Series: Charmaine Pauls
Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
His smile is wry. “Many things. Most of them incomprehensible. Some are interpreted as prophecies, though—one of which is about a ruler more powerful than Zerra has ever seen and his mate.”
“Is that the one where you’re supposed to destroy your world?” I study his face, the strong lines and handsome features, the undeniable masculinity. The striking perfection. “How can they be so sure that the prophesied ruler is you? Who says someone else more powerful won’t be born?”
His smile disappears, and a shutter drops in front of his eyes.
“Aruan?” He’s hiding something again. “What aren’t you telling me?” When he remains quiet, I resort to outright manipulation. “If you want me to live here and be your mate, shouldn’t I know what I’m getting myself into?”
He lets out a long breath before taking my arm and pulling me a short distance away where we’re out of earshot before saying in a strained voice, “There was an incident when I was young. I was playing in the jungle when a sand snake bit me. I didn’t mean to, but in my anguish, I set off an explosion that killed every living thing in a moon cycle’s radius, except for me.” I suppress a horrified gasp as he continues, “For many cycles later, nothing could live there. Every animal that crossed that circle died a short while later.” His eyes darken. “People too. My father forbade anyone to go near that place and tried to keep it quiet, but the rumors spread like embers carried on the wind.”
My heart thumps dully in my chest. It can’t be what I’m thinking… can it? My voice shakes a bit. “How did the explosion look when it happened?”
“There was a big cloud, round like a venomous fungus, growing up and up while rippling the air. People saw it from a great distance. The noise was deafening.”
I stare at him with a slack jaw.
No. That can’t be.
That sounds like a nuclear explosion. Radiation would explain why the animals and people who became exposed died.
Fuck. Is that Aruan’s superpower? He can set off a nuclear explosion… that he himself is able to survive?
Without meaning to, I take a step away from him. As I try to process everything I know about his power, my mind spins. He can manipulate matter by dissolving bonds between molecules and vaporize living things with just a thought. Can he dissolve atomic bonds with a mere thought too?
His gaze darkens further as he watches my retreat, so I force myself to stop. But I can’t completely hide the tremor in my voice as I ask, “Have you ever used your power like that since?”
His lips flatten. “I’ve been diligent in practicing caution. I don’t want to inflict that kind of damage ever again.”
But he can.
If he wants to.
Or if he loses control.
This is terrible.
He’s a literal timebomb. A living, breathing, walking nuclear weapon.
The magnitude of his power nearly makes my knees buckle. No wonder people believe he’s the prince mentioned in the scrolls.
No wonder they’re terrified of him.
And by extension, of me.
My stomach churns as I stare at the powerful man in front of me, even as uninvited sympathy invades my chest. How lonely he must be. Everyone must be too frightened to interact with him on any level deeper than a superficial one, including his own family. It’s obvious that they care about him, but they’re not as close as I’d expect siblings and parents to be.
I want to say something, but no words come as he takes my hand and pulls me back upstairs, through the dolmen, and into the sunshine. Feeling frozen to my bones, I welcome the tropical heat.
The rock closes behind us. The guard still stands at attention next to it, sweat dripping down his face. I can’t say if it’s from fear or from the weather. His shoulders sag in relief when Aruan leads me back up the path.
I understand his fear now more than ever. What exactly is the extent of Aruan’s power? Can he truly destroy this world? A single nuclear explosion is unlikely to do that, but maybe a series of them?
Then again, maybe his power can manifest in some other, even more destructive way. In a way that’s connected to his mate… which he’s convinced is me.
Fuck. I need to leave this place, now. How do I do that? Somehow, the Phaelix can travel between worlds. That’s how they bring the humans here. And if they brought me here, they must be able to take me back.
That is, if they don’t enslave me first.
A few kalligrammatids flap up from the undergrowth, fluttering toward the lake. Undoubtedly cognizant of my internal turmoil, Aruan veers off the path to follow them.
“Look,” he says, showing me a patch of alien flowers with black petals and pink, elongated cones in the center. “Night flowers. They’ve earned the name because they only give off their scent after sunset.” He bends down and neatly breaks off a thick stalk on the ground. “Let’s pick you some. You can put them in a vase and discover their perfume when night falls.”