A King's Seduction ✔️

TWENTY ONE

Word Count: 1696

The next few days were a blur.

Most of Kailor's men have been investigating what has happened to Elan, but haven't found answers. I've been interrogated on multiple occasions upon Kailor's request, which also hasn't lead to anything being accomplished. Tai has made me speak to someone seeing Elan dead, but that also hasn't been able to rid of the constant feeling of dread sitting in the pit of my stomach.

Tai has been sleeping in my room, albeit on the floor. He's insisted on it, not wanting to push me. Nights have been the most frightening, so I've liked having Tai near me in case I wake up in a panic.

But tonight is different. Tonight I want a moment alone.

The depths of Autumn now grip the Jade Province, and although the climate remains mild, there is a bitter chill to the air tonight, numbing my skin. Crimson foliage laces within evergreen pine, turning the forest into a sight worthy of admiration. It makes my stomach flutter as I walk across the grounds.

Finally, I'm not scared of being near the forest. I couldn't hold a grudge against it for very long, although if I stare into the velvety darkness for too long, I can see Elan's face, the image of his body hanging...

I look back to the manor, knowing Tai is sleeping there, unbothered. However, something catches my eye on the roof.

Is that Zavian?

He's sitting on the roof, staring back at me. I pause in my step, knowing that I need to speak to him. With everything that has been going on recently, I haven't had a chance to speak to him about that night, when I saw him drinking blood from a Tani.

It doesn't take me too long to get on top of the house, clambering onto a gardener's shed and onto the manor's sloped roof. I scramble across the warped shingles, this estate far older than I first realised.

Zavian is sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the roof, shards of moonlight illuminating him.

He doesn't look at me as I come to sit beside him.

"How are you feeling?" he asks softly, his tone deep, sounding tired.

"Empty. You?"

"Me too. Nothing unusual, though," he sighs. When I look at him, dark shadows shroud his eyes, making him look frightfully ill. Either's he's just drunk Tani blood, or he is coming down from whatever high it causes. How have I not noticed this about him before? Does Tai know?

I kick my feet out, watching them swing around freely, the ground quite far down, making my heart flutter. "I feel like I haven't had a chance to talk to you about all of this."

"The blood, you mean?"

I look at him, unable to be angry or upset. I'm just confused. "Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"I wanted to be powerful, to be stronger and better than everyone else so maybe someone would care about me," he admits. I frown, not expecting him to be so vulnerable with me all of a sudden, especially since I'm not very close to him. "Instead I've developed an addiction I can't shake."

I grab his hand, which is surprisingly cold to the touch. "I can help you."

"It's more complicated than that," he mutters, watching my fingers skim along the surface of his skin, his complexion mesmerising under the moonlight. I want to be a friend for Zavian, to be someone who can care about him...

"Does Tai know?" I whisper.

Zavian swallows, looking pained, dark hair hanging down over his eyes. It's clear that he's embarrassed by this, that him being addicted to Tani blood is not something he wishes to divulge to Tai unless absolutely necessary. And I wouldn't never betray his confidence, if he didn't not wish me to.