Dark Hunger

Caleb pushed Elize inside the car and slid after her. He closed the door with a loud bang and shouted, "Go!" 

Laurel hadn't even closed her door, when Auril pressed the accelerator and swiveled the car in a wide arc. She held the handle above the window to stay steady. "Close the door!" Caleb snapped at her. With a shaky hand, she closed the door somehow. 

The demons had come very near to them. They could hear them grunting and growling and calling them as they jumped over the fallen logs and snapped branches that came in their way. "Faster!" Caleb shouted. "These bastards would need a full-fledged magic to be stopped." And he didn't want to use it, else it would attract the attention of the committee that controlled the treaties between humans and Loreans. 

Through the dirt road, the car bumped and swiveled wildly before hitting the main highway. And as soon as it was on the road, Auril took to the highest gear and sped it like there was no other day. Soon the cries of the demons faded in the forest. They would never try to come and run at their supernatural speed on the road. An hour later, when Caleb was sure that they had left the demons behind, he pulled Elize in his lap and pressed her tightly against his chest, his anxieties running all over and then some more. Then he checked her everywhere and saw the black and blue bruises. Anger seized his chest and he lashed at Laurel. "How dare you hit her when I asked you to be careful? This act of your will count as treason and I will send you back to Ixoviya for now!" He touched Elize's thigh and she winced with pain. He ripped her pants from there and his mouth opened wide when he saw the angry purple mark out there. 

Panic shot from Laurel's chest, swirling like a tornado in her mind. Treason? She had never thought that Caleb would go all kingly over her. "Your Highness, I was only practicing with Her Highness," she said in a low, sad voice with worry etched on her face. "I wanted her to stop but she continued. I went in defensive but she—" 

"Silence!" Caleb's voice boomed and his magic ripple like mist around him. "You should have stopped and that's it!" He was so flustered and couldn't control the tremble in his body when he saw Elize in the middle of the ring of fire. "How did the fire start?" he asked and then released his magic on her thigh. 

Elize bit her lip. "I think that was my magic, Caldy," she replied in a soft voice, feeling relaxed under the warmth of his magic. "It came out because I wasn't able to control my temper." 

"That's what I am saying!" Laurel pointed it to Caleb. "The queen was very angry when she practiced with me. That is not the way to practice. One has to control their rage and be very cold and focus—"

"Shut up!" Caleb retorted. He curled his fingers beneath Elize's chin and said, "Do you mean that she angered you?" 

Laurel paled. Her blood drained from her face. "I— I—" She wanted to point out that it was the queen's fault, instead, Caleb was trying to make it look like it was her fault? 

Elize nodded with a sigh. "Yes, she used some techniques that I didn't know." 

"What?" Caleb shot a dark glare at Laurel, who now appeared to be shrinking in her seat. "I told you that she was already tired and needed to do something lighter, yet you went on to use advanced techniques?" 

"Your Highness," Laurel squeaked. If she didn't think of a solid excuse, she was sure that the sorcerer king would toast her alive in the car seat. "I didn't use any advanced techniques. I just used basic techniques that I agree to have used in a different way. Bu— but it was only to teach her more." 

Elize poked her tongue in her cheek. Laurel was lying through her teeth and now one thing was sure—the sorceress wasn't to be trusted. She had to find the reason for Laurel speaking a lie. 

"P— please Your Highness!" Laurel begged. "I will now be very careful. I will stick to basic techniques when sparring with the queen. But please don't send me to Ixoviya." If she was sent to Ixoviya, her missions would fail. She had to come close to the king, but things were only going the opposite way. She glanced at Elize who seemed to be relaxing in Caleb's arms with her eyes closed and without a care in the world. Jealousy rose in her chest and she really wanted to pluck her out of his chest and throw her to the demons. "If you will send me there, my brother and so many others who had pinned hope on me will be disappointed. Give me one more chance to prove myself, Your Highness." She clasped her hands as if she was begging him. 

Caleb's face was stone hard. "No!" he snapped again. "You are going back and that is final! Because of you, Elize used her magic and the branches caught fire. It acted like a giant torch and the demons got attracted. I cannot take any more risks now!" 

Laurel cringed. This was going to turn into a disaster. She had run out of every excuse. Swallowing the saliva hard down her throat, she looked at Auril for help, but the man was busy driving, his face expressionless. 

"Let her stay…" Elize said, craning her neck up to see her husband. 

Caleb jerked his head down. "No Lizzy! She shouldn't have provoked you!" 

Elize was provoked but then she evolved. She realized that Laurel was no friend of hers. She sensed her jealousy when Laurel shot a glare at her a few seconds back. However, Elize was sure that this wasn't just jealousy. There was something more. She was determined to find it. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. And in order to find what Laurel actually aimed for, she had to keep her close. Moreover, even as Laurel tried to provoke her, she didn't know that she made her learn new techniques. That was exhilarating. Caleb was too careful with her, but Laurel was… raw. She was like the enemy who couldn't do much as she was under Caleb's constant scrutiny. 

She cupped Caleb's face in her palms and said, "It was my mistake that I couldn't control my anger and my magic unleashed. I am going to be careful next time." 

"But, sweetheart—" his brows furrowed when she placed a finger on his lips. 

"Let us not be hasty in sending her home yet," she said in a husky voice and then smiled at him. "I will take the blame on me, love." 

Caleb's mouth snapped shut. Love. Love. Love? Only that word sounded in his mind. He stared into her red eyes. He brushed her hair from her forehead that was glued with sweat back to her head. And the only word that came out of his mouth was, "Okay." He leaned down further and placed a kiss on her rosy lips. 

Laurel's mouth fell to the floor.