The keeper of time

Chapter 10: The Games We Play

The following morning brought a palpable shift in the air. Anaya couldn't shake the tension from the night before, and Aryan's absence at breakfast only made things worse. Arjun, too, seemed quieter than usual, casting furtive glances her way, as though waiting for an explanation she couldn't give.

Anaya tried to distract herself by focusing on the task at hand—mapping out the area around the ruins where their next search would take place. But even then, she felt Aryan's presence before she saw him. It was like the air crackled with electricity when he walked into the room.

"Morning," Aryan greeted, his tone infuriatingly casual, as though nothing had happened last night. He grabbed a seat beside Anaya, his shoulder brushing hers deliberately. She tensed but refused to let him see the effect he had on her.

"You're late," she muttered, keeping her eyes on the map in front of her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Aryan said, not sounding sorry at all. "Did you miss me?"

She scoffed. "In your dreams."

"More often than you'd think," he quipped with a smirk, leaning in closer.

Anaya could feel the heat rising to her face, and she hated that he could fluster her so easily. She turned sharply to face him, raising an eyebrow. "Do you always make it a point to flirt at work, or is this just a special treatment for me?"

Aryan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he regarded her with that infuriatingly smug expression. "You know you're my favorite."

Anaya rolled her eyes, pushing the map aside. "You're impossible."

"You're just now figuring that out?" Aryan's teasing grin widened, but there was a gleam in his eyes that told her he was enjoying this way too much.

As the day wore on, the group gathered their gear for another journey into the deeper ruins, with Aryan and Anaya, as usual, ending up paired together. Arjun watched from a distance, his unease growing with every glance between them.

The ruins were quieter than usual, the towering ancient structures looming over them like silent guardians. As they walked through the corridors, Anaya felt the weight of history pressing down on her, but her mind kept drifting back to the man walking beside her.

Aryan had a way of filling the silence, even when he wasn't speaking. His presence was commanding, his every move filled with purpose. It was as though he was born to lead, and yet there was something deeper, something more complex lurking beneath that confident exterior. And that intrigued Anaya, despite her best efforts to deny it.

"You're quiet today," Aryan remarked, breaking the silence as they made their way through a narrow passageway.

"Just focused," she replied, keeping her eyes ahead.

"That's new."

She shot him a look. "You're really fishing for a fight, aren't you?"

Aryan smirked. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just trying to figure you out."

"Good luck with that," she muttered.

"You don't make it easy, you know." His tone shifted slightly, the teasing edge still there but softer, more thoughtful. "One minute you're sharp as a blade, and the next... you're somewhere else. Where do you go when you're not fighting with me, Anaya?"

His question caught her off guard, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. Aryan had a way of cutting through her defenses with unsettling precision.

"You ask too many questions," she said, her voice quieter now.

"It's my job to ask questions." Aryan's tone was lighter again, but there was a sincerity in his gaze that made her heart skip a beat.

"Well, I'm not answering any today," she quipped, quickening her pace.

"We'll see about that." He easily kept up, and as they ventured deeper into the ruins, their banter gave way to a tense but strangely comfortable silence.

Aryan's Perspective

Aryan couldn't deny it—Anaya fascinated him. She was different from anyone he had ever known. He had spent years commanding rooms, making decisions, issuing orders, and people followed. But Anaya? She challenged him. She questioned everything, fought back, and refused to fall in line. It was maddening—and exhilarating.

The night before had left him thinking more than he wanted to admit. Their conversations, laced with sarcasm and teasing, had become something he looked forward to, something that stirred a part of him he had long buried beneath the weight of duty and responsibility.

When she had asked him why he was so suspicious of her, he couldn't answer truthfully. How could he explain that his suspicion wasn't about her skills or even her motives? It was about something deeper—something that had nothing to do with her past and everything to do with how she made him feel. Vulnerable, off-balance, and, annoyingly, intrigued.

But Aryan wasn't one to let his guard down so easily. He couldn't afford to. Especially now, with the weight of leadership on his shoulders and the looming threat of the unknown ahead of them.

"Focus, Aryan," he muttered to himself as they turned another corner.

Anaya's voice broke his thoughts. "So, are you going to tell me what's bothering you, or are you just going to keep brooding in silence?"

He smirked. "Brooding? That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

"You're literally brooding right now," she shot back.

"Maybe I'm just thinking about how I'm going to survive another day of your endless sarcasm."

She grinned, her mood lightening. "I'm pretty sure you love my sarcasm."

Aryan chuckled. "Maybe. But don't let it go to your head."

As the group moved further into the ruins, Arjun's gaze kept flickering between Anaya and Aryan. His unease was growing, and it wasn't just because of the mission. Aryan's presence had shifted something in their dynamic, and Arjun couldn't ignore it.

Anaya had always been his closest friend, the one person who understood him. And now, with Aryan's arrival, everything felt... different. He couldn't help but notice how Anaya's attention was divided, how her usual wit was sharper when directed at Aryan. The banter, the teasing—he knew her too well. There was more to it than just casual conversation.

Arjun clenched his jaw as he watched them. He didn't want to admit it, but jealousy was gnawing at him. He had always thought there was something between him and Anaya, something unspoken but real. Now, with Aryan in the picture, he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Everything alright, Arjun?" Aryan asked, suddenly appearing beside him.

Arjun forced a smile. "Yeah, just... thinking."

Aryan raised an eyebrow, glancing between Arjun and Anaya. "Well, don't think too hard. We've got enough on our plate without getting lost in our heads."

Arjun's smile tightened, but he said nothing. Because deep down, he knew Aryan was right. There was more going on here than just the mission. And it wasn't going to be easy to untangle.