Wicked Chase

❖ Chapter Eleven

[dedicated to Clarke for being a funny commenter (banner credit) ]

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The last bit of the journey stretched so long that I found myself grasping at any topic to converse with but conversation between Alastair and I was dry. I wanted to be mad at him for his rejection but I didn't quite know what to feel. With him seated in the driver's seat and me in the passenger's seat, I could practically hear the sexual tension sizzle between us as he cast me his occasional silvery, heated gaze.

It had taken all day to reach Deidrif and when we did reach there, the sun had already set and darkness of the night was already beginning to creep in. I wasn't sure where this place was because all I saw were tall, green and lush trees towering high above the Jeep, becoming more dense and darker as Alastair took a sharp turn and drove the Jeep into the opening of the evergreen forest.

"We're here," Alastair said, breaking the silence that had made itself comfortable for hours of the ride inside the Jeep, as he hit the brakes and opened the door to get out.

"Uh," I started, not sure if I was sounding stupid or not, "where exactly is Deidrif? We're in a forest. I'm almost certain we're lost."

Alastair's hand was still on the handle of the Jeep and I heard him chuckle at my retort as he cast his alluring grey eyes to me. His chuckle was soft and sincere and I couldn't help but admire the way his dark hair fell over his enticing grey eyes, the swirl of grey whirling with amusement. Suddenly realising what he was doing, he stopped mid-chuckle and thinned his lips, pulling them into his mouth and if he thought that would ease the tension between us then he was wrong because that simple action drew my attention to his slightly purple tinted lips that I recently found more than just alluring.

"Deidrif is separate from the mortal world, of course," Alastair supplied, his lips now parted and moved as he spoke, the serious expression that he loved to wear had graced his features yet again, "it's hidden by an enchantment. Only those who belong to Deidrif and has the blood flowing through their veins can come and leave Deidrif as they please. But many are content in Deidrif and few would ever venture out into this world."

I nodded, and asked, after Alastair had gotten out of the Jeep and I followed him, clambering out the vehicle as well, "so are we going to drive all the way to, uh, the Kingdom?" It still all seemed too surreal for me. I had only recently discovered this other life that I apparently truly belonged to, where my mother was the Queen and Ronan was the King, which made me - their daughter - a Princess. Even now, after having all day in the Jeep to think about everything Alastair had told me about my family history, legacy and the feud that had taken place because there was no conversation between Alastair and I on the ride, I was still coming to terms with it all. Two weeks ago I wouldn't have pictured being on the run, being a Princess...belonging to a world like this. It was going to take a while to adjust myself to all of it.

"No, we're going to have to walk on foot," he replied, his eyes set on the trees like he was looking for something. "If I had known sooner that we were coming back to Deidrif - it was all sudden so I couldn't plan for anyone to bring horses or a carriage-cart to the border-"

"Why can't we just drive there?" I asked, my brows furrowing in confusion.

His own eyebrows raised like he had finally found what he was so intently scouring the forest for before he whirled out and walked to the Jeep, answering me as he made his way back to the vehicle, opening the back seat and looking for something, "Cars, Jeeps, any sort of vehicle isn't a product or something that belongs to Deidrif and only things that belong to Deidrif - except clothing, food and essentials of that sort - can go through the enchantment."