Never Yours ✔️

Ch. 8

She hesitated before knocking. She'd never been to his bedroom before. She knew he was here, the guards at the end of the hall told her they saw him go in and he hadn't been out since. But she couldn't bring herself to knock. There was something so different from him cornering her and her seeking him out. It felt like she was violating some sort of unspoken promise to herself, like she was crossing a line she couldn't get back from. But she had to cross it. For everyone she loved.

She knocked, biting the insides of her cheeks when pain seared through her bruised hands. She waited. Nothing.

"Serden?" She called. "It's me, Arysa. I need to talk to you. Please."

Nothing.

She grit her teeth in annoyance and knocked again. "I know you're in there. Stop ignoring me!"

Nothing.

She stepped back.

If this had happened any other time she would've been overjoyed. He finally stopped paying attention to her. He finally stopped cornering her. He finally stopped watching her. But now it terrified her. Fear was building up inside her like a storm and she didn't know if she could hold it back.

She wanted to know what was happening. She wanted to know why he was ignoring her. She wanted to know what he meant when he said he didn't have to feel guilty about what he was about to do.

What was he about to do?

Demain was fine. Ashlyn was fine. Even Idaly was fine.

So what was he going to do? And why wouldn't he speak to her? She was all but throwing herself at him. This was what he wanted. This was what he was waiting for. Why wasn't he rubbing his victory in her face? Why wasn't he mocking her? Taunting her? Why wasn't he doing anything?

Arysa sat down across from his door and waited. She would get answers one way or another.

°°°

She jerked upright at the sound of a door opening, but as she looked around her brows furrowed.

She was back in her own bedroom.

How did she get here?

Last she remembered she was sitting in front of Serden's door waiting for him to come out. Had she fallen asleep? Had someone brought her back? Had he?

A shudder slid through her at the thought.

"Arysa?"

She turned to see Demain standing at the end of her bed.

"Were you sleeping in your clothes?" He asked, confused.

Arysa pushed the blankets off her and stood up. "No." She replied quickly. "What are you doing here?"

His lips pressed together. "I came to see you, and make sure you're alright."

"Well, I'm fine." She moved to her mirror and checked her appearance. Nothing had changed. She looked the exact same.

Demain eyes followed her. "Your hands and your neck . . . did he--"

Arysa shot him a cold look. "There's nothing wrong with my neck."

He raised a brow. "Then take off your collar."

Arysa stiffened. "I-I-uh-"

"Yeah, I thought so." His hard eyes softened and he sighed. "You don't have to do everything alone, Rysa ."

The old nickname felt like it weighed a thousand tons.

"You could at least let us take care of you. I know you want to keep us out of it, but if you're injured, I need you to know you can come to me. Let me help you. Let me take care of you." He pleaded.