บท 48: It's a Mistake (2)
Sunlight dappled the lush garden. Elias. His long hair, woven with fallen leaves, swayed in the breeze as he turned, surprise blooming on his face. Emerald eyes melted into a familiar warmth, the mask of arrogance dissolving like mist on a sunlit lake.
"Elias," Eydis said, her voice a soft echo. "It's been awhile."
He offered a smile, genuine and unguarded, the sharp edges of his usual persona softened. "Indeed, it has."
"How are things with Adam?" she asked, her gaze lingering on his face, searching for hidden depths.
"Consumed," Elias replied, his voice a low rumble. "He had an epiphany, thanks to a certain…muse." A gentle smile played on his lips.
Eydis responded with a knowing glint. "I wondered why."
Elias chuckled, a genuine sound that reached his eyes, but its depths held a hint of something else, something sharp and watchful. "He told me, your comment about Lady Melissa sparked an idea. That's why he's been buried in the library lately."
A sardonic edge crept into her voice. "Now I recall," she said, her eyes flashing, "a mere compliment on his problem-solving skills beneath the waves. An efficient use of mana, unlike some."
Emerald eyes twinkled in amusement. "Eydis, nothing you say is innocent, is it? You nudged him towards his path, didn't you?" He spoke, gratitude laced with understanding.
She dropped the mask, meeting his gaze with a quiet confidence. "Sometimes, a scalpel is more effective than a hammer, wouldn't you agree?"
"Eydis," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion, "you brought my Adam back to me."
His sincerity disarmed her, pulling her into the embrace like a tidal wave. She closed her eyes, the warmth seeping into her bones, a stark contrast to the icy storm raging within. Yet, beneath it all, a yearning for the silver-haired girl with twilight eyes, a whisper in the wind, grew sharper.
As they pulled apart, a shiver danced down her spine, more than just the cool air. A flash of silver, like a phantom in the sunlight, vanished amidst the chattering students. Had it been real, or a cruel trick of her loneliness? A week without Astra, a week consumed by nightmares and cryptic echoes, had become an ocean of longing she hadn't realised she was drowning in.
Before she could spiral deeper, Elias spoke, his eyes veiled with an unreadable glint. "You're here for more than just friendly banter, Eydis."
She met his gaze, a question dancing on her lips. "Can't a couple of comrades catch up to trade pleasantries?"
Elias laughed, the sound laced with a hint of something deeper. "Not when it's you. Don't play coy. What do you need?"
"A favour," she whispered, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial rustle. "Do you know anything about a noble house called Von Rosenfeld?"
Emerald eyes narrowed, the playful mask slipping away. Curiosity flickered, mingling with something guarded, something unspoken. "What makes you think I hold such knowledge?" he smirked, the question a challenge veiled in a promise. "After all," he added, his voice softer now, "I'm just a son of a minor count."
"I think you already know, Elias," Eydis shot back, her gaze unwavering. "Don't underestimate your…intuition."
He returned her gaze, the serious edge sharpening his features. "Then it seems my intuition will have to work overtime," he said, his voice a playful bite. "I'll see what I can learn from the shadows." Elias brought her hand to his lips, a single kiss that seemed like a promise. With a parting smile, he turned and melted into the dappled sunlight, his retreating form carrying a hint of loneliness that mirrored her own.
Eydis' heart, once a fortress of self-sufficiency, now embraced the ache of longing, the depths of desperation, and the burden of harbouring a feeling that might never be returned. That night etched itself in her soul. It was the way Astra responded to her kisses, the desperate tremors of her intoxicating lips, the sigh that whispered finality into their colliding breaths, the way her trembling hands clung to Eydis like grasping at a lifeline – each touch a melody of unspoken desire, a symphony of longing.
Amber eyes, once blazing with confidence, flickered with uncertainty as they searched for Astra. But she remained a distant island, shrouded in shadows, leaving Eydis adrift on a sea of longing and doubt.
If Astra wanted nothing more than space, then fine, a clear rejection, however painful, would be a balm compared to this agonising limbo. The flimsy excuses, choked out in a wavering voice, was a cruel charade. Eydis craved honesty, not evasions.
Perhaps, as Natalia had suggested, maybe they needed to be locked in a metaphorical cage until the truth came out. With newfound resolve, amber eyes gleamed in defiance as she handed in her preference form.
**
Astra's gaze darted between the endless azure sky and Eydis, who was staring at her with an unreadable expression. Their carriage, propelled by Silverkeep's winged beasts, hurtled towards Eikholt, a city shrouded in ancient oaks at the precipice of Sylvanwood. Eydis, oblivious to the turmoil in Astra's chest, teased her about a stray braid, her amber eyes sparkling with a familiar mischief. As if the events of that night, etched with searing heat on Astra's soul, were mere wisps of smoke in Eydis' mind.
A week apart hadn't doused the firestorm within Astra. It had merely stoked the embers, leaving her a smouldering ruin of longing and regret. The venomous whispers snaking into her ears only fanned the flames: Adam Sapphire, a constant visitor to Eydis' bedroom, her bedroom, theirs. Astra ignored them, chalked it up as hollow and unfounded gossip.
But then she saw it: Elias and Eydis, held in an tight embrace that mirrored the gaping ache in Astra's chest. Jealousy, sharp and acrid, flooded her senses, stealing the breath from her lungs. Straight as an infinity symbol, that's how everyone saw Elias, right? Or was Astra, queen of misjudgment, wrong again?
Yet, it wasn't the whispers that stung the most, it wasn't the embrace that ripped at her insides (it almost did). It was the cool indifference in those amber eyes, a frozen lake reflecting the desolate landscape of her shattered world.
But the blame, she knew, rested squarely on her own shoulders. How could she harbour resentment towards Eydis when she, herself, had slammed the door on their stolen flame, leaving them both in flickering darkness?
Distance had been her refuge, but Eydis, stubborn as a mule, had sealed their partnership for the next round. Fine, given the brunette's penchant for trouble, Astra seriously doubted Damian, with his hulking limbs and chronic case of woodland amnesia, could handle her antics.
Every. Single. Time.
So now, here she was, tasked with keeping Eydis safe. Indigo's brown eyes, sharp as a hawk's, had pinned her with the unspoken request. And Astra complied. Not that her heart fluttered at the thought of Eydis in danger. But hey, who was she trying to fool?
The rhythmic thud of the flying beasts' wings was the only sound that dared intrude on the charged silence. Eydis, a study of nonchalant grace, rested her chin on her hand, her amber eyes gleaming in the dappled sunlight. But their depths held a flicker of something else, something that stole Astra's breath.
"Lost in the clouds, Lady Astra?" Eydis purred, a ghost of a smile graced her face. Her fingers, like feathers brushing against the wind, traced a path across Astra's brow, sending a jolt of longing and apprehension through her. "Are you strategizing for the coming match?"
Once again, Eydis and her penchant for invading personal space. A low growl escaped Astra, yet she responded with a terse nod, tilting her head ever so slightly to evade the scorching warmth of Eydis' touch. The truth was a viper in her throat, but only half of it. The real match was the tangled web of yearning and stolen kisses that played behind her closed eyelids, remained a guarded secret.
Eydis' hum, low and throaty, vibrated against the plush carriage cushions as she leaned back, a knowing glint sharpening the gold of her eyes. "Is that so," she murmured, the word laced with a hint of honeyed challenge. "This 'match' must be…intriguing to say the least to furrow your brow like that."
Astra held back a smile, but her lips succumbed to the persistent flutter in her chest. Words tumbled out before she could stop it, "Indeed, it is." Astra admitted, as she pictured Eydis and her infuriating teasing smiles.
It was a mistake, she realised with a jolt, as Eydis' amber eyes widened. The fondness in Astra's voice had been too genuine, revealing more than she intended.
Astra's knuckles turned white as she gripped the carriage seat, the leather groaning beneath the strain. The urge to surge forward, to reclaim the taste of moonlight on Eydis' lips, was a raging wildfire in her veins.
They hadn't spoken of it, that night under the twilight sky. It awakened emotions Astra never thought possible and ignited yearnings she hadn't dared to dream. Even now, the embers flickered in her veins, a phantom warmth echoing on her lips. It felt right, deliciously sinful, like savouring stolen fruit under the watchful gaze of the moon.
She should have stopped it before the flames devoured her world, leaving only ashes in their wake. But the fear of Eydis' gaze, an accusation in her brown eyes, chilled her more than any inferno. The thought of being branded a predator, a manipulator, gnawed at her. Yet, the embers of desire refused to be extinguished.
It was…a mistake, wasn't it?
Her treacherous amethyst eyes, drawn by an unseen force, drifted to Eydis' soft lips, lingering a beat too long. Before she could tear her gaze away, Eydis surged forward, devouring her lips in a kiss that tasted of desperation and finality.
Astra gasped in surprise. Yet, she returned the kiss with equal fervour. The world dissolved into a vortex of dizzying heat, their reflections melting in the searing press of flesh against flesh. They were moths drawn to a flame, moths dancing on the precipice of their own consuming passion.
Fuck!
Her muttered curse only fuelled the brunette's raging desire. With a teasing bite on her lower lips, Astra opened her mouth in response, granting access to Eydis' flaming tongue, a surrender that tasted like betrayal against her own resolve. A moan ripped from Eydis' throat as Astra's own kiss devoured her mouth with desperate hunger. Hands fumbled, gripping silken fabric like a lifeline, anchoring them to this stolen moment.
Since when had her walls crumbled so easily? A single glance, a whisper of touch, and Eydis had breached them with ruthless ease. Now, in this gilded prison, six hours stretched before them, each ticking moment a reminder of the reckoning awaited.
Eydis's hand began to explore, a hum of delight escaping her lips as she traced the hidden lace beneath Astra's neckline. Eydis's nimble finger began to undid the buttons of Astra's blouse, revealing a tantalising collarbone and an intoxicating choker and an amethyst pendant that adorned her neck.
Astra's cheeks burned, caught in the act like a mischievous child, still diligently wearing Eydis's favourite piece of garment in secret. A playful growl escaped her lips, teeth nipping at Eydis's bottom lip in a teasing bite. Eydis moaned, a sweet, intoxicating sound that melted away every lingering restraint in Astra's heart.
She traced a path of kisses down Eydis's neck, each one a whispered promise. She revelled in the frantic dance of her fingertips against the pulse thrumming beneath her touch. But then, a tremor in Eydis' hand halted her movements, amber brown eyes glistening with unshed tears, mirrored the storm brewing in Astra's own heart.
A heavy silence settled between them, punctuated only by the rhythmic thud of the flying beasts' wings. "We need to talk," Astra rasped, her voice a husky whisper barely louder than the beat of her own heart.
"I supposed we do," Eydis breathed. Her hand, usually bold and playful, met Astra's with a hesitant touch, fingers tracing circles on her palm. Her eyes, usually shimmering with mischief, now held a raw honesty that made Astra's breath catch in her throat. "When you're ready," Eydis added, holding the weight of a door waiting to be creaked open.
Astra's lips parted, but the truth she wanted to confess lodged in her throat, a bitter pill impossible to swallow. Not here, not with the ever-present ears of the flying beasts listening to them like silent predators. Not when their destination, fraught with its own dangers, loomed closer with each passing mile.
Eydis's fingers, surprisingly gentle, unwove the braid that had imprisoned Astra's hair. Silken strands cascaded down, mirroring the storm of emotions swirling within her. "Don't disappear again," Eydis pleaded.
She brought a silken strand to her lips, inhaling the familiar scent of sandalwood, her voice trembling ever so slightly as she spoke, "I know you feel the same, I can…almost taste it."
Her hand, warm and insistent, tilted Astra's head up, forcing their eyes to meet. Her eyes, usually radiant with fire, now flickered with a desperate vulnerability that mirrored the storm brewing within Astra. "You want me too, don't you?" she pleaded, "Just once, be honest. Please."
Astra's throat constricted, her voice choked by fears. Instead of words, she gently guided Eydis' hand through the opening of her blouse, placing it on the heated skin above her heart, letting the frantic rhythm speak for her. The brunette gasped, the sound raw and intimate, sending a tremor through Astra that had nothing to do with desire.
Their lips met, not with the raw urgency of before, but with a tender understanding that sent a wave of bittersweet warmth through Astra. It was a promise of honesty, a truce in the storm, a stolen moment of solace before the inevitable reckoning.
Even if it was a mistake, she would do it all over again.
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