Chapter 156

Two weeks later:

The castle no longer felt the same to Aire.

Following the days that passed after the dungeon, and prophecy, wolves looked at her like they were waiting for the exact moment she would destroy them.

Aire hated that. She hated carefulness, she hated pity even more and worst of all, she hated how protected she had become.

Nate barely let her out of his sight these days.

At first, she found it irritating, then exhausting. Slowly, she began to understand him, as she also couldn’t stay away from him for a full day.

He walked her to meals, walked her back from meals. Sometimes she wanted to throw something at his head.

Especially when he gave her that calm stare like he genuinely believed he was doing something reasonable.

The worst part?

He never sounded controlling. That was what made it harder to fight him. Nate’s protectiveness had become terrifying gentle.

The memory of the dungeon still lingered between them in quiet moments, especially after what Mabel had said.

Sometimes she would wake in the middle of the night remembering the chains. Then she would realize Nate was already awake beside the fireplace chair watching her.

Aire didn’t know what to do with that version of him yet. Especially because she remembered the version that nearly killed her too.

Alaric, on the other hand, had become increasingly difficult to understand.

He avoided her. He doesn’t even want to look at her, and every time she entered breakfast, or the dinning hall, he found an excuse to leave shortly afterwards.

Aire noticed his avoidance. She simply pretended not to.

Xander had become the exact opposite.

He hovered constantly. Not in the overwhelming way Nate did, but in the quiet way of someone trying very hard to understand things beyond him.

He read more books about faes, and they filled his study now. He read the ancient records, the old wars, the old bloodlines, and the ancient bargains.

He asked the elders questions until they became frightened of disappointing him.

Aire once walked into the library and found him asleep over three opened books with ink still staining his fingers.

When she asked why he was doing all this, he simply answered, “You are my responsibility.”

The words stayed with her longer than expected. They were almost the most sincere words she have ever heard, and it frightened her a little.

Aire exhaled softly as she turned the corner of the eastern wing.

The castle remained quieter this afternoon than usual.

Rain touched the tall windows lightly, and the weather had turned colder these past few days.

She adjusted the sleeves of her gown absentmindedly while walking.

Beta Rhys had mentioned earlier that Alaric was somewhere near the east wing drawing room.

Aire intended to ask him something.

Well. She intended to interrogate him, actually. Avoiding her for two weeks was becoming ridiculous.

The man practically disappeared whenever she entered rooms now.

She pushed open the drawing room doors carelessly without knocking, then she stopped immediately.

Alaric wasn’t here.

Rather, Adele sat alone near the far side of the room behind a large wooden desk.

Sketches were spread across the surface, and dark charcoal stained her fingers slightly.

She looked up the moment Aire entered, and their eyes met.

Adele held her gaze for exactly one second before lowering her attention back toward the paper in front of her like Aire’s existence no longer interested her.

The silence afterward became immediate and awkward.

Aire stood there for a moment longer than necessary. “Oh.” She mumured under her breath.

Adele continued sketching.

Aire almost turned around to leave immediately. Actually, she should have. That would have been the smart thing.

However, for some reason, her pride suddenly refused. She have never been acquainted with Adele.

So instead, she stepped inside cautiously.

The drawing room felt warm compared to the corridor outside. Rain tapped softly against the windows too, with cold earth scent filling the room.

A fire burned quietly near the couches.

Adele still hadn’t spared her a second glance.

Aire watched her carefully while approaching.

Adele looked exactly how she always did. She looked perfectly composed, perfectly arrogant, and perfectly intimidating without trying.

There was something deeply irritating about people who looked powerful even while sitting down.

Aire swallowed once before lowering herself onto the couch beside the tall window.

Adele finally looked up again.

Their eyes met briefly, and the look Adele gave her was sharp enough to straighten Aire’s posture instinctively.

Adele’s sharp eyes were bossy. That was honestly the only word for it, and Aire forgot she had the power between them.

Aire suddenly understood why people listened to Adele even when she spoke quietly. She have watched her interaction with the maids, and a few warriors a couple of times.

The woman looked like she expected obedience naturally.

Aire looked away first.

Outside the windows, rain slid slowly against the glass.

The silence stretched between them. It kept on stretching, and somehow kept getting worse.

Aire suddenly remembered the first and only real interaction they had ever shared.

“Nate will be mine.” Adele’s voice from months ago echoed unpleasantly inside her head.

Aire frowned faintly at the memory.

At the time, Adele had looked at her like she was irrelevant, and she’d wipe her off like an awful stench if she make things difficult.

Aire shifted slightly against the couch.

Adele continued sketching. The charcoal dragged against paper steadily.

Aire lasted exactly four more minutes before finally speaking. “What are you drawing?” she asked warmly.

Adele answered without looking up. “A wolf.”

Aire blinked in surprise. Adele have been sketching with so much focus, and that wasn’t what she expected her to be drawing. “That’s it?” she asked.

Adele finally lifted her gaze again. “What dramatic answer were you expecting?” her voice came out sharp.

Aire stared at her. Then slowly rolled her eyes toward the window.

God.

Now she remembered why this woman irritated her.

Adele returned calmly to sketching.

“You were looking for Alaric.” She pointed out.

Aire looked back toward her immediately. “How do you know that?”