I never thought I'd be the one sulking in the dark, but there I was, sprawled out on the velvet couch in my chambers, staring at the ceiling like it held the secrets to all my misery.
Aeliana. Aeliana and Nathaniel. The words alone burned like acid in my veins. How could she? How could she agree to go out with that smug bastard, Nathaniel?
He probably thought he was so clever, getting in her head, sneaking around while I was what? Playing the villain?
I groaned, kicking a pillow off the couch in frustration, then sat up abruptly, pacing the room like a trapped animal.
My hair hung messily over my face, my clothes disheveled and not nearly as elegant as I usually cared for. But right now? Who cared? Certainly not me. I felt like a disaster, and I was going to own it.
I walked over to the massive mirror that stretched across half the room. My reflection stared back at me, eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. I looked every bit the demon I was wild, untamed, and absolutely pissed.
I pressed my forehead against the cold surface, sighing deeply. "You're pathetic," I whispered to myself. "Absolutely pathetic."
I couldn't even muster the energy to set the castle on fire for fun, which was my usual go-to when I was in a mood like this. No, tonight I was content with wallowing in this suffocating feeling of rejection. And over what? A night out? It wasn't even like they kissed yet.
"Yet," I scoffed aloud, pushing away from the mirror, cursing at the idea of Nathaniel having any chance with her. He'd probably try something. I knew how he operated, always lurking in the shadows, trying to one-up me. And Aeliana, sweet Aeliana, was too kind to see through his schemes.
I stormed out of my room, heading down the dark, empty corridors of my castle, the flicker of purple fire casting eerie shadows on the stone walls. The servants knew better than to bother me when I was in a mood like this. I needed a distraction. Something. Anything.
The training grounds. Yes, that would be good. Sparring always helped. I could blow off some steam. I'd pulverize a few soldiers, break a few bones—it would be fine. I almost smirked at the thought of throwing a poor soul into the air with a burst of fire, but the moment quickly faded.
As I entered the training grounds, the soldiers immediately stood at attention. I could feel their nervousness, their fear of what I might do. Good. Fear was better than sympathy right now.
"Who's brave enough to face me tonight?" I snarled, not bothering to hide my foul mood. They exchanged glances, none of them eager to step forward.
Cowards. I could take them all down at once.
But before I could choose a victim, a sense of futility washed over me. What was the point? Sparring wouldn't fix the ache in my chest. It wouldn't bring Aeliana closer. And the idea of fighting just felt… hollow.
With an exasperated sigh, I waved the soldiers off and left the grounds, my fists clenched tightly. The walk back to my chambers felt even longer, every step heavy with disappointment. I could hear their whispers behind me, wondering what had happened to make me so unhinged.
As I closed the door behind me, I leaned against it, sliding down until I was sitting on the floor. I was the great Ciara, feared by many, admired by all. And here I was, reduced to a mess over a girl who barely even looked my way these days.
"Pathetic," I whispered again, covering my face with my hands. I didn't even have the energy to scream, to destroy something. I felt drained, like all my fire had burned out.
The next day wasn't any better. I spent the entire morning in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to will myself into doing something productive. But my thoughts always drifted back to her. To Aeliana. To how she looked when I last saw her frustrated, distant, and now probably having fun with him.
By mid-morning, my servants started tiptoeing around, probably concerned by my lack of appearance. I could hear their hushed conversations outside my door, wondering if they should check on me, if they should bring me food, or leave me alone entirely.
I pulled the blankets over my head and groaned, sinking deeper into the mattress. I didn't want to face the world. Not today. Maybe not ever again.
But that wasn't an option, was it? I had responsibilities. I had people to lead, enemies to defeat, power to uphold. And yet… none of that mattered. Not when Aeliana was out there, slipping further away from me with every passing second.
"What do I do?" I muttered into the darkness, my voice muffled by the blanket. "How do I fix this?"
I sat up suddenly, the covers falling off me as I stared at the door. Maybe I just needed to talk to her again. Maybe if I explained everything, she'd understand. Maybe—
No. What if she didn't? What if she'd already made up her mind? What if Nathaniel had already won? The thought made my stomach twist painfully.
"Gods, I hate this," I growled, standing up and pacing the room. My body felt restless, trapped in this endless cycle of frustration. I needed to do something. I couldn't just sit here, wasting away.
But what was there to do? I couldn't confront her again, not so soon. And yet, the thought of doing nothing, of letting this fester, was unbearable.
By midday, I'd finally had enough. I dressed quickly, not caring much for my usual elegant attire. A simple black shirt and pants would do. I wasn't out to impress anyone today. I just needed to get out of my own head.
As I wandered through the castle, I considered visiting the royal gardens, the place where everything had started to go wrong. Maybe seeing it again would help me put things into perspective. Or maybe it would just make things worse. Either way, I was tired of being cooped up.
But as I passed the throne room, something in me stopped. I could hear the faint sound of laughter echoing from one of the nearby chambers. Laughter that wasn't mine.
It annoyed me, the idea that people were happy while I was in turmoil. But at the same time, it sparked something in me. A faint flicker of my old self.
Why should I mope around? Why should I let this get to me? I was Ciara. The ruler of these lands. The queen of fire and fury. And I wasn't about to let some petty romantic setback turn me into a recluse.
With renewed energy, I straightened up, brushing off the remnants of my earlier depression. If Aeliana wanted to play hard to get, fine. I could play this game too. I'd win her back. I'd make her see that Nathaniel was nothing compared to me.
And if I had to burn the world down in the process? Well, that was just a bonus.
The loud, insistent knocking at my door broke through my thoughts. I froze mid-pace, my head whipping toward the sound. Who the hell had the nerve to show up at my castle unannounced, especially when I was in this mood?
The door flew open, slamming against the stone wall with a bang. I didn't even have time to react before a familiar, fuming figure marched into the room—Leora. Of course, it had to be her.
"What the *hell*, Ciara?" she snapped, her voice ringing with irritation. "You think you can just skip work without telling anyone? I've been dealing with your mess all day!"
I blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. "Leora, what how did you even"
"Oh, please," she interrupted, waving her hand dismissively. "I know where your sulking ass hides. Now, get up." She grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at me. "I'm not doing all this paperwork alone, and certainly not covering for your dramatic, lovesick nonsense."
I dodged the pillow with a quick reflex, narrowing my eyes. "Dramatic? Lovesick?" I repeated, feigning offense. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Leora rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. "Don't give me that crap. Everyone knows you've been acting like a moody teenager because of Aeliana." She stepped closer, hands on her hips, staring me down like a furious lioness. "Now, either you come back to work, or I'll drag you there myself."
I raised an eyebrow. "You're going to drag me? I'd like to see you try."
"Oh, believe me," she shot back, picking up another pillow and throwing it directly at my face. "I will. If I have to beat some sense into you, I'm prepared."
I barely caught the pillow, a laugh bubbling up despite my mood. Leora was all fire and fury, but it was hard not to find her a bit ridiculous when she was this worked up. "Fine, fine! I'll go to work tomorrow," I said, holding up my hands in surrender.
Leora crossed her arms. "You better. Or next time, I'm bringing the whole damn royal guard to drag you out."
I couldn't help but smirk. "Noted."