In the Shadows~zayn au~Completed ✅EDITING

~Chapter 41: Languid Lovers~

Love you all and the response to the last chapter was better than anything I could have hoped for! Thank you so much!!!

Here's the next one!! Confrontation, and decisions reached!! What is Zayn going to say to her??? Dun dun duuunnn....

Kalysta's POV

When Kalysta woke the next morning it was to Louis nudging her.

"Come on, we're getting an early start," he prompted.

She sat up and started packing the blankets and things in order to tie them to Starling. Mahir had saddled the horse for her again and they were quickly riding away after Louis doused the coals.

Kalysta didn't have a chance to talk to Zayn. He hadn't seemed to be avoiding her, but it was definite that he wasn't making any attempts to talk about what had happened the night before.

She didn't want to think about him possibly regretting it, but it occurred anyway. It was sure that she didn't regret it. She was simply stunned... still. What if he was angry? She hadn't pushed him or anything, but the abrupt way he'd pulled away and left her there made her think that not only had he not intended to kiss her, but that he had something in his mind worrying him on the subject.

They had set a fairly easy pace, so she urged Starling forward to join Zayn at the front of their procession.

"Ambassador," she greeted.

"Princess," he acknowledged carefully.

"Are we going to simply ignore what happened?" She kept her voice quiet. She was nervous, but she couldn't just let this go.

"We'll talk tonight," was his reply. It was said gently, but she detected a hint of unease in his voice.

"Are you angry?" She hated the quaver in the words that showed just how invested she was in his answer.

"Oh, Kalysta, of course not," he sighed. "I would never be angry at you for something like that. And before I say anything else, I'll remind you that now isn't the best time to discuss it. We're going to have to pick up the pace."

She nodded and slowed Starling enough to move back to where she'd been, positioned between Louis and Mahir. Louis gave her a quizzical look as she passed, but she simply raised her eyebrows as if confused that he was confused. He shook his head and looked forward again.

True to his word, Zayn heeled his horse into a gallop and they spent most of the day at that speed. They slowed to walk the horses and eat several times, but beside that there wasn't much time for talking. Kalysta welcomed the chance to be semi-alone with her own mind and to consider herself just what had happened to allow that kiss.

Something had developed between her and the Ambassador. She had noticed her own feelings previously, but had quelled them before she could them too deeply. Now, she knew she would have to think on the matter or risk endangering them both. What could they do? They were both trapped in a fate not of their choosing. True, Zayn had chosen to hazard his life by organizing the resistance, but she saw that as brave, a step to help right a wrong he hadn't committed. To do that meant keeping not only his cover, but hers as well. She supposed they could keep cover and still explore whatever this was. They deserved that much at least.

The stopped for one more evening.

"We're about a morning's ride away from the city, so we'll rest here," Zayn said.

It was like the night before. They got things organized and settled with a fire and a bit of food, but this time Zayn took the first watch. Kalysta crawled under her blanket at the same time that Mahir and Louis laid down. However, she didn't think she'd be able to tell when they fell asleep. Should she take a chance and get up anyway? Luckily, Zayn saved her the trouble.