ROYAL BLOOD 👑

Chapter 20: True Feelings

As she reached for a spatula to flip the sizzling eggs in the pan, her hand trembled slightly, the sudden surge of emotions making her movements clumsy. She cursed silently under her breath, cursing herself for being so affected by his words.

Lysander's gaze never wavered as he continued, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that made her heart race. "It feels like forever since I've seen you," he admitted, his tone soft yet filled with longing.

Elara's breath caught in her throat at his words, the weight of his confession hanging heavy in the air between them. She struggled to find the right response, her mind racing as she grappled with the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. Elara's heart pounded in her chest, her mind reeling as she tried to make sense of Lysander's words. "You shouldn't have said that," she grumbled under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lysander furrowed his brow in confusion, his eyes searching hers for answers. "Why not?" he asked, his tone tinged with genuine curiosity. "I was just stating how I feel."

Elara felt a surge of frustration bubble up inside her, threatening to spill over at any moment. "Because..." she began, her voice trailing off as she struggled to find the right words. "Because things are complicated, Lysander." Elara's frustration simmered just beneath the surface as she met Lysander's gaze, her words tinged with a hint of desperation. "What makes you think that?" Lysander's brows furrowed in confusion, his expression earnest as he waited for her response.

Elara sighed, her shoulders sagging with the weight of her emotions. "Because if you keep behaving like this, it'll give me false hope," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't afford to let myself believe that there's something between us when there's not."

"Maybe— Maybe I want something to happen between us," Lysander challenged, his voice soft yet filled with conviction.

Elara's breath caught in her throat, her mind whirling with a flurry of conflicting emotions. She felt a surge of warmth blossom in her chest, mingled with a sense of fear and uncertainty.

"Stop saying nonsense," she grumbled, her voice tinged with frustration as she fought to push down the rising tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

But Lysander's gaze remained steady, his eyes filled with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "It's not nonsense, Elara," he insisted, his voice gentle yet unwavering. "I care about you more than you realize."

Lysander's words hung in the air, lingering between them like a delicate thread binding their hearts together. Elara felt a lump form in her throat as she gazed into his earnest eyes, her own emotions swirling in a tumultuous storm.

"I know I've never fallen in love before," Lysander continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "but I know what I feel for you is different. It's... deeper somehow."

Elara's heart skipped a beat at his confession, her mind racing as she tried to process the magnitude of his words. She had never allowed herself to entertain the possibility of love, not after the pain she had endured in the past. But with Lysander standing before her, baring his soul for her to see, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope stirring within her.

With hesitant resolve, Lysander leaned in closer, his breath warm against her cheek as he whispered, "I hope... I hope you feel the same way, Elara."

Elara leaned her head into Lysander's touch, feeling the warmth of his hand against her skin as a sense of peace washed over her. In that moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them enveloped in their own private cocoon of emotions.