We stepped inside the castle, the heavy door closing behind us with a resounding thud. The tension between Aeliana and me was almost palpable, and I couldn't shake the bad mood that had settled over me. I knew exactly why I was pissed off—Aeliana had been flirting with Nathaniel earlier, and it grated on my nerves more than it should have.
I mentally cursed myself for even caring. Why should it matter to me who Aeliana flirts with? She was just my so-called perfect match, not someone I actually had feelings for.
I tried to push those thoughts out of my head, but Aeliana's presence behind me was impossible to ignore. I could hear her footsteps, feel her presence, and worst of all, I could smell her scent—something soft and sweet that stirred feelings I didn't want to acknowledge.
It was infuriating. Determined to put some distance between us, I started walking faster, hoping to escape the intoxicating pull of her presence.
"Don't walk so fast, I don't know where your room is," she called out from behind me.
I ignored her, quickening my pace. I needed space, a moment to breathe without her in my immediate vicinity.
We made our way through the winding corridors of my castle, and I could feel her trying to keep up. Each step felt like an eternity, and my mind raced with a flurry of conflicting emotions.
Finally, we reached my room. Before Aeliana could say anything, I grabbed my towel and bolted for the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. The moment I was alone, I leaned against the door, letting out a long, frustrated sigh.
What the hell was wrong with me? Why did her presence affect me so much? I tossed the towel onto the counter and turned on the shower, hoping the hot water would wash away some of the tension coiling in my muscles.
As the water streamed over me, I couldn't stop my thoughts from wandering back to Aeliana. I had always prided myself on my independence, my ability to not give a damn about anyone. But Aeliana... she was different.
She got under my skin in a way no one else ever had. And that scared me. She was supposed to be my perfect match, but I didn't want a match. I wanted freedom, the ability to do what I wanted without being tied down to someone else.
Damn Leora and her stupid match system. I couldn't even teleport out of this mess because she had turned off my magic.
I was trapped, both physically and emotionally, and it made me want to scream. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to leave my own castle, just to get away from the suffocating weight of this so-called destiny.
After what felt like an eternity, I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I dried off quickly, my mind still a whirl of frustration and confusion. Wrapping the towel around myself, I opened the bathroom door to find Aeliana already gone, the door closing behind her with a soft click.
I dressed hurriedly, my mood no better than before. The tightness in my chest hadn't eased, and I knew facing her again would only make it worse. Just as I was finishing up, a servant knocked on the door and informed me that dinner was ready.
"Great," I muttered under my breath. "Just what I need."
As I made my way to the dining room, I couldn't help but wonder how the evening would unfold. Aeliana and I would have to sit through a meal together, pretending that everything was normal when it was anything but. The thought of her sitting across from me, making polite conversation, was almost too much to bear.
When I entered the dining room, Aeliana was already seated. She looked up as I walked in, her expression a mix of curiosity and something else I couldn't quite place. I took a deep breath and forced a smile, determined not to let her see how much she was getting to me.
"Let's get this over with," I muttered, taking a seat across from her.
The servants brought out the first course, and we ate in strained silence. My mind kept drifting back to the way she had looked at me earlier, the way her body had felt in my arms.
It was infuriating, and I hated that she had this power over me. I hated that I couldn't stop thinking about her, even when I knew it was pointless.
As the meal progressed, I found myself stealing glances at her, trying to figure out what it was about her that drew me in so completely. Was it her confidence, her strength? Or was it something deeper, something I couldn't quite put my finger on?
Aeliana seemed to sense my scrutiny and looked up, meeting my gaze head-on. There was a challenge in her eyes, a spark that only made my frustration grow. I clenched my fists under the table, trying to rein in my emotions. The last thing I needed was to lose control in front of her.
Finally, the meal ended, and I excused myself, needing to get away before I said or did something I would regret. I stormed out of the dining room and headed for the nearest exit, desperate for some fresh air.
Outside, the cool night air hit my face, calming me slightly. I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. This was all so fucked up. How had my life come to this? Trapped in my own castle, unable to escape the pull of someone I didn't even want to be with.
As I stood there, staring out into the darkness, I knew I had to find a way to deal with this. I couldn't let Aeliana get to me like this. I had to stay strong, keep my distance, and focus on what really mattered—my freedom, my independence.
But deep down, a small, treacherous part of me wondered if maybe, just maybe, there was a reason we had been matched. Maybe there was something about Aeliana that I needed to understand, something that could help me make sense of this mess.
I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. No. I couldn't let myself fall into that trap. I had to stay focused, stay strong. And if that meant keeping my distance from Aeliana, then so be it.
With a renewed sense of determination, I turned and headed back inside. I would face whatever came next with my head held high, no matter how difficult it might be. And I would do it on my terms, not because of some stupid match system or anyone else's expectations.