Lorkana by Emily Zimmerman. (free e books to read TXT) 📕

I sensed another was in the room, I tried to see through the darkness that obstructed my vision, but it was no use, I had to wait for my eyes to adjust.
When my eyes did adjust, I saw a black silhouette standing across the room from me, fear coursed through my veins as he walked closer “who are you?” I asked my voice shaking as I moved away.
The silhouette paused “Johanna” he breathed. I knew that voice!
“Logan!” I cried.
He caught me in his familiar strong arms as I stumbled toward him. I buried my face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around me, breathing in his scent.
“Logan, I was so worried that they had hurt you” I gasped in his chest.
“Johanna, what are you doing here? How did you get here?” he asked urgently, pulling back to look into my eyes.
“I-I don’t know, the last thing I remember was that I was with Vivia, and we were trying to tap into this connection that you and I have, and then I went to sleep and…” I looked up in realization, sleeping, that is the key.
“Sleeping” I whispered.
“Johanna, look at me, how did you get here?” he asked it slowly, trying to figure out what I was saying.
“I fell asleep, imagining that you were with me, to make it easier to rest, Vivia had a theory that you and I were connected by soul, that we each have one half of each other’s soul, and that we can communicate through that bond, we tried all day to tap into that connection, but all it took was me imagining that I was in your arms, and going to sleep” I felt like slapping myself in the face for being so stupid.
Logan stared at me for a while, and I wished I could see his expression “Logan?” I asked after a while of silence.
He brought his hand up to my face, still not saying anything, he stroked my cheek lightly, making me smile under his touch.
Suddenly, he leaned over and lit a candle that was beside us, dimly lighting the room.
Finally, I could see his face; he was staring into my eyes, a serious, yet soft, look on his face. “Logan, you have to tell me where you are” I said, growing serious again.
“No” he shook his head stubbornly.
“Logan, I don’t care what the hell waits for me outside this room, I have to know where they are keeping you” I demanded.
He looked at me in surprise, I had never cursed in front of him before.
“I won’t tell you, I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me, I took an oath that I would protect you, from anything, I love you, Johanna, and I won’t see you taken away from me” he said, trying to get me to see his side.
I gave him a hard look “like I saw you taken away from me that day? Do you know how much it pained me when I woke up to find you gone? How could you not tell me about this? I feel betrayed, and lied to, you should have told me about this, we could have done something, I could have-“
“No, don’t you dare say what I think you were going to say, that wouldn’t have been an option, I would have given myself up in a heartbeat if I had the slightest idea what you were thinking” he interrupted angrily.
I sighed “please, Logan, just tell me where you are, Demetrio and Vivia are gathering a large group of men to fight our way in, we are going to get you out, if you would just tell us where” I whispered.
He set his jaw in a stubborn way, and I sighed, I leaned up on my toes and pecked him on the lips, “please tell me?” I asked softly.
He shook his head.
“Please?” I asked after a longer kiss.
Again, he shook his head, though he was relaxing.
“Please?” I asked, kissing him the longest yet.
His resolve was weakening, I could see it in the way he only shook his head the slightest bit.
I kissed him again, wrapping my arms around his neck and letting my passion flow through the kiss, and he didn’t resist this kiss, he just wrapped his arms around my waist with a resigned sigh.
I pulled back, staring into his eyes “please?” I asked again.
He sighed “I’m being held prisoner in the human kingdoms in the dungeons underground” he mumbled.
I smiled and kissed him again, wrapping my arms more tightly around him. “I promise that nothing bad will happen” I said when I pulled away.
He sighed and nodded.
That’s when I woke up, I started awake, gasping for air, the room was dark, nothing but the candle that I kept lit shining dimly beside my bed. I searched my bed for Logan, my mind still hazy, but I found nothing, first, a part of me wanted to cry, but another part of me wanted to rejoice, I have the information I needed.
So I called for Vivia and Demetrio.
Chapter seven:

“How do you know you weren’t just dreaming?” Demetrio asked, still skeptical while Vivia and I practically bounced off the stone walls in happiness.
“Because I…” could I tell them that our small reunion was one of passion?
“Because you what?” he asked, raising an eyebrow with a knowing look.
I flushed “I just know alright? I could feel it-“
“Or you could feel him” he nudged me suggestively.
Vivia elbowed him in the ribs as I blushed scarlet red “I did no such thing!” I spluttered.
He grinned at my defensiveness “whatever you say, Johanna” he chuckled.
I glared at him, but didn’t say anything else “did he tell you where he was?” Vivia asked hopefully.
I nodded “he took a little convincing, I had to ki- Argue with him for a long time” I blushed, seeing Demetrio’s grin widen.
“Well where is he?” she asked.
“In the dungeon, below the human castle” I said.
Vivia grinned “that will be fun” she said.
I frowned for a second, but then sighed “I have to go with you, when you rescue him” I said.
Vivia and Demetrio immediately started shaking their heads “absolutely not” Demetrio said, seriously now.
“Yes, I’m going, and that’s final, so you had better include me in the attack plans, he saved my life, now I have to save his” I said, determination ringing in my voice.
They both measured how determined I was to go with them, Demetrio shrugged and bowed his head “as you wish, majesty” he said, his voice still unsure.
Vivia sighed and bowed her head “alright, but you are staying with us no matter what happens, got it?” she asked severely.
I nodded, “we’ll need to train you in fighting, and make you some armor, just in case we are overpowered and are unable to protect you any longer” Demetrio rolled his eyes, obviously over confident in his strength.
“Okay. And Vivia?” I asked as she was about to leave.
She turned back to me “thank you” I murmured.
She smiled wryly, but nodded.
After they both left, I felt alone again, so I called Aileen into bed with me, and lifted her pups onto the bed, because they couldn’t jump up. Aileen had her back against mine, and her pups snuggled into my stomach with their fluffy bodies. I closed my eyes, wrapping my arm around one of the puppies near my chest. It was still dark out, and I felt exhausted, I missed Logan dearly, I wished I could be near him again, to feel his arms around me, but no matter how hard I tried to envision his arms wrapped around me again, it wouldn’t happen, I couldn’t get that connection again.
I would have told him that I loved him in the dream, but I wanted to have him home, to tell him in person that I loved him, I wanted to know that it was real…


I awoke the next morning to knocking on my door; the pups were sleeping peacefully on my chest while Aileen lifted her head, fully awake and alert. Lifting the pups from my chest and setting them beside their mother, I groggily got up, groaning. I opened the door and peered out, Vivia smiled slightly “I’m sorry to wake you, majesty, but we must have an early start, we have a nice breakfast ready, and then we’ll have to measure your size for the armor, also, Aileen will be coming with us, we’ll have armor made for her as well” she informed.
I nodded, rubbing my eyes in a tired gesture “okay, give me a minute to bathe and get dressed” I mumbled, sighing.
Vivia nodded and I closed the door, walking into my bathroom, I stopped abruptly, a woman was filling the bathtub with fresh water, she bowed her head to me “your majesty, I’m sorry, your bath will be ready soon” she said quickly.
I walked over to her and put my hand on her shoulder “please, don’t rush, and call me Johanna, none of this majesty stuff” I said softly.
The woman bowed her head once more “thank you ma- I mean Johanna” she murmured.
I smiled as she blushed under her naturally tan skin. She had dull grey eyes, and greying brown hair.
I left the room to wait for the bath to be ready, and stroked Aileen’s head, deep in thought. I thought of how we were going to find Logan, they had told me last night that they would immediately start planning, so I assumed they would have the plan ready.
I missed Logan’s smile, his warm hands enveloping mine, his soft furry back that I would ride on, his bright silver eyes that could stare straight into my heart and soul, his strong arms that could wrap around me and take all my troubles away, even if I didn’t realize it. I wished that I had told him that I loved, I wished that I could have stayed with him a little longer, but I will be with him soon enough, I was sure of it.
“Johanna, your bath is ready” the woman murmured, her hands clasped in front of her with her head down.
“Thank you, what is your name, miss?” I asked.
“Dana, my lady” she murmured, not looking at me.
I cocked my head to the side, not liking everyone not meeting my eyes “meet my eyes, Dana, please, I’m not used to being royalty, but I do find it respectful to meet someone’s eyes when speaking to them” I said, softly but sternly.
She looked up and met my eyes, I smiled “there, see? It’s better to look at someone when speaking” I murmured.
She finally smiled, it wasn’t a full smile, just a small curve of the lips “if I may, Johanna, you are a very kind queen” she murmured.
“Thank you” I said, nodding once.
After she