Clair emerged from the bathroom, draped in a robe, and finding Zach absorbed in a book on the couch. He glanced up. "Need a hand?" he offered.
"No, I'm good. I gave my legs a stretch. They're ready to kick again," she replied, heading towards her wardrobe. "If it came down to me or books, who would win?" she teased.
"Books... and you," he replied with a grin.
She chuckled. "I know I can't compete with your passion for reading... How about we just move into a library together?" she suggested, sifting through her clothes.
He chuckled at her quirky suggestion. "That's actually not a bad idea," he replied. As he glanced at her, pretending to be preoccupied, she slipped off her robe and let it fall to the floor. He quickly averted his gaze, exhaling a breath, trying to appear casual.
"But you have to promise you'll still spend most of your time with me," she requested as she began to dress.
"Sure," he agreed, releasing another breath.
Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, causing him to startle slightly. "Come with me to the balcony. I need some fresh air," she said.
"Okay," he agreed, following her lead.
As they stepped outside, she stretched her arms and arched her back, feeling the stiffness from spending too long in bed. "This world is fascinating," she remarked, her gaze fixed on the sprawling front yard of the mansion. Leaning against the concrete railing, she rested her forearms and admired the expanse of the clear blue sky.
Zach joined her, and she turned to him. "Aren't you curious to learn more about me?" she inquired.
He paused before responding. "Are you referring to what happened in the hall?"
"Yes," she affirmed, casting her eyes downward. "Per was right. If I want you here, I mustn't hide anything about me from you."
"Okay, what else should I know?" he asked.
Her smile held a tinge of sadness. "Admitting this to you has been very difficult," she confessed, meeting his gaze. "My first love was an angthen, but he deceived me." She looked away, her expression clouded with memories. "The betrayal drove me to madness. The demon inside me took over in an instant... and I destroyed our home." Taking a deep breath, she continued, "I ended up killing him." After a moment of silence, she turned back to him. "His heart survived, and it found its way to you. I searched for it, and that's when our paths crossed... It was the same heart that fooled me, yet loved me again... And that's how our love story began." As she shared, fear didn't grip her; she waited calmly for his response.
Zach had a sudden realization about the purpose behind the chains that bound her in the hall - they were meant to restrain her and, if need be, the dagger was for taking her own life. At that moment, he understood the darkness and sorrow that must have shadowed her life. "Are you expecting me to be afraid of you?"
"It's a reasonable reaction," she replied.
"Perhaps what you said frightened me, but I'm feeling more intrigued than anything. It's like I'm willing to become involved," he mused.
She chuckled softly. "You sound so grown-up and manly now."
He cleared his throat, adopting an exaggeratedly deep voice. "So, how would you like us to proceed now, miss?"
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Trapped Memories (Book2)
Fantasía(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach woke up with an addled mind and empty heart a few days after his surgery. He seemed to feel that his life had begun again. As he continued with what he thought was his normal life, fragments of his lost past slowly b...
