Memories of their heated argument flashed before her eyes, the sting of his cutting words still fresh in her mind. Still, beneath the veneer of hostility, Marisol could not ignore the feelings of longing she'd only just realized as such now that they were in close proximity again, realized how she'd missed him, worried about him, and longed for the electric thrum of the connection they shared.
The tension between them was palpable as Cedric stood before her, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. Marisol felt her resolve waver as she struggled under the intensity of his gaze, the air around them crackling with tension.
"Sit," Cedric repeated, his voice low and commanding.
Marisol swallowed hard, her heart pounding as she struggled to maintain her composure. She could see the conflict in Cedric's eyes, the battle raging within him as he fought to control his emotions. It was as if she had been drawn into his orbit. The magnetic pull between them feels too strong to resist. Cedric's words had never left her head since he'd spat them out the other day, his admittance of their bond stirring something profound within Marisol's soul.
Unconsciously, Marisol found herself inching closer to Cedric, needing more of whatever his mere presence was coaxing out of her.
Cedric's voice cuts through the air like a blade breaking the silence, his words laden with a raw honesty that leaves Marisol reeling. "We can't keep lying to ourselves."
"What?" She exclaimed, fingers suddenly itching with the need to touch, and at that moment, as if doubled by the intensity of his emotions, Cedric's scent wafted through the air, hitting Marisol with the intensity of a tsunami, and she felt her knees buckle, almost giving out from beneath her. Just as quickly, before she could completely lose her footing, a strong arm was around her waist, holding her up.
Marisol sucked in a breath. The feeling of his arm around her was definitely new but not unpleasant. Quite the opposite, if anything, and it felt like every one of her nerves was doing a happy dance. She had to physically wrestle back an urge to whine and sink deeper into his hold. She needed more, wanted to be wrapped entirely in his essence, and for Cedric to never let go. Slowly, she lifted her head to look at him, peeking from just beneath her long lashes.
"You betrayed our agreement. The very one you suggested yourself. Or is your memory already failing you?" Cedric said, his words strung tight and lacking any of the bite he'd have hoped to.
Marisol's heart hammered in her chest as she absorbed his words. She remembered their agreement, the tentative truce they had formed to navigate their complicated bond.
She was still struggling for what would be an appropriate answer when, with a heavy sigh, Marisol felt Cedric pull away, his warmth completely disappearing and leaving Marisol at a loss, watching him go as a whirlwind of emotions swirled within her -guilt, longing, uncertainty.
As Cedric disappeared from view, Marisol sank into a nearby chair, her limbs finally giving in and thoughts running a mile a minute.
Without even knowing, she began to eat. It was a slow process, and through it, it felt as though she had been numbed completely, not even tasting the meal. It was almost robotic because her hand movements looked like a mechanic, measured practice.
Meanwhile, a storm of guilt brewed in her head, and no matter how much she tried to fight it, it continued raging. She finished her meal, silent and restless, and still unable to find it in herself to move. She remained at the table for a while before she finally got to her feet, coming to a resolve.
No matter how she thought about it, all her thoughts ended with Cedric deserving some apology, but she didn't know if she could give him one.
Slowly, she makes her way out of the dining hall. Then, she traversed the corridors of the hidden castle, her footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls.
Unsure of her next course of action and how to face Cedric, she bypassed the familiar route to the throne room where she was certain Cedric would be and instead made her way to the library.
To her surprise, she met Cedric in the library, seemingly engrossed in the pages of one of the various books he had laid on the table. Another wave of guilt washed over her. They were supposed to be working together, and she abandoned him. For a moment, Marisol hesitated, unsure of what to do. Should she go somewhere else or stay? How was she supposed to approach him?
Once again, she considered offering an apology and becoming confident with it, but the words caught in her throat suffocated by the weight of her guilt. So she remained silent, opting to observe Cedric from a distance instead.