Valencia

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    55 vouchers

    “Killian, answer me, please!” I begged him, but he didn’t say a word as we kept passing through the numerous hallways and stairs before finally reaching our

    quarters.

    Killian pushed the doors open and let go of my hand, which he had kept a firm grip on for the past few minutes.

    He then turned around to walk out the door, but I was faster and tried to block the door with my small frame.

    “You need to rest. I have work to do!” Killian said, but I was not going to let him walk away like that.

    “Enough of your secrecy and acting like you have to carry the burden of the entire world on your shoulders.”

    The look he gave me was one of pure despair and hopeless longing.

    He raked a hand through his hair as I stepped closer to him.

    “Please, you can trust me with your secrets. Just try opening up for once.”

    I gently reached for his hand and held it between my palms.

    “I can’t, Valencia.” He said, but I was not going to let him walk away like this now.

    “You said if you lose restraint you fear that you will nevere back. Why did you say that? What does it mean?”

    I tried again, but he stepped aside and put my hands blocking his exit down.

    “Nothing. Sometimes I ramble nonsense”

    I shot my hands to the side again.

    “Are you really going to tell me off after I went to extreme lengths to ensure that you kept breathing?” I asked, raw hurt evident in my

    voice.

    The smile that he gave me was too sad and dejected.

    b30 /b

    55 vouchers.

    “I wish you had let me die,” He said, but my hand flew to his mouth to silence him.

    “Dont you dare use such words in my presence. You dragged me to Elorin, and I am not letting you go anywhere alone.”

    I said teasingly, trying to diffuse the awkward tension building around us.

    “You wouldn’t want toe with me to hell.” He said, and I jutted my chin up, taking my hand away from his lips and bringing my lips awfully close to his.

    I let my lips hover over his and mumbled, “You have no idea the lengths I would go to just to annoy you.”

    His eyes flickered with a fire, and his hand went around my waist to pull me closer.

    He started to lean, and it took every ounce of willpower inside of me to shake my head.

    “Not before

    you across his face.

    tell me what that line was about.” I said, and hesitation flickered

    “I am afraid you would not like the truth,” Killian murmured against my ear.

    My skin prickled with heat when his breath tickled against the shell of my ear. It would be so easy to give into the temptation, but then he would stalk off again and the topic would be buried.

    I had to ensure sex would not turn into a way to escape for him.

    “Try me,” I offered while inserting as much honesty as possible in my voice.

    Killian let his shoulders slump, and I could feel him shudder a little, as if even the idea of sharing the truth was frightening.

    “The curse…it is tied to me,” He said after a while, but that made a million more questions pop up in my mind.

    “I dont understand,” I said, searching his eyes for an answer.

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    “Morwenna, the witch, did not just curse Elorin but me as well. I am a terrible person, and I have done some very terrible things. She had every right to curse me, but these people, they are innocent.”

    I took his hands in mine and willed him to talk more, to open up more.

    “I am tied to Elorin, and Elorin is a part of me. Several decades ago, Morwenna cursed not just Elorin but its royal bloodline. I was brutal, arrogant and strong. Too strong. So she put a curb on my strength. Told me to live my life like amon, miserable person instead of the fearful one I used to be back then.”

    I blinked in confusion, trying to process it all.

    “You were capable of inducing fear in others?” I asked out aloud, but it was mostly me talking to myself.

    I looked at his face again, at his easy going smile, his carefree nature and no nonsense attitude.

    It was hard to believe he could ever induce fright in anybody.

    But then I recalled a few times I had seen the others pause or step back cautiously when he really raised his voice.

    The moments shed before my eyes, and I could recall the huge court’s dining hall where Morwenna had used me of outrageous things, the way he had raised his voice and everybody took a subconscious step back; or the time when he made the few men peeking from behind the trees run for their lives when they had been watching us train.

    He

    gave me a wry smile.

    “I used to thirst for violence, Valencia. I was a gruesome tyrant, and people shit their pants before thinking of crossing paths with me. Morwenna put me in my ce, to be honest.”

    I shrugged, unsure what to make of it.

    “Atst I managed to say, “Well, everybody has a past”

    Upon hearing that line, his eyes grew fierce again.

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    “Mine’s covered in blood, and I know you are going to hate me once you find out who I truly am.”

    “Was. Who you truly were not was.” I corrected him, and he gave a chokedugh as if my responses were amusing.

    “I know I shouldn’t do this, but this cursed being feels hopelessly helpless when ites to you.”

    He breathed out, and that raw, almost real confession robbed me of my breath.

    My eyes searched his, and I gently raised my hand to caress his face. He took in a shaky breath as I gulped.

    “And I can already see how it is affecting you.” He said and tried to step away ollime. /li/ol

    from

    “No,” I said and grabbed his wrist to stop him from pushing me away.

    “No more running away from me. I told you I can handle the truth,” I repeated, and he lowered his head to ce his forehead on mine.

    “You are brave, Valencia. But there is a fine line between bravery and insanity.”

    Was this insanity? Was not wanting to run away but into his arms as he spilled out his traumatic past insanity?

    So be it!

    “I dont care, Killian,” I said and pulled him closer, but then he muttered.

    “Why do you think your supervisor snatched that file away from you back in the office?” He asked.

    I had been about to kiss him, but that line made me pause, and I stared nkly at

    him.

    “What?b” /b

    “I am the Exiled Heir, Valencia”