EYES OF FIRE AND ICE

Chapter Thirty-Two

"He did," he reveals. "But I wanted to hear it from you."

Only now does Alia pick up on his suspicion. Her eyebrows furrow, clear insult flashing across her face. "Did you think I would lie?"

Valen looks at the playing children. "It was a possibility."

Moving her hand away from her neck, Alia roughly tugs blades of grass out of the ground. "I have no reason to lie to you." Jaw clenched, Alia suddenly wishes to leave. She's not in the mood to teach anymore.

No response comes from Valen and Alia doesn't remove her eyes from the grass in between her fingers. Without realising it, she mutters, "what would I even gain?"

Crossing his arms, Valen narrows his eyes at the girl. "I seem to have upset you."

"Upset me?" Alia stops pulling out grass and looks at him. "No, Valen. You've only just insulted me."

"I meant no disrespect."

Alia clenches her jaw again and turns her head, frustrated. "How can I prove myself to you? How can I prove myself to be trustworthy?"

It takes a moment for Valen to process her words, and when he does his eyes flash with an unknown emotion. Then he smirks, and it causes Alia's chest to tighten.

Gods, he's painfully handsome.

Then he's on his feet. "Come with me."

Alia is alert when she stands. She has to race forward to keep up with his long strides, anticipation causing her heart to thump with newfound energy. Wherever he's taking her, whatever she has to do, Alia doesn't care. Just the thought of another adventure with the male has her filled with excitement.

The insult was forgiven the moment his lips quirked up. She can't help it. Valen's already got her wrapped around his finger and he doesn't even know it.

It takes a while for them to reach their destination, with Valen not offering the slightest inclination as to where they were headed. They walk through forestry, finally reaching an opening where a cliff lies, the drop hundreds of metres below. A gentle river grazes past the rocks at the bottom. Alia tries to look over the edge, but her chest lurches at the height difference. Her vision sways as she pulls herself away from the edge.

Valen watches her, hands behind his back. The wind blows against him, moving strands of his hair to fall onto his forehead. Alia pulls her eyes away from him, remembering that he can easily read her.

"What is this place?" She asks, reaching up to run her fingertips across the clawed trunk of a nearby tree. "Why did you bring me here?"

What he says has Alia whirling to him, eyes filled with panic.

"I want you to jump."

When Alia faces him, his face is blank, motives completely hidden. "What do you mean jump?!"

"I want you," he looks to the cliff, "to jump off," then back at Alia, "the cliff."

Panic. Pure panic.

Alia begins to hyperventilate as she paces along the tree line, hands finding themselves on top of her head. She's shaking, trembling.

Heights, she hisses, eyes watering. Fucking heights.

"You can't be serious," she pleads, practically breathless. "Please tell me you're not serious."