The Dragon Bride | ✔️

Chapter Forty-Two

Azura's POV

Never have I seen her so angry before. Her eyes narrow onto me, her fists clenched, her mouth pursed. If lava spews out from her nostrils and steam out of her ears, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

But it doesn't.

Instead, Kora takes a deep, slow breath. Her bright blue eyes flicker with confusion as she gazes at me, searching for some kind of explanation.

But what explanations can I give? It was a rash decision. How can I explain something like that to Kora? Something I'd hoped to keep a secret for as long as I could?

"I know what I've done, I know the consequences," I begin, "But I also know that I truly care for Kyros, and that if I could go back in time, I wouldn't change a single thing about it. Please, Kora, don't be mad..."

She sighs, shaking her head, "I know, I shouldn't be. I have no right to be mad, but... I just thought that maybe we were close enough for you not to hide it. It hurts that you thought you couldn't tell me."

Her sentence slices through me like a knife. She's right. All she's given me is reasons to trust her, and yet... Somehow, I kind of knew. I knew she'd be upset. Sure, she doesn't like Kyros, but usually that wouldn't faze her. There's something else about it. But I've no idea what.

I frown. "Surely you understand that I need to keep things to myself sometimes?"

"Something so big? Azura, there's a difference between personal space and downright lies. And you know how I would've felt about this, but what do you decide to do? Hide out in his chamber! To avoid me, wasn't it?"

I gulp. "I..."

She swears under her breath. "Go off with Kyros, then. You'll be able to keep all the secrets in the world from me, then. Go on, see if I care," she snaps at me.

Anger flashes in her eyes as she turns away from me, and I find that a drop rolls down my cheek as I call after her. But she's much faster and manages to disappear into the dark of the dungeons, me screaming at her to come back.

She doesn't even turn around, or cast me a final glance before I hear a loud bang of the heavy dungeon door.

I can't even tell whose being the unstable prick at this point. Part of me feels it's both of us.