him staring intently at me "What do you want?" I asked sharply but he did nothing but stare at me

"How is he doing"he asked ignoring my question completely

"What do you want" I repeated again

"I wanted to see how he was doing"he said with his hands still in his pockets

"Now that you've seen him, leave"I stated then there was a long silence between us

Then he replied with a low growl "Elara love,you should learn to hold your tongue." He scanned over me before he continued

"I only tolerate Elissa because well....she's Elissa.I wouldn't mind putting her sharp mouthed sister in her place.This is your last warning"he said as he made his way to the door before turning around to look at me one more time "If he wakes up let him know I came" then he left me there staring at the space he had just left

Elara love?When did that start?I hated him so much.I didn't know what I saw in him before

This arrogant good for nothing dirtbag

Morning came soon enough and Vaelen came to take over while I went to shower and get ready for classes.It was about time I resumed them

I was out of the shower room when I heard a small knock on my door and the door opened slightly revealing Kyra and Elaine

They stepped in and immediately came to give me a hug.I wasn't used to all this so my hands were placed awkwardly by my side

"What's going on?"I asked before they moved back a bit

"We missed you that's all"Elaine grinned."How did you know I was back?" I asked as I walked towards the dresser

"Kyra went all the way to the infirmary to check"Elaine replied and I smiled to myself

"Really Kyra?I didn't know you loved me so much"she didn't give a reply

"This doesn't mean you won't talk to Alden though"I said which got me a loud groan from her

I figured I shouldn't transfer the hate I had for Rhysand towards his friends and besides they were going to be with my friends sooner or later so it's best not to harbor hate towards them

"So have you decided when you would do it"I turned to look at her sitting on the bed "It's been almost a week since he arrived so you're going to talk to him today before someone else beats you to it"

We chatted for a while and I wasn't back for more than ten minutes and Elaine was already giving me the low down about everything I had missed and I had infact missed out on a lot

We had just one class which was later in the day.I already had breakfast before I came to shower so we stayed in my room talking and laughing

The class came and went swiftly and we were seated in the garden just enjoying the view

The Academy's garden was a colorful haven, carefully tended for serenity. Vibrant flowers in pinks, purples, and whites adorned neat beds along stone paths. Weathered benches and sculptures dotted the landscape. The air carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers and fresh soil.

Mature trees provided shade for students engrossed in books or quiet conversations. Butterflies added bursts of color, and birdsong created a tranquil soundtrack.

"So when are you making your move"Elaine asked Kyra who was seated next to her

"Elaine no one asked you"Kyra spat back and I let out a chuckle

Kyra had been dreading it,I could see it in her eyes

"This weekend we'll be doing the same thing I and Elara did and if I win you'll have to talk to Bran"and the smile on Elaine's face vanished

We were tired of sitting on the benches and decided to take a walk,taking a turn we didn't see as Kyra collided into someone

"I am so sorry"she and the voice said in unison,it was Alden

"I am so sorry"she repeated again and he gave a small smile in return then he pick up his glasses which Kyra was standing on leading her to apologize again

"You have to stop apologizing"he chuckled softly "I'm Alden" he stretched out his hand

She gave him a small smile "Kyra" she said as she took his hands in hers

Elaine and I politely excused ourselves and continued our walk

We were almost at the far end of the Academy walls before we heard shouts from behind us ,I turned to see a group of people yelling but couldn't understand what they were saying

Then almost immediately,a dragon descended from the sky and was standing within a short distance from me.Elissa said if you see a dragon go in the other direction but this one was staring right at us with no where to go to,we were dead.