Chapter 270: Chapter 270 Wrong Turn, Again
(Ember/Aeris POV)
The forest stretched endlessly, damp earth clinging to my boots as I moved between the trees. Sunlight filtered weakly through the canopy, but even the brightness of day couldn’t shake off the lingering heaviness in my chest.
I could feel Damon watching me again. His gaze burned through me like he was trying to bore a hole through my head.
I don’t know how long we have been walking, but I knew it had been a long time, yet we couldn’t find our way out of the place.
"What is it?" I spun on my heels and turned to face him, irritation flickered through my face.
He stopped, a twig snapped beneath his boots. He arched his brows, "What?" He said, slightly confused.
I turned around sighing in exasperation. My feet sent debris flying. ’Great, should this be a vacation or what? There is no food, no water, no clothes...’ I looked down at my dress, the hole at the upper chest glaring at me... even some parts of my chest were visible... ’Perfect.’
"Master, maybe I have a word now?" Damon’s voice from behind.
I stopped in my tracks. "What?"
"I feel unsettled... Do you think Alaric and Theo have made it out of the Whitches’ realm? Maybe we should head directly to my pack." His voice was laced with unease.
I paused, biting my lower lip. "They are with Rhydian, maybe he had already transported them back home."
Part of me wanted to ask that question, even though I have regained my memories... I wanted to know why he sacrificed his life for Aeris... does that mean he likes Aeris more than he liked me when I was just Ember the wolfless Omega?
’You are the same person, dummy.’ My mind said. However, I can’t help but compare how he treated me and how he treated Aeris... he looked at her like she meant the world to him.
A strange weight rested on my chest. "Damon," I began after a short pause. "Why did you hide your identity from me? Do you regret that I’m not your Ember?"
"I didn’t mean to keep any secrets from you. You are the Fae Princess, I was just afraid that you might not take it well considering our history." He walked closer behind me.
Did he even love me when I was Ember? I could still remember the hatred and coldness in his eyes when he rejected me... he had punished me... however he had been gentle with Aeris, is it because I happened to be a princess now, and not the lowly omega and breeder I was before?
"So did you take out your heart for me... or is it because I looked like Ember?" My throat tightened as the word left my lips.
I turned to face him when I didn’t hear him say anything. His eyes clouded with emotions but there was no confusion.
His lips pulled up into a smirk. "I did it because I know somewhere deep inside you, Ember is there... And don’t get me wrong, it is just that you haven’t recovered your memories." His voice softened.
"I know you won’t believe me, however I took out my heart for you and Ember." He added.
My breath halted. I blinked, turning before continuing walking. ’What does he mean? Why do I care? I hate him and I’ll never forget what he did to me.’
Silence stretched through the space between us, broken by the clearing of his throat.
"Hmm... you claimed you have awakened your powers, why not teleport us from here?" His voice was taunting... almost as if he didn’t believe me.
I stopped mid-stride, my lips twitching into a bitter smile. "You think it’s that easy? Fine. Since my dear pet commands it, let’s see if I can do it."
He folded his arms, his lips tugging upward like he already knew I would fail. "Go ahead, Master. Show me."
I closed my eyes, steadying my breath. The magic pulsed faintly against my wrist, and I willed the air to bend. A spark of power surged through me, and the ground beneath our feet hummed.
The next second, a portal ripped open in front of us, its golden light swirled violently, tugging at the leaves around us.
Damon tilted his head. "Not bad."
I shot him a glare before stepping through first. The air swirled, its pressure crushing my ears, and when my feet hit the ground again, I blinked in shock.
We were standing in another forest... Exactly like the one we left.
’Wonderful.’
Damon’s chuckle rang behind me. "Very impressive. You managed to teleport us... from one tree to another."
Heat flushed up my neck. "Shut up."
He leaned closer, his voice warm in my ear. "Should I clap for you, Master?"
My fist twitched at my side. "Try mocking me again and see what happens."
"Fine," he said with mock seriousness. "We’ll die of hunger in style, at least the trees look the same."
I ignored him, forcing the power to flare again. The portal snapped open, bigger this time. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of hesitation... I marched straight through the portal landing on the other side.
This time when I opened my eyes, a wave of heat slammed into me. My lungs burned, the ground beneath me trembled, and the stench of sulfur nearly made me gag.
Flames covered the horizon, lava oozed down jagged rocks not far from us, rivers of fire cut through the ground, and the roar of the volcano was deafening.
I staggered back a step. "What the hell..."
"Now this," Damon cut in, his lips twitching with amusement, "is creative. From trees to fire pits. Should I assume the next stop will be underwater?"
I spun on him, glaring daggers through him. "Do you want me to drop you inside that lava and be done with it?"
His smirk widened. "You wouldn’t dare, I’m your precious pet, remember?"
The ground cracked nearby, molten rock spilling down. My heart jumped, and I summoned the power again, the portal flared open, and I dragged him with me before the earth swallowed us both.