The footsteps were close.
A wave of dread washed over Alyssane. She hastily glanced around, praying she would find another door but there were only candles and curtains. The curtains were too thin to hide her.
The man entered the room right then.
And through the distorting haze of the steam, Alyssane caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette. She froze and sank deeper inside the water, but her eyes warily remained on him.
'Why are you here?'
Kazmun was wearing nothing but thin trousers that hung low around his waist. Bared, he was more dangerous, and there was a cold darkness in his gaze. His hardened voice sent a shiver down her spine.
"Explain yourself."
Alyssane blinked in confusion, unable to understand the cause of his anger. Was she still not supposed to freely walk around? She did not wish to wait and find out and quietly said.
"I will leave."
Kazmun scoffed.
He stepped into the water, there was a barely contained rage in his eyes so intense, that she could not speak for a few moments.
"Are you playing with me, Alyssane?"
Her silence caused his expression to darken further.
Kazmun strode towards her, causing them to ripple and lap against her bare skin. His gaze burned with an intensity that sent a chill through her heart.
She could no longer hold his gaze. 'What is wrong with him?'
But when she lowered her eyes, there was the sight of his bare chest with endless scars, chiseled to perfection in ways that made her throat grow dry.
'What is wrong with me?'
The hot water had already spread a soft blush across her skin, but now it deepened a shade further. Alyssane's heart pounded with both fear and embarrassment.
She averted her gaze, refusing to see even an inch of him any longer. She also tried to move away, but there was only the stone edge of the pool.
"Look at me," he said with a low, deep growl.
Alyssane refused, 'How can you ask something so shameless from a woman?'
Kazmun pushed her against the rough stairs of the pool, she closed her eyes shut feeling a sting of tears on the corners of her lashes. His hand grazed her jaw, resting near her neck.
"You do not come to my chambers undressed," his voice was hard.
She opened her eyes in horror, "Your what―?"
Kazmun leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear as he cruelly whispered, "If I am to see you like this again, dear Alyssane," he said her name like it was a curse, "I will make you regret having such wild wishes."
'What?'
She was at a loss for words. But she forced herself to speak, and there was a touch of anger in her careful voice, "Taryn misled me into coming here."
There was a shift in Kazmun's eyes as he darkly watched her for any signs of lies or deception. But he did not move, and it was worse because they were so close. She masked her emotions, but she could not ignore the brush of his scarred skin against hers.
Evoking something burning, something painful, and leaving her with more frustrated anger. 'What the hell was Taryn planning?'
Alyssane mustered up the strength to suppress the overwhelming wave of her treacherous emotions and placed a firm hand over Kazmun's chest before speaking curtly.
"I am sorry, Lord Kazmun. It won't happen again."
Kazmun slightly tilted his head, a shadow of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he watched her with that same unreadable gaze.
The endless blue of his eyes made her hand feel weak all of a sudden.
'He is more dangerous when he smiles.'
She struggled to mask her emotions―the weight of her fears being swallowed by the rising anger and frustration, but Alyssane held on, silently holding his gaze.
"Be sure to remember your words."
With that, Kazmun walked out of the chamber.
Alyssane could not move, her hands curled into fists as she watched him leave. Her nails dug into her palm. Only when he was out of her sight, did Alyssane release a shaky breath.
'Who does he think he is?'
.
.
The sky was beautiful.
Golden lamps lightly floated in the air, surrounded by the shimmering fireworks, and the gentle breeze brushing against her hair that seemed strands woven from the warmest of moonlight.
Alyssane watched the festive night unfold through the windows, lost in her never-ending thoughts.
The curse had vanished, and now things should become right. She should be free…
But for some reason, it did not make her feel better. It could not ease her mind.
Her thoughts lingered on Kazmun, the feel of the hot water surrounding them as she was trapped so close to him, and how she wished she would have drowned.
Alyssane closed her eyes with a helpless sigh, 'His wrath might kill me before this ordeal ends.'
She felt more shackled than ever, caught between the desire to be free, and the fears of what might await her―or whether there would be anything awaiting her at all.
The door of the room just opened then.
One of the knights arrived with a large and slim wooden box. His eyes barely met hers, but he offered a polite bow as he set the box on a nearby table and left.
'They have been acting strangely.'
Alyssane decided to ignore the box and closed her eyes again.
But her heart won't listen.
With a wary curiosity, she went over to the box and lifted its lid. Inside, a dress made of white silk rested, its delicate fabric shimmered under the soft light.
Her fingers tensed.
There was a note alongside the dress.
You may join me for the city festival tonight, Alyssane. I hope you can forgive the impropriety of our encounter earlier.
Her hands felt numb as she held the note, her eyes distant upon the elegant handwriting. It seemed oddly familiar.
'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'