For the first ti since she had known him, Soleia felt true fear breed in her chest as she turned and looked at the man whom she called her husband and a dear friend. He, the man who she trusted her life with, was the very sa who injected such trepidation into her heart that Soleia’s hands unwillingly trembled as she tumbled back onto the bed.
Rafael had pulled her back in so easily, his tendril of blood working like an extension of his arm. As soon as she was in the room, it let go of her, moving to close the door without him even needing to take a single step. Soleia even heard the click of the lock, amidst the thundering of her heart.
The look in his eyes was so foreign as well, and for all she said just now, it wasn’t until now that she felt she perhaps had never truly known Rafael at all― Ralph Byrone never wore such an expression, while Rafael Biroumand used it as his skin.
Her throat felt dry as she clutched onto the sheets. Soleia could feel beads of perspiration gathering on her forehead as she swallowed, trying to calm her breathing. As she moved, she could still feel the tinkling of her earrings.
He just needed to make one more move. Just one. If he got close enough, she could nullify his blood manipulation―
Only, Rafael moved his entire body forward towards her rather than use magic. It was as though he could read every thought in her mind and had already anticipated her attempts.
"What are you doing―"
"Fret not, Princess," he said. "I will not force you to sleep with . Especially not right now, while we’re having our disagreents."
That was putting it lightly.
"But this town is no place for and you to be, and you need a quiet place to calm your mind and think things through."
"I have no need to think things through," Soleia said through gritted teeth, backing an inch away for every inch Rafael moved towards her. "I just need you to get the hell away from and leave alone!"
"You don’t an that," Rafael said, frowning, as though he was truly hurt. But no matter how sincere his expressions were, Soleia could no longer trust their genuineness. "We are husband and wife. We are married for better or for worse."
"Leia Sevor and Ralph Byrone are married," Soleia hissed out. "And I am as much Leia Sevor as you are Ralph Byrone."
"I know you’re upset," Rafael slowly said as though he hadn’t heard a word that left Soleia’s lips. "But this really is just a huge misunderstanding. I couldn’t have told anyone my real na while in Vramid― your father would’ve killed . My father and brothers would’ve hunted down, for that matter!"
Soleia’s lips trembled. There were so many hurtful things she wanted — she could — say, but in the end, she left them hanging on her tongue without spilling from her lips.
"I never thought to use you," Rafael said, his voice barely above a murmur this ti.
There was nowhere else for Soleia to back away to, and this allowed Rafael to place his hand on hers. She loathed herself for not flinching away and hated how her body still reacted to his touch. A re graze of his hand had her skin tingling, causing a tear to slowly fall from the corner of her eye.
"When I befriended you, my intention wasn’t to use you for your powers. I just... wanted to be close to you," Rafael continued. "Let’s return to the palace. You will be the next queen. There will never be a need for you to worry about your father after this. And Reitan can co to Raxuvia and live with us― he will be safe here."
To Soleia’s surprise, Rafael slowly kneeled on the floor. He placed a hand over his heart and gazed up earnestly upon Soleia.
"Our wedding vows may have been between Leia Sevor and Ralph Byrone, but I ant every word," he said. "I will be with you, through sickness and health, wealth and poverty. Even my life is yours."
"I don’t want your life," Soleia said. "I want mine."
Rafael clenched his jaw, the muscle beneath his skin flexing before he exhaled loudly. Then, he stood to his feet, towering over her as he looked down.
"And you will live," he said, "a long, healthy life in luxury. With ." Before Soleia could say anything else, he barked out, "n!"
A tendril of blood shot out to unlock the door, and imdiately, soldiers marched into the room and surrounded them. Soleia gasped sharply when they entered, her body tensing as she watched them file into the room, their weapons in their hands. She, on the other hand, had nothing to fight against them with, except for the useless pair of selenite earrings dangling on her ears.
What good was selenite against sharpened blades? There was no magic used against her, and she had no other stone she could use with stolen magic.
"Please escort Princess Soleia to the royal palace of Raxuvia," Rafael ordered, his voice calm and filled with authority, even more so than the lieutenant general he was when under Orion’s command. "My father will be wanting to see and my new bride."
***
When the carriage rolled past the gates of the palace and finally ca to a stop, Soleia was escorted out of her ride. Rafael was surprisingly nowhere to be seen. Instead, Duke Kinsley― no, Oliver, was the man who escorted her into the palace.
"His Highness is currently having an audience with the King," Oliver explained. "He should be busy until at least the twentieth shower, so if Your Highness gets hungry, you needn’t wait to dine with him. Dinner will be brought to your quarters."
Soleia’s jaw clenched as her fingers clenched into fists. Her eyes surveyed every wall and pillar in the palace, eyeing the guards who were on patrol.
To be fair, Raxuvia’s royal palace was an architectural masterpiece. There was an assortnt of tall, slender towers that reached for the skies, with detailed patterns and graceful arches that cast beautiful shadows against the light of the sun. The entire palace was mostly in an off-white color, paired with glittering gold that shimred when sunlight touched it.
Not to ntion, the great tree that Rafael had pointed out earlier when they arrived in Raxuvia curved in and out of the palace. Every hour, showers of leaves and petals would fall from its branches as if it were snow.
If she were here on holiday, Soleia would’ve loved to walk around the palace and explore every nook and cranny available. However, this was quite literally a golden cage, one which she knew would be very difficult to escape.
"And where will that be?" Soleia coldly asked. "Don’t tell that man expects to sleep with him on the sa bed after everything that has happened?"
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