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“Maybe we can still meet once in a while, somewhere else. This place is far too open and gives too much room to be discovered. Perhaps the dungeons or somewhere there isn’t so much vigilance.”
The dungeons? He would rather meet in such a place than for naga to know about us?
A tear finally falls, and I can’t help but wipe it away. Lasta notices and rubs his scaly hand over my skin. I sniff and regain my composure to not bring him any more trouble.
“I’ll figure something out. Although the princess is a human, it’s still not widely accepted for naga and humans to mate. We just need to wait until things settle down,” he says, not sounding too convincing.
He’s not completely giving up on me, I feel. But he’s hiding rather than fighting back.
Mentally, just like that, I return to the days when I disappeared in the background. When no one would blink if I were to die. To the days when I wasn’t important to anyone. Maybe I never really left them, I just thought I did.
I don’t say any of that. I simply nod my head. “Yes, Lasta. I trust you.”
“Good. Now, lift your face,” he orders as he tips my chin again.
Before he kisses me, he looks at me with uncertainty and hugs me tight. But in that moment, his skin feels like gravel flaying open my own.
Like too much time with him threatens to scrape whatever’s left of me away.
19
LASTA
The tension in the air is so heavy it could be cut with a dagger. I can’t help but feel as though there are a hundred pairs of eyes looming down on me from all angles.
I look over my shoulder at every turn, my fear only growing as the morning progresses. There is even a noticeable change in Krista’s demeanor as she works the forge.
Perhaps she, too, is feeling the same sense of unease. I keep an eye on her but there is nothing I want to do more than kiss and hold her for both our comfort.
Nothing is going right. I can barely pay attention to the tasks at hand. My mind continuously flickers between the thoughts of war spilling into Lodra, my relationship with Krista, and how we can continue to see each other without attracting the unwanted attention of prying eyes.
“There must be a way to keep ourselves concealed amongst all of this madness,” I mutter to myself.
“Sir,” greets a soldier, snapping me back to reality. “What are your orders?”
“Bring the readied weapons to the armory.”
The soldier tilts his head in confusion.
“But you already told me to do that an hour ago.”
I glance towards the forge storage, seeing that it is empty.
“So it seems,” I reply, trying to sound like I’m not embarrassed. “Report then to the bunkers and see if there’s anything to be done there.”
“Right away, sir.”
I’m hopeful for some peace and quiet after he leaves. I need more time to think of something but a messenger heading my way has other plans. I turn away, hoping he has designs for someone else but I hear him stop behind me.
“Captain Lasta,” he greets. “Apologies for the interruption but Selliss has requested your presence in the meeting room.”
Selliss? What could he possibly want now? This can’t be good.
I dismiss the messenger and excuse myself, making my way inside the castle. Along the way, I recall our last conversation and how he had voiced his suspicions about Krista and I.
Maybe he is calling to apologize,I think to myself. I’m trying to find glimmers of hope where I can in these turbulent times but I have a lingering feeling that things are only getting started.
Selliss stands to his feet as I enter the room. He doesn’t bother saluting me.
