Ileus: The Dark Prince

After Daryn and Dawn left, Anastasia quickly finished her stew and ate berries. She was surprised how much better she felt after that. Ileus helped her to lie down. She tucked her wings back as much as she could but they were still out. It was comfortable to spread them out fully and sleep. She bent the bones in a way that they were above her shoulders and she was directly lying on her wings. 

Ileus also lay beside her and then wrapped an arm over her waist. He moved forward and kissed her cheek. "I want you to relax, sweetheart. Don't worry about anything for now." He removed a strand of golden hair from her face and tucked it behind. 

When his gaze fell on her wing, he had the curiosity to touch it. His fingers brushed the feathers. "So soft," he murmured. The inside of the wings were pink and had a mesh of numerous veins that crisscrossed. He stroked his finger on the outer edges of the wings and her wings rustled in response. 

"It tickles," she replied, but that was a lie. His touch was provocative on a thing as sensitive as her wing. 

Ileus chuckled. He continued to stroke her wing and silence followed. In the silence, he tried not to think of his sister. He asked, "How did you kill Nyles?" 

Anastasia took a deep breath. "I sliced her limbs one by one and let her bleed. She was a fae, and I knew that if given time she would regrow her limbs, but I didn't give her the time. Her killing was not without the pain," she said as her eyes flickered a silver and violet, burning with anger. "I killed her and I didn't feel… bad." 

"You did right, sweetheart," he said in a low voice. 

She turned her face to him and said, "Aren't you worried that I killed her so ruthlessly." 

He shook his head. "Not at all. She deserved it. You gave her a quick death by my standards. I would have sliced her with my shadows in so many pieces that her soul would have shuddered." 

"And what about the fae soldiers?" She pitied the fact that humans or other Loreans were used as fae soldiers. Maybe she would abolish the policy of recruiting non-faes in the army. It was not justified. 

"Out of the ten, eight were killed and two were seriously injured. Haldir has taken them as captives and I hope they survive." 

Anastasia's heart twisted. "Why do you want them to survive?" 

"Haldir is going to extract their memories." 

She closed her eyes and pursed her lips. Because of being in Aed Ruad's army they would be subjected to torture. She felt… enraged. Her wrath directed at Maple. "Maple is such a sick woman. I hope she rots in the wizard prison." Her breath became ragged and she pressed her hands on her face. 

He pried open her fingers and leaned over her face. "Ana, let the rage inside you simmer. I want you to relax now." 

Her cheeks were wet with tears. He kissed her tears and said, "Don't waste them. They are too precious." He wiped them away. "If you are feeling better, I think you should do some training." 

An eyebrow raised, she asked, "What kind of training?" 

"To use those wings," he replied and once again stroked the insides of it. 

She bit her lip to suppress her emotions. 

"Is something wrong, my dear?" he asked as he watched her face and continued to stroke. 

Heat pooled between her thighs. She didn't know that her wings would prove to be so sensitive. She shook her head quickly. "No!" 

"Ah, I see," he replied and carried on brushing her wings with his fingers. "I think I can do this for the whole night." 

What? Anastasia's heart skipped a beat. That would be torture. She had to control her feelings. 

Over the next two days, she was pampered and spoiled as much as possible by him. If she needed food, he would simply use his magic. If she wanted to take a bath, he would carry her there and bring her back. If she wanted to go out and walk, he would carry her there and walk with her. She would try to spread her wings but her shoulder blades would ache so much that she would eventually end up dragging them. She wondered how other faes would spread them so easily and fly. She longed to do that. Other than that one of the major problems that she faced was dressing up. Accommodating her wings in a way that they were free from her dresses was an issue she never thought she would face. She recalled how other faes would wear dresses and asked for Dawn's help to ask her seamstresses to make special dresses for her. 

Ileus never left her alone even for a minute except when he would disappear during the nights. It was on the third day that when she was having her lunch along with him that the doors of her room opened and in walked a disheveled Daryn. Her eyes became wide at his appearance. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked very tired. It was as if he hadn't slept in a long time. She noticed a gleam in his eyes as he looked at her. 

"I think I have done it!" he said with excitement. He was holding something that looked like a large corset, only that it was made from very soft cotton. 

Ileus got up with a grin. He took the outfit from him and examined it. He turned his gaze to Anastasia and said, "For the past two days Daryn and I have been trying to create a special outfit for you." 

"For what?" she asked, bewildered. 

"To adjust your wings," he said. "Get up and open them so that we may try it on you." 

The veins inside throbbed and pulsated silver when she opened them fully nearly knocking down the vases from the tables on the side. Daryn was mesmerized. "By Skadi! These are exotic!" No wonder Ileus was urgently looking for a solution to hide them.

Ileus went behind her and expanded the outfit on her back. "Now slowly fold your wings." 

As she began to fold, she realized that the outfit had vertical slats that were made from soft collapsible material. As and as she folded her wings, the material gathered comfortably around them and in the end, her wings were completely collected and tucked comfortably behind her. Ileus buttoned it at the back. 

"Oh that's wonderful!" she remarked. Her back felt so cushy and good for the first time in three days that her lips kicked up in an ear-to-ear grin. So this is what Ileus was doing at night. "Thank you so much!" she said, clasping her hands. She hugged her husband tightly. 

"Damn! I am brilliant," said Daryn. Dazed, he walked out. He heard Anastasia giggle. He had to tell his wife about his achievement and remind her of the reward she had promised. 

"This is provisional, sweetheart," said Ileus. "From tomorrow, you will start your rigorous training with me." 

"Are we going to Tides of Bromval after this?" 

"Yes!" he said with a ragged breath. In all these days he realized that he couldn't leave her behind. It was better that they found Iona first.

But—