VALORIA WILDEROSE
"Y-you didn’t ha-have to f-follow all t-t-the way back to m-my room."
Yara’s tired gaze finds mine with a half-glare.
"If I didn’t, Calliope wouldn’t let hear the end of it. You really have her wrapped around your finger, don’t you?" There’s a hint of sass and disappointnt in her tone, and it nudges painfully with more guilt.
I continue to match her quick, long strides from those long legs, struggling to keep up—and end up looking like a bumbling fool right next to her bold, confident, tall self.
Even if I’m not jogging to keep up with her, I stand out like a sore thumb right next to her, just because we’re like night and day—her glorious, overpowering aura and beauty right next to my plain, underfed fra.
And just like the rest of her friends, I don’t belong or fit in next to them. And yet, these new feelings of greed and desire burn painfully in my chest after last night—wanting things I could never have.
Things I shouldn’t dream of.
It’s been grace and luck each ti I’ve found myself hanging out with them. I should cut my losses while things are still good.
Yara’s cold, brooding silence beside is all the signal I need. It’s only a matter of ti before the other two look at with disinterest too.
"I re-really d-idn’t know sh-sh... she would make you c-co all this way. I can tell her n-not to next ti. A-and if you want, I won’t honor anym-more invitations to c-co over again." I force a tight-lipped smile to show I’m unaffected by it.
I won’t bother her anymore so she’d have no reason to hate too.
She scoffs. "Don’t do that. Not when they just started liking you."
"I don’t un-underst-and."
She stops abruptly, facing directly with a firr look in her eyes.
"Don’t pull that ’I’m depressed and lonely so no one can ever like ’ bullshit. It’s annoying—especially when you have soone who’s already attached themselves and genuinely cares about the shit you wind up in."
I stand speechless for a few seconds, staring blankly at her, searching for my voice.
"B-b-but—"
"No buts. You’ve already got yourself mixed in, so deal with it."
With that, she turns around and stalks off, never looking back once—leaving confused, but a part of gets it... I think.
I can still hang out with them. It doesn’t have to end now.
My heart flutters, unable to hide the small smile forming on my lips while watching her retreating back disappear around the corner.
Those few words fill with more than I’ve felt in weeks—maybe even most of my life.
As a force of habit, I try not to get excited, terrified by the ever-present expiration date of everything—but for once, I indulge in the happiness of the mont.
I turn around, realizing our conversation had distracted enough that I hadn’t noticed I was already at my door.
I reach for the handle, barely making contact before it opens on its own—Yue stepping out with a solemn look on her face. Her eyes et mine, and she freezes.
"Lady Valoria."
"H-Hey," I respond with a small smile, guessing she’s been waiting for all night as always.
Suddenly, her hands are thrown around in a small, sudden hug I don’t expect, squeezing tightly before she pulls apart and stares at with moisture in her eyes.
All of it fills with a new wave of guilt—seeing for the first ti just how worried she actually is over , and the many tis she’s shown these emotions.
Yara’s words, like magic, open my eyes to see that while I assud I was alone and didn’t need to rely on anyone, soone was here all the ti—waiting for , worrying when I didn’t get back on ti, and when I had to face soone so terrifying.
Soone else cares too.
"Are you okay?" she asks the second we’re inside, shutting the door behind us.
I move to my bed first, sitting down and taking a deep breath as I’m forced to recall mories of last night again.
"I’m f-fine," I whisper.
"I heard what happened."
I look at her, suddenly confused, wondering how she could know sothing I hadn’t told anyone—but the look on her face, the concern, puts the pieces together.
My shoulders slump, understanding what she ans by knowing. Not everything, but rely a portion of what had transpired.
"The rumor just began spreading this morning. The servants are talking about how His Majesty has lost favor for you already and is spending his nights with soone else—Lady Alice." Her tone turns foul at the ntion of her na, and I’m oddly comforted by it montarily. "They’re going on about how you’re completely worthless now."
Well, it’s not like it’s anything new. The gossip and hate are what I’m used to, and for that reason, I know just how fickle it always is.
"It w-works out w-w-well for ," I reply, burying all thoughts of it aside, wanting nothing to do with Azrael again—or seducing him.
He can spin his stories and get his minions to taunt for all I care. All my focus is on sothing else now.
I admit that last night has opened up the realization that I can’t attempt to seduce Azrael. I don’t think I’d be able to stomach much of it anymore.
Kisses that used to leave breathless now fill with dread—mories of his mouth between my thighs, devouring until I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t fight back because my body betrayed and begged for more.
And not to forget, he’d brought another woman into his bed just to punish , making sure I heard every moan.
Reminding what kind of monster Azrael truly was—the kind who could make co apart on his tongue and then use soone else to break all over again.
I can’t see myself coming back from that.
I give up. And now I’ve moved on to other thods—like finding the dagger on my own.
"Do you know about the tale of the death god?" I ask Yue with a hopeful gaze, changing the topic.
"I’ve heard many versions." She muses on the question with curiosity.
Her positive response has sitting on the edge of my seat again, desperate for new information—more than just stories.
"D-Do you ha-ve anything m-more detailed on it, l-like where the ba-b-battle happened? Wh-at beca of the d-d-dagger?"
"Ehhh... not particularly. The story always ends with the god’s defeat. Why?"
My hope dies as quickly as it had flickered to life. My shoulders slump, and I let out a deep, disappointed exhale.
"N-No reason. Ne-never mind."
I fall back on my bed, sighing deeply. So much for finding the dagger, right? What was I thinking, getting my hopes up on a re story that could be fictional—on finding the dagger.
I may have had better chances at seducing Azrael than finding it myself.
"If you want to learn about details pertaining to its history, the royal library is the best place to start. It’s rumored to have knowledge and secrets on everything ever known to man," Yue continues, lighting another spark.
I sit upright again, looking at her. "Really?"
"The only downside to it is that it’s accessible to a few personally given access. You have to receive permission from the chief librarian in the general library. But I could take you there... maybe with your fa of being favored by His Majesty once, he could grant a request to look through so books for a few minutes...?"
"M-aybe... I ha-have to try."
I have to try anything, by every ans possible, if it ans having a chance—and that my dream of finally being free of Azrael and my family can be truly realized.
The fading hope resurfaces again, stronger, brighter, burning through my chest with an uncontrollable flare.
"Thank you, Yue. You’ve j-just saved m-my life." I spring to my feet, rushing to my closet to change, unwilling to waste another second.
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