Draconia Offline vol. 1

51.1. Inevitable Attraction - Part 1

I freeze when Gotrid's wings touch me and get goosebumps. I caress Liana's wings all the time but there's something different about touching Gotrid's wings. It's... erotic. I forgot to breathe for a few seconds and when I finally gasp for air, Erik is suddenly standing next to us and slaps Gotrid's hand that is still holding mine.

"Oops," Gotrid smirks and backs away. "Sorry, Royal Consort, I couldn't help myself. Our Emperor is so cute after all."

Gotrid's apparent apology isn't helping, it's only making things worse. He has no ulterior motives when it comes to me simply because his intentions are as clear as the day and that pisses Erik off even more. How can he be so bold? And does a part of me... like it?

"You...!" Erik gets furious but just as he's about to raise his voice, Liana quickly stands up and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't cause a scene, you're the Royal Consort and people are watching," she whispers to him urgently.

To be honest, we already caused a scene. The room got unnaturally quiet and people are staring and turning to us to see what's happening.

"Erik," I clutch his hand to calm him down but as I do so, I get a full dose of his jealousy.

If I wasn't sitting down, I'd probably wobble. It's still him, my beloved partner, I love everything about him. But this burning human emotion he's feeling right now makes me nauseous so I flinch.

"Love?" Erik blinks a few times in utter confusion. It takes him three seconds to realise that I let go of his hand because I couldn't stand holding him.

"Erik, Godrid, sit, both of you," Liana hisses through her teeth as silently as possible.

Erik sits down mechanically like a robot and Bauerova's wife Elizabeth is so tactful that she continues in their conversation as if nothing happened. Gotrid sits right in front of me next to Taranah and keeps smiling at me happily.

Sorry, I had no idea he's planning such an entrée, Liana slightly stretches her left wing to me so that she can send me her thoughts. I thought he was just being proactive when he volunteered to help Twyla with checking our breakfast.

I don't answer anything because I'm too conflicted. Gotrid is distracting me with his grinny smile and it's impossible to ignore how gorgeous his wings are. As for Erik... I think I seriously hurt him when I flinched away. I try reading his thoughts but he's thinking frantically and isn't willing to connect to me. They are both torturing me!

"Eat, Your Majesty," Luviael nudges me because I still didn't touch my breakfast.

Gotrid winks at me when I look down on the ketchupy heart symbol. I ostentatiously roll my eyes and smudge the heart across the omelette.

Erik, please, talk to me, I send my partner a desperate plea and take the first bite even though I don't feel like eating.

I hurt you, he finally answers. My emotions... hurt you.

No, you didn't! I was just startled, that's all!

I know I did, he insists. My jealousy is hurting you.

Gotrid shouldn't have done that, I oppose. You were right to get angry.

I got angry at him but I ended up hurting you, he says broken-heartedly. Let's talk about it later, I can't focus on talking to Elizabeth and I don't want Liana suspecting that your telepathy got stronger again.

"Aefener?" Liana touches my hand all of a sudden. I almost jump but it doesn't seem she noticed anything.

"Too much drama for one early morning, I lost my appetite," I murmur and glance at Gotrid who's stuffing himself with a Nutella toast while talking to Taranah.