Episode 14
434 Words
The fight died out of me immediately as I slumped down into a chair. “Well,” I sighed out a small chuckle. “Clearly you don’t have magical powers.”
He smirked back at me, shaking his head. “I really wish I did though, so I wouldn’t have to worry about being struck down in battle.”
“Why would you worry about that when men slice their own throats after meeting your gaze?”
He actually laughed outright at that. It surprised me how full the laugh was and its effect on me was immediate as my cheeks pinked again. “Have you sliced your throat yet? And aren’t I currently recovering from an injury?”
I laughed at myself and shrugged. “Good point.”
“Why would they say that?” He asked, intrigued by this rumor.
I shrugged as if I didn’t know, though that gaze was as startling and immobilizing as the rumors suggested. “No reason.” I blushed again, avoiding his gaze.
He stood up stiffly and leaned over me, resting his hands on the arms of my chair. I had to sit back completely in the seat and tilt my head up to look into his face. “Is the reason because of the color of my eyes? We have a story of our own about your eyes.”
His boyish voice managed to lower as his gaze met mine intensely.
I couldn’t manage to find my voice, though I swallowed a few times. I just nodded dumbly at him, indicating he should continue.
“You said you were a member of the royal house?”
“A half-truth.” I managed to croak out. “I am a bastard.”
He gripped my chin gently, tilting my face up more. “But the truth of it is in your phantom eyes. Only the soulless royal family have eyes the color of pearls.” His face leaned a little closer to me as he looked towards my lips.
I had never been kissed before, but I had seen others kiss in town before when my mother and I went in for supplies. I knew what that look meant, and I closed my eyes as I had seen other people do as I whispered, “We aren’t soulless.”
His lips met mine a little roughly, and I made a startled noise.
He immediately pulled back and said a little breathlessly, “No one could ever accuse you of being soulless, Hatice.”
- Writer
