CHAPTER 22 #2
The warmth drained from Edmund’s gaze, set into quiet steel once more.
“Hesper’s always been a loose cannon, but even I’ve never seen him lose his cool that quickly.
” He drew closer to her until he stood by the side of the table.
“Not that I’m implying you did anything wrong from what you’ve explained already.
” He frowned at her as he looked at her ear.
“At the expense of getting yourself hurt, you reckless whelp.”
“He looked like he was about to attack Charie, I couldn’t help it!”
Edmund sighed and folded his arms, his disapproval clear.
But his frown turned thoughtful as he mulled it over in his head.
“I don’t know what’s gotten Hesper so disturbed, but he’s been assigned as a guard for Auden’s home since his illness.
” His eyes narrowed. “I’ve had my fair share of disagreements with Auden, but that was the start of my ongoing migraine with him.
Hesper was the one that found Arisa before she was brought to our pack. ”
“Wait. Found?” Lenore sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”
“Hmph. Supposedly, her pack got into a battle with another. She was the only survivor, and fled for days… weeks, apparently.” He scowled, as if annoyed by the fact that followed.
“It did make sense with her condition when she first arrived. Battered to the bone, and in desperate need of everything. She’s been here a few months now. ”
“Brynn said Arisa’s a Duskryn, too. How did that happen so fast?”
“I wonder that myself,” Edmund muttered. “She claimed she was one before, so she went through our trials to prove herself. The results speak for themselves.” The restraint in his displeased expression was enough to imply he at least respected it.
“I see…” Lenore’s brows furrowed slightly. “Did she and Auden have…” Her thumbs circled each other. “Um, the fated mate connection right away?” She couldn’t look at Edmund when she asked.
She thought the touch of awkwardness in the air might just kill her, but much to her disappointment, she was still alive.
“No,” he said after another insufferably long beat.
“They didn’t. They were opposites in a lot of ways, too—and it caused some friction both before and after their mates’ ceremony.
” He let out a quiet hum. “The etheria—the flower that blooms between fated mates—was slower to open between them during their vows. It was… strange.” She could hear him shift around before he changed the subject.
“But anyway, with Hesper being the one who found her, it was an obvious choice of bias to pick him as a personal guard.”
Lenore looked at him then, as his voice dropped low and his eyes burned with cold intensity.
“Something’s off,” Edmund said. “None of this feels right.”
The urge to tell him, to hint at everything she knew so far bubbled up in her throat. Pip was right here with her—all she needed to do was show him.
We could be a team. The thought excited her, encouraging her to reach out, her lips parting to speak.
A team… when you can’t even be honest about what you’ve been feeling about him? When you don’t even know if he feels the same? Is that really a team? The intruding voice withered any hope away. Lenore retreated into herself, a heavy pit settling in her stomach.
She was getting too far ahead of herself.
Her hand fell into her lap. “Everything feels off to me,” she murmured. “But that’s me just trying to adjust to everything, I guess.”
Edmund’s lips tightened before he rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s been difficult for you. And you have a big dinner to deal with soon. Never mind my words right now.” He trailed off, then said, “We’re all trying to figure it out without Auden’s leadership. That’s that.”
His words brought the discussion to a close, yet an unsatisfying feeling lingered in the air, lost in the words left unspoken between them.
Lenore’s mind drifted to the looming dinner that was to be served tomorrow, drawing closer with each passing second.
She felt a bit of worry starting to grow in her stomach that she wouldn’t be able to create dishes worthy enough for such a big occasion.
Softly, she piped up. “Um, Edmund?”
“This isn't about the others again, is it?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just tomorrow, during the dinner, um... try not to judge my food too hard, will you? I didn’t think my first week here would include impressing everyone important with my cooking skills.” She grimaced. “I don’t know how different your tastes are compared to mine.”
An amused warmth gently lit up Edmund’s eyes, chasing away the usual coldness that inhabited his blue and gray irises.
“Haven’t I already changed a lot of my expectations for you? It won’t be different for the food,” he said in an ever so matter-of-fact way—a light hint of teasing softening the words.
“Oh, goodness,” Lenore huffed, though the corners of her lips curved upwards in a humored smile. “Do you really have to say yes in such a manner?” She crossed her arms. “Can’t you say something different for once, perhaps even, ‘Yes, I’ll help you, oh sweet fair maiden.’”
Edmund snorted. After a second’s pause, he slowly murmured, “Well, I suppose you already look the part.” His eyes flitted away.
Lenore blinked slowly. A moment later, her cheeks bloomed rosy red. Was he... complimenting her?
“What did you say?” she asked dumbly.
“I said something different, didn’t I?” The gruff edge hid the self-consciousness layered underneath. “And I know you heard me the first time.”
“Maybe I need it repeated,” Lenore said. “My ear is injured after all.”
Her words prompted a small smile on Edmund’s face. He lightly scoffed. “The outside of it is. Nice try, whelp.”
Lenore couldn’t help but let out a small giggle. “Well, forgive me for trying.” She clasped her hands together, sharing a similar smile on her own face. “It did catch me by surprise.”
Edmund hesitated, briefly tugging at the fabric of his black leather gloves, then asked, “In a good way?”
A soft laugh left Lenore, and she shyly nodded as she pressed a knuckle against her lips. “It’s nice to know you can say pleasant things outside of your usual sharp tongue. Keep that up and I might not see you as such a brute,” she teased.
“Didn’t this brute help you out more than once?” Edmund responded in the same teasing manner. Lenore rolled her eyes as he grinned at her.
“I might be kind enough to say there’s some good in you being such a beast,” Lenore whispered, her smile turning coy. Edmund leaned in closer at her words, his gaze kindled with emotions that made her heart stumble over itself.
“Whoa.” Two pairs of eyes jerked to the side. Nox stood at the open doorway with a steaming mug in hand. Beside him was Nisa, who gripped a small glass bottle tightly to her chest. “Are you smiling, Edmund?”
“I’ve never seen that before,” Nisa whispered. Her eyes were wide with wonder, mouth agape at the couple before her. Edmund jerked back from Lenore, his body stiffening as he faced the siblings.
“I mean I have, but not like that,” Nox exclaimed. “You were giving her the eyes.” His brows waggled, lips pressed tight to suppress a huge grin.
“The WHAT?” Edmund repeated the word in sharp disbelief. As much as he tried to pull a scowl, his face was aflame, and he threw up an outstretched hand to cover the upper part of his face. Head dipped slightly down, he growled out, “You’re speaking absolute nonsense, Nox.”
“This is making a lot of sense, actually. I was wondering why you stuck around!” Nox exclaimed. A deep red spread across Lenore’s cheeks. She glanced down to the side, blinking rapidly as her lips fell open. Edmund said nothing. The tips of his ears turned crimson.
“Oh. My. Stars. Are you two—Do you think you two are… fated mates?” The excitement in Nisa’s voice overflowed with anticipation, taking over her reserved demeanor.
“Wow, wow, wow! I thought—I thought the Vesren stayed to watch because… well—you’re a—” Nox nudged his sister sharply, shooting her a pointed look.
She gulped nervously before her lips broke out into a big grin—a hint of relief in the corners.
Her girlish squeals only embarrassed them, and Lenore exploded with panic.
“W-what—NO!” Lenore hid her cheeks behind her fanned-out fingers. “I-I don’t even—I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Her words continued to spill out in a mess. “I—no, I don’t even like Edmund! I mean—not that I don’t like him. He’s just been teaching me. This is all a misunderstanding!”
She desperately, silently urged herself to shut up. Pip was smacking at her leg, protesting against her flustered denial. Her face and ears burned hotly, and she dared not spare another glance at Nox and Nisa’s direction, both of whom seemed barely convinced by her words.
“Darn. Was it our mistake then?” Nox asked, his tone clearly teasing as he barely feigned an apologetic look.
Slowly, Edmund lowered his hand. Lenore glanced at him, immediately regretting having done so. His jaw was set tight, a faint flicker of pain behind his eyes before it disappeared as soon as it came.
“It’s what she said,” he finally uttered. “A misunderstanding. You’re being delusional as always, Nox. Don’t let it rub off on your sister.” Eyebrows pulled tight, his cold eyes glanced down at the young girl who squeaked in fear and quickly hid behind Nox.
From behind Nox’s back, a muffled voice cried out, “S-sorry!”
“I-it’s okay,” Lenore tried to reassure her in the midst of her own flustered panic. “Um—Nox,” she took a breath then forced a smile on her face. “I’ll take the drink—”
“And this.” Nisa’s arm stuck out behind Nox, her hand holding the tincture bottle. “Take only a couple of drops under your tongue, every four hours until the pain subsides.”
“Yes, okay. Thank you, Nisa. I’ll take the drink and that, and um, I’m sure you two are busy so I can handle things on my own now.”