CHAPTER 172 : TEMPTED

Kira, who was already done with her meal and was taking the last bite, paused, her expression shifting.

"He's dead," she said, setting her fork down.

"But how?" Aiden inquired. "He was old but didn't seem like someone who could be easily killed."

"Well, he was killed. Easily," Kira chuckled sadly and then went on to tell them everything from when she first met Baba Razz to how he died, how he was nice to her, and his role in her meeting the elves.

"I felt strangely comfortable around him," she admitted. "I'm not sure how to explain it, but I don't know. His death was painful, and I did blame myself, but I knew he wouldn't want me to do that, so… yeah."

"I'm sorry," Aiden muttered as he and Bryan leaned in on each side and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

"May his soul rest in peace," Elara added quietly. "And I'm sure he will be very proud of who you are today."

Blowing Elara a kiss, Kira agreed and decided to change the topic, not wanting their happy moments to be sour.

"So," she said, glancing between Bryan and Aiden. "What have you both been up to all these years? And I don't want to hear anything about the curse. I want to know about you both."

"Well…" Bryan shrugged, "Nothing much."

"Just…same as usual," Aiden added. "Work, pack, work?"

"Nothing much indeed," Elara scoffed. "They buried themselves in work after you left," she told Kira, giving her sons out. "They hardly smiled or laughed; they closed off, and if any day we saw them smile or laugh, we would literally have to thank the Moon Goddess."

"And," Elara continued, undeterred, "they would also lock themselves up in their offices and rooms. The first three years were the worst."

"You guys…" Kira's expression softened as she looked at them. "You two are…" She sighed, not able to find the right word; meanwhile, Bryan and Aiden only smiled at her, their eyes filled with love and admiration.

"Let's just…finish our meals," Kira suggested to everyone at the dining. "We have other days to talk more."

"You're right," Orion agreed, everyone else agreeing too, and soon, the dining got silent, but in a nice way.

Dinner was great, and as it came to an end and everyone got up as the maids began to clear the table, Kira turned to Elara.

"We should go shopping tomorrow."

"Really?" Elara's eyes lit up.

"Of course," Kira smiled. "It's been a while, and I didn't have time to pack anything."

"Great. We will go tomorrow, and I will find something for you to wear for tomorrow's shopping," Elara said, already making the plans in her head.

"What about me?" Orion asked, an eyebrow raised.

"We will discuss our own plans another day," Kira laughed. "Don't start being dramatic again."

"Fine," he agreed. "We will leave you three now. Have a goodnight," he said as he pulled Elara with him. "Sweet dreams."

As they left, Kira, Bryan, and Aiden turned and headed upstairs.

When they reached her door, Kira turned to them, her hand on the doorknob.

"So, we're calling it a night, then?" Bryan asked, his voice low and a bit husky.

"Mhm," Kira nodded, her eyes and the way she stared at them, showing how mischievous she was about to be.

With a sultry smirk, she tilted her head while leaning against the door frame, her one hand still on the doorknob.

"You sure you both don't want to come in?" Her voice was teasing and quite inviting. "Or maybe… just one of you?"

At her question, Bryan and Aiden visibly stiffened, their gazes going over her and the way her lips curled in amusement.

Aiden quickly cleared his throat, looking away. "No. No. You should, um, get some rest."

"Yeah," Bryan nodded just as quickly, agreeing with him. "It's been an exhausting day."

"I know it has," she held back a laugh as she watched them squirm and struggle to keep their composure. "I just thought it would be okay to invite you both in. But I understand. Because of the curse, it would be better to sleep in different rooms, right?"

"Yes. That exactly," Bryan answered, knowing fully well that even the curse would not stop him from going in there, but still, he had to get a hold of himself.

"Okay then," Kira murmured as she opened the door and went in.

"I guess we're calling it an early night," she said teasingly, turning and closing the door slowly while keeping her eyes on them. "Goodnight."

And as she pushed the door further, taking her precious time, she suddenly noticed something and looked down.

Their feet.

Both Bryan and Aiden's feet were at the foot of the door, keeping it from closing.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" She laughed silently while staring at their feet, and then kept her face serious when she looked up at them. "Or if you both remove your legs, then I can close the door."

Immediately, their feet disappeared and that was it.

Kira couldn't hold it in anymore.

The laugh made its way out of her mouth as she slammed the door shut and locked it quickly before running to the bed.

She collapsed onto it, staring at the ceiling while still laughing.

"Goddess," she whispered between giggles, "their faces of embarrassment."

Meanwhile, outside her room, Bryan and Aiden just stood there, still processing what had just happened.

They could hear her laughing from inside the room, and they were not sure how to react, but all that they knew was that she was laughing, and she was laughing at them.

Closing his eyes, Bryan dragged a hand down his face. "She is never going to let us live this down."

"Yeah…" Aiden ruffled his hair, still slightly dazed. "But you can't blame us."

"Us?" Bryan questioned as he turned to face Aiden. "You are the one who embarrassed us here."

"Me?" Aiden's head snapped toward him. "How?"

"Can't you control yourself?" Bryan asked mockingly. "Can't you?"

"Your foot," Aiden gestured to Bryan's foot, then the door, "was literally there first! I simply added mine."

"And you're proud to say that?" Bryan asked as he stared at Aiden like something was wrong with him.

"I-" Aiden was going to respond, but before he could form a proper defense, Bryan turned and left, walking toward his room with a smirk on his face, while Aiden pointed at his chest, his mouth opening and closing while he watched Bryan walk away from him.

"But we both..." He muttered.

"How is it me?" He thought, still not realizing that his twin was trying to put all the embarrassment on him, and as they each reached their rooms, Aiden shoved his key into his, Bryan doing the same.

Just before they pushed their doors open, they both shot each other a glare, opened the door, walked inside and slammed their doors shut at the same time.

"Unbelievable," Aiden muttered as he began to undress.

"He was literally drooling over her. I should have taken a picture of his face," he said as he tossed the shirt to the side and scoffed.

"He's even more embarrassing. Tsk."