227- The Weight of Last Night
POV Aldren Valmorin:
“Pull yourself together. I won’t hurt you—at least not for this failed attempt to kill me.”
Her pupils dilated and her mouth fell open. I didn’t know whether it was from lack of air or the surprise enveloping her.
“Aldren…?”
I tightened my fingers, squeezing her neck a little more.
“I’ll return Nerin’s medication, and you will forget everything that happened tonight. Are we understood?”
She blinked compulsively, incredulous. Elowen truly believed she was going to die.
“Everything? Even…?” Afraid to say it, she could only be referring to the delirious sex we’d had before I woke up tied.
“I don’t ask for impossible things. If you weren’t acting, you won’t be able to forget—not even in five hundred years,” I taunted, releasing her neck.
She coughed a few times and ran her hands over the reddened skin of her throat before answering me.
“Aldren, I didn’t know a person could feel that in life…”
“And yet, you wanted to kill me,” I sneered, crossing my arms.
“I wanted to so badly, I did. I sought the pain I felt after that day you left me in the room, but it only lasted until the moment I tied you up. After that, I hated myself for hours, until you woke up.”
“Time for the bitch to go to bed.” I pointed to the cage beside me.
“Could you not call me a bitch anymore?”
“No. You are my fucking bitch.”
“Yours?” Her eyes glinted again with moonlight.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I snapped, impatient.
“By the gods…” She brought a hand to her lips, perplexed. “Will I be accepted in Valmorin?”
“Enough questions. Get in the cage.”
Proving her obedience, she nodded and went inside, stopping in the center with her hands clasped in front of her body, staring at me with the pleading eyes of an abandoned little bitch.
“Thank you…” she thanked me, as sweet as an enchanting serpent.
Anyone looking at that face would never imagine that such malicious plans could inhabit that little head.
I closed the entrance and stared at her through the bars.
“Sleep thinking about what it would be like to wake up by my side if you hadn’t tried to kill me. I guarantee I’d wake you in a way you’d enjoy very much, bitch.”
...
Before nine in the morning, I pushed ahead with generating secret base formulas to send to the mass production sector. Sitting down, staring at my green fish, I called for Nerin to bring me my breakfast so I wouldn’t have to cross paths with Elowen.
My foggy mind descended into an anxious, even more neurotic state.
None of the books—among the hundreds I’ve read in my life—could explain the dilemma I was living.
Besides her, another problem to be solved also formed a dark cloud in my thoughts. It was the reason Nala had called me last night. I dialed Edric’s number, hoping he would answer.
After six rings, he did.
“Good morning, Aldren.”
“Good morning. Am I interrupting something?”
“No.”
His tone was more apathetic than usual.
“You were at the party when Konrad fought with Viktor, right?”
“Yes. Drunk idiots’ nonsense.”
“Was there violence?”
“Yes, but they were separated quickly.”
“Do you know why they fought?”
“No, neither of them wanted to talk.”
“All right. I’ll talk to Konrad later.”
“Okay, hanging up,” he dismissed me, leaving me confused.
“Hey, wait.”
“What is it, Aldren?”
“Why are you irritated with me?”
“Should I be happy? You’re hurting Lunara.”
His reasons were noble, I had to admit.
“Is anyone nearby? Listening to us?”
“If you’re referring to my partner, no, she isn’t. I’m alone.”
“Give me your word that you’ll keep a secret.”
“I don’t know if I want to hear it.”
“It’s about Elowen.”
“Aldren…” he muttered, quickly changing his mind.
“Give me your word.”
“Speak, Aldren. Your secret will be kept.”
I cleared my throat before continuing, a mix of anxiety and concern.
“Elowen and I fucked last night.”
“Aldren, you must have lost your mind!”
“I haven’t gotten to the best part yet—the possessed bitch drugged me and tried to kill me.” A string of curses exploded on the other end of the line. “Calm down. I’m not going to kill your mate’s sister.”
“And how do you expect me to believe that? I know you well enough to know you’d never forgive something like that. Holy fucking shit!”
“She gave up or couldn’t do it, it hardly matters. I even encouraged her, giving her every weapon within reach, but nothing.”
“Elowen is in love with you? What the fuck are you doing with her life, dear gods…”
“She must be. It’s really hard not to fall in love with me.” I laughed, and Edric let out a bitter laugh on the other end of the line.
Knocking sounded at the door. I sensed it was Nerin and allowed her in.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I don’t know, but she’s fine. I’m still thinking about how to proceed. Give me some time and I’ll arrange the meeting between the sisters.”
Nerin hurried to take the containers out of her bags. I took from her the small thermos bottle of what was supposed to be my tea—something I’d been craving since I woke up.
“You’re in love with her too,” he said, with admirable courage.
“I’m not emotional like you.”
“Who would have thought, after so many years…” he went on.
“Open your mouth to say that blasphemy again and I’ll keep my prisoner in the cage.”
Nerin finished setting the table and stopped in front of me, unsure whether she should leave or not. I gestured for her to wait.
“My partner wants to meet her sister. Make it happen.”
“My prisoner probably wants that too. Both of their wishes will be fulfilled soon. Have a great day.” I hung up before he could reply and slipped the phone back into my jeans pocket.
“Sit down, Nerin.” I gestured for her to sit across from me, and she did. “Well then, let’s start by talking about Konrad.”