Chapter Thirty-eight
After the night, the following two days Nara stayed clear of Izza’s presence. When the friendly elf talked to her, she shortened their conversation in curt and almost rudely reply. Nara stood and left when the she-elf joined her in the parlor. She refused to engage in the elvish language lessons when Izza offered, citing she wasn’t in the mood to learn. After that Izza only frowned but muttered nothing. Izza also distanced herself, only alerting her when the food was ready and when she was leaving for her home in the evening. The hatred she had of the kind had rekindled. Nara couldn’t look at the elf without seeing Calemir and what he had done to her. Her body shuddered. He had hurt her in what she considered to be worse than physical assault. To have no control of your own emotion is threatening but having the power to manipulate is dangerous.
At night, Nara couldn’t sleep, she no longer felt safe, living under the same roof with him, knowing he was only one room away from hers. She dreaded what he might do. Hence she slept with a sword beneath her pillow. Sleepless, she began to suspect Izza too. Her friendliness, was it even real? Or was Izza hiding her vileness behind that warm smile and eyes? Nara remained apprehensive as she rested with one eye open through the nights.
The next day went by in the same slow boring and monotone pace. Nara had been heading to the stable when she caught a glimpse of Calemir entering the house with Finn and Leena. They hadn’t spoken or seen each other since you know incident, but Nara had heard his voice and knew Calemir was around and hadn’t left all two days. Izza had taken food to him both two times of the days. Nara wondered if he was avoiding her, then stopped herself in speculating more into his behavior. She was still pissed at him.
Back from her ride in the evening, Nara warily entered the house, expecting to see Calemir’s friends lounging in the sitting room or hear them somewhere in the house, but fortunately, they weren’t there. Nara walked into her room and stayed there. She had just finished dressing after taking a bath when Izza knocked on her door softly.
“I’ve left dinner in the kitchen. I’m leaving” Izza informed her, standing at the door.
“Thank you.” Nara clipped.
“Until tomorrow” Izza bid her with a smile then left.
Izza sucked in her bottom lip, feeling a tinge of guilt of being rude. It wasn’t right for her to take her frustration on someone who hadn't done anything wrong but had been kind at her from the very start. She blew a breath and trudged downstairs to the kitchen.
She was eating in the dining room when the slight shift of air happened. Nara’s shoulders tensed for a second before relaxing. Nara continued eating the delicious vegetable rice as Calemir stood on the other side of the table. Calemir dragged a chair out before lowering himself on it.
“Your leaving tomorrow” his voice made the air vibrate.
“To where?” Nara asked calmly even though her stomach knotted with nerves.
“Leena and Finn will escort you back to your city” Calemir stated.
Ahhh so that’s what they met here for, Nara deduced. “I am not leaving” she responded.
“What?” Calemir’s forehead furrowed.
“I’m sure your pointy ears heard me perfectly” Nara snarked.
Calemir ignored the insult. “You said you wanted to leave.”
“No, I did not mention such thing” Nara retorted. “I only asked how to kill the cursed spirits, but you took it upon yourself and assumed I wanted to return” she sent him an accusatory glare.
Face neutral, Calemir brought his hands to the table and rested them there. Calmly, he said: “Tell me why you wish to know.”
Nara stilled, becoming sensitively aware of the dagger resting in her boot. No, today she wasn’t going to entertain him, let him make her his prey to play with however he so pleased. Nara would cut him before he did that shit again.
Aware of her apprehension, Calemir added. “I swear on Faethurin I won’t do anything against your will, I just wish to know why you’re so keen on wanting to know.”
Nara eyed him suspiciously and not because she didn’t trust his words, he had just sworn, but because he was reluctant to disclose the piece information. Nara looked him in the eye, an action she both hated and started to get accustomed to. His gaze, whenever she lifted her eyes to his, his green eyes seemed to ground her instead of overwhelming her like it did when she met someone else’s. His bewitching green eyes made her stomach turn and her pulse speed in a strange way.
“If I tell you my reason” Nara began, “You swear you’ll also tell me how to kill them?”
“Yes, I will,” Calemir said then added when he saw the doubt on her face. “I promise.”
Nara noted the loophole in his vow but didn’t mention it.
“My reason is…I could’ve done something, but because I didn’t know what to do, Lucky…my horse died. He meant a lot to me” Nara said the last six words in a small voice, feeling her chest tightening with pain. “I don’t want to be helpless next time.”
Nara grasped her spoon white knuckle tight and waited for him to speak. She braced herself for the worst, see his lips spread into a condescending smile, his face to change into an incredulous look that said how stupid her reason was.
Calemir spoke after a dreading silence. “Dead man’s blood mixed with ash from the ash tree.”
Nara rose a brow. How could that be what destroys them? It didn’t make sense to her.
As though hearing her question, Calemir added casually, “No one knows the reason why but it works to put them down, and that’s all that matters.”
Nara nodded even though she still struggled at the logic.
“There is some of it in the jars in the armory,” He pointed.
Although the misunderstanding had cleared between them, the stiffness had yet to dissolve whenever they bump into each other. Calemir sensed her anxiety whenever he was near her. Nara stayed always guarded, expecting him to do something terrible. He had done her wrong, and he regretted it. Also, he didn’t want to be in a house full of hostility when he has enough of that from his work. Thus, one afternoon when she had been sitting under the big red tree behind the house, Calemir decided to approach her. Her head and back were resting on the tree, her eyes closed, breeches clad legs stretched and crossed at the ankles. She hadn’t sensed him. Calemir stole the moment and just looked at her. His gaze traced over her winged brows, fine long lashes fanning over her lower lids as her chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm in accordance to the quiet inhale and exhale. She seemed at peace. Calemir envied her. His gaze moved to her slighted parted lips. For an unbridled second, he contemplated how her lips would feel against his. What she’d taste like. His blood heated. Calemir shook his head and cleared the ridiculous thoughts.
“I apologize for what I did the other night,” Calemir said awkwardly as he watched her lashes flickered before opening completely. Nara tilted her head up to him, brows furrowed. Calemir licked his lip, feeling uncomfortable. He hardly apologized to anyone. After all, he was a prince and people apologized to him whether they were wrong or not. Still, here he stood in front of his wife mumbling an apology. She frowned slightly. Calemir understood her reaction. Not good at forgiveness talk, he decided to barrel through it and say straight. “I understand there’s no way out of you in this sham marriage. You are here to protect your family. Anyway, since we’re living together, we should try to get along. No good would come if we don’t” he paused, his voice turning serious. “I don’t want us walking on eggshells around each other. I’ve already given you my word I won’t do it again.” He sighed tiredly. “I just want to be comfortable in my own home.”
He stood there as she studied him intently, the cogs working in her head, thinking about his words and what she should do.
Nara stretched her hand. Calemir glanced at it then at her, puzzled. “To fresh starts” Nara wiggled her fingers, waiting for him to shake it. She bit on her nerves, her muscles tightening with fear of their bare hands touching. Nara was beginning to doubt if he was going to shake her hand when strong fingers grasped hers tightly. Calemir gave a lopsided grin, his chest breaking with relief. He hadn’t realized how stiff and nervous he had turned.