Chapter Twenty-Five #2
‘No,’ Isaac answered without sparing her a glance; meanwhile, her eyes constantly travelled between us.
‘Alright, must be a family member then?’ she continued, and with his jaw clenching, he finally turned towards her.
‘Why are you here, Lora?’ he snapped.
‘I didn’t mean to disturb you at your… meeting. My first years wanted to meet the combat professor and according to your schedule, it’s your open window.’
‘And I should give in to what the first years want because...? Half of them won’t even be here in a few weeks.’
She paled. ‘As you wish. I will leave you alone with your…’
‘Leave, Lora,’ Isaac said, his tone polite yet final.
Without another word, she turned back and left, swaying her hips in a way that left little for imagination. Shadows wrapped around the office door lock, clicking it shut as his ice-cold eyes focused on me once more. ‘Where were we? Something about urges, right?’
‘Lora definitely has some. Perhaps you should offer her that striptease,’ I teased him, but he didn’t take the bait.
‘I’m not into women who only see me for my power.’ He winced, and I couldn’t help feeling sad for him.
My heart sank the more I thought about it. ‘Is that something you’ve encountered often?’
Isaac’s throat bobbed before his smile turned so raw and painful it hurt to look at him. ‘Combat’s valued in the Isles. My powers set me apart. I gave up on finding a partner a long time ago. I just… I want someone who will want me for who I am and not what I can offer them.’
‘How long is “a long time”?’
The bright blue of his irises dulled. ‘Two hundred years, give or take.’
It was difficult to even consider such an amount of time, especially since I wasn’t alive for even a quarter of that period. ‘How old are you now?’
Looking down, he seemed a little troubled. ‘Two hundred forty-five.’
‘You gave up that quickly?’ It shocked me. ‘I know Medeis is overridden with ruthless social climbers, but I’m sure you have a soulmate somewhere out there.’
‘You think?’ he asked, his words coming out in a hopeful whisper.
‘I’m sure.’
Isaac followed my line of sight, down to the garden, before asking, ‘And you said the King of Fogoya is yours?’
‘He is my mate, that’s without a question,’ I admitted. ‘But he betrayed me; I don’t know if I can ever trust him again, even if some stubborn part of me still believes he wouldn’t hurt me.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ The harsh words flew out of his mouth as he stilled, analysing me.
‘Mates can’t hurt each other. And he’s done it for reasons I… understand; it just doesn’t hurt any less.’
Isaac’s demeanour shifted, growing progressively more unsettled. ‘Your mate tried to strangle you, and you’re defending him?’
The words hit harder than they should have.
‘What?’ I whispered. ‘That’s not— How do you even know that, Isaac?’
The walls of the office seemed to close in on me.
‘It’s true, isn’t it?’ His voice dropped, only a shade softer than a snarl. ‘You know that’s unforgivable. He tried to kill you. That man is dangerous for you, Ava.’
It was becoming difficult to breathe.
‘Wow, hold on.’ I raised my hands as I jumped off the windowsill and took a step back before I even realised I’d moved. ‘How do you know all this?’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ there was anger in his voice. ‘A mate should be the source of safety, the one person you rely on to protect you from dangers, not cause them. You need to think of what your life would be like with him.’
Was he really trying to make me turn my back on River?
‘I don’t know where you got that information, but you’re missing context and—’
‘Context doesn’t justify your mate putting hands on you!’ he roared.
The sound cracked through the room like lightning.
Instinctively, I backed away further.
His eyes flicked to the movement. Noted it. Regretted it.
Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled sharply and covered his face. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to explode.’
Creating distance wasn’t a conscious choice. And it wasn’t fear. It was memory, a habit of cowardice ingrained so deeply I couldn’t control my impulses. I knew it, yet I stayed away.
‘Please tell me how you found out,’ I begged, quieter now.
His stare sharpened again, locking onto mine. ‘Will it change anything?’
‘No, but I haven’t told anyone, so he might have a spy in his court. I need to let him know.’
A beat passed.
‘Nobody told me,’ he whispered. ‘I saw it in your nightmare.’
The words settled slowly.
Miriam’s voice echoed in my head. Nightmare powers.
My stomach dropped.
I couldn't believe it. ‘You used your nightmare powers on me?’
Isaac’s face lost its colour. ‘What? Never.’
‘Then how did you—’
‘I dream-walk sometimes,’ he cut in quickly, as though rushing to banish the idea from my head. ‘I would never give you a nightmare. You crafted it on your own. I stumbled into it in my sleep.’
The explanation came too fast. Too urgent. Almost pleading. What was happening?
‘You can visit people’s dreams? Is it a part of your nightmare powers?’
A flicker of shock crossed his features. ‘It’s complicated. All dream-walkers have nightmare powers, but you can control nightmares without dream-walking abilities. I never meant to violate your privacy; I tried to leave but then he…’
Isaac’s jaw tightened. ‘You need a mate who respects you. It’s not him.’
Silence pressed between us.
A low, frustrated sound escaped him. ‘Are you angry?’
Slowly, I made my way back to the window, leaning against the wall opposite him. Putting space back where it belonged.
‘No. But you don’t get to judge him without knowing the facts. And next time, please don’t linger in my dreams.’
I swallowed. ‘The fact is, my mother cursed his brother to kill his own mate and then himself, just as she’d been doing with his army. He didn’t know me back when he attacked me. I’d wandered into their soldiers’ resting place, and he thought I wanted to do more damage.’
Isaac inhaled sharply. ‘That’s horrible.’ A pause. ‘But it doesn’t excuse him.’
‘I know it doesn’t,’ I said quietly, realising nothing I could say would change his mind. ‘But he’s not violent toward me. If anything, his overprotectiveness drives me crazy. I’m not some damsel who needs to be looked after, or at least I don’t want to be.’
His expression shifted.
Out of relief, maybe. Though he wouldn’t admit it. ‘Then it’s decided. I’ll train you.’
I blinked. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I teach combat, don’t I?’