Chapter 71
Valencia
I stared at him in a daze and blinked.
And then he blinked as well. And his eyes were back to normal.
“What?” He asked as he stared at me.
I raised my hand to point at his face. “Your eyes…” I said, and he too brushed his hand upon his face and chuckled.
“Did you just completely ignore what I said?”
Had it been a trick of light?
“I…” I began but couldn’t think of anything to say and simply let the words trail off.
Killian gave me a dejected look, “Thought so”
I blinked. “What did you think? What are you on about?”
He raked a frustrated hand through his hair.
“Do you think1 dont notice the way you try to run away from me? The way you are putting distance from me?”
“I am running from you?” I asked sarcastically, and he gave me a dramatic look.
“I was not being literal”
“You are not being helpful either” I said, and he took a step closer to me to take my hands in his.
“The kiss…the one we shared in front of the entire court. Did it make you feel anything?”
It made me feel too much.
“What makes you think it didn’t?”
Killian shrugged.
“I am not sure. You think I am not strong enough to protect you, to save you from the vultures around you. You even said that once.”
Why was he bringing that up now?
I folded my hands across my chest, bristling with irritation.
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“Oh really? Your brother tried to take advantage of me, not once but twice already. His betrothed tried to strip me off naked in a full court. And what did you do? Just smile at them and did your little talk instead of…”
“Instead of spilling out blood and guts just for looking at you the wrong way?”
He finished that line for me. I wasn’t going to say those exact words, but he summed it up pretty perfectly.
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Chapter 71
I gave him an annoyed look, and he folded his hands behind his back.
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“I figured that was the case because not once have you asked me to stay back for the night ever since I made you move into my
quarters.”
That made me lookup at him with surprise.
I had not explicitly asked him to because, well, he was never around.
“You are the one always running outside and being secretive. You dont answer my questions and expect me to just strut around like you own me.”
A flash of hurt appears on his face, but it’s gone before I can truly register it.
“I do answer your questions. There is so much more that you dont understand…” He started, but I just shout.
“Then make me instead of sweeping in last minute like I am some damsel in distress and kissing me like it is magic.”
The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself. And he looked at me as if I delivered a punch straight to his gut.
That flash of hurt was back again on his face.
“Violence isn’t the solution to everything, Valencia. You need to use your charm and wit instead of raw muscle every time. Or you would not survive the courts or Morwenna’s power once you truly unleash it.”
He says after a brief pause that stretches between us too awkwardly.
“I didn’t even want to be here in the first place,” I said, and he replied softly. “Same”
I wasn’t sure if he was referring to my being here or himself, but I was too worked up to care.
“There is still time, Killian. Just let me go back to the city and come with me. You don’t have to leave with these wretched people and fight for their survival when they dont even want each other to survive.”
My fury and frustration were now inching towards desperation. The more I stayed here, the more I hated this place.
“You can’t go back, Valencia. Not because the kingdom needs to be freed of its curse but because your enemies would already be waiting for you the moment you set foot in that city.”
I looked up at him at that line.
Enemies? Did he mean my supervisor, Mrs Briggs or the new Director? Because I would hardly consider them my enemies.
I raised a hand to my temple because I felt a headache creeping up.
“Look, I dont have enemies there. I dont even know ten people I could count on my fingers.”
I said, and he looked at me resignedly.
“Come with me. I have to show you something,” He said and held out his hand. I looked at him and then at his hand for a second, and he noticed the hesitation that made him draw his hand back.
“Please,” He said, and I reluctantly began following him through the passageways that were dimly lit by torches placed on sconces.
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Chapter 71
I didn’t bother keeping track of where exactly he was leading me, but then I saw the Red Temple in front of me, its tall and imposing structure looming over the both of us.
“Do you know why Elorin silk is of so much importance? Why it made Maelyn absolutely livid?”
He asked, and I shook my head.
I just assumed it was some fancy silk that she wanted the opportunity to wear.
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“Elorin silk was previously known by some other name and was worn by only a select group of people. It is created by a special breed of worms that cant survive anywhere except inside the Red Temple. The creation of the silk fabric is a painstaking process and it takes the temple priestesses months to have fabric big enough to be worn. And since it is created in the temple, it is believed to be blessed by the Deity of Elorin as well.”
I kept looking at him thoughtfully as he added, “So to sum it up, that silk cemented your claim of being the Blessed One. Just like the mark on your collarbone today. It proved that you truly are the long lost descendant of Morwenna.”
I shrugged. “Still doesn’t explain why Maelyn was so livid to see me wearing that.”
“Her parents were killed by Morwenna right in front of her eyes mercilessly.” Killian supplied, and I was taken aback.
I wasn’t aware of this fact.
“She was probably very small, barely a teenager when the war was being waged. And Morwenna didn’t spare anybody who stood in her way. Maelyn begged to spare her parents, but Morwenna ripped their hearts out in front of the helpless girl. And then her brothers were sent to look for a descendant of the very witch who killed her parents. She sees you as the descendant of the murderer who ripped her family to pieces.”
1 only tried to process what it must have felt for her, the trauma of seeing your loved ones killed in front of your own eyes.
Killian let me absorb this piece of information and then softly added.
“I understand where her hate stems from. I have lived a long life resenting myself, my family and the people I care for. I have paid a far greater price than anybody knows. This land is painted in the blood of several innocents and unless it is absolutely impossible for me to walk away without a fight, I will always choose peace,”
AD
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