ICE

177. An Impromptu Kiss

DINNER WAS A relatively quiet affair — a stark contrast to the night that Ravenna had spent with Caelan previously. The food that appeared in front of her was endless, a vast mixture of meats and vegetables, all heavily seasoned. She mostly focused on eating — as much as she hated to admit it, Caelan had been right about the food. It did help distract her from everything that was going on and made her feel a tiny bit better.

The few moments that she wasn't focused on the food before her, Ravenna allowed her gaze to stray toward Caelan. He ate peacefully, focused on a book that he'd summoned.

Part of her couldn't help but wonder if he even needed to eat. He had explained previously that he was inhuman, just like her and Vyses. Food wasn't necessary for her to survive — though it did bring some semblance of normalcy back into her life.

Once both had finished eating, Caelan walked her through the halls, toward her room. Night had once again captured the sky, darkening the depths of the castle and casting vivid shadows across the wall. He slowed to a stop just outside the bedroom door. When he turned toward her, his gaze seemed to be focused on her face — attempting to read any sort of expression she feigned. A sliver of concern flashed through his dark eyes.

She stared up at him and tilted her head slightly. She arched a brow at him, curiously waiting for him to speak.

His hand lifted toward her. Then he hesitated.

"It will be alright," he told her suddenly. The corners of his lips twitched upwards into a small smile — his attempt at being reassuring. "Vyses will be no match for the two of us. Once he is defeated, our world will be as it was."

Standing so close to him, Ravenna could see the truth. A sliver of worry swam within his dark eyes and shattered the illusion that he had so carefully crafted.

She forced herself to smile though. It was obvious he knew that she didn't quite believe him. Her anxiety was hard to hide from him, as he easily read her innermost thoughts and emotions as if they were a mere book.

The anxious thoughts easily overtook her, commanding every sense of control from her. Once one appeared within her mind, it was impossible to ignore. Especially considering that, most of the time, those thoughts centered around Caelan. It was hard for her not to worry about Caelan as she spent more and more time with him.

The idea of being separated from Caelan was almost too much to handle. It would be Vyses' first move — she felt this truth deep down within her bones. He would do anything in his power to separate the two, as it would be easier to kill them that way. She also knew that Vyses would be more focused on Caelan. The former would throw everything within his arsenal at his old mentor, as Caelan would be the hardest to defeat. Nothing, however, was set in stone — even the strongest warriors fell in the midst of battle.

And Ravenna was not sure that she could survive losing Caelan again.

Another emotion flooded through his eyes — a sense of warmth that caused her heart to pound faster within her chest. He hesitated again and shifted around a bit on his feet. His head tilted toward her, his eyes searching her own.

Her eyes widened. He seemed almost... nervous.

It then occurred to her that he was as worried about her as she was about him.

The notion sent a wave of shock coursing through her veins. The warmth that swelled within his gaze whenever his eyes met hers, the delighted smiles and lighthearted laughter — his pure emotion around her now only pointed toward one possible reason.

Was it possible that he also had developed feelings for her?

Heat rose to her cheeks. She moved before she had time to think — time to process what her hands were doing. Gently, she cupped his cheeks.

Caelan seemed to melt within her hands.

"No one gets hurt," she told him.

He gazed down at her, his eyes loving and warm. "No one gets hurt."

She stretched upward, balancing on the tips of her toes, and carefully pulled his face down closer to hers. Her lips ever so lightly pressed against his.

Sparks exploded beneath her skin. Blushing harder, she released him and bolted into the room. The door slammed shut behind her. Her hands covered her gaze and a hearty wave of embarrassment flooded through her when she realized her actions.

A few moments of stunned silence occurred. Then she heard his gentle laugh float through the door, followed by a distant, "Good night, Ravenna."

Muttering under her breath, she walked toward the bed and fell, face first, into the mattress. Her heart raced so fast that she feared it would explode.

Ravenna did not move the entire night. Instead, she laid on her stomach, her arms folded and her cheek resting atop them, starting at the darkness that covered the walls around her. It was impossible to escape the memory of his lips touching hers.

Once daylight began to illuminate her room, a sigh escaped her and she forced herself upwards. She rubbed at her cheeks and muttered curses beneath her breath. Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment.

Part of her did not want to face Caelan. But she knew that it was ultimately inevitable.

Changing into a clean dress, she prepared herself for another day of training — even going as far as to braid her hair away from her face. It always made it easier to spar with Caelan when her hair wasn't constantly getting into her field of view.

She slowly made her way to the study. Each step that she took only amplified the amount of butterflies that swarmed within her stomach. Caelan had obviously found her impromptu kiss amusing and seemed to have welcomed it. But she was nervous to see if he would address it.

When she entered the room, her heart paused. Her gaze instantly landed on Caelan.

He stood in front of his map, which shimmered brightly across one of the study walls. His arms were crossed in front of his chest and his jaw was clenched tight. As she approached, her stomach began to sink.

"What is going on?" Ravenna asked. A flash of panic sparked within her and sizzled through her veins. Her gaze skimmed the wall in front of Caelan, taking in the massive magic map that concealed the stones beneath. Several of the dots that signified the locations of Vyses's army blinked a bright crimson color.

Caelan outwardly appeared to remain calm, but his eyes gave him away. The moment his dark eyes met hers, Ravenna's breath hitched. "It has started," she murmured.

His expression sharpened. "Do not panic yet. A group of his soldiers are currently attacking our own. It is just outside the city walls. Nothing has been breached yet."

"But it is only a matter of time," she murmured.

He nodded. "How would you like to proceed?" he asked her. "Do you feel ready?"

A sharp laugh escaped her before she could stifle it. "I will never be ready," she told him, amusement dripping from each word. She focused her gaze on the map in front of her.

"Let's wait and watch," she told him. "I want to see how Vyses attempts to advance his soldiers first."