AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wesley raised a hand to smooth away stray strands of her hair, and she found herself closing her eyes in an effort to feel something. When she opened her eyes, he seemed to be debating something. “Just to be sure,” he said right before he was kissing her. It was the same soft, gentle kiss from before. As if he was afraid she might break.
She realized with surprise that her arms were around him, and she was kissing him back. She felt the echo of warmth in her and she kissed him harder, needing to feel more. He gave her what she silently asked for and deepened the kiss. She could feel this. The kiss blocked out everything enough that she didn’t feel like she was drowning. When he finally pulled away, she was breathing hard, but something in her had thawed.
“I felt that.” Wren smiled with the relief that she wasn’t entirely numb.
“If I am being honest, I would have been a little offended if you hadn’t,” he said, his voice thick.
She laughed and relished the sound of it even if it sounded foreign to her. The door to Kai’s room unlocked and Wren jumped. Her body relaxed when she saw that it was only Sophie. She hated that she could feel again since now guilt curled around her like an old friend.
“You need to go now,” Sophie said firmly without any hint of urgency.
Wesley nodded before turning back to Wren. “I am here for you whenever you call.” He stood, laying a kiss on her forehead before leaving.
Sophie followed after him and Wren was once again alone with her guilt and the other feelings stirring within her demanding to be named.
Sophie returned only a little while later, and was immediately busying herself around the room, straightening things up and making the bed.
“Thank you, Sophie,” Wren said quietly, knowing that her friend was upset.
Sophie turned to her, anger in her eyes. “Do not thank me. I just betrayed my oldest friend for you.”
Wren felt the words as if they were a knife to her heart. “I know,” she said quietly.
Sophie looked like she might leave the conversation at that, but true to her character she could not. “I don’t know what it’s like for you. I don’t know what you’re feeling and the stress of what is happening to you, but you can’t keep on like this Wren. They deserve better. Both of them.”
“I know,” she repeated. She couldn’t put into words how she felt about each of them.
When she was with Wesley she was at ease and nothing seemed too difficult or too painful. With Kai it was different. She couldn’t put words to what had happened in the tower or where it came from. She only knew somehow, he had worked his way into her heart, so slowly she hadn’t even realized it was happening.
Sophie sat down across from her and leaned forward, looking intently at Wren. “I would do almost anything for you, but I would do anything for him, Wren. I need you to understand that if you make me choose…” She sighed. “Just don’t make me choose, okay?”
Wren frowned. “I can’t change how I feel.” It was a pathetic answer, but she felt so lost and so alone again.
“I don’t expect you to. If you need to let him go, do it, but you can’t keep both of them.” Sophie’s words were quiet and Wren could see how they pained her. She knew that no matter how much Sophie pretended she would be fine if she let Kai go that it would hurt her.
“I’m legally bound to him, so it isn’t much of a choice is it, Sophie?” Wren snapped back, feeling rising anger at Sophie’s self-righteousness.
“Being bound by marriage is different from being bound by love. They are not synonymous. You know that I am sorry that you never had a choice in your marriage or your path, but you have a choice now.” With that, Sophie got up and left her alone with her treasonous thoughts.
Chapter 32
Daysandnightspassed,marked only by servants bringing trays and Sophie’s occasional presence. The others had tried to visit her, but she refused them all. She would rather be alone and isolated than have to confront what was happening to her and what she needed to do. On the fourth night, a knock came at her door from Kai’s room. She didn’t know what to say so she said nothing at all.
“Please, Wren. Let me come in.” His voice carried to where she sat in front of the fire watching its flames dance and flicker. The storm inside her raged. Sometimes she felt so devoid of emotion, it was difficult to remember to eat with only Sophie to remind her. Other times, she felt so angry, flames danced in her palms. She almost preferred those to when fear gripped her so entirely that frost would build on the windows and along her hands.
“Come in.” She pushed out the words as if it were the only way to get them out.
The door opened and Kai came in. His hair was tied back and she could tell he had come from the training yard from the sweat lingering on him. He took the seat next to her, his eyes running over her.
“Sophie said she was making sure you ate,” he said, deathly quiet.
“She is,” she replied softly.
“Well, she isn’t doing a good job of it,” he said, his voice full of quiet anger. “You can’t keep going on this way, Wren.”
She tossed him a cold glare. “And just how do you think I should go about it?”
He matched her glare. “I can’t say for sure, but wallowing by yourself, wasting away doesn’t seem like the best method.”
