I try to stay awake as long as possible. Klevon and I decided to leave two hours before midnight. So, two hours after dinner, I went to bed and try to stay awake as long as possible. I hear the commotion outside my room. I place my book on the bedside table and cover myself with the blankets.
Lavender. Theo comes to check on me tonight. I lie on my side, with my back on the door, and fake that I am sleeping. I sense him sitting on my bed in front of me. I can clearly smell his heady scent, and instead of being drowsy, the alluring smell is just waking me up.
The tip of his fingers lightly brush against my left cheeks and temple. I can sense the warmth from it. He gently plays with my hair. And then, I feel engulfed by his frame. The lavender smell becomes stronger and I realize that he is leaning over me with both his arms on either side of my body.
He places a light kiss on my jaw and whispers, "I love you, Kaiya. Good night."
After a long time, he gets up from the bed, and when I hear the door closing. I sit up from the bed. I clutch at my chest. Even until now, he stirs me so much. Even if I know I shouldn't feel like this, this damnable mate bond is going against my own wishes. Damn it all!
I gather my knees to my chest and hug them. I hate how his smell alone can make my chest thump so hard like this. This damnable mate bond is making me stay in love with him. I need more discipline to stop myself from running into his arms. I won't let myself be hurt like that again!
I hear the silent humming of the hoverboard on my window. I run to it and open it, seeing Klevon balancing himself on the hover. I smile and he enters my room. Taking the hover under his arms, he throws me a crude coat and a plain dress.
"Wear that. Your clothes are too beautiful that they will give away who you are."
I nod. I take it and change into it while making sure that Klevon is looking everywhere except at me. Suspicious, I even look at my mirror if I am being reflected in it, but then again, it will be too dark for a human to see it.
I raise my head to him and say, "I'm ready." I glance at the hover under his arm and add, "Don't you think it's about time you teach me how to ride that?"
He grins. "Why would I?" He strides towards me and lifts me, with my hand automatically going around his neck. "If I teach you, I will miss carrying you like this."
He's about to place a kiss on my face when I push at his head. "I told you, the kiss last time is only one time."
"Nothing will be lost if I try it again," he says. He activates his magic and I place my palm flat on the middle of his chest. He jerks. "What was that?!" he scolds.
My brows furrow. What is wrong with him?! I just want to check the flow of his magic. If I can sense it, then surely, I can do it myself the next time.
"I am just checking how you use your magic to activate the hover."
"Don't touch me haphazardly! Especially on a beautiful night like this."
My frown deepens. Is he being horny from such a simple touch?! Ain't he the same as Theo?!
"Then put me down!" I respond. "If you are feeling horny and angry at this, then leave me here!" I will find a way to escape and visit the festival! Alone, if need be!
I struggle against his hold. He almost drops me, if he did not fall himself, and catches my body. I glare at him and he embraces me. His hand is on the back of my head and the other around my waist. I push at him, but he is physically stronger than I am, so I choose to calm myself down.
Finally allowing him to hug me, I hear him deeply sigh. "I'm sorry, Kaiya. I will do my very best to control myself, okay? Don't be angry."
I feel constricted in his arms, and I groan. "Then let me go, you are hugging me too tight."
He pulls back at me and grins. "You are a nice little stress ball."
"You are stressed?"
"Ha!" he says, and smirks, "You wouldn't want to know what I am stressed about." He caresses my face and I catch his hand to stop him. Then he asks, "Or maybe you want me to tell you." His face is too close now.
"If you kiss me, you will be barred from my room forever," I threaten. "And that's the least I will do to you."
He freezes. After a while, he recovers and says, "Something is telling me that I will enjoy your punishment."
"You maso…"
Then unbidden memories of Theo and Coe come into my mind. The way he roughly puts those nipple clamps on her. The way he slaps her butt until she was so raw. The way he grabs her hair to pull her whole body up. Most especially, the way he pushes and pulls her head on his manhood while she hugs his legs tightly on her chest. I even remember how she touches and pleasures herself while putting Theo in her mouth.
"…chist," I whisper.
My eyes become unfocused and I feel the tears coming again, it's been a few months. It's even almost half a year already, I need to forget.
"Aside from your child, I wonder what Theo did to you, so you will become like this."
As if being awoken from my reverie, I stand up. I lost the motivation to see the festival. I just want to sleep and rest now. And probably cry a little bit more.
"I changed my mind. Leave now. I don't want to go anymore."
"Oh no, you don't," he says.
Abruptly, he moves toward me and lifts me. I am about to complain when he activates his magic and jumps on his hover. In less than a minute, we are already outside my room and swooping away from the castle. I can feel the cold wind on my face and I instinctively pull my body closer to him. Hiding my face in the crook of his head and shoulders, I feel grateful for his warmth.
And when I become used to flying once again, I move a bit further from him. I look behind him. At the stars. The last time we've been in the hover, I saw stars even when it was close to morning. This time, the stars are more… numerous, twinkling. It is very bright as if the stars act as the light in the darkness instead.
Then my eyes transfer to all around us. The ocean is illuminated by the moon and the stars. The castle has lamps on its massive ground and some of its open windows have its light open. But what's more striking are the areas outside the castle gates. Numerous lights twinkle in the darkness. They seem like they mirror the sky with its lovely stars. And I can't help but be mesmerized.
After a couple more minutes of flying, I sense Klevon going down. I watch where we are going to land. It is the place where the lights start… or end. All I know is that, the area is on the edge of those myriad lights.
Placing my feet down on the rough, cemented floor, I look up at him and then at the entrance to the festival. I feel my heart about to burst in excitement. I hear Klevon laughing. And I look up at him.
"This is the first time in a long while I've seen you with sparkling eyes. I love it."
I ignore his insinuations and instead, run inside the festival. I hear him call me, but I didn't care. I walk briskly with the flow of the people. There are a lot of booths, of different food, merchant, activities, of-
"Slow down," Klevon grins, as he holds my arm. "Do you even have money to buy and enjoy this festival?"
I cock my head at him. And realization hits. Of course, money is important! And I don't have a single coin on me. No, ever since I arrived in this Kingdom, I never needed to have money on my own.
"You didn't tell me," I blame.
Well, even if he did tell me, how am I going to get money? Ask Theo? I'm not stupid and shame-faced like that. If I ask him, he might give me lots of it, but… that means he will ask where I am going to spend it. Then, he will come with me… Ugh! I should keep him out of my mind, even if I long and crave for him to be here with me.
"Why would I tell you? I want the sense of you depending on me," he laughs again.
Then I open my palm in front of him. "Give me some."
He flicks my forehead as an answer. He leans closer while I massage the part he flicks. "Stingy asshole," I say under my breath.
He chuckles again, somehow I'm becoming used to his laughter, no matter how boisterous it is. "Why would I do that? I worked my body for this."
I pout. Of course, he won't. Who am I anyway? I also need to work to get that, right?
"Or maybe…" he starts. "You want to work your body too? So I can give you some? I have a couple of services I'd like to ask from you. I'm sure you will put me in the negatives in no time."
I glare at his suggestive undertones. I'm getting used to him, except for these salacious jokes. It's frustrating and downright offensive.
I am about to leave him alone when he holds my wrist. "What?!" I yell at him, which makes the other people look at us.
"I'm not saying I won't some to give you."
I frown.
"But I will handle the money, and you enjoy yourself. You just point and ask for what you want and I will pay for it."
"I can handle money. I've studied it with Harbin."
"That's not my reason."
I withdraw my hand from his hold but he tightens it. I growl at him.
"This is my reason. If I already give you this, you will run away from me and enjoy yourself alone."
"You are just as shrewd as Theo!"
"Oh, he's worse than me though. I am only shrewd if it means I can keep your attention. It works, right?"
I stare at his pocket and his bag of coins. "No stealing, please. It's a capital offense," he says as if reading my mind. "Unless you have a fetish for me running after you?" He wiggles his brows at me.
"Pervert," I grumble, and yet, when he let my arm go, I didn't leave his side.