章節 84: Captain Ren Khasar
The sharp sting of daylight forced its way through my eyelids, yanking me from sleep. I groaned, shifting beneath the silky sheets tangled around my legs.
My head throbbed, a dull ache that pulsed with every heartbeat, a cruel reminder of the previous night's excesses. The air smelled faintly of perfume sweet, floral, and annoyingly unfamiliar.
I cracked open one eye, taking in the strange room around me. Pale, cream-colored walls, an ornate dresser cluttered with jewelry and cosmetics, a plush armchair in the corner. Definitely not my room.
A knot of annoyance twisted in my stomach. How many times had I told myself to stop waking up in places I didn't recognize? Too many.
Rolling over, I froze as I saw the woman lying beside me. Her auburn hair spilled across the pillow in soft waves, and her freckled skin glowed faintly in the morning light.
She had a delicate, almost ethereal beauty that might have stirred something in me if I cared enough. Instead, all I could think was how soon I could leave.
Fragments of last night flitted through my mind laughter, drinks, teasing touches, and then… well, here we were. Typical.
I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, the cool floorboards biting against my feet.
My clothes were scattered across the room a bra slung over the armchair, my shirt crumpled on the floor. The room reeked of the kind of decisions I never cared to dwell on.
Pulling on my pants, I muttered to myself, "This is getting old."
Not old enough to stop, apparently.
I was halfway through buttoning my shirt when the woman stirred behind me. She blinked up at me, her green eyes still hazy with sleep.
"Ren?" Her voice was soft, hopeful.
I didn't turn to face her. "Morning," I said flatly, slipping on my boots.
"Where are you going?"
"Home," I said simply, standing and smoothing down my shirt.
Her brows knit together, confusion and something else hurt, maybe? clouding her face. "You're just leaving? After last night?"
I finally turned, crossing my arms. "Yeah. Fun night and all, but that's all it was."
Her face fell, and I saw the exact moment she realized what I was saying. "I thought—"
"Don't," I cut her off, my voice sharper than I intended. "Don't make this into something it wasn't."
She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest. "You're unbelievable," she spat, her voice shaking. "Do you do this to every woman you meet?"
"Not every woman," I said with a smirk that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Just the ones who don't know better."
Her glare could've burned a hole through me, but I was already focusing on the teleportation spell.
Before she could hurl any more insults or worse, start crying I disappeared, the air shimmering as I reappeared in the hallway of my own house.
The familiar scent of polished wood and faint lavender greeted me. A pair of servants were dusting the ornate banisters, their eyes flickering to me briefly before quickly returning to their work.
They didn't say anything of course, they wouldn't. By now, they were used to my abrupt entrances and disheveled appearances.
I strode toward my room, ignoring their silent judgment. My quarters were now at the far end of the hall, the heavy oak door opening smoothly as I pushed it.
Inside, everything was immaculate, as always. The bed was perfectly made with crisp white sheets and a deep blue comforter.
The bookshelves lining one wall were arranged by size and color, and not a speck of dust marred the polished surfaces of the dark wood furniture.
The only personal touch was a single painting above the bed a stark, abstract piece in shades of red and black.
Kicking off my boots, I headed straight for the bathroom. The hot water hit my skin like a cleansing wave, washing away the lingering traces of last night.
I stood under the spray longer than necessary, letting the steam cloud the mirrors and my thoughts.
When I finally stepped out, wrapping a towel around my waist, I felt… not better, exactly, but less tired. Less hollow.
I dressed quickly, pulling on my usual attire a black shirt and black pants, simple and practical. There was no point in fussing over my appearance. I had other things to worry about, or so I told myself.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. A servant poked their head in, their expression neutral. "Captain Ren, Valeria is waiting for you outside."
I nodded, brushing past them without a word.
Outside, the sun was annoyingly bright, casting long shadows across the cobblestone courtyard.
Valeria leaned against the gate, her arms crossed and a wry grin tugging at her lips. She hadn't changed , same mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. She wore her usual leather jacket, scuffed boots, and an air of effortless confidence.
"Well, look who decided to grace me with her presence," she drawled, pushing off the gate as I approached. "The infamous womanizer herself."
I rolled my eyes. "Nice to see you too, Valeria."
She grinned wider, her fist connecting with my shoulder in a playful punch. It hurt more than I cared to admit.
"Seriously, Ren," she said, shaking her head. "When are you going to stop treating women like they're disposable?"
"Maybe when they stop being so easy to dispose of," I shot back, smirking.
She groaned, rubbing her temples. "You're impossible. I don't know how you haven't gotten yourself killed yet."
"Luck, I guess."
She gave me a long-suffering look, then sighed. "Anyway, I'm here for a reason, not just to lecture you. You've got a job today."
I raised an eyebrow. "A job?"
"You're supposed to give a speech at the university graduation ceremony," she said, her tone somewhere between amused and exasperated.
I groaned. "You're kidding me. Since when do I do speeches?"
"Since you're Captain Ren Khasar, hero of the kingdom or whatever," she said, waving a hand. "It's good PR."
"PR, my ass," I muttered.
"Oh, and one more thing," she added, her grin returning. "Xyra Eldarion graduated first in her class. She'll be there."
That caught my attention. Xyra. The name alone sent a shiver down my spine.
"Xyra?" I repeated, trying and failing to keep the interest out of my voice.
"Yep," Valeria said, watching me closely. "Don't tell me you're still hung up on her."
I ignored her, a slow smile spreading across my face. "Maybe this graduation thing won't be so bad after all."
Valeria rolled her eyes. "You're hopeless."
But I wasn't listening. My thoughts were already elsewhere, replaying every stolen glance, every cutting word, every electrifying moment I'd ever shared with Xyra Eldarion.
The only woman I'd ever wanted a serious relationship with.
每周推薦票狀態
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