As we walked back towards the castle, the silence between us had finally settled into something more comfortable. The awkward tension that had lingered after the kiss had been broken, thanks to Aeliana's rumbling stomach.
I could still feel a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips as we made our way to the dining hall. It was easier to breathe now, easier to just exist in the moment without overthinking everything.
But of course, I couldn't let that peace last too long. Not with Aeliana by my side. The temptation to mess with her was too strong.
"So," I started, casting a sidelong glance at her, "how does it feel to be kidnapped by the infamous Ciara?"
She rolled her eyes at me, though there was a smile playing on her lips. "I'd say it's a unique experience. One I'm not sure I'd want to repeat."
I chuckled. "Don't worry, I only kidnap people I like."
Aeliana shot me a look, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Maybe," I said with a grin. "Or maybe it's supposed to keep you on your toes."
She laughed, and the sound was like music to my ears. It was moments like these that made me forget about all the shit in my life, about the expectations, the responsibilities, and the constant pressure to be something more. With Aeliana, I could just be… me. And for someone like me, that was a rare thing.
As we approached the dining hall, I could hear the murmur of voices coming from inside. I hesitated for a moment, suddenly aware of how ridiculous this whole situation was.
Here I was, walking into a room full of people, probably with Aeliana looking all flustered and with a hickey on her neck, and I was the one who was supposed to have my shit together.
But then again, when did I ever follow the rules?
I pushed the doors open with a flourish, grinning like an idiot as we stepped inside. The dining hall was already buzzing with activity, servants bustling about, and a few of the higher-ups sitting at the long table, engaged in conversation.
But it wasn't the soldiers or the servants that caught my attention. No, it was the two women seated at the head of the table, sipping on what I assumed was tea.
Leora and Zephara.
"Well, well, well," Leora said, her voice dripping with amusement as she looked up from her cup. "Look who decided to join us. And she's brought a guest."
Zephara, who had been silently watching us, raised an eyebrow in that way she did when she was about to drop a bomb on me. "Ciara," she said, her tone deceptively mild, "you're late. And you've been busy, I see."
I felt Aeliana tense beside me, her eyes flicking between the two women and me, clearly trying to gauge the situation. I forced a grin, trying to play it off. "Busy? I don't know what you're talking about, Grandma."
Leora set down her cup, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, really?."
Aeliana's hand shot up to her neck, her fingers brushing over the spot where the hickey was. Her eyes widened in realization, and I could see the mortification setting in. I could practically feel the heat radiating off her face as she turned an even deeper shade of red.
I stifled a laugh, but Zephara wasn't going to let me off that easily. "It seems our little Ciara has been up to her usual tricks," she said, her voice carrying that dangerous edge that always made me want to crawl under a rock. "And here I thought you were too busy with your duties to entertain… distractions."
"Distractions?" I shot back, finally finding my voice. "Aeliana's not a distraction. She's…" I faltered, realizing I had no idea what to say. "She's… helping me with some… stuff."
Leora snorted. "Stuff, is it? Last I checked, kissing wasn't on your list of duties, Ciara."
Aeliana was practically vibrating with embarrassment beside me, and I knew I had to do something before she melted into the floor.
I cleared my throat, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters. "We were just about to grab something to eat. Aeliana hasn't had a chance to eat all day."
Leora smirked, clearly enjoying every second of this. "Oh, of course. Can't have her starving, especially after all that 'helping' she's been doing for you."
Zephara leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied me. "Ciara, dear, you know I'm all for you having a bit of fun, but do try to be mindful of the consequences. We wouldn't want another incident like last time, would we?"
Last time. I winced inwardly at the memory, knowing exactly what she was referring to. I had a habit of getting too close, too fast, and leaving a trail of broken hearts in my wake. It was something I'd never quite learned to control.
"I'm not…" I started, but the words got stuck in my throat. I wasn't planning on hurting Aeliana, but how could I say that when I didn't even know what the hell I was doing?
Aeliana, bless her soul, tried to defuse the situation by stepping forward, her voice steady despite the flush still on her cheeks. "I was just helping Ciara with some injuries," she said, sounding almost too innocent. "It's nothing more than that."
Leora and Zephara exchanged a glance, and I could tell they weren't buying it for a second. But thankfully, they seemed to ease off, at least for now.
"Well, injuries or not, you should take care of her, Ciara," Zephara said, her voice softening just a fraction. "She's a good girl. Don't do anything foolish."
I forced a nod, though inside I was screaming. Of course, Aeliana was a good girl. And that was the problem. She was too good for someone like me. Too good for someone who had a track record of ruining everything she touched.
But before I could get too lost in my thoughts, Leora decided to drop the final bomb.
"So," she said, her tone deceptively casual, "when are we planning the wedding?"
My brain short-circuited. Wedding? What the actual fuck?
I could see Aeliana's eyes widen in horror, her face draining of color, and I knew she was just as shocked as I was. Meanwhile, Leora was sitting there with the most infuriatingly smug look on her face, clearly enjoying every second of this.
"Wedding?" I managed to choke out, my voice coming out more like a squeak than I would have liked. "There's no wedding! Who said anything about a wedding?"
Leora just shrugged, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Well, if you're going to be marking each other like that, it's only a matter of time, isn't it?"
Aeliana looked like she wanted to die on the spot, and I couldn't blame her. I was half tempted to teleport us both out of there just to escape the nightmare that Leora was creating.
But before I could do anything, Zephara let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "Now, Leora, let's not terrify the poor girl. We both know Ciara isn't the marrying type."
I shot her a grateful look, but it was short-lived.
"Still," Zephara continued, turning her gaze back to me, "it wouldn't hurt to show a little more restraint, Ciara. You've got a reputation to uphold."
Restraint. Right. I had about as much restraint as a demon in a room full of virgins. But what could I say? They were right. I wasn't the marrying type. Hell, I wasn't even sure I was the relationship type. But something about Aeliana made me want to try, even if I knew it would end in disaster.
Aeliana finally found her voice, though it was shaky at best. "There's no wedding," she insisted, her eyes pleading with Leora to drop the subject. "We're just… friends."
Leora raised an eyebrow, her expression clearly saying she didn't believe that for a second. "Friends don't leave hickeys, dear."
Aeliana's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she looked like she wanted to crawl under the table and never come out. I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I had dragged her into this mess, and now she was paying the price for it.
I needed to get us out of there before things got any worse.
"Right," I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "I think we've had enough fun for today. Aeliana needs to eat, and I've got… things to do."
Zephara gave me a knowing look, but thankfully, she didn't push the issue any further. "Very well, Ciara. But do try to be careful, won't you?"
"Always am," I lied, grabbing Aeliana's hand and tugging her towards the nearest table. I could feel her trembling slightly, whether from embarrassment or something else, I wasn't sure.
But I knew I needed to get her away from my grandmothers before they decided to start planning a bridal shower or something equally ridiculous.
As we sat down, I could still feel Leora's eyes on us, her words echoing in my mind.
When are we planning the wedding?
The thought of being tied down, of being trapped in a relationship, was enough to make my skin crawl. But when I looked at Aeliana, sitting there with that damn hickey on her neck, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, I was willing to break my own rules for her.
But that was a thought for another day. Right now, I needed to figure out how the hell we were going to get through this meal without any more disasters.
I just hoped that Leora and Zephara would let it go, at least for the time being. Though, knowing them, that was probably wishful thinking.