Chapter 7: A Little Too Salty

[Roux].

Days went by, and the routine remained the same.

Aenon would barge into the room and feed me. Since I can be stubborn as a mule, he would get his own way with brute force and shove the food down my throat.

My strength is like a fly trying to take down a mammoth—impossible.

Honestly, I couldn’t do much, given my situation.

Another thing was that there was a constant battle between us every time I needed to go to the bathroom or clean myself down the brook. I mean, who on earth will not retaliate if a man, seven-foot-tall, built like a bull, would leash you in a rope tied to his waist, standing not five meters away from me while I do my private business?

He might have the decency to turn his back on me, but still! It’s not only humiliating but an invasion of privacy as well.

I hate that giant brooding of a man.

It was already night when I woke from my supposed afternoon nap. I have already lost count of how many naps I have taken during the day.

I’m getting bored and tired, and my back sore from being tied down all day on a bed.

Also, staring at the ceiling for far too long than you can remember usually does that. I mean, there’s nothing else I can do aside from cursing Aenon in my head. Track how many strands of cobwebs the tiny spiders have made at the corner and count the specks of dust that float right before my eyes.

However, I felt something strange when my eyes fluttered into the soft glow of the oil lamp at the bedside table.

Weird.

The first thing I noticed was that both my wrists felt unrestricted.

What?

My half-consciousness propelled my body forward, bleeding all the sleepiness away from my system as I stared at my hands suspiciously, flipping them back and forth, testing in case I was still dreaming.

However, the cluttering noise coming from the kitchen caught my attention. Without thinking twice, I scooted my butt off the bed and threaded into the entryway, peeking through the drapery.

Aenon’s broad back was on me. The muscles underneath his skin flex in every motion he makes while cleaning the rabbit at the sink.

This is your chance, Roux.

Get the hell out of here.

I tell myself, but as soon as I was about to turn into the window, I noticed the two wooden bars crisscrossing at the pane, stealing my chances of escape.

Adite’s mercy!

He might have freed me from the binds, but he’s totally caged me inside his cabin.

My chest immediately deflated as the drape flapped to the side, and Aenon loomed over the doorway.

“Really? I did not know I am now a bird in a cage.”

A frown immediately makes its way to his face at my statement.

As usual, he said nothing but walked closer to me. Before I could bolt away from him, he captured my hand first, gently dragging me out of the room and into the kitchen. He only stopped when we reached the sink and showed me the rabbit meat he had just finished cutting.

“So what now?” I crossed my arms and faced him, my brow pulled up in annoyance.

Don’t tell me he wanted me to cook for him after he bound me to his bed?

Aenon looked at me, then at the meat, and he meticulously prepared it at the earthen basin.

“What?” I snapped irately.

“Cook.”

My eyes instinctively rolled at him before shooting him an exasperated look.

“How kind of you to unbind me from your bed just so you can order me around the way you want me to.” My tone was terse, the sarcasm trickling over and unwelcoming with this demand.

But then, an idea came into my mind, and it took me a lot of effort not to let a smile creep on my face.

“Fine,” I grumbled, pirouetting on my heels before my face betrayed me.

I quickly began my work while Aenon was comfortable in front of the fireplace. I noticed he was playing with his tobacco stick but did not light it up.

Good.

It didn’t take long before I finished cooking, and now for the final touches as my plan hatches into reality.

I took the steaming wooden bowl. While I made my way to the table, I immediately sprinkled too much salt into the stew. Stirring it a couple of times before placing it on the side where he usually sits.

I felt him stand up from the fireplace, dragging the sofa behind him, and sit down. I was humming with glee as I served myself and took the place right before him.

Aenon eyed the stew with glee as he quickly picked up his bowl, disregarding the spoon, and slurped the hot broth.

I watched him intently as his eyes widened, trying to keep the giggle from bursting at my throat when he immediately put down the bowl and went to the kitchen sink.

I thought he would spit out the food, but instead, he went to get the pitcher and drank its contents down to the bottom.

His accusing look immediately landed on me, but I acted innocently and shrugged.

“What?” I say, flipping my hair nonchalantly. “I didn’t say I am a good cook. The first time I tried must be Adite’s luck.”

Aenon stared at me for a moment, and he knew I was lying, but I didn’t care.

I ignored him and switched my attention to my food. Scooping a spoonful of rabbit meat, eating it with much gusto. Ultimately aware of the molten emerald gaze focused on my face.

The flavors burst on my tongue, expelling the bland taste of porridge he served me this morning. Unknowingly, erupting a satisfied moan from my throat.

I was about to get my second bite when my bowl suddenly disappeared in front of me. My eyes followed where it went and saw them in Aenon’s large hands. Using his own spoon, he digs into my food. His brows pulled up in the realization that I did, in fact, deliberately put too much salt into his food.

My breath caught. Waiting for Aenon to lash out in anger. However, what surprised me was when he burst into a boisterous laugh.

His shoulders shook, throwing his head back with mirth, the sound of his laughter reverberating off the walls and seemingly shaking the very foundations of the cabin.

Dumbstruck with his laughter, I gaped at him. Somehow beguiled by how captivatingly, excruciatingly beautiful he is when he laughs.

Striking me hard as though not too long ago, he hadn’t bound me in his bed just because I asked him to help me go back to my town.

The exact thought broke me out of my trance and snapped me out of his laughter’s enchantment.

A sneer forms on my face. Standing up, snatched my bowl from Aenon’s massive hand and returned to my seat. That immediately silenced him, brows pulled up as he stared down at me.

“Sorry, not sorry, but there’s no stew left on the pot.” I say, digging into my food without throwing him a glance.

I could still feel my cheeks burning while his laughter rang in my ear. A part of me doesn’t want him to stop laughing, and I could just listen to it all night without tiring.

Adite’s mercy! What is happening to me?

Pushing those thoughts out of my head. I forced myself to focus on my stew. However, I am still fully aware of Aenon’s movements as he rounded the table and reclaimed his seat.

He placed a pitcher full of water along with his bowl in front of him.

This time, my brows raised in confusion, eyeing him with scrutiny.

Don’t tell me he will still eat the salty stew I gave him? I thought he was going to throw it away.

Aenon met my gaze in a dare but said nothing. Instead, he started eating, his face contorted from the saltiness, but he would only chug the overbearing flavor with water. One bite next to another until his bow was left empty.

I gaped at him. Jaw-dropping wide, he cleaned down the last drop from his bowl and smirked at me.

Adite’s mercy! Wouldn’t that make him sick?

Somehow, a sudden tinge of worry claws at the pit of my stomach, guilt to be that.

“W—well, it would be a shame to waste food when there were too many children going hungry in the entire world.” I say, basically stammering as I composed myself back to nonchalance. “Good for you to have a warm meal.”

I throw him one last look before I finish my own food. Aenon stood and dragged his sofa in front of the fireplace. His back is on me; only Adite knows what he’s doing.

Hopefully, I will not smoke because it smells awful.

After eating, I left the dishes on the kitchen sink and headed straight to the room.

I cooked, and obviously, Aenon was the one who made the hunt, but I don’t care. I am not going to wash the dishes.

Most likely, I spent the rest of the night sulking until later, I heard noise from the kitchen, and it sounded like Aenon had been cleaning every mess I had left.

The following day, I was half expecting to find myself bound again on the bed, but when I woke up, my wrists were unconstraint. I was momentarily happy, thinking I was free to go out. However, that notion was short-lived when I saw the bars on the window and how the front door was locked from the outside.

I huffed, jangling the door, hoping it would somehow magically open.

“That jerk.”