Chapter 42 Chapter Forty -two
Aquila stood silently for a while, his back leaning against the pillar to support his own body while he studied the man before him. A soft glow of light from an unknown source cast over Asher, making the sweat that still coated his body glisten. His dark hair was a tousled mess with a few strands sticking to his forehead. Muscles twitched and trembled under his skin with every breath he took in and let out. His clothes were worn out, as the dark jeans he wore hung dangerously low on his hips.
Despite everything he'd been through a couple of minutes ago, the rough edges and scar on his handsome face made Asher look hot. And he smiled.
"What?" Asher asked, his brows drawing closer.
"If I told you, you'd probably set me on fire." Aquila chuckled.
Asher didn't comment, instead, his gaze lowered toward the broken salt circle.
“You should stop helping me.”
Aquila stared at him.
Then barked out a sharp laugh.
“Absolutely not.”
“One day it’ll kill you.”
“One day something will.” Aquila shrugged lazily. “Might as well make it meaningful.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
The chamber dimmed as the last remnants of purple fire died away.
“You know, Asher,” he muttered, “, I don't have anything to live for.”
“Of course you do. Unlike me, time is endless for you. Why waste it on me?” Asher's voice softened.
Something akin to pain and guilt flashed in Asher's eyes. His mask concealed many things. Pain, insecurity ...guilt. All of it. He blamed himself for the fire. Blamed himself for not protecting the people in his life. And now? He was dragging Aquila down this path and he felt helpless against his fate. Deep down, Asher wished he'd just die one of these days. But even then, his soul would know no peace because there was just so much to solve and time was so Little.
"I'm the lowest-ranked amongst beasts and Demons. When everyone turned their backs on me, you held out a hand." Aquila confessed. His voice was full of sincerity. "I would trade my life if it meant you get to live, Asher." He paused, then continued. "This world needs you more than it needs me."
Asher snorted softly, and Aquila rolled his eyes. “Wow, and here I was trying to be vulnerable."
"What would I do without you, Aquila?"
"Not much, apparently." He scoffed. "You can't even clean up after yourself."
A tight, irritated smile tugged at Asher's lips at his words. But it was a fond one. He could still feel his body screaming from the hellish pain. In fact, all he wanted to do was slide down a wall and allow the cool from the stone floor to purge his soul. But he stood tall and proud. A true dragon.
But still, the dull ache pulsed beneath his ribs as he pushed himself away from the wall and crossed toward the basin near the chamber steps. The water inside reflected a fractured version of his face as his fingers brushed the edge of the stone basin.
For a split second, another reflection flickered across the water.
Violet eyes and delicate features that gave room to a different kind of pain in his chest.
Crystal.
"I think my fate is testing me." His brows knotted together. Aquila knew that look. It was the look of a man who wanted something that was out of his reach.
“Are you thinking about the girl?”
" Yes." He replied without hesitation as he splashed cold water across his face.
"She certainly is... interesting." He said. He could think of many words to describe the human, but interesting was the best he could think of. Especially when he remembered how adamant she'd been to walk into a category five danger zone with no form of protection. And on top of that, she'd tried to resist his compulsion.
"Yeah. She's certainly interesting." He repeated the words again as though to reaffirm the statement.
“Were you able to find out who put the bounty on her head?” Asher asked as he turned away from the basin.
Aquila stepped closer, gathering his long red hair in one hand and wrapping it into a loose bun atop his head with a hair tie. " Well, good news, I got a few leads when I visited the city,"
"Bad news?"
"Whoever set her up must have spent a fortune to make sure nothing gets traced back to him..or her."
Asher nodded thoughtfully with a low hum as he leaned against the basin to rest.
"And my uncle?"
"He's been keeping a low profile lately. The old Dragon is smarter than he looks."
If there was one thing Asher hated, it was silence from his enemies.
Aquila stretched with a groan, and his stiff back cracked into place loudly.
“Well,” he sighed, “one problem at a time I guess. How bout a midnight snack instead?"
"A snack?"
"Yeah. Miridath hid some of that chocolate cake you love so much."
"And you just happened to know where she's hidden it." Asher raised a brow up and Aquila chuckled.
"Nothing escapes me, brother."
The chamber fell quiet after that.
Only the distant dripping of water somewhere deep beneath the estate echoed through the underground room.
Asher reached for the discarded shirt lying near the edge of the broken circle but it was beyond salvage so he tossed it back.
"I really liked this one." He murmured under his breath. Aquila conjured a new mask, handing it to Asher, and he took it with a small thanks.
"Won't you conjure up a shirt for me?"
"Do I look like a fairy?"
Asher secured the mask, his fingers adjusting the leather straps until it sat comfortably over his face and he felt more like himself with it on. More contained. Like the mask could somehow hold back everything that threatened to spill out of him—the sickness, the fear, and the longing for things he had no right to want.
"Better?" Aquila asked, watching him with those knowing green eyes.
"Better," Asher confirmed.
"You know," Aquila said conversationally, "one of these days, you won't need that thing."
"And how would I maintain my reputation as the faceless Alpha without it?" Asher asked. There was humor in his voice. Albeit dry and mirthless, Aquila had grown accustomed to it by now.
"Humor me." Aquila scoffed as he followed Asher out of the depressing carven and into the hallway lit by lanterns. It was colder and more desolate on this side of the estate. Even for a demon. But it was the only place sturdy enough to withstand the force of Asher's sickness.
"But, for the sake of curiosity. How long do you think you can hide from the girl? Or better question, how long do you intend on keeping her here?" Asked Aquila.
"You make her sound like a pet."
"Is she not?"
"No. She's not." Asher retorted. "I'm not keeping her here. She can leave whenever she wants..."
"But you don't want her to."
Asher slowed his steps which weren't quick to begin with, and Aquila leaned to his side, staring at Asher with cat-like like curiosity.
He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Asher say them. But getting him to admit to his feelings was about as easy as pushing a camel through the eye of a needle with a hay pin.
"Do you love her?"