Maven remembers Kaida is a light sleeper.
When he would randomly speak to her in the middle of the night, she would reply seamlessly and fall back into slumber.
And when he would cup her face or kiss her cheek, she would feel it.
Her eyes would flutter open, she would smile, scoot closer to him, and then she would fall back asleep.
As expected on this occasion, Kaida wakes.
At the sight of a stranger in her chamber, her upper half bolts up.
She blinks to clear the blurriness out of her eyes, adjusting to the low light.
Maven comes closer, stopping her eyes from straining.
Kaida's mouth falls open.
"Maven?"
He does not reply.
He closes in on the bed, and proceeds to kneel on the mattress.
He stalks towards her, every movement slow and deliberate.
The covers get pushed to the side, revealing Kaida is wearing a simple satin slip with a matching silk robe, untied.
In a smooth transition, Maven is on top of Kaida and she does not resist.
She ends up on her back and she does not fight or call for help.
She is just bewildered.
Maven sits on top of her with his knees firmly locked at her hips, keeping her in place.
He lowers his face to hers, so they are but mere centimetres apart.
Maven's hands rest on either side of her head, supporting him but trapping her in a cage.
Kaida's eyes instantly well with unspilt tears.
"Is this real?"
She blinks many, many times. Drying her eyes out, hoping to clear her vision.
It is not the first time she had dreamt of Maven, in many scenarios.
Each scene was as sweet to her as raw honey. As addictive as opium straight from the poppy.
She would often wake up confused, unable to tell apart her dreams from reality for many long seconds.
Then it would hit her, and she would silently weep.
It was torture.
Maven lowers his face a centimetre closer.
At this point they share the same breath.
Kaida's heart thumps in her chest and her eyes scan over him.
His hair was longer and his skin had a slight tan that Kaida did not think was possible.
Apart from that, everything is the same.
Maven cups her chin firmly.
"All too real, my love."
He whispers and Kaida feels a shiver shockwave across her body.
The endearment is empty.
The leather of his gloves on her skin assured Kaida, this was not a dream.
"How? I watched you die...in my arms. We buried you. We mourned for you...I mourned for you."
Her voice strains at recounting the painful truth.
How can all of that be a lie? How is any of this possible?
Maven remains silent, just staring.
Kaida can feel something is not right. When she looks into his eyes, they are not warm or receptive.
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄
Romance[Completed - Book 3 of the Blood Court Series] ❝ You manipulated me. Did you think I would be happy? To see you sit on my throne. The throne you stole from me, while you let me die. Me...
