Crisp autumn air swirled around Astra's lavender cloak as she navigated through the academy gardens. Sunlight, filtered through a fiery canopy of leaves, dappled the ground in gold and crimson. Behind her, Melissa trailed like a hesitant shadow, her usual arrogance wilting under Astra's icy glare. While admirers flocked to her like moths to a flame, this persistent shadow, this nervous flutter in her peripheral vision, was grating on Astra's last nerve.
"Can't seem to shake off your shadow today, Melissa," Astra snapped, her voice sharper than the first frost. The thought of returning to the stuffy private study, echoing with Indigo's incessant theories, held no appeal. But even less appealing was the string of unwanted admirers trailing her like autumn leaves caught in a whirlwind.
Melissa stammered, her resolve as fragile as the fallen leaves crunching under their feet. "Well... I... um..."
Astra arched an eyebrow, her violet eyes reflecting the fiery hues of the foliage. "Out with it," she commanded, impatient with the usually confident mage's timidity.
Melissa gulped, then her gaze sharpened with sudden determination. "Since we brought back the Kraken treasures," she began, her voice gaining a touch of steel, "we're allowed to choose our partner for the next round. I was hoping, um, I was thinking--"
Her words were cut short by a voice as sweet as honey laced with thorns. "There you are, roomie!"
Eydis appeared from behind a curtain of crimson vines, her dark wavy hair cascading down her shoulders like a silken river. Her amber brown eyes gleamed with amusement as they met Astra's. The scent of lavender, intoxicating and potent, enveloped her as Eydis leaned in close, her lips a whisper away from her ear.
"Lecture's finished," Eydis murmured, her voice a velvety caress. "Wanna go on a date?"
Astra felt a flutter in her stomach. Yet, she masked it with a growl. "What mischief are you plotting now?" she countered, her voice betraying her rising pulse.
Indigo's "proximity theory" echoed in Astra's mind. Lately, it felt like a curse. Ever since their unexpected partnership in the Kraken trials, Astra had been a more constant presence in their shared bedroom, a bridge she tried to build. But it came at an unexpected challenge. Eydis, initially surprised, had used this opportunity to tease her further, waltzing into their shared room in silken nightgowns that revealed just enough to set Astra's pulse racing. Laughter spilled from her lips like a melody, dancing in Astra's dreams. And her eyes, those amber depths, sometimes held a spark that made Astra wonder what secrets they concealed.
Proximity can screw itself. Astra had told herself not to read too much into Eydis's actions, not to get her hopes up, only to have them extinguished at the sight of the brunette's intimacy with the Duke, or the royals. Not that she paid much attention to them, not voluntarily. Her gaze had a mind of its own when it came to Eydis, as if some invisible force, some magnetic pull, drew everyone, including her, to Eydis's orbit.
And now, here she was, bathed in the golden haze of autumn sun, Eydis's breath ghosting her cheek as she teased, "Mischief? I recall you, my Lady, were the one who asked me to buy you dinner. Did you forget?"
Astra's violet eyes narrowed to icy shards as Eydis's words washed over her. "Come again?" she challenged, her voice laced with suspicion. The brunette before her, with her cascading dark hair and eyes like molten amber, was starting to make Astra question who the true wicked witch of the wood might be.
Eydis feigned hurt, a playful pout splitting her rosy lips, but a flicker of genuine anxiety danced in her eyes. "You can't ask a girl out and forget about it, can you?" she purred, "Remember that cold dinner by the sea, the salty whispers of the waves as I asked about free will, and you asked for dinner?"
Astra resolved that if her body failed to regenerate one day, she knew exactly who to blame. Despite her efforts to conceal her emotions and return her expression to neutrality, the delightful grin on the brunette's face signalled that Astra had failed spectacularly at masking her emotions.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to meet the challenge head-on. Two could play this game, she mused, and running away was no longer an option. With newfound resolve, she locked eyes with Eydis, her gaze piercing the amber depths. At this 'proximity', she glimpsed something beyond the playful flirtation - a hint of vulnerability, a flicker of nerves dancing behind the fiery confidence. Perhaps, playing the part of the wicked witch wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"If you insist, I'll gladly accept... Eydis." The breath caught in Eydis's throat as Astra whispered her name in a low, husky tone. A flicker of surprise, then anticipation, danced in Eydis's eyes. "While I appreciate a good steak," Astra murmured, her voice barely a breath, "I'm definitely curious about a different kind of... menu tonight."
Eydis's face blushed a delightful shade of red. Astra, biting her lips, restrained the urge to lean in and savor the delicious warmth gracing Eydis's complexion. She blinked in surprise at her own thoughts. What was happening to her?
The air crackled with unspoken promises as Eydis's gaze lingered on Astra's lips. Her own, just a whisper away, curved into a predatory smile. "I'll make sure your appetite is…satiated. Now, shall we?" She extended a hand, its boldness belying the amusement glinting in her eyes.
Astra considered the offered hand, a slow smirk playing on her lips. Ignoring it with deliberate grace, she brushed past Eydis, their fingers touching like a spark. "Lead the way," she drawled, her voice a challenge. They slipped into the crowd, indifferent to the trail of whispers and stunned stares. But the only thing running through their minds was the burning sensation remaining on their fingertips—too much, yet not enough.