Chapter 15
Seda
Roya and Ferona helped Seda to her room.
The walk was long, and her legs barely held her up, but the two Corvids didn’t complain once as they supported her.
They passed through the long halls and reached the large double doors that separated the East Wing from the rest of the castle.
When the guards saw them, they hurried over and helped get her into bed.
She was exhausted, and her head pounded like someone was hitting it with a sledgehammer. When her head hit her pillow, she closed her eyes, trying to block out the midday sun blazing through the ceiling windows.
She continued thinking about her dream. Was that just a nightmare about Kalon? Had she truly passed out and dreamt the whole thing?
Ferona hurried into the bathroom, returning with a cool, wet washcloth, and placed it on her forehead. Seda thanked her, closed her eyes again, and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Hours must have passed because, when she woke, she opened her eyes to candlelit darkness. Someone was crouched on the floor next to her bed, with their forehead resting on her mattress.
“Cahir?” she choked out in a dry voice, noticing his fresh white shirt that made his skin look radiant, even in the dimly lit room.
He rustled and looked up at her with furrowed brows. “Are you okay, Sed?”
She touched the back of her head, and the faint throbbing was still there, but it had eased significantly. “I think so.”
“Tell me what happened, please?” Cahir asked as he reached out and touched her arm.
“I apparently passed out.”
“But Roya said you saw something?” he pressed.
No one else had believed her. Why would he?
She sighed. “Apparently, I passed out and had a nightmare. You’d think I’m crazy.”
“Never,” Cahir said with a small smile.
She remembered him saying this to her before, and smiled at the memory. She shifted on the bed, but the movement worsened her headache, making her wince in pain.
“Okay…” she started, “I’ve had dreams of snakes since childhood.
When Neoma handed me her bouquet, the air shifted.
It turned dark, foggy, and cold. Dozens of black snakes surrounded me, and a man emerged.
” She winced from the pounding in her head, and Cahir quickly grabbed her glass of water that was waiting on her side table.
He handed it to her and encouraged her to keep going, but she took a deep sip from her glass.
“What did this man look like?” he asked.
“He wore black, scaled armor and had piercing seafoam-colored eyes. When I tried to electrocute him, my magic didn’t affect him, and a large snake attacked me. That’s when I woke up to Roya and Ferona over me.”
Cahir thought for a moment, “Hmm…” He was silent for a moment before asking, “Want to look for any references to that in the library?”
She probably should have phrased that differently. He likely didn’t catch the eye color reference, and honestly, maybe it was just a dream.
Seda brightened up at the thought of going to the library with him. “Can we go?”
“Would you like to eat something first? Dinner was hours ago, but yes, we can go.”
Seda pushed herself out of bed. She was still wearing the soft cotton dress that Suza had picked out for her. She ran her tongue across her teeth, looking down at herself. “I’d like to freshen up first.”
“Of course, I’ll be outside waiting.” He left her room and closed the door. She went to the bathroom, quickly brushed her teeth, and looked in the mirror. Seeing her hair looked a mess, she quickly brushed out the tangles so it wouldn’t be too much work for Suza.
When she finished getting ready, she made her bed so it would be tidy when she returned, and made her way out the door. Cahir was standing outside, talking to the same two guards who had been posted there earlier. All three of them looked at her.
“Shall we?” Cahir asked, extending his arm so she could take it.
She was too tired to fight him on this and was excited to go to the library, so she accepted his outstretched arm.
They walked down the hall, and she felt the warmth of his arm against her skin.
She peered up at him. It was still a bit of an adjustment getting used to his new height.
He looked down at her, and her heart fluttered involuntarily.
She quickly looked away and noticed that they weren’t on the same path to the dining room as usual.
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
“To the kitchens.”
Her headache had eased, and she tried to tamp down her eager excitement to learn more in the library. They walked down a long hallway and through ornate double doors. The lantern-lit kitchen was empty of Fae, and Cahir led her to a table filled with cured meats, strawberries, cheeses, and crackers.
She picked up a strawberry, and the juice burst in her mouth. Cahir watched her eat the berries, observing intently as the pink liquid dripped down her lips. She licked at them, enjoying how his eyes flashed when he saw her tongue.
“I have a surprise for you.” He cleared his throat and looked away from her. “But you’ll need to close your eyes when we get there.” He led them into a storage room where dozens of shelves were lined with dry goods.
“Close your eyes,” he told her.
“What are we doing in the pantry?” she asked, wary of what could be a surprise in this room.
“Shh… you’ll see,” he said.
She huffed, closing her eyes and fighting the urge to peek. She heard rustling, the sound of a jar opening, and an acidic smell hit her nose. What was he doing? He placed something cool and wet into her hands, and she opened her eyes again.
“What is—” She looked at her palm, and a fermented egg was in her hand, dripping yellow liquid down her fingers. “Ewwwww!” she yelled.
She smashed the egg against his chest, vigorously rubbing the yolk into his white shirt. He laughed and tried to get away as she rubbed the egg on him, quickly turning his back to her to shield himself.
She saw a jar on the ground and grabbed another egg, smushing it onto the back of his shirt. She accidentally kicked the jar over with her foot, spilling the liquid and the rest of the hard-boiled eggs across the floor.
“How dare you place that disgusting thing into my hand!” she yelled, laughter slipping free, as she rubbed it harder into him.
The egg chunks on his back fell off his shirt in large clumps. She reached for another one on the floor, but when he turned to stop her, he slipped in the liquid and crashed to the floor, bringing her down with him.
Seda fell onto him, their chests pressed together, with their noses just inches apart.
He held her waist securely and gently squeezed. Seda’s breath hitched, and suddenly the storage room felt much smaller. They looked into each other’s eyes as silence took over.
Seda’s heart began to thunder in her chest.
“I thought you liked those,” he whispered breathlessly.
Heat flickered low in her belly, and she watched Cahir’s eyes darken.
“You know I don’t. Now we’re stinky,” she whispered back.
“Not at all,” he said, his gaze sliding down to her lips. Her heart fluttered again. “You’re so special to me, Seda.”
Doubt slithered into her thoughts, and she pulled herself away, settling beside him on the floor. “If you want to spend time with Neoma, I’d understand. As your friend, I’d support you if that’s what you wanted. I think she’s… okay, I guess.”
He shifted to sit alongside her and paused, glancing at her with wide eyes. “I want nothing from that woman, Seda. I never have and I never will.”
“But I saw you with her when I arrived, and the way she was flirting with you today—”
“She throws herself at me, and I reject her. She isn’t for me. She isn’t the one I want,” he interrupted as he sat beside her. He pressed his leg against hers and reached down to gently touch her hand, tracing his index finger over it and repeatedly drawing a heart.
She glanced at her hand before shifting her gaze back to his. “Then who…” Her words fell quiet.
A long silence followed, and he pulled on his neck with his hand before answering, “You, Seda.”
Seda felt her mind go blank as she stared into his eyes. He continued tracing his finger over her hand, and it tickled slightly, but she didn’t move it; she couldn’t.
“I’ve wanted to tell you for so long. The last thing I want is to lose your friendship even more than I already have, but I need to express this.
I promised you honesty. You’ve been my closest friend, the person I look forward to waking up next to in that tiny bed alone in our apartment because you’re there on the other side of the room, the one who makes me laugh and makes every moment feel special, even when you get upset and threaten me.
” He smiled at her, and her heart fluttered like a butterfly trapped in a glass, desperately trying to break free.
“I… I love you, Seda, more than anything in the world. My love knows no bounds. I’ll help you find all the stones.
I’ll help you burn this Monster King and others to the ground.
I’ll seek revenge on those who hurt you and innocent others.
You’re my best friend, my entire heart, and you ignite my soul with a fury that rivals the sun.
I’d do all of these things even if my feelings were never echoed.
You have me, Seda. From now until the end of time. ”
Her hand flew to her lips, and her eyes widened. She had no words, no way to respond.
“I…” she started, feeling a tear slip free. She thought she loved him, too—more than a friend. He had been her haven for years, the silent calm amid chaos, the steady ground holding her broken pieces together. But… he lied to her. What if he was lying now, too?
He reached out and gently cupped her cheek, wiping away the stray tear with his thumb. He slowly leaned in and tentatively brushed his full lips against hers, seeking silent permission, allowing her the chance to say no.
His lips were warm, and she noticed him trembling against her. Was he as nervous as she?
She felt the soft glow of her magic awaken within her chest. She opened her mouth for him, and the rush of emotion caused her to close her eyes as she lost herself in the moment.
His kiss felt like magic—like she was flying through the clouds, watching from far above. His kiss felt gentle and caring, and a determined flame began to grow within her, refueling the emotions she had allowed to fade.
She returned his kiss, leaning into him more tightly, and softly moaning into his mouth.
He slowly pulled away from her, and she opened her eyes, gazing into his. His face was inches from hers, and she could see the purple glow from her eyes light up his own.
She pulled back, afraid she had hurt him with her magic, remembering how Kalon’s kiss ended with a spark to his lips, “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. Ever,” he rasped as he watched her mouth with a hunger she had never seen on him before. He smiled at her, gently touching his lips with his fingertips, and her heart warmed as her favorite dimples showed on his cheeks through his trimmed beard.
“Can we do it again?” she asked, her voice hesitant. She might not trust him completely yet, but she was willing to try.
“Fuck yes.”
His lips met hers once more, and they both tumbled to the floor.
Seda forgot about the chaos around her. She forgot about the stones, the Camp, the monsters, Kalon, and her terrible past. The only things on her mind now were the fullness of his lips, the joy in her heart, and the fire consuming her soul.