Child of prophecy

18 | Jealousy

ANALIA

Habitable.

That's the first thing I think when Auriana opens the rickety old door of the cottage, revealing its interior. The walls are lined with gravel stones, and the wooden floorboards creak with each step we take as we walk into the building. There are no pieces of furniture except for a pair of wooden chairs and a fireplace that's been smothered. The center of the room is also covered with an old brown-tinted rug.

I spot a few belongings on the ground right as Auriana rushes to them with a pink tinge on her ears. "Well, I've been sleeping out here," she announces, quickly stuffing the items into a bag lying beside her.

"This place doesn't look all that bad," I comment, staring up at the wooden ceiling that's swallowed up in cobwebs and spiders. I make a face at them before turning my head away to face Iyan.

"That's exactly what I was trying to tell you. There's a washroom where we could have our bath and separate rooms for the three of us," Auriana exclaims, her eyes twinkling almost like she wasn't in a depressed mood a few minutes ago.

The way her mood changes up in a split second scares me because it's hard to fathom what she's thinking.

"You did a good job, Auriana," Iyan praises her, letting his eyes run over the place, and I catch her cheeks reddening.

"Thank you," she throws his way with a smile, but he doesn't see it. I quickly avert my eyes away from Auriana as I feel a strange pang in my chest. I put down Iyan and my things, which I offloaded from boy on the floor, deciding to explore the place further.

My cottage back at Ansyer was way smaller than this. Two-story cottages were only owned by people who were fairly wealthy, people such as Archer, my betrothed, and his family.

"Ana, come over, let me take you to your room. Luckily for the both of you, I cleaned the place up," Auriana claps in excitement as she rushes over to my side and links our arms together. I fake a smile at her, still feeling the throbbing pain in my chest.

I don't understand this feeling. I hate it.

"My Lord, please do come along," she says, whipping her head to Iyan before she drags me further into the house. There's a kitchen and then a spiral wooden stairway that has a step missing. I open my legs wider in an attempt to evade the hole of the missing step as we walk up to the second floor of the cottage.

The passageway is a bit dark but suddenly lightens up. We both turn our heads to find Iyan closely following us behind with a flame dancing on his palm. Auriana untangles her hands from mine and opens the first door in the hallway.

"This is the washroom," she reveals with a smile, and I poke my head inside the room. It's almost like the private washroom I had at the capital. There's a bathtub, mirror, and other essential amenities, though they are too basic for demigods but certainly luxurious for a commoner like myself.

"It may be a little demeaning for you, my Lord, but I hope you could at least manage," Auriana says just as I feel Iyan's figure towering over us.

I look over to see his expression, hoping he's not irritated, but surprisingly he doesn't seem to care. There's a hint of annoyance in his features as his thick eyebrows knit downward, but I'm sure it's directed at something else.

"Iyan," he rather says, correcting Auriana. "My name is Iyan."

"Oh–I'm sorry," she stutters, her face flushing in embarrassment. I step away from the entrance of the washroom as my body suddenly begins to feel tired. My skin brushes against Iyan's, and I shiver slightly at the tingles that shoot up my body at the contact. I avoid his eyes as I walk past both of them to the next room.