Adina couldn't sleep.

She couldn't even blink.

Not even with her face buried in the scratchy pillow, not with the blanket pulled over her head like some armor to protect her from the memory of the library. The kiss replayed in her mind like a curse. Over and over and over again.

Every time she closed her eyes, she felt it—

Thorne's mouth on hers. His hot breath.

The way his hands had roamed her body like she was something he'd lost and didn't think he'd find.

She squeezed her eyes closed, remembering the way he'd gripped her body, the way his scent permeated through the air, how thick it was and how the only thing she could breathe in was it.

And the worst part? She kissed him back. With just as much intensity, like a touch-starved woman.

Her heart pounded against her ribs just thinking about it. And that scared her more than anything. She didn't want to want him, not when he'd rejected her so cruelly. Not when she'd sworn she would let go.

"You didn't mean that…" But what if he had?

What if it wasn't just desperation, or lust, or madness? What if he meant every breathless, broken second of it? What if that kiss was real?

She shook her head. She was spiraling. Falling. She couldn't be this weak just from a kiss. One he would deny and angrily blame her for. No - she had to be smarter. It's happened once, it will happen again.

The kiss had to mean nothing.

She squeezed her eyes harder… All she had to do was wait. Wait for Thessara to come up with something to nullify the bond. Until then, she would avoid him with everything she had.

The next morning came too fast.

Adina hadn't slept a wink, and it showed.

Her eyes were puffy, and the dark circles under her eyes were prominent. Her movements were sluggish as she scrubbed the marble floors of the main corridor. Every inch of her body ached, not from the work, but from tension. From replaying every second of that kiss in her head until she wanted to scream.

It was like she was in a loop. Her reading, his hand slamming the book, grabbing her and kissing her.

It played like that over and over again. She prayed for it to stop. It didn't, and she didn't want it to either.

"What's with you?" Kora's voice jolted her from her thoughts. She blinked, glancing at the woman beside her.

"When did you get here?" She muttered, and the other cocked her eyebrows.

"That's exactly my point. You've been acting like a zombie."

Adina rolled her eyes. "A zombie indeed."

Kora leaned forward, "I'm serious. Did something happen?" She paused, leaning closer to Adina. "Did you not sleep well? Why do you have such eye bags? Is the bed uncomfortable?" She shook her head like that didn't make sense. "Your room is in the king's wing. How can the bed be uncomfortable?"

Adina sighed. "I don't know, Kora. I don't know." She lied.

The other squinted her eyes sharply like she could somehow deduce what Adina wasn't telling her. Then she sighed. "Fine. I even came to give you hot gist." She grinned.

"Hot gist?"

Kora nodded, grinning. "The tea. The hottest topic in Obsidian now. The topmost gossip-"

"I get it."

Kora paused then rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't guess what happened." She leaned closer to Adina. "General Elara got into an argument with one of the concubines this morning."

"She did?" Adina asked, remembering the dinner with the concubines and how tense things had been between Elara and one of them.

Kora hummed, taking the rag from Adina's hand and helped her. "The maids there said it wasn't a little thing. Apparently, the king had to interfere."

"Really? He had to interfere?"

"And that's not even the worst. Rumor has it that General Elara is in love with the king…"

Now, Adina was more alert and interested. "What?"

"Some say it now makes sense why she refused to find her mate and instead stay at his majesty's side. I mean, she's young, intelligent, and beautiful. She's every man's dream yet she refuses to leave his majesty."

Adina's mind raced to everything she's seen so far since she arrived in Obsidian. Anything that showed the general was in love with the king but…there was nothing. Yet, this was the second time she was hearing of this.

Could it be true? Was Elara in love with Thorne?

She opened her mouth to speak but is cut off by the soft, feminine voice from last night.

"Excuse me,"

Adina blinked and slowly straightened. She looked back to see the same concubine from the library looking at her with a smile.

"It's you. Adina, right?"

Adina glanced at Kora, who was also watching with confusion and slight panic.

"Yes, my lady. How may I help you?" Adina asked.

The woman grinned wider, clapping excitedly. "Oh, this is good. I feared I wouldn't be able to talk to you if you were with the king, but as the gods would have it—" she paused, glancing at Kora.

Her smile dropped. "You're excused."

Kora blinked, stunned. Then she nodded, standing up. "Yes, please excuse me." She said, glancing at me one last time before walking away.

The woman's smile came back, wider. "You have to help me."

Adina stiffened. Help? What help could she possibly render?

The woman stepped closer to her. "I've seen you around His Majesty." She paused for a second. "You're always close by. Closer than most, and I know you're his personal maid."

Adina's stomach dropped. She didn't like where this was going.

"I was wondering," the woman continued, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve, "if you could… help me. With His Majesty."

Adina blinked. "I—I don't understand."

"You do." The woman smiled wider. "You know him. You're familiar. Yesterday…He seemed….comfortable around you."

Adina swallowed, "I'm just a servant, My lady."

The woman sighed, "I know but…" she suddenly stepped closer to Adina, grabbing her hands. "It's just…I need all the help I can get with him. You know, nobody saw him for three days. Not until yesterday night. He—he just left us all. I can't let that happen. I have to be ahead of the rest." Her eyes shined as her smile widened. "That's why you have to help me."

Adina slowly removed her hand from the other's grasp and stepped back. "I'm afraid I can't help you with anything, my lady."

The woman's smile dropped to a frown, "Come now. There's no need to pretend." The woman lowered her voice slightly. "I just want to make a good impression. I thought perhaps… you could help. Tell me what he likes. What he notices. What he wants in a woman."

"No. I can't help you." Adina said, firmer this time.

The woman blinked, caught off guard by the refusal. "Why not? Are you thinking I won't give you something if you help me? I will give you money, lots of it. Just help me."

"I don't know anything," Adina gritted out, suddenly feeling annoyed. How many more times would she say this. How was she supposed to help her win a man— her mate at that. "And even if I did… it's not my place."

Silence stretched between them for a second, Then the woman smiled coldly.

"I see."

She turned gracefully only to pause, "Freya. It's Lady Freya. Remember my name." She said then walked away, heels clicking again as she walked away. But something had shifted in her. A little more stiffness and a little less sweetness.