Chapter 59
ELARA’S POV
(A few hours later)
I ended up in the dining hall, a peculiar blend of discomfort and resistance swirling inside me. I had demanded to dine there, a minor display of defiance against the voluntary isolation of my chamber. The persistent strain from my talk with Kael lingered thickly in the atmosphere, a mute oppressive force.
Three servants hurried about, their actions noiseless. “We are finished, Miss Elara.” A small dark-haired servant declared, her grin courteously becoming forced, as she set a neatly prepared dish in front of me. “If you need anything further, please inform me.”
“Thank you so much,” I answered, providing a thankful grin, my tone revealing none of the chaos churning within me. With a brief incline, the servants departed, abandoning me solitary with my reflections and disquiet.
Clara was deeply asleep in her chamber, yet recovering from her abrupt harsh parting from Cael. Truthfully, I couldn’t provide her much solace. One, it was partially my responsibility, and two, I understood precisely how she experienced. The pain of longing for someone profoundly.
“Oh, she’s out today. That’s new,” a keen, known female tone sliced through my reflections. I tilted my head upward, my pulse racing, to spot Seraphina positioned across from me. She asked a servant to fetch her a dish of food. She regarded me with a look that combined detachment and something more sinister.
“What are you doing here?” I questioned in a voice more constricted than I’d planned.
“What does it appear like I’m doing?” She lifted a flawlessly shaped brow, her voice oozing with irony. “Having lunch, naturally!” The servants came, presented her meal with rehearsed proficiency, and then left, abandoning us solitary. The quiet was dense with strain. Her grin failed to touch her eyes.
“In that case,” I whispered, my tone subdued. “I’ll head to my room.” I grasped my dish, an obvious sign of my plan to truly depart and evade her theatrics.
“Running away? Why? Do I make you so uneasy, my dear Elara?” She inquired in a cutting tone brimming with spiteful delight. Her look was a blend of skepticism and hunter-like gratification.
“Actually,” I pivoted to confront her, my tone firm, my rage at last emerging. “Yes you do. And it annoys me.” I’d endured sufficient of her understated taunts.
A grin pulled at her mouth. “Seems the situation has reversed. Now you look down on me.”
“No,” I shook my head. “You’re mistaken Seraphina. I’m not looking down on you, I’m simply evading any pointless conflict that includes you. I’m far too exhausted to engage in this with you at the moment.”
Her face contorted into a scowl. Then, with a abrupt motion, she banged her utensil down on the table, the noise resounding in the abrupt quiet. “Kael may have returned to retrieve you, but you ought to recognize your position.”
“Isn’t that what I’m meant to say?” I arched a brow, my own rage now completely released, yet still maintained in check. “You ought to recognize your position.” I appended and pivoted, striding off without another phrase, my dish yet in my grasp.
Arriving at my chamber, I discarded the uneaten meal into the waste, setting the vacant dish on the table. I lacked appetite any longer. As I positioned there, A rap on the door jolted me, pulling me back to the present.
“It’s me, Kael,” His tone was gentle, an opposition to the upheaval I’d just undergone. It was as though he somehow detected my discomfort.
“Come in.” I stated, proceeding to my bed and settling on it as he arrived. He proceeded and settled on the seat across from me, his gaze locked on the vacant dish I had just placed on my table.
“How do you feel?” he questioned, ultimately shifting his stare from the dish and onto me.
“I’m alright,” I answered in a gentle tone. I couldn’t force myself to recount the meeting I’d just experienced. It wasn’t even essential or deserving of discussion.
“I spotted you and Seraphina before,” he stated, his look easing. “But I was occupied managing some matters, however from what I observed. I’d say you managed it flawlessly.” His voice contained a subtle note of respect and a touch of satisfaction.
I laughed gently, a minor anxious noise. “Well, I suppose so
His mouth curved into a scowl. “You’ve been within this, scarcely emerging. It’s been weeks since you came,”. Then his expression illuminated. “how about we go for a walk? That ought to brighten your spirits. Plus, the scenery is stunning today.
“Kael…”
“Come on,” he stated, extending outward, he tenderly seized my limb, his contact soft but resolute. He drew me to stand, successfully pulling me into his phrases. He interlaced my palms in his, a heat diffused through me in spite of my initial recoil at the bodily connection.
As we descended the steps, we met Seraphina. I scowled, as she glanced at me before directing her focus to Kael with a broad grin.
I detested acknowledging how she evoked Marceline but in a distinct manner.
“Hey, Kael, I-” she started, but we strode beyond her. Kael’s focus never strayed from me. He didn’t halt, didn’t even trouble to glance rearward at her.
Upon arriving at the gardens, I halted, withdrawing my palm, separating from his shielding attendance. “What did you do that for?” I questioned.
“Do what?” He questioned in an blameless tone nearly as though he lacked awareness of what he had just performed.
“Ignore her like she doesn’t exist,” I explained, irritation creeping into my tone. It was immature, I realized. But the overt indifference was strangely gratifying.
“Does she though?” He answered, a faint grin dancing on his mouth.
I desired to chuckle, but the instant seemed too intense and too strained. It was immature, exceedingly immature even. I was pleased with what he performed, but I couldn’t reject the immature joy in his intentional indifference.
Nevertheless, it placed a grin on my features. Kael genuinely had transformed, he yet possessed a lengthy path ahead, but this..this form of him was acceptable.
“Let’s just proceed, please.” He stated gently.
“Alright.”
He clasped my palm once more, leading me as we strolled across the meadow. Abruptly I sensed a coldness, a tingling feeling on the nape of my neck. Someone was observing us. I halted, scanning around, but spotted nothing.
“You okay Elara?”
“Yeah,” I assented. “Just thought I spotted something.”
As we persisted in our stroll. The sensation of discomfort resurfaced, more intense this time, a disturbing sensation that informed me something was amiss.