CHAPTER 006: Welcome To Noctis Vhaelor
1784 Words
***
~~LYRIC VAELGOR~~
***
“Aren’t you supposed to know everything your inner self does?” I said to Prince Calix, watching him through narrowed eyes. “You’re one, aren’t you? You and Tai. Same soul, same body.”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he unfolded those ridiculous wings from around us, and the second they slipped off my body, I hated how cold I felt. My traitorous body missed the warmth. The security. The illusion of something safe even though I knew damn well there was nothing safe about Calix Malzareth.
He rose from the bed, and only then did I get a good look at what had been poking into my thighs for the better part of the day.
Oh.
Well.
My gaze was locked on the prominent organ hanging stiffly in between his legs.
Calix caught me looking and immediately turned away, muttering something profane under his breath as he stomped toward a leather bag in the corner. I didn’t look away. Not immediately.
He dug through the bag, pulling out fresh clothes. Tai had absolutely wrecked the last pair, shredded right through them during his transformation. Which, yeah, had been terrifying at first—horns, wings, glowing red runes that made the air itself tremble. But then he started talking in my head. Like some ancient, broody man-child. And strangely… the fear melted away.
Once Prince Calix was fully dressed, he turned to face me.
“Khra’gixxes aren’t like werewolves,” he said. “Our demons are a part of us, yes. But sometimes, they’re parasites. Independent. They can… take liberties, especially when the host is unconscious.”
‘Don’t listen to him, little wolf,’ Tai said in my head. ‘He’s just trying to get you to hate me. I’m a nice guy.’
“That’s exactly what I was talking about,” Calix said, exasperated. “He does whatever he likes.”
‘I’m just doing what you’re too afraid to do.’
“Shut her out of the mindlink, Tai.”
‘I won’t do that. I enjoy seeing into her head. Like right now, she’s thinking about how tempting you look in that flying gear.’
Wait.
Wait a minute.
He could read my thoughts?
‘I can,’ Tai said, answering my unspoken question.
“That’s not very nice,” I growled out loud, summoning Oryx.
She came in fast, slamming into my consciousness and immediately snapping the mindlink shut. Tai went quiet.
Bless her.
‘Good girl,’ I whispered to my wolf.
Calix was frowning.
Deep, dangerous frowning.
He turned back to the bag and pulled out a bundle of folded fabric, then threw it at me.
“Change into that. Seeing you in a wedding gown is too dramatic for me.”
I caught it, staring down at the clothes. “You’re like… two times bigger than me. They won't fit.”
“You’ll find a way. Get dressed.”
“Well, I need privacy.”
He looked confused. “You’ve seen me naked. What’s the big deal?”
“You haven’t seen me naked. And it’s not happening. Ever.”
He stared at me for a long beat, then finally—finally—rolled his eyes and turned on his heel.
“Suit yourself,” he muttered, pushing past the tent flap and stepping out.
I let out a breath.
Gods, he was exhausting.
I turned to the gown—the once beautiful, moonstone-beaded masterpiece that now looked like it had survived war. Because it had.
I took it off.
The corset was next, a nightmare. It took actual minutes of pulling, yanking, growling, and cursing the Moon Goddess before I finally got the thing off. Then came my hair. I loosened the bridal braids, tugging out all the moonstone beads until my curls fell loose around my shoulders in waves.
I couldn't believe my wedding day, the day I got betrayed, was yesterday. It felt like a million years ago already.
I pulled on Prince Calix’s clothes—folding the sleeves, rolling the pants. Everything smelled like him. Moss. Blood. Cinnamon. I hated how good it smelled. Hated how my body reacted.
I emerged from the tent, barefoot but with my chin high.
All nine of his soldiers were already in formation. And of course, there he was—standing at the front, all smug and perfect and infuriating.
“You took your time,” Calix said. “I was wondering if I needed to come get you.”
His eyes travelled from my toes to my hair—and paused.
“Your hair is longer than I expected.”
“You met me in braids.”
“Right.” He motioned toward the sky. “We’re leaving.”
“Without me?”
He gave me a look. “Not a chance.”
I walked up to him, accepting my fate. He bent slightly, letting my arms wrap around his neck before he lifted me like it was the most natural thing in the world. My legs hooked around his waist. The shadow magic slid over my skin like liquid chains, locking me in place. And then he took off, flying into the sky.
His mouth brushed my ear as he said, “What did Tai say to you?”
I hated how ticklish his breath felt on that ear. Why was he so curious about my conversation with his demon? “He didn’t exactly say much,” I replied. “Just introduced himself. We had a nice conversation about our kingdoms. And then he sang a melodious song for most of the day.”
“A song?”
“Yeah.”
“This song, can you sing it?”
“Not exactly. I don’t remember the words. They were… strange.”
“Hum it.”
So I did.
I could feel Calix’s body stiffen.
He cursed under his breath—something sharp in Khra’gixxian.
“Am I singing it wrong? You don’t seem to like it. What does it mean?”
“Nothing you should know. Or concern yourself with.”
“If it pisses you off this much, I definitely want to know more about it and possibly learn it.”
“Don’t. Don’t even breathe that sound again.”
“Why?”
“Stop asking questions and just do as I say.”
We were both silent for a long time.
Clalix flew fast, like he needed the wind to outrun the conversation. Unfortunately for him, I wasn't letting him have peace and quiet. Not yet.
“You know… you don’t scare me, Prince Calix.”
He didn’t reply.
“I met your inner self—the one who’s supposed to be more evil than you. And he’s sweet. Which means you’re pretending. This whole cruel-demon-prince act? You’re faking it.”
More silence.
Then finally, he said, “Tai is a lot of things, but sweet isn’t one of them. He’s killed more men than any demon in Noctis Vhaelor. You should hope you never see him angry or at war.”
“You’re just trying to make me hate him.”
“You’ll do that all on your own, Princess. A little note for next time—wake me up whenever Tai shifts. He’s not always stable in that state.”
“You think he’d kill me?”
“I think he’d drain you of your entire blood. And yes, you'd die.”
I kept quiet the rest of the way.
For once, I didn’t have anything to say.
~~~
After what felt like years of flying, we were finally approaching the Southern Sea.
I recognized it instantly.
Not because I’d ever seen it before—I hadn’t. I’d never even left the Northern Kingdom. But it would be difficult not to recognize a sea.
Which could only mean one thing.
“Are we close?” I asked as we flew over the water. “I can’t see Noctis Vhaelor.”
“We’re already in Noctis Vhaelor.”
“What?”
“You can’t see it because we don’t want you to see it.”
I was about to comment on that, but something caught my attention.
Calix's guards—nine of them—flew forward and formed a line in the sky. Perfectly straight, perfectly synchronized.
Then they lifted their arms, and I felt it. Magic.
The illusion broke, revealing a massive city carved from darkness.
“Noctis Vhaelor,” I whispered.
It looked nothing like Velmira. Not like any city I’d ever heard of.
Sprawling towers, all built from onyx stone or some other impossibly dark material. Black bridges. Wide roads. No sunlight. A place where the sun never shone.
“Why are the buildings black?” I asked.
“We prefer it that way.”
“Because you’re shadow magicians?”
“Part of it, yes.”
“You’re not even going to tell me anything about your people?”
“The only thing you need to know,” he said, voice suddenly colder, “is that any Khra’gixxian down there will kill you on sight.”
Oh.
“Good to know,” I said.
“So stick with me. You may go by your first name, but you’re not to mention your family name or your pack. Understood?”
I turned my head slightly. “Because they still remember what my father did to your mother?”
“Yes.”
“I bet they don’t remember what you and your father did to my parents.”
His jaw flexed beneath my arm.
“Do you understand me, little wolf?” he said. “Or do I have to repeat myself?”
“I do.”
“Good.”
“I won’t tell anyone that you brought the enemy’s daughter home.”
His lips twitched. Not a smile. Not exactly. But something close. “Glad we understand each other.”
As we flew over the city, I saw them.
People.
Dozens of them. Hundreds.
Khra’gixxes.
They were pouring out of their homes, their shops, their temples, and their towers. Men, women, children. Most of them had wings, sharp faces, glowing eyes in every imaginable shade of red, violet, and gold. Their skin ranged from porcelain pale to obsidian black, marked with tattoos or runes.
They were staring at us.
“You see that, little wolf?” Calix said. “Those are people ready to kill you. They can smell what you are. You're not welcome here. Your life is in my hands now, and I want you to remember that. Welcome to Noctis Vhaelor, Princess.”
What he meant was, ‘Welcome to my prison.’
My grave.
Or maybe… the place I’d burn to the f*****g ground.
- Writer
