Chapter 41
Raya’s Pov
I stand up slowly, tears still streaming down my face. Asher sits there, watching me with a slight smile on his face. His sudden change in demeanor is unsettling, and I can feel my heart racing in my chest.
“Please, Asher, calm down,” I plead, my voice shaking as I take a step closer to him. I reach for the glass of wine, hoping to remove the source of his aggression, but he just lets it slip from his hand and shatter on the nor
“Why are you crying!” he asks, his voice surprisingly soft. I shake my head, not knowing how to answer. Everything is strange – his mood swings. the way he yells and then calms down. It’s like he’s not even the same person.
“Is everything okay?” he asks again, his hand reaching out to touch my face. I flinch away, still scared of him.
He lets out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. I’m sorry,” he says finally, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that”
I nod slowly, not trusting myself to speak. But even as he apologizes, I can’t shake the feeling that something is off.
As Asher leans towards me, I can feel the tension thickening between us. I freeze, not wanting to move or say anything that might provoke him. His hand is still in my hair, his breath hot on my face. I can feel my hear racing and my breathing becoming shallow
Just as I think he is about to kiss me, the door bursts open and Caden walks in. I jump back, startled by the sudden intrusion. Asher quickly pulls away, his expression turning cold and guarded.
Caden doesn’t seem to notice the tension between us as he walks over to the table and takes a seat. He looks tired, his face lined with worry. It tell that something is wrong, but I don’t want to ask. Not with Asher in the room.
As Caden entered the room, I saw Asher slowly recover from his dazed look. His eyes moved towards the door, and I followed his gaze. Caden stood there, his face unreadable. The room was silent for a moment, and the tension between the three of us was palpable.
I could feel the heat rising to my face as I quickly pulled away from Asher. I didn’t know what to say or do Caden’s presence had thrown everything into disarray Asher stood up from the couch, his posture now tense and alert.
Caden’s c eyes darted between us, and I could see a flicker of anger in his gaze. I felt as if I had been caught doing something wrong, even though I knew that nothing had happened between Asher and me.
Asher spoke first, his voice low and controlled. “What brings you here, Caden!”
Caden’s expression remained stoic as he replied, “I came to check on Raya.”
I saw Asher’s jaw clench, and I knew that he was still upset about the earlier conversation. The atmosphere was still tense, and I felt as if I were walking on eggshells
Caden moved further into the room, his eyes still fixed on us. “Is everything alright here?” he asked, his tone even
Asher’s response was curt. “Yes, everything is fine.”
The silence that followed in the room was deafening, and I couldn’t bear it any longer.
I cleared my throat, trying to ease the tension. “Is everything okay, Caden?” I asked softly.
Caden nodded, his face betraying no emotion. “It’s time to go, Asher. The bodies of the guards are already waiting at the pyre to be sent home.”
Asher nodded curtly, his eyes still fixed on me. I could see the guilt and shame in his expression, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, that he couldn’t have known what would happen, but the words stuck in my throat
I looked at Caden, hoping for a glimmer of sympathy or understanding, but he simply stared back at me with a steely expression. I knew that I couldn’t come along with them, but I couldn’t help but ask.
“Can I come with you?” I asked softly, hoping against hope that he would say yes
Caden shook his head, his eyes still fixed on me. I’m sorry, Raya, It’s not safe for you to c
come with us”
I nodded, trying to hide the disappointment that I felt. I watched as Asher and Caden left the room, the weight of their footsteps echoing in my cars. I was left alone with my thoughts, wondering what the future held for me.
As I sat in the quiet room, I couldn’t help but replay the events of the evening in my mind. The way Asher had grabbed me, the way he had looked at me with such intensity. It was clear that he had feelings for me, but I didn’t know what to do with that knowledge.
1/2
Chapter 41
I was torn between my loyalty to my people and my growing feelings for Asher. I knew that I couldn’t stay with him, that it was too dangerous, but a part of me didn’t want to leave him behind.
The room felt suffocating, and I knew that I needed to clear my head. I stood up and made my way to the door, feeling the cool breeze on my face as I stepped outside. The night sky was clear, the stars shining brightly overhead.
As his hand brushed my hair, a jolt of electricity ran through me, igniting a spark that I couldn’t ignore. It was as if the simple touch had awakened something deep inside me, something that I couldn’t quite put into words. I felt a strange warmth spreading through my body, and I couldn’t help but feel confused by it all.
It was a feeling that lingered long after he let go of my hair, leaving me with an almost dizzying sensation that made it difficult to focus on anything else. I found myself lost in thought, replaying the moment over and over in my mind, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
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