"Tynan, I need to talk to you. Right now," I said, pulling him behind the doors of the dining table.
"Relax. It's breakfast time."
I glared at him and he sighed, finally coming with me. We went to his room and before entering, I asked, Isn't Ignis inside?"
Tynan shook his head, troubled. "He didn't come last night. Strange."
I nodded.
"What is it?" He asked once we were inside.
"Do you know of those ladies in the dark hallways. In the abandoned building of the palace?"
As I told Tynan everything, he sat confounded. I told him about the three ladies and what I had heard them talking about. I told him about the cemetery corridor and how one of them had took her own life because the other two wanted to murder her. I skipped all the parts including me disguising myself and sitting between them or how I manifested Celsa's suicide.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Tynan asked.
I looked away angrily and he held my hand, moving closer, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," I said, snatching my hand away rather harshly.
Before he could object, I got up and added, "Now help me figure out what to do."
"We'll be leaving tomorrow."
"What?" I said dumbfounded, but from within, I was relieved. I wanted to leave behind all the mess I had created before anyone found out.
* * * * *
That night I heard a soft knock on my door. I got up to see expectedly Tynan standing behind the door, shuddering in the cold.
"Let's go," I said and grabbed my coat.
"Who is it?" I heard Zoya mumble in her sleep but we ignored her and went outside.
"How did you know of all the directions?" Tynan asked as we walked in the night chill.
My mind whirled trying to think of what to say. I went through all the possibilities.
𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦, 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘱. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺? 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘡𝘰𝘺𝘢 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳- Stupid. I looked at Tynan to see if I had said this out loud. But he looked at me keenly, waiting for an answer.
"What did you say?" I asked, to buy more time.
"How did you know of all the directions? I don't remember giving you the map."
"Oh that. Did I forget to mention? That day I was waiting for you in your room. And I got a little bored and might have looked into some of your drawers," I said, sheepish. "I hope you didn't mind."
Instead of giving me a weird look, Tynan smiled, "Not at all."
"I kind of memorized the part of the abandoned building."
"Nice memory. Remind me to give you a copy."
"You should have before. But you forgot we're here to spy."
Tynan looked away, smiling," I feel weird spying too much here. I don't go out of the way to catch on things. This place feels the closest to home to me. Which is why I'm grateful that you're here."
I nodded. 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. I scoffed internally. And I was just some nosy girl reducing the burden of his work by being extra nosy because he was too nice to suspect his mean friends or their relatives.
When we were finally in the last building, I showed Tynan the two ladies sitting inside their rooms, dozed off; the corridor and their rooms, which weren't locked and didn't contain anything of importance. As we made our way back, I grew anxious as the old black door grew closer. What if it was unlocked and Tynan walked in. When it came in view, my heart raced, and I tried to make Tynan busy in random conversation. But I failed.
"You didn't mention this door," Tynan said slowly moving closer.
I stood there, my muscles tightening, "Did I not? It's always locked anyway. I tried to open it but couldn't plus I was scared."
Tynan turned to me, an adventurous smile spreading his face," Let's try together."
𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘱.
"I don't think it's a good idea. We'll be wasting our time," I said.
Tynan thought for a long while then looked at me, but I wouldn't meet his eyes. "Asra?" He said walking closer, then cupped my face in his head. Cold sweat had gathered on my temples. He couldn't know. 𝘋𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘴𝘳𝘢. 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮! 𝘋𝘰 𝘪𝘵!
Before I knew it, I took in a breath and put my quivering lips on his. Everything seemed to slow down. Tynan froze under the contact then pulled me close to him, kissing me back. Everything seemed perfect but I had to snap back to reality. I moved back, heat creeping in my face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," I walked back.
Tynan soon caught up with me and held my hand. We were soon in the gardens, where he kissed me again, smiling under the moonlight. "You are magic," He whispered against me.
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥.
Ignoring my thoughts I tried to smile, I tried to think it was all normal; that I was normally falling in love with a boy, that I hadn't just kissed him to hide the fact that I was a murderer.
We sat in the garden for hours. At first I couldn't wait to go back in but then I didn't want to move at all. I just wanted to sit there forever, with Tynan. I almost wanted to tell him about the Ignis' attacks on me and how I'd acted on impulse, but I said nothing.
"We haven't talked like this in ages," I said, staring at the inky sky above us, which felt so near tonight.
Tynan nodded and turned to me. "I didn't know you were like that."
"Like what?"
"Shy and nervous. You were shaking and all," He laughed.
I laughed too. 𝘖𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, I was merely shy.
"What about Zoya?" I asked suddenly.
"What about her? I told you I don't like her that way. She doesn't too. She's just like that since you're here." Tynan shrugged. "I hope you both could get along. It's fun with them."
𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. Fresh anger bubbled in me as I remembered their bullying and I didn't any more feel sorry for Ignis. I would've killed him anyway. I shook off that ugly thought.
"It's not you'll ever hold them accountable for almost burning me," I said trying not to sound too crossed.
Tynan scoffed. "You really don't know."
I changed the subject of our conversation. I didn't want to fight. I for once wanted to feel happy, in a long time.
Dawn crept in a matter of time. The glittery night sky faded into golden light. I was drenched in euphoria and wanted to lay there for longer but my sleepy eyes wouldn't hold on. As I said good bye and made my way to my room, Tynan said something absolutely horrendous.
"We'll be leaving today," He said. 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨. "Let's visit that room somehow, okay?" He added. I just couldn't leave this place in peace.