What did that make me?
I promised Petro that I would love him forever, I planned to stay alone till the end of my days. But almost immediately, as if trying to prove a point, my visions switched to that embrace back at the pool, when Tynan held my hips, his rough hands on my bare skin. His hard chest pressed against mine. I sat up, fluffing my pillow, almost angry with myself. This had to stop. I forced myself to lie back, and finally, my exhaustion came to my aid and I managed to doze off.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
TYNAN
When the sun appeared on the horizon, I had already been awake for a couple of hours. Victor was snoring comfortably on the furthest side of the bed. I smirked, remembering how he had planned to sleep on the floor, but when it came to it, he could not last on the hard surface for more than twenty minutes. I stood up and approached the window. The bright outlines of sparkling gold dusted the fields and the rock in the background. I had forgotten how beautiful sun rises were here.
Staying in Darragh was almost surreal, I never thought I would come back. Not for the first time since we crossed the border, I thought about my miserable childhood here. Theendless days waiting for the moment I could finally leave this place. And years later, I was asking for refuge from the same people who deemed all of us unworthy.
Victor muttered something in his sleep and turned to his side. I looked back, watching him for a moment.
When my gaze returned to the window, I saw someone walking far out in the fields. The girl was moving along the wooden border then stopped to watch the sunrise, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. It took me only a moment to realize that I was looking at Alina in a long dress, her hair looked almost fiery red in the bright rays of the sunlight. She appeared almost ethereal in the morning glow with her long, loose hair and creamy skin. I watched her step carefully through the grass, her hand holding up the edge of the dress, baring her high leather boots.
I clenched the window frame, I could not help but feel the things I was never allowed to feel. All because of her. She was impossible to resist in moments like this. I could think of dozens of reasons why I should never look at her, but my eyes returned to her despite all my resolve.
Suddenly, a dark dot appeared on the horizon. I stilled watching a man on a horse moving in her direction. Swearing under my breath, I reached out to grab my jacket when the man stopped beside Alina, telling her something.
I did not need to be a seer to understand what was happening. I attached my knives to my belt, watching the intruder get off his horse and join Alina by the fence.
I glanced at the couple one more time, before strappingmy belt to my waist and leaving the room. Not even trying to stay quiet, I swung the front door open and walked toward them. As I was closing in on Alina and the pathetic excuse of a man, I quickly realized that he was someone I vaguely remembered from my previous life. He had light brown, curly hair and a disgusting smile plastered on his face.
“Tynan Darragh?” The trespasser turned toward me, and I briefly caught the heat in his eyes when he looked at Alina.
Those oily eyes of his made my blood boil with barely controlled fury. I could easily imagine myself grabbing him by the neck and smashing his face against the sturdy wooden beams until it turned into a mask of bloody flesh.
“Who are you?” I asked through my clenched teeth.
“Don’t you remember me?” The young man smirked.
“No.”
Alina did not seem to be alarmed by his unwelcome appearance. Her eyes were filled with curiosity as she turned from me to him and it nearly tipped me over the edge.
“Denis... Denis Reiss,” he said with a smugness that made me want to kick his face. I crossed my arms on my chest, remaining silent. “My mother worked in the castle. Molly Reiss,” he added.
I lowered my gaze, remembering the thin and pale female servant who shadowed my mother, half dead with fear.
“Sure, I remember. What can we do for you?” I scrutinized his face, contemplating how to get rid of him before I lost all of my patience.
Denis looked surprised, then his eyes shifted to Alina and I clenched my hands into fists.
“I was just talking to Lady Alina,” he said.
“Yeah? About what?”
Denis squared his shoulders, it was a simple change of posture that I did not miss.
“Nothing specific. We talked about the weather,” Alina said in a hurried tone.
“You probably should get going,” I said, reaching up to pet his horse.
“What?” Alina looked confused.
“It’s alright. I really should go.” Denis mounted his horse and with one last nod to Alina he returned on the path.
“What was that?” Alina’s face was glowing when she turned toward me.
