She's Mine

Chapter 42

Lua's POV: 

My heart was aching slightly, as I stared at my reflection, foggy and unclear from the steam. My emotions a blur; and I thought of them as colours, each of them blended and mixed together because of the confusion and misunderstanding, to make a dull brown. 

I sighed out, squaring my shoulders and raising my chin. 

I turned from myself and walked out the bathroom, sighing in relief to see that Grayson had indeed left, leaving his scent smothered all over my sheets. It was strange how much I felt magnetised towards it, even now, when I knew. 

There were two days left until the meeting and ball and I had no idea the progress the siblings were making or any other schemes Grayson had going on because it was clear that he had other plans - since just having Nora and Azule seek for information wouldn't be reliable enough. I presumed he had extra spies doing things right now, hidden amongst the shadows. 

I walked out of my room, leaving my hair a mess of waves as I walked into the dining room, where I sensed Grayson was. 

There was breakfast ready on the wooden piece of furniture and I slipped into my usual seat, choosing to ignore the screaming tension vibrating across the room. I pierced a strawberry and pushed my hair out the way, to make sure I wouldn't start munching on strands of my hair. All the while, I could feel Grayson's gaze on me, again I blocked him out. 

It hurt. 

It hurt like hell to find out the person you cared about only pretended to care for you. I reminisced over it all, I couldn't help it. And every second, I cursed myself for falling for it; for listening to Melione and ruining the friendship we were building up because I let my feelings get in the way.

It was painful to see that suddenly, we were strangers again. 

"Lua, about this morning-," 

I felt my defences shoot up, "It's fine. I understand you needed someone as comfort and I was the only one here," Air was getting harder to breathe, "I'm sorry about your mother and I hope you feel better. The pain of her absence will ease with time, I assure you," 

My skin felt too tight on me, and the food tasted like gravel in my mouth, so to save myself from this torment, I placed down my fork and stood up, nodding at him without making eye-contact - since I knew that those golden eyes were my weakness - and walked out without another word. 

The moment I closed the doors behind me, I leaned against the wooden frame and tried to calm the whirlwind of emotions and magic that danced along with a wild chorus in my veins. I felt them rubbing and pushing, they always chose to do this at the worst times. 

I stormed towards the training field, not caring that I wasn't wearing appropriate clothing for this. I grabbed a long sword from where they were all neatly aligned and began slashing it through the air, combining it with some of my magic, so fire sliced out with it, singeing the grounds due to its excessive heat. And this was done with every single one of my powers. I felt irritation build up within me, as I ripped out daggers from there holders and began hurling them at nearby targets. I began forming my own daggers using my light and hurled it; I didn't see my dagger fly but I saw the impact it had on the target a blink later. I had forgotten that there was nothing faster than the speed of light. 

My mind flashed to last night. An image of a hand jerking back. Words that seemed to endlessly echo through my head. 

The winds picked up, swinging my hair around my face, rocking the stands unsteadily. 

I shook my head aggressively, clenching my fists so my nails began digging into flesh. I could handle this; I shouldn't let my emotions run loose again, I had to control it and face the fact that this was okay. I was just overreacting. 

I breathed in, holding it for a second, before breathing out; feeling my magic settle and the howling of the wind die down into light breezes. 

There were more pressing issues to be worrying over anyway. 

~

I returned to my room and had the second shower of the day. 

But this time as I walked out of the bathroom, I was surprised to see Grayson lounging on my bed, his head snapping towards my direction the moment he heard me step out.

I was wearing nothing, but a towel wrapped around my body. 

I made eye contact with him, the gold turning molten and his pupils flaring as we stared at one another, the silence around us began to wrap itself around me as the heat of his gaze caused me to slightly shiver. But I remembered what he said and did this morning; so I broke the trance we were in.

"What are you doing here?" I said in a monotone voice, not giving him a second glance as I walked into my closet. 

The one time. The one time I decided not to bother taking my clothes with me; he just had to appear in my bedroom. I was mentally slapping myself as I picked out a practical outfit and began to get ready. 

Once completely changed, I walked out, slightly hoping that he had left, but unfortunately, he was in the exact same position as I had left him. His midnight hair, wavy and messy and the silver hoops swinging slightly with every intake of breath. 

"I'm leaving to go aid Azule and Nora in their mission since they need me now. I was wondering if you wanted to...join me," 

He was already off and working, even after his mother had died the night before. I marvelled at the resilience and strength within him to find the will to even move, let alone go on a mission. I felt pathetic, looking back at myself and the dark hole I had let myself fall into. 

I nodded; I needed to get out and do something anyway, there was no way I was going to sit around the house doing nothing, whilst the others were in all the action. 

Grayson seemed to exhale deeply as if relieved, but I paid it no heed, as I said - "What is it that needs to be done?" 

He leaned back, his hands behind him to prop himself up, "They have managed to capture a rogue that was part of the rebellion, and they believe that he has evidence that the dragon leader was working with them. They just need me to get it out of him,"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"I have my ways," 

Short and vague.

Fine, that was fine. 

"If you're ready. We can go now," He said, pushing himself up to his full height and extending a hand towards me. 

Without hesitating, my hand slipped into his; ignoring the tingling sensation, ignoring how easily they fit together; ignoring him. 

In one blink we were in my room, in another we were in a dark, damp room. And instantly, I felt the air constrict at my throat, my lungs tightened, as I dragged my gaze along the walls, half expecting to see weapons lining up in uniform order. My hand clenched into fists, whilst the other hand, still in Grayson's, tightened tremendously. However, I wasn't focused on that, but on trying to control my breathing and pounding heart. 

How could a room look so similar to that room?

My mind went haywire, flashing images of a sadistic smile, a floor and walls painted with blood. So much blood. My ceaseless screams. The unyielding pain that coursed with it; it felt like I was underwater, drowning in the memories of it all. 

I felt Grayson stiffen beside me as if he had suddenly become stone. 

Control. I took a shuddering breath in. I could control it. I could be here, I could help. 

Without any warning, we were back in my room. Grayson now in front of me, his hands on my shoulders, a look of undiluted, unending rage in his eyes.