CHAPTER 24 #2
And I did. Inches from his throat. He was breathing heavy, staring at me with red, shocked eyes that slowly faded back to brown.
I lowered my sword and stuck it in the ground, no longer feeling like it was fused to my hand.
The sound of clapping startled me, and I turned around to find Zendryk standing at the opposite end of the ring behind us.
“I’m impressed.” He walked over to where we were and stretched his hand out to Ulric, who swatted it away and stood up on his own.
“Oh, don’t pout, Ulric.” He teased.
Ulric let out a low growl and walked away.
“Is he okay? I didn’t hurt him, did I?” I asked, watching him retreat towards the manor and checking to see if he was showing any signs of injury.
“Just his pride, but no, he’s fine.” He laughed at his own comment. “I thought you never used a weapon before?”
Pausing for a moment, I thought of how I should reply and decided to go with the truth, or most of it. “I haven’t.”
“I find that hard to believe, Avyn.” He questioned me while stating a fact.
I loved it when he said my name. “It…. It was the swords. It was like they told me what to do, and when he was going to attack.”
He digested what I had just told him, clearly trying to think of some explanation, but he didn’t continue pressing the matter.
“Ready for dinner?” That was all he asked.
After I cleaned up, I made my way to the private dining room, and Zendryk was already waiting for me.
“No Ulric tonight?” I asked, walking in and taking my normal seat across from him.
“Not tonight, he is too busy licking his wounds and sulking.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the pun and images that flashed through my head. “Poor guy.”
Looking around the table, I noticed that the normal display of food was absent. “No dinner tonight?”
He smiled softly at me, “I took what you said to heart, about the abundance of food. I spoke with Mrs. Prast, and we worked out a plan for feeding us, the servants… and some of the villages.”
My heart exploded, and I could feel the tears welling up in the bottom of my eyes.
He continued, “It won’t feed everyone, but we will be able to feed some.”
“The only problem is my parents; we had to continue the feast there, but we are going to have small plated dinners here. They are going to cut back on some items they have noticed the King and Queen do not normally eat, and the servants will eat the leftovers from their dinner as usual. The extra food will be sent to the villages weekly.”
This man…. was… unbelievable.
“Thank you.” The words came out softly, barely a whisper, but they meant so much.
“I should be thanking you, I never knew how … hard it was. Well, I knew it was hard, but I never knew to what extent. I’m sorry we failed you.”
Was he apologizing to me?
“This isn’t your fault. You’re not ruling over the kingdom.
I see how your parents are, and it’s not a surprise that the villagers suffer while they live in luxury.
But you just acknowledging and trying to do something to help them, that means so much to me.
” I smiled at him, the warmth of the conversation reached my eyes, and I dabbed away a tear that was about to escape.
Our conversation was interrupted by two servants who brought plates to the table and set them before us. Tonight, we had a portion of chicken, potatoes, and green beans. Modest, but enough, and I wouldn’t ever ask for more, knowing that it could save a family from going to bed hungry.
Dinner ended, and the servants asked us first if we would like dessert. I declined, already feeling full from dinner, and Zendryk did the same.
“Thank you for my gift earlier, too. Ares is beautiful.” Looking at him, really looking at him as I said it.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, “I knew you would like him. He’s just as stubborn as you are.”
“Hey now, I prefer sassy.”
We both laughed, and it echoed through the small dining room.
This feels right, like this is where I was supposed to be, here with him, in this moment.
He took a drink from his glass, and his muscles flexed in his arms as he brought the glass to his mouth; his soft and inviting lips touched the edge of the glass…
. I stopped myself and gave my head a quick shake before taking a drink of my own.
Well, attempting to, I knocked the glass off the table with my elbow instead.
A stream of black shadows shot out from under the table and caught it, bringing it back to its upright position.
I knew he had shadow powers, but he never really used them around me.
Unless… I thought back… to all the times shadows moved in the corner of my eyes. I wondered if that was him?
“How often can you use your … um … shadows?” I asked as I took my last sip, placing the glass back on the table.
“Anytime I want to.” A mist-like shadow crossed the table from where he sat to the wine bottle; it wrapped itself around the bottle and lifted it. The bottle hovered for a moment, then moved towards my glass, poured the liquid into it, and gently set it back down on the table.
How does he make pouring wine fucking hot? I had to get out of this room before I couldn’t stop myself from doing…. Hell, I didn’t even know, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop.
“Should we head to powers training?” I asked, hoping it would distract me from him.
“Of course, I figured we could go to the willow tree; you seem most comfortable there.”
Half an hour later, we were under the willow tree, and I was trying to move one of the wildflowers from his hand, but the stupid little flower stared back at me, mocking me. I let out a long, frustrated breath.
“Why can’t I do this? I can fight with a sword, apparently, but this, moving a flower?! This is what is going to stop me.” I said, venting my frustration out loud.
“Go easy on yourself, it took me a good year before I could do this.”
I closed my eyes, let out a breath, and tried again. Focusing on the petals of the white flower, willing them to move… but nothing happened. Out of desperation, I reached towards the voice.
What am I doing wrong?
Silence.
Of course, it never responded to anything I asked. I continued trying for another half hour before Zendryk told me it was time to call it a night.