Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Liora’s POV

I had learned how to keep my heart locked behind steel and sarcasm and sharp edges, I had even trained with the biggest and strongest faes in Mythgaard. And yet one boy with absolutely gorgeous eyes and a dangerous amount of patience had turned my insides into a mess.

I rolled onto my side, burying half my face into the pillow.

“Get a grip, Liora” I muttered to myself.

“Please do, I’m on the verge of throwing up” Vyrmoth suddenly said and I groaned, as I struggled to shut him out again.

Over the last two weeks, there has been progress in that regard. I had not mastered how perfectly, but I had managed to actually block Vyrmoth out of my head. There was a stronger boundary when I was not relaxed… like during the day, but the second my body was relaxed or my mind was occupied with something, he filtered right through.

I ignored him, and gave up trying to push him out. I was too tired, I literally could not wait to be able to do this without feeling tired.

My mind found its way back to Kysen.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.

It was not in some dramatic, romantic way. No, it was way worse.

I saw him in small, stupid details.

The way his mouth curved when he smiled like he didn’t do it often. The way he’d stopped himself from touching me. The way he’d said I matter like it was a fact, not a risk.

I pressed my lips together.

He shouldn’t have said it like that. It was so unfair.

He shouldn’t get to say things like that and then just walk away and expect everything inside me to stay where it belonged.

I wondered how he was doing. Was he nervous about the whole thing? Was he happy or excited to know that I felt the same way? Was he just indifferent about it? Or… was he overthinking the whole thing… just like I was?

I sat up slowly, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The room was quiet except for the random groans and grunts that escaped my lips.

Moonlight spilled through the window, silvering the edges of everything… my desk, my vanity, my blades that I had thrown carelessly on my desk, the half-packed duffel bag I’d never bothered to unpack properly.

I stood and crossed the room, resting my hands on the sill of the window.

The courtyard below was empty, save for the random guards that moved at odd intervals.

I sucked in a deep breath, before letting it out slowly, a semi failed attempt at calming myself.

I tried to tell myself that nothing had actually changed. We’d admitted things, sure, but we hadn’t crossed any lines. No kisses, no promises, no reckless declarations under starlight, or some romantic nonsense.

We talked like adults. Just honesty. Bare and uncomfortable and even terrifying, but still honest.

And somehow, that felt more dangerous than anything else.

Because I couldn’t fight honesty.

I leaned my forehead against the cool glass.

What scared me wasn’t that I liked him.

What scared me was that I didn’t know how to stop.

There was no way this could work. Yes, we admitted we do not hate each other. But still, our families will not have it.

I almost let out a chuckle at the thought of my mother finding out I was falling for the Dravon heir.

She'd have his head, right after mine tumbles off the guillotine.

I sighed for the umpteenth time that night.

“Don’t get used to him, Liora” I whispered. “He’s not yours. And you’re not built for this.”

But the words felt thin. Unconvincing, even to myself.

Because somewhere deep in my chest, beneath all the armor and instincts and carefully built walls, something warm had already started to settle in.

And I knew, with a sick, quiet certainty that I was so in for a long, reckless, and maybe even dangerous ride.

“You should get some sleep, little one,” Vyrmoth carefully whispered, almost like he sensed the turmoil my mind was in.

Well, he could quite literally hear me, so…

“I do not feel sleepy, Vyrmoth,” I whispered into the empty night, “My head is too all over the place”

“You have training in the morning, you need to be physically and mentally active,” he argued and I groaned again.

So annoying.

But I knew he was right.

I closed the window and walked back to my bed, crawling under the covers and tucking myself in.

It had been a long day, and it would probably be even longer tomorrow. I did need to rest, however little.

“Vyrmoth?” I called out for him.

He stirred, “Yes, little one,”

“Do you think we’re being stupid to even attempt to pursue this?” I asked, wondering what his opinion on the whole thing was, because he had been quiet about it.

“Kysen and I, I mean,” I added.

He was silent for less than a second, almost like he had been waiting for me to ask him.

“Yes,” he said immediately.

“Hey!” I protested.

“You asked for my opinion” he stated and I rolled my eyes before backing off.

I did ask.

“You both are being stupid, especially because you know the risks and consequences that come with it,” he explained.

True.

“But, at the end of the day, feelings cannot really be controlled. Especially when you know they are mutual,” he added.

“You sound like you've experienced it first hand,” I noted and his immediate reaction told me I was right.

“No. Go to sleep” he said sharply.

I giggled, “Come on, tell me. What lady drakyn has got your wings in a twist?”

It was his turn to groan.

“Just go to sleep already”

I giggled again “Fine, fine”

“As you wish” I said, backing off and letting him off the hook. For now.

I closed my eyes, and relaxed my mind, trying to lull myself to sleep.

Enough of Kysen Dravon for now. At least, in my sleep, I would not think about him.

That night, I dreamt of him.