“I knew you were alive,” I said, trying to look away. “There were no casualties where you were posted.”
I paused, knowing I had given myself away. I had checked on him.
“So you were worried about me,” he said, tilting his face closer to mine. “No, I wasn’t,” I lied.
“I didn’t tell you where I was going.” Lorik purred.
“All second years were called to the posts; it was obvious.” I breathed. “Yet, you were worried about me,” he said with a smirk.
He got me. He really got me.
“Don’t worry,” he continued. “You won’t get rid of me so easily.” Lorik pushed his bronzed brown hair back.
“Besides, I wouldn’t miss you kicking ass in your trials tomorrow.”
I almost blushed from the compliment. Silence fell over us as I looked at his attire. He was just wearing a long-sleeved shirt in deep green.
“You didn’t get the memo about this being a celebration for the Gods? Where is your tunic?” I said, a smile slipping through my lips. He just gave me a mischievous grin.
“You don’t follow rules,” I added, leaning just an inch. Almost inviting him. Lorik Draventh would do this to me. Again, I was here forgetting who we were, ignoring the world around us.
“I question why rules even exist,” Lorik said with a wicked smile. “And you are a rule bender yourself,” Heat coiled in me again, slowly, and unbearable.
We were safe, I thought. No one would suspect. It was dark, everyone was under an auroric potion influence, and he was a respectable distance away. No harm in this conversation happening right this second.
Lorik’s gaze dropped from my eyes to my tight dress and back to my eyes, stopping at my red lips for a second too long.
“You look like a princess today,” Lorik said.
“Is that a compliment?” I whispered. “Don’t you mean, beautiful?”
It was a dangerous game I was playing, but I didn’t want to stop. I couldn’t.
“You always look beautiful. Even with sweat and tangled loose hair,” he said, grabbing a hair from my face and pushing it behind my ear.
My cheeks blushed, but I tried not to move a muscle to give myself away.
Then, a loud voice cut from behind me. I tilted my face to see who it was.
Thalen. Lorik concealed himself in front of me with his shadows as I turned around completely to face Thalen. Evidently, he was under an auroric potion influence, perhaps under an exaltation potion, given his euphoria. His white tunics were all out of place, and he held a rose in his right hand, pointing to me.
“I have been looking for you, Thea,” Thalen screams in a high-pitched voice. “Why are you here all alone?”
“You are screaming, Thalen,” I said softly. “And you are extremely under the influence of auroric potions.”
Lorik had covered himself with shadows all this time. No one knew I was talking to him.
“It's the only day in the year we can loosen up from all the responsibilities and not be judged,” he said, quieter this time, with sadness in his eyes almost.
“Would you accept my rose?” He continued. “I am sorry for tricking you into the arranged marriage.”
“I can’t accept your rose, Thalen,” I said softly.
Thalen stepped closer into my personal space. He stood tall in front of me. His sad golden eyes pierced through me.
“I care about you as a friend,” I said quietly, hoping the Moonveil hidden behind me wouldn’t listen to everything. “We are not together. You cheated on me, and you tricked me. We will not be together again.”
“Rionis comes first for a noble general family like mine and for a princess like yourself,” he said. “You know I had to kiss you in public, make a scene to secure your Emberkeep lineage. People like us cannot choose us; we cannot put our relationship first. Otherwise, I would have. I would choose you first.”
