Elysia's footsteps echoed through the grand hallways of the castle, her mind a tangled web of frustration and exhaustion.
The faint morning light filtered through the tall windows, casting soft shadows along the stone walls, but it did little to ease the tension pressing down on her shoulders.
Beside her, Zera walked with a rigid posture, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. The air between them crackled with unspoken words, heavy and sharp, ready to cut through the silence at any mont.
Elysia didn't need to look at Zera to know she was furious.
Wonderful, Elysia thought grimly. This is exactly what I need right now.
The corridors stretched endlessly ahead, their journey to Elysia's chambers feeling longer than usual.
She could feel Zera's simring anger radiating off her like a blazing fire, each step they took only fueling the inevitable explosion waiting to happen.
Finally, they reached Elysia's room. She pushed the door open, stepping inside and letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
But before she could close the door behind her, Zera followed, shutting it with a sharp click that echoed through the room like a warning.
Elysia turned slowly, eting Zera's piercing eyes that burned with barely contained rage.
"So," Zera started, her voice low but dangerous, "Malvoria's still alive."
Elysia winced, running a hand through her silver hair. "Zera—"
"No," Zera cut her off, her tone sharp as a blade. "Don't. Just don't."
Elysia sighed, rubbing her temples. "I tried."
"Tried?" Zera's voice cracked with disbelief. She gestured wildly, her hands trembling with frustration. "You tried? Elysia, you were supposed to kill her!"
"I know that!" Elysia snapped back, her own temper flaring. "Do you think I don't know that?"
Zera's eyes narrowed, her jaw clenched so tightly Elysia thought it might break. She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Then explain to why she's still breathing."
Elysia's breath hitched, mories from the night before flashing through her mind like a cruel reminder.
The dagger slipping from her fingers. Malvoria's unreadable gaze. The undeniable weight of Malvoria's power pressing down on her, leaving her no room to act.
"I couldn't," Elysia admitted, her voice barely audible.
Zera scoffed, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Couldn't? Or wouldn't?"
Elysia's eyes snapped up to et Zera's, anger flaring in her chest. "Do you honestly think I didn't want to? She was too fast, Zera. Too strong. I didn't even get the chance."
Zera's gaze flicked to Elysia's neck, and her lips curled into a bitter sneer. "Right. And I'm sure that's the only reason."
Elysia's brows furrowed. "What is that supposed to an?"
Zera let out a bitter laugh, gesturing toward Elysia with a sharp wave of her hand. "You really don't know, do you?"
Elysia blinked, confused. "Know what?"
"Elysia, you're covered in—" Zera cut herself off, shaking her head with a frustrated groan. "You can't seriously expect to believe you tried when you walked out of that room looking like..." She trailed off, clenching her jaw again. "Like that."
Elysia's cheeks flushed, her hand instinctively flying to her neck. She had hoped the high collar of her dress would be enough to hide the faint marks left behind, but Zera's sharp eyes had caught everything.
"This isn't—" Elysia started, but Zera raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence.
"Don't," Zera muttered, pacing the room like a caged animal. "Don't insult by pretending it didn't happen."
Elysia's hands balled into fists at her sides. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
"But it did," Zera shot back, her eyes narrowing. "Didn't it?"
Elysia's chest tightened, the weight of Zera's accusation pressing down on her like a stone. She wanted to explain, to make Zera understand, but how could she?
How could she explain the chaos of last night—the confusion, the adrenaline, the mont when everything she had planned unraveled in an instant?
"I had the dagger," Elysia whispered, her voice trembling with frustration. "I was ready."
"But you didn't do it," Zera said harshly, her voice laced with disappointnt.
"Because she overpowered !" Elysia shouted, her voice echoing through the room. "Because she's Malvoria! She's not so ordinary person I can just sneak up on and stab."
Zera's glare softened, but only slightly. She let out a slow breath, her shoulders still tense. "You knew this wouldn't be easy."
"I know," Elysia replied, her voice quiet but firm. "But I wasn't prepared for that."
Zera's eyes flicked to the side, her jaw tight as she processed Elysia's words. The room fell into tense silence, the only sound the faint crackling of the fireplace.
After a mont, Zera let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "You know," she muttered, her voice low and cutting, "I'm starting to think you enjoyed it."
Elysia's eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"Last night," Zera said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I think you liked it more than you're willing to admit."
Elysia's breath caught, anger flaring in her chest once more. But she couldn't deny the sharp pang of guilt twisting in her stomach. Because the worst part—the part she couldn't admit even to herself—was that Zera might not be entirely wrong.
Zera's piercing eyes softened, the sharp anger giving way to sothing far more painful—hurt.
The tension in the room shifted, becoming heavier, more fragile, as if one wrong word would shatter whatever remained between them.
Elysia's breath caught in her throat as she saw Zera's shoulders sag, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on her.
"Do you even love ," Zera whispered, her voice barely audible but cutting through the silence like a dagger, "or did sleeping with that demon make you change?"
The words struck Elysia like a blow, and for a mont, she couldn't breathe. Her chest tightened painfully as guilt and confusion swirled within her.
Love? The question echoed in her mind. Did she love Zera? The woman who had always stood by her side, protected her, believed in her even when she couldn't believe in herself?
Her hands trembled at her sides, and she opened her mouth to speak, but no words ca. She didn't know what to say.
She didn't know how to explain the storm of emotions raging within her—the sha, the guilt, the undeniable pull she felt toward Malvoria despite everything.
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