After the training session with the soldiers, I was in an unusually good mood. The kind of mood that made me want to do something reckless, maybe even stupid. My thoughts kept drifting back to Aeliana, that damn kiss, and the way her lips had felt against mine.
It was enough to drive me crazy. I couldn't get her out of my head, and the more I thought about her, the more I realized I needed to see her. Right now.
But first, I needed to get cleaned up. I was covered in sweat, dirt, and probably some blood from sparring. Definitely not the best look if I was planning on seeing Aeliana.
So, I headed to my quarters and took a quick shower, scrubbing away the grime from the training ground. The water was scalding hot, just the way I liked it, and it helped to clear my head a little, but not enough to shake off the thoughts of Aeliana.
Once I was out of the shower and dressed, I didn't waste any time. I started searching for Aeliana, but of course, she wasn't in any of the usual places. I checked the library, the dining hall, even the courtyard, but there was no sign of her. I was starting to get a little frustrated when one of the guards, a guy I vaguely recognized from the night watch, approached me.
"Looking for someone, Commander?" he asked, his tone casual.
"Yeah, have you seen Aeliana?" I asked, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice.
The guard nodded. "I think she's in Leora's office. Saw her heading that way a little while ago."
Leora's office. Great. Just great. I knew exactly what would happen if I went there. Leora would take one look at me and start teasing me about Aeliana, about the kiss, about everything.
And as much as I loved giving her shit right back, I wasn't in the mood for it today. I just wanted to see Aeliana.
So, instead of marching straight to Leora's office, I decided to take my time. I walked slowly through the castle, my boots echoing on the stone floors, as I mentally prepared myself for whatever snarky comments Leora was going to throw my way.
I could already hear her voice in my head, making fun of me for being so damn obvious about my feelings for Aeliana.
When I finally reached the corridor leading to Leora's office, I hesitated for a moment, lingering just out of sight. I could hear their voices, muffled but unmistakable. Aeliana's soft, melodic tone and Leora's sharper, more commanding one.
I couldn't make out what they were saying, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to see Aeliana, to talk to her, without Leora butting in.
So, instead of barging in, I decided to wait. I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest, and waited for Aeliana to finish whatever she was doing in there. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a mix of anticipation and nerves.
It was ridiculous, really. I'd faced down demons, led armies into battle, and yet here I was, hiding in a hallway like some lovesick teenager.
After what felt like an eternity, the door to Leora's office finally creaked open, and Aeliana stepped out. She looked a little flustered, probably from dealing with Leora's overwhelming personality, but she was smiling, that sweet, innocent smile that drove me absolutely wild.
Without thinking, I lunged forward, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards me. "You're coming with me," I whispered, a mischievous grin spreading across my face.
Aeliana barely had time to react before I wrapped an arm around her waist and teleported us both out of the castle and into the garden. The sudden shift in scenery left her a little disoriented, but she quickly regained her composure, her eyes wide with surprise.
"What the—Ciara!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and laughter. "What are you doing?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "What does it look like? I'm kidnapping you."
She stared at me for a moment, and then she burst out laughing, the sound light and musical, making my heart skip a beat. "You're unbelievable," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why did you do that?"
"Because Leora teases too much," I admitted, unable to hide the grin that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "I couldn't deal with her snarky comments right now."
Aeliana laughed again, and for a moment, everything felt perfect. The garden was quiet, the air fresh and filled with the scent of blooming flowers.
The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden light over everything. It was the kind of moment that felt almost too good to be true.
But then the laughter died down, and we were left standing there in silence, just the two of us. I could feel the tension between us, thick and almost suffocating. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. I was too embarrassed, too unsure of what to say after everything that had happened earlier.
Aeliana seemed to be struggling with the same thing. She looked at me, then quickly looked away, her cheeks flushed. I could see the way her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, the way she bit her lip as if trying to figure out what to say. It was awkward, painfully so, and the silence between us only grew heavier with each passing second.
I wanted to talk about the kiss, about how it had made me feel, but I didn't know how to bring it up. I wasn't used to this, to feeling this vulnerable, and I could tell that Aeliana was just as uncertain as I was. The longer we stood there, the more I felt like I was going to explode from the tension.
I glanced over at her, and for a brief moment, our eyes met. There was something in her gaze, something that made my heart race even faster. Desire? Maybe. But there was also hesitation, a reluctance to say or do anything that might make things more complicated than they already were.
The awkward silence stretched on, each of us waiting for the other to break it, to say something that would make everything make sense. But neither of us did. Instead, we just stood there, staring at each other, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
And then, as if on cue, Aeliana's stomach rumbled loudly, breaking the silence in the most ridiculous way possible.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and I couldn't help it I burst out laughing. It was the kind of laughter that came from deep in my gut, uncontrollable and unstoppable. Aeliana's face turned bright red, and she tried to cover her stomach with her hands, but that only made me laugh harder.
"Shut up," she muttered, clearly embarrassed, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "It's not funny."
"It's a little funny," I managed to say between laughs, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. "You're starving, and here I am, kidnapping you instead of feeding you."
Aeliana rolled her eyes, but I could see that she was trying not to laugh, too. The tension from earlier was still there, but it had eased a little, replaced by something lighter, something that felt a bit more comfortable.
I reached out and ruffled her hair playfully, earning an indignant huff from her. "Come on," I said, still grinning. "Let's go find something to eat before your stomach decides to rebel against you."
She smiled at me, a soft, genuine smile that made my heart flutter. "Yeah, okay," she said, her voice warm and full of affection.
As we started to walk back towards the castle, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Things were still complicated, still messy, but in that moment, it didn't seem to matter as much. We were just two people, trying to figure things out, and maybe, just maybe, we'd be able to make sense of it all eventually.
But for now, food was the priority. I could think about everything else later, when I wasn't so hungry that my own stomach was starting to make noises. The thought made me chuckle to myself, and Aeliana shot me a curious look, but I just shook my head, keeping the joke to myself.
As we reached the entrance to the castle, I couldn't help but glance over at her one more time, my eyes lingering on the spot where the hickey I'd left earlier was still visible. The thought of it made something stir in my chest, a mix of pride and possessiveness that I didn't quite understand.
But I pushed those thoughts aside for now. There would be time to figure everything out later. For now, I was just going to enjoy the moment.