Crave ✔

Chapter 6

       The King blinked down at me, and despite the electricity surging through my veins at the sight of him, a thin shred of fear shone as well. His eyes turned dark. "I saw your note." That voice. I knew it was his, I knew it belonged to him, but hearing it outside of my dreams tore at my heart in so many disastrous ways.

       "I-I didn't know if I would see you again before we left."

       "Hm." His eyes glanced away as he seemed to huddle further into the dark cloak. I frowned, he never broke eye contact with me first, never really tried to hide them from me. I felt an odd, unfamiliar ache fill my chest.

       "You were the one who bumped into me."

       "I needed to get your attention discreetly."

       It was silent between us for a few long, and rather unpleasant seconds after that. The silences from before were never this tense, this awkward. I enjoyed staring at his eyes silently, and he seemed to do the same with mine. This time though- this time he seemed disappointed.

       "You left the village." He spoke a moment later, and I didn't miss the dark, unhappy tone in his voice.

       "I had to, you saw the note-"

       "Before today. You went out to place the note, and you went out the day before after I specifically told you not to."

       His voice came out as a low, dark growl that didn't hide how displeased he was with me at that moment. I frowned and pressed my hand flat against my stomach, like that would help the unpleasantness settling there. He was- upset with me.

       "Are you- mad at me?" My voice was soft and unsure as I blinked up at him, but he kept those beautiful eyes glanced away.

       "Yes."

       My heart dropped painfully in my chest and I sucked in a ragged breath. "Because I left the village?" Of course, that's why he was mad at me- but it was like my moronic brain needed confirmation anyways. Needed to know for sure so I could reprimand myself for it later. He was mad at me.

       He grunted before finally bringing those spell binding eyes back to mine. Our gazes locked again as his ginormous body loomed ominously over my smaller one. "Yes." He growled again as that bright gaze flashed.

       We stood there quietly for a while more, both of us gazing at the other. It felt like years before his eyes softened and his gloved hand slowly reached up to my hair. "Tell me why you disobeyed." His command was soft as his silk-covered fingers played gently with a strand of my hair, his soul-shaking eyes following the action, but I knew he was silently demanding the answer.

       I wanted to close my eyes when he brushed that very same hand softly along my jaw, but I couldn't. His eyes wouldn't let me. "Did that Delfa- or whatever guy tell you?" I asked with a tilt to my head as that hand brushed my hair over my shoulder. I enjoyed those little touches, enjoyed how his eyes followed the actions. I never wanted him to stop.

       "Delta, and yes. That's his job."

       "It's his job to tell you when I leave the village?" I frowned up at him, but those blue eyes only narrowed.

       "It's his job to do whatever I tell him."

       "So, yes?"

       He clenched his jaw, but kept that gaze on mine as his fingers gripped ahold of my chin. My breath caught in my throat as he leaned my face towards his. "Yes."