97 - Precious
Mariana's breath came out uneven.
For a second-just a second-her mind refused to process what had just happened. The warmth, the contact, the deliberate slowness of it, it all blurred into something overwhelming.
Then it hit.
"YO-YOU...!" She yanked her hands back with all her strength, stumbling a step away from him. Her palms felt like they were burning, her face even worse. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU...?!" Her voice came out half a squeak, half a shout.
Zafiel didn't move from where he stood. He simply watched her. Calm. Composed. But his eyes-those eyes-still carried that faint glint of something dangerous, something that hadn't quite settled yet.
"You stopped me." He said, as if that explained everything.
"That does NOT justify that... that... THAT...!!" Mariana couldn't even find the right word. Her hands flailed uselessly in the air before she quickly wiped them against her dress again, as if that would somehow erase the memory.
"Unhygienic pervert...!" She muttered under her breath, mortified beyond reason.
Zafiel tilted his head slightly. "Unhygienic, you say?"
"THA-THAT'S WHAT YOU FOCUSED ON...?!" She snapped, eyes wide in disbelief.
Silence followed.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried desperately to regain composure. But it was difficult. Very difficult. Because every time she remembered it...
No, don't think about it...! Don't even think about it...!!
She turned away sharply and sat back down, grabbing the nearest book just to have something-anything-to hide behind. "I want to leave..." she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to him. "I seriously want to leave this palace already..."
"Iana."
She stiffened. There was something different in his tone this time. Not teasing. Not amused. Serious.
Mariana slowly lowered the book just enough to peek at him. "What...?"
Zafiel didn't immediately respond. Instead, he stepped closer-but not too close this time. Just enough to stand within her line of sight. "Your family," he began. Her grip tightened slightly around the book. "They're not just 'busy.'"
Mariana's brows furrowed. "What do you mean...?"
Zafiel's gaze didn't waver. "There are rebels."
Silence.
"Re-Rebels?" She repeated slowly.
"They've been growing for a long time." His voice was calm. Too calm. "Long before you noticed anything strange."
Her heart skipped. "Wha-What are you talking about...?" She asked, unease creeping in.
Zafiel exhaled quietly. "I didn't want to tell you this yet." Her stomach twisted. "But you won't cooperate otherwise."
That word-cooperate-made something in her chest tighten.
"Te-Tell me what...?" She pressed, her voice quieter now.
Zafiel looked at her, really looked at her. And for once, there was no softness in his expression. "The world you know," he said, "is already collapsing."
Her breath caught. "Wha-What...?"
"Darkness is spreading." His voice lowered slightly. "Not just at the borders. Not just in hidden places." A pause. "It's inside the empire now."
Mariana's fingers trembled. "That's... not possible..." She whispered.
"It is."
Her mind raced.
The plot... it wasn't supposed to happen this early. Or this intensely.
"The roots are deep," Zafiel continued. "Even among those who appear loyal."
Her chest felt tight. "... so my family..."
"I didn't just send them away in a whim, they're dealing with it."
Silence fell. Everything felt heavier now. The library, the books, the comfort-it all suddenly felt... fragile. Like it could shatter at any moment.
"W-Why are you telling me this...?" She asked quietly.
Zafiel stepped forward. Before she could react-again-he lifted her.
"Ah...!" She gasped, instinctively grabbing onto him. "Wha-What are you doing now...?!"
But unlike before, she didn't struggle as much. Maybe because her mind was still stuck on his words.
Zafiel held her securely, his expression softer again-but there was something darker beneath it now. Something resolute. "You're the most precious person I have." He said.
Her breath hitched.
"I've done too many terrible things..." He continued quietly. "... to even consider giving you up."
Mariana blinked. "Te-Terrible... things...?" She echoed faintly.
But he didn't elaborate. Instead, his gaze softened fully this time. Genuinely.
"Thank you," he murmured. Before she could react, a light, warm touch against her cheek. A kiss. Not forceful. Not demanding. Just... there. Her entire body froze. "... for existing."
Her heart stuttered.
Then just as suddenly, he set her back down onto the chair. Like nothing had happened. Like everything had changed.
Mariana sat there, completely stunned.
Zafiel straightened. "I have work to do." He said calmly.
She looked up at him, still dazed. "Wa-Wait... What do you mean by terrible things...?"
But he was already turning away. "I need to tie up loose ends." He added.
Her brows furrowed. "That... doesn't explain anything."
"It doesn't need to." He replied and then, he left just like that. The door closed softly behind him.
And Mariana was left sitting there, surrounded by books, her thoughts spiraling in a hundred different directions.
Terrible things...?
Her fingers curled slightly against her lap.
What did he do...?
Her curiosity burned. Sharp. Persistent. But beneath that, something else lingered. The memory of his words. The warmth of that brief touch.
Her face heated again. "This is a mess..." She muttered, burying her face in her hands.
-
Outside the library, Zafiel stopped. The moment the door fully shut, his expression changed. His hand clenched tightly into a fist.
"She's too much..." He muttered under his breath.
Mariana's image flashed in his mind. Her smile. That bright, genuine expression when she saw the books.
His chest tightened painfully. "Beautiful..." He whispered.
Not her appearance. Not the way others would see her. But that smile. That unguarded, honest joy. It hurt. Because it was something so pure in a world that was anything but.
"I'll protect it." His grip tightened further. "No matter what." His gaze darkened. "I don't care what it takes."
The empire. The rebels. The corruption festering beneath everything.
"Even if I have to destroy everything else." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I'll keep you safe... even if I have to kill everyone."
Silence followed. Then slowly, he let out a breath and walked away.