Chapter 38 Ivy
thirty-eight
Ivy
Ivy raced towards the stairs, but the enormous skirt of her dress hampered her movement.
Leseldh caught up to her and she felt him snatch her wrist, halting her escape.
Her body flooded with alarm, and she desperately searched around for Finare, but he was nowhere to be found.
Leseldh shoved her into a vacant room and slammed the door shut behind him.
Leseldh’s eyes glowed a brilliant gold. He pressed her against the wall, his face but a breath from hers.
“What have you done?” he snarled, his hot breath bouncing off her face.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ivy replied through gritted teeth, refusing to wither under his stare.
Ivy had been too caught up in the maelstrom of panic, embarrassment and worry to note the oily taste of Leseldh’s blood. But upon reflection, she realised that she felt nothing for him. It didn’t work!
“You know exactly what I’m fucking talking about, Malia. Your lack of commitment to this relationship has caused our bond to fail.” Leseldh’s disappointment was palpable, and under different circumstances, she might have pitied him.
“It’s because we aren’t truly Resonant.” The retort only served to irritate Leseldh further. Ivy pressed her lips into a thin line to stop a grin from spreading across them.
His hands moved to her shoulders, and he pinned her to the wall so hard her shoulder blades barked in pain. He still gripped the ceremonial knife, but the blade was pointed away from her—for now.
“Why does your blood taste different?”
“I don’t know what my blood tastes like.”
“It used to be intoxicating. Now it tastes as filthy as seawater!” Leseldh bellowed, his face contorted in disgust.
“You were no treat yourself,” Ivy quipped in a raised voice, and with the way Leseldh’s eyes burned with golden fury, she knew that an explosion was imminent.
But the explosion came from behind her. The door burst open, and Ivy felt a wave of relief pulse through her. Until she realised it was Killian that was storming towards them.