Lynette Noni - A Very Medoran Kaldoras: Part 2

WARNING: The following short story is the sequel to A Very Medoran Kaldoras. The Kaldoras stories should only be read after finishing the entirety of The Medoran Chronicles, as they contain spoilers for the whole series.

Journey back to the world of Medora for the eagerly awaited sequel to A Very Medoran Kaldoras! Set nine months after the conclusion of Lynette Nonis #1 bestselling series, find out who Alexandra Jennings finds in the paintingand, more importantly, why? Dont forget to read Part 1 of A Very Medoran Kaldoras first!

*WARNING* Spoilers for those who havent read the entire Medoran Chronicles series!

PART 2

A VERY MEDORAN CHRISTMAS KALDORAS

By Lynette Noni

Contents

He knew she would come.

Hed been watching her, just as hed promised. Not in a perverse way, though she would likely scrunch her nose and joke about that being the case. No, he watched in the sense of watching over her, of wanting to make sure she was safeand happy. She deserved that, after everything shed been through. After everything shed sacrificed.

So hed been watching.

But hed also been waiting.

For this day.

For this moment.

For everything that was ahead, even if he still couldnt believe there was an ahead for him. His future should have been non-existent. He should have been non-existent. And yet, here he was. Still existing.

He had no idea how he would explain it to her, when he himself didnt fully understand it. But with the time now upon them, it was too late for him to seek answers to impossible questions.

Because there she was.

Stepping out of the paintingor rather, into the paintingand onto the Golden Cliffs that bordered the portrait depicting Meya.

The city was a marvel, even if it wasnt real. It looked real, right down to the spiralling towers that glittered with Myrox and the waterfalls pouring into the valley. If not for the absence of Meyarinsor life in general, aside from one single, miserable exceptionthen he would have thought the view before them was the actual Lost City.

It wasnt. But some parts of it still somehow were, brought to life by the power of Soraya de lah Torrathe Light of the Worlds; the sentient Library of legend.

He knew better than to try and understand how it worked. The Library was full of wonders, with the fabricated Meya being the least of those hed experienced personally.

Focusing more closely on the girl, he watched as she peered around, a quizzical frown creasing her forehead. He knew who she was searching for, even if he wanted to kick her ass for her tender mortal heart that led her here, time and time again. But despite wanting to shake some sense into her, he understood why she kept coming back, the sentiment she couldnt deny, couldnt ignore. Part of him felt the same, even if hed worked for years to squash those nostalgic feelings. Millennia, even.

He shifted slightly, brushing up against the golden foliage to make just enough sound to catch her heightened hearing, wanting her to be aware of his approach. But even so, as he slowly stepped out from the Silverwood trees and onto the cliff where she stood, her shock was enough that she dropped the item in her handsa plate holding some kind of dessert, likely a leftover from her Kaldoras festivities. She could have caught it with her immortal reflexes, but she didnt even try, instead gasping loudly and staring at him like he was a ghost.

His lips quirked at that. He couldnt help it, given the circumstances.

He also knew there was no warning he could have offered to prepare her for the sight of him. Shed come expecting to see one person: the Rebel Prince, Aven Dalmarta.

And instead

Hello, kitten.

Niyx Raedon watched as Alexandra Jennings, the mortal hed once been Claimed by atop these very same cliffs, reacted to his quiet greeting, her brown eyes wideningand filling swiftly with tears.

Niyx, she breathed, as if she couldnt believe it.

He couldnt believe it either, so he couldnt blame her for her stunned surprise. It was one thing for her to be able to seek him out by visiting the Gate of Lost Souls, with it affording a directif limitedconnection to the world beyond the stars, but another entirely for him to be back among the living.

Even if he wasnt. Not really.

And yet

Niyx felt a headache coming on, not just because of the questions surrounding his current state of existence, but also the reasons for it.

And more, for the responsibility that came with it.

That was something he wasnt looking forward to. But he could worry about that later. Right now, there was something else that required his attention. Someone else.

Someone who clearly needed a little help to get past her shock.

Shaking off his deeper troubles, Niyx scrounged up a cocky grin and said, I know its painful to take your eyes off the perfection that is mehe gestured to his face and body, and threw a wink in for good measurebut how about we aim for less ogling and more hugging. He opened his arms for her. Get over here, Aeylia.

That wasnt her name, he knew, but that was how shed first been introduced to hima long, long time agoand it felt more natural to call her that than Alex. Shed never seemed to mind. She didnt even mind him calling her kitten now, though early on shed scowled any time hed provoked her with the nickname. Hed always loved how easy it was to rile her up, especially during her sojourn to the past. Now, it was something he used with affection; something sweet, something soft, something just for them.

Im not getting any younger here, Niyx drawled when she remained frozen. But more importantly, neither are you. Is that a grey hair I see? And wrinkles? Yikes.

Alex finally came back to herself with a visible jolt, and the next second, she bounded forward, slamming into Niyx so hard that he rocked backwards and let out a muted grunt.

How are you here? she demanded into his chest, sniffling back her tears, her grip tight enough to make him wince. How are you alive? WhoWhatWhereI dont understand!

Breathe, kitten, Niyx said, rubbing a hand soothingly down her back. He was used to her mortal hysterics by now, even if her reaction made him want to roll his eyes. But he also had to admit it felt good to have someone love him so much!and miss him so much. Hed given his life for Alex, but as hed once told heror rather, written to herhe couldnt imagine a person more worthy of his sacrifice, especially knowing that shed needed to stay alive in order to save everyone they cared about. And the entire world. Worlds, even.

Niyxs thoughts darkened as he recalled why such a threat had been upon them, but he didnt travel too far down that mental pathway, not yet ready to follow where it led. Or rather, who it led to.

Instead, he pushed Alex away slightly until he was looking into her teary eyes, seeing the disbelief and hope shining unfiltered from her gaze. He didnt want that to fade, but he also needed to keep her from jumping to the wrong conclusions.

Theres no delicate way to say this, kitten, he told her gently, but Im still dead. Technically speaking.

Alex wiped her cheeks. You dont look dead. She poked his ribs. You dont feel dead, either. She looked around, her gaze flickering with uncertainty. Is thisis this somehow Did I accidentally step through another Gate? Is that how youre here? She frowned into the trees. It wouldnt be the first time the Library dropped me off somewhere unexpected.