The Darkness & The Dawn

Chapter 4

A deep yawn escaped past my lips, causing my jaw to stretch and my eyes to water. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, trying to keep myself awake as the night grew darker. My eyelids drooped heavily, weighed down by the exhaustion of the long day.

Rornaek's once relaxed stance stiffened beside me as my gaze landed briefly on the large Chronosphere in the corner of the room, its glowing hands pointing towards the late hours of the night. The circular face of it was a mesmerizing dance of intricate gears and swirling symbols, each one telling a silent tale of the never-ending passage of time. The soft hum of its mechanisms filled the air, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the room.

It was long past the time I usually went to sleep.

Rornaek cast a glance in my direction. "Tired?"

"Obviously."

"Then you should probably go back to your bed chamber and get some rest. Lest you fall asleep here and collapse on the floor."

"Wouldn't that be such an inconvenience for you, maybe I'll curl up on that nice sofa over there instead?"

His eyes searched my face for a brief moment before scowling, the lines at the corners of his mouth turning downward. "Get some rest, tomorrow you'll be on your own."

"On my own?" I questioned, fatigue evident in my voice as a another yawn threatened to surface.

He nodded, his expression serious. "I have duties to attend to. You'll find your way around. Just be cautious, and if you need anything, the servants will assist you."

Weariness and irritability fueled my response, "Oh, how thoughtful of you to grant me the freedom to roam your charming abode."

Sarcasm dripped from every syllable as I glared.

Stupid, loathsome, evil. . .

Rornaek's gaze narrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "I have responsibilities that go beyond your stay here. This is not a vacation."

I rolled my eyes, exhaustion turning my frustration into a biting retort. "Believe me, I have no illusions about the nature of my stay. Duties, responsibilities- such charming terms for the intricacies of your circus."

The tension in the room escalated as our gazes locked in a silent battle. Rornaek's patience seemed to wane, but I could sense an underlying current of frustration beneath his composed exterior.

"Your disdain won't make your time here any easier, Wrenleigh," he reminded, his voice carrying a stern edge. "Please don't make this anymore difficult."

Well, he did say please.

I scoffed, my tiredness amplifying my defiance.

His jaw clenched, a fleeting glint of frustration in his golden eyes.

"Must you act like a child?"

If one where to come in contact with us now, they could probably cut the tension between us with a dull blade. The glare he shot at me would make anyone else cower.

A heavy sigh escaped, "Fine, I'll play nice in your Vamphyre sandbox- for now."

He met my defiance with a piercing, unyielding stare, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. But despite his composed facade, there was a subtle, sly quirk of his lip. "You may not trust me or my kind, but I assure you, I mean you no harm."

"Right, because kidnapping someone and forcing them to stay in your castle is definitely a sign of good intentions." I replied, my weariness slowly draining away as I remember why I was here in the first place.