Her guard, her temptation

7

kaira astor

My fingers trail over the red, raw skin around my wrists, my eyes narrowing into slits as my ears roar with rage. This morning, when I woke up, the rope was no longer tied around my wrists, my hands lying on my chest. Zyran must've untied me while I was asleep, and I'm a light sleeper. A rush rolls down my spine, my teeth clenching. I pull the cuffs of my hoodie over my hands and sit up straight, leaning against the headboard. My eyes flutter closed, my mind an angered mess. Confused, angry, frustrated.

"If I knew leaving you would make you so sad, I would've never left." The sultry, soft voice flows through my quiet room and a broad smile curves over my lips before I even open my eyes. Oh, I've missed that voice. Her dark green eyes stare down at me, emotions rolling through my chest. "Amara!" I beam. Amara hudson. My best friend since we were children. Beautiful, elegant, mischievous. Her beauty is like that of a snake. Vicious. Precise. Lethal. Her eyes are a void of soul and venom.

Despite her flaws, she has never treated me in a way that has felt unfair. To me, she's just Amara, despite her title as the Vicious princess. She runs her delicate fingers through her blonde waves. "Missed me?" Her eyes gleam, raising a brow. I push up on my knees and crawl to the edge of the bed, throwing my arms around her shoulders, careful not to touch her skin. "Of course, I did. I thought you forgot about me." And, I really did. I haven't heard from her in five months. I didn't know anything except for the fact that she was still in Oakland.

I inhale her citrus scent and my heart clenches. With my entire life being thrown into a chaotic mess, she's the only familiarity that I have. "Forget about you? I could never." She rubs my back before pulling away, tucking strands behind her ear. I step back and sink down on the edge of the bed, pulling my legs under me. "What are you doing here?" I ask, knowing she wouldn't be here without reason. Amara never does anything without reason. Amara saunters over to my desk and pulls my chair out, pushing it closer to my bed. The wood drags against the floor and I clench my jaw, my fingers tightening.

"Thought it was about time that I visited you again." She lifts her shoulders up in a shrug and swiftly falls into the chair, throwing one slender leg over the other. I press my lips into a thin line, watching her silently for a beat. I know she's here for a reason. "Tell me all about Oakland." I decide not to push the topic any further. Amara has a very short temper, and doesn't like being questioned. She has the tendency to taunt and destroy you with her words, never her hands. That is why she's been labeled as the Vicious princess. Whereas I'm considered the reckless one. Not that I blame them; My fists fly before my words do.

"It's truly beautiful there, and so safe," She exclaims, fidgeting with the golden ring around her finger, the one she received from her father for her sixteenth birthday. The way she always twists the ring around her finger has always resembled a movement of comfort. "You would absolutely love it there." I would love any place that's not here, especially now. "Which reminds me, I've been meaning to ask if it would be possible for you to come visit me there?" Heaving her golden hair over her shoulder, she places her elbow on the back of the chair, leaning into a more comfortable position. I blink back at her, my eyebrows caving in. She knows that my father would never allow it. I'm rarely allowed to leave the kingdom. She rolls her green eyes.

"Oh, I know, I know. But, I thought me asking would make them say yes." She waves her slender hand, confidence oozing from her pores, so much so that I nearly cower away. "What do you mean? You're going to ask my parents?" Caution weaves through my voice and she notices. Slight weaknesses is something she always notices. Oakland has always been a city I've wanted to visit, having heard stories of peace leaping through the city streets. The kingdom of peace. When I heard Amara's father had granted her permission to stay there for as long as she pleases, with the exception that she'll return with a husband, I couldn't help the envy tugging at my chest.

Amara isn't and never was the type of person who would fall into a marriage, so a part of me thought that she'd never return. "Yes," Her snake eyes narrow in on me. "They love me," Her lips stretch into a wide smile and my stomach knots. That they do. The daughter they've always wanted. I push the bitterness out of my mind and straighten. "And, they know that I'll never put you in harm's way." She slightly shakes her head and stands from the chair, placing her hands on her hips and stares down at me. "Well, if you can get them to say yes, then I won't hesitate to pack my bags." I drawl, falling back on my elbows, shaking strands of hair out of my face.

Her head falls into a nod. "I'll speak to them tonight at dinner. I'm sure they'll be thrilled by the idea." Spinning around on her heel, she walks over to my mirror, dragging the tips of her fingers over her lips. "With you wreaking havoc along with the assassination attempts, I'm sure they need a break." A break from me, she means. The words roll off her lips so casually, so calmly that my fingers ball into fists. Fera clogs my throat at the mention of the reality of my life, at the reality that people want me dead.

This is the side of her that I don't like. She doesn't mean it in a rude way. She only cares. I blow out a sigh, flicking my eyes toward the window, watching the trees sway with the wind. "Who is that new guard standing outside your room?" She asks. My heart drops, my eyelashes fluttering as my eyes flash toward her. She runs her fingers through her hair and turns to me. "You know? The one with the intimidating green eyes and black hair, looks like he'll be able to end my life in a blink of an eye," Zyran. Bile rises in my throat as I stare at her. Her eyes shine with an emotion I've seen too often, the green of her hues nearly sparkling with chaos. "Zyran Ryder." I croak out, pushing my nails into my palms. I shouldn't care that she clearly found her distraction for the few days that she'll be here, but it does bother me. I don't want my best friend f*****g the man I hate.

She slants her head to the side and sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. "He's very attractive." Her words slam into me and I scowl. "He's also a demon who has been sent here to annoy the ever-living f**k out of me." I snap, my eyes narrowing into slits. I have to refrain from jumping off the bed and marching to the door, yank it open and tell him exactly how much I hate him. Amara hums, her green hues flitting to the door, mischief glinting in her eyes. "That's exactly how I like them." Twirling a strand of her golden hair around her finger, she gazes at the wooden door, her mind overlapping with twisted thoughts. It's written all over her face.

Slowly, I push up and slide off the bed. "Amara, no." I grit out through clenched teeth, my fingers balling into fists. Her hand falls, sliding her gaze back to mine. "And why not?" Raising a brow, she places her hand on her hip. "It would make my visit so much more exciting." Her tone is light, breezy almost, but I know her too well to know that she's already sculpted a perfectly well plan to lure Zyran to her bed. The thought doesn't sit well with me. "Don't be daft," I snap, pressing my lips into a thin line.

"Remember the last time you bedded one of my guards?" My voice rises and her eyes flash. "That wasn't my fault and besides," She steps forward, making her way to the door. "I'm sure, Zyran Ryder isn't the type to fall in love and beg me to run away with him." Amara throws the words over her shoulder, her voice dripping with malice. My stomach lurches and my eyebrows cave in. The memory of Garrick fills my head. Amara twists the knob and swings open the door, my eyes flitting over her shoulder to find Zyran leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest as he stares at Amara. Bile rises in my throat and I want to scream. Lifting his eyes over her shoulder, his eyes clash with mine, dark, lethal and pouring with hatred.

I wish I'd rather possess the power of stopping time, just so I could climb through the window and escape the wrath in his glare.