IMPRESS. [Book 1]

Chapter Seventy: The Return to Icilia Part 2.

IMPRESS.

Chapter Seventy: The Return to Icilia.

Part 2.

[A/N: sorry for any mistakes or typos]

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The atmosphere was sharper than a spear itself, and the air was thicker than wood, to the point I was certain the coughs which cut through the deadly tension in the room and that came from villagers seated around us were caused by the bitter air.

Whilst I glowered down to no mercy at the table of two, my fists unnoticeably clenched as my arms were crossed over each other.

"Natalya..." Prince Zac abruptly stood up from the table whilst Cassandra remained seated, still trying to fathom the surprise of seeing me in Icilia. "What are you doing here... With him?"

As Zac's softened eyes hardened when they wandered off to the demon king who possessively stood guard beside me, a snide smirk replaced the flat-line my lips had been in momentarily. "I swear it's not what it looks like Natalya, this is happening on behalf of IMPRESS," Cassandra sheepishly explained.

I squinted seeing right through her lie because what stage of IMPRESS would require her to come all the way to Icilia just to flaunt her body and throw herself at the prince. Surely, that could easily take place in the capital region, Aeralin.

With a bitter smile, I didn't respond to the prince and nor did I attempt to make form any sort of eye-contact with him either. "I honestly don't care if you two want to have a relationship, go ahead and kiss each other, go ahead and have sex because truthfully that's the last thing on my mind."

I told a lie. In fact, seeing Zac and Cassandra together was the first thing on my mind and I was sure the image would taint my memory for a while, "really?" Cassandra's head snapped up as if she was enlightened by my words."

It pained me that she looked so beautiful sitting across from Zac. How could any man not want her? She was a walking and living goddess, and if I wasn't Natalya Ascelyn, I would dream of possessing the looks and fierceness of Cassandra Pierce.

"Cassandra, you are a lady of IMPRESS. I am not. Which means I have no association with-"

"- Me-" Zac finished, his voice low and husky as usual however laced with hurt, hurt which only I seem to notice is there since he does a good well at hiding it.

I swallowed hard nodding with the tightest and fakest smile of my life. I composed myself as I felt Preston leaning to my ear from behind. He shadow-whispered so that only I could hear and no vampire could, "they'd both be dead right now if not for that promise. It's not too late."

The thought was appealing but I shook my head finding Preston's hand and holding onto it, "I don't want to disrupt your date any further so we are going to go-"