Chapter 63
Isabelle's eyes widened in realisation.
"It's because of her isn't it? I knew she was a witch. She must have cast a spell on your or something. Do you remember she is in the reason you are in this mess in the first place?! That abomination!"
"Hey! Watch your mouth." Rowan warned.
"Don't ever speak about her in that manner. She is the only reason I am alive today and walking on my own two feet."
"Now, I'll have you know I don't care. I don't care about heirs, when I want them I won't get them from you. But I will never touch you. Never."
I felt a chill crawl up my spine. What had happened for Rowan to have such strong conviction?
I hadn't realised their marriage wasn't consummated. But why did Rowan make such an agreement? I still didn't understand it.
There was a loud thud—perhaps Isabelle hitting something in frustration—and then the sound of footsteps storming away. I pressed myself tighter against the wall, my heart pounding as Isabelle's angry muttering grew fainter down the hall.
For a moment, all I could hear was the rapid thrum of my heartbeat. Then, Rowan spoke again, though this time it was quieter, almost as if he was speaking to himself.
"All she had to do was keep her end of the deal," he murmured. "But of course, Isabelle only thinks of herself."
I remained frozen in place, my mind racing. What was their agreement? Why did Rowan despise Isabelle so much? And what had she done to make him so adamant about never touching her?
More than ever, it became clear to me that King Rowan knew more than he let on. He wasn't the detached ruler he pretended to be—there was a web of secrets tangled around him, and I was determined to unravel it.
When the corridor was finally silent again, I slipped away, my footsteps as quiet as I could manage. My thoughts swirled with the weight of what I had overheard. Rowan and Isabelle's marriage was a farce, held together by some grim pact neither of them seemed to truly honor.
Back in my chambers, I sat by the window, staring out at the moonlit courtyard below. I had come here with one goal: revenge. But the more I learned about this castle, its people, and their secrets, the more I realized how little I truly understood.
I was in over my head, but I couldn't stop now. I wouldn't. Whatever Rowan was hiding, it was just another piece of the puzzle. A puzzle I was determined to solve.
...........
I had just changed into my nightgown and was brushing out my hair when there was a sudden knock at my door. My heart leaped into my throat. It was late, and I wasn't expecting anyone. It couldn't be Lucian could it? Our wedding was the next day and even though I had warned him to stay away I knew he was stubborn.
For a fleeting moment, I thought—no, hoped—it might be Rowan. The thought made my pulse quicken, though I tried to shove it away. It couldn't be him. It shouldn't be him.
The knock came again, more insistent this time. My feet moved before I could think, and I hurried to the door. Taking a deep breath, I opened it, my heart pounding in anticipation and dread.
There he was.
King Rowan stood in the doorway, his expression shadowed but intense. He was wearing his sleeping robes, the robes parted slightly to reveal the swell of his chest and his perfectly toned muscles. His presence filled the small space, and I felt the air between us charge with unspoken tension. I couldn't look at him. Not after what we did. Not after everything that happened. I looked away.
"Rowan..." I started, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Are you going to invite me in?" he asked softly, his tone low and dangerous.
I swallowed hard, shaking my head. "You can't be here. Not again. We... we can't do this."
He stepped closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "I can't help it. I can't stop thinking about you, Arin," he murmured, his voice rough with something I couldn't quite name. "You're all I think about."
I tried to step back, but he followed, his presence overwhelming. "Rowan, you can't just—"
"I can't stay away from you," he interrupted, his voice firm. "You don't understand, Arin. There's something about you—something that pulls me to you. I feel like I'm losing my mind."
"Rowan, please," I whispered, my voice trembling. "This... this is wrong. We shouldn't."
But then his hands were on my waist, and before I could protest further, his lips captured mine. The kiss was deep, urgent, and it stole the breath from my lungs. My hands instinctively gripped his shoulders, my body betraying every logical thought in my head.
"Tell me to stop," he murmured against my lips, his voice a plea. "If you don't want this, tell me to stop, and I will."
I opened my mouth to say the words, but they wouldn't come. Instead, I found myself pulling him closer, my resolve crumbling under the weight of my own desire.
We stumbled back into the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. His hands moved to cup my face, his thumbs brushing my cheeks as he kissed me again, slower this time, but no less intense.
"Rowan..." I whispered his name, my voice a mix of longing and fear.
"I need you," he said, his forehead resting against mine. "Just this once. Let me have this. Let me have you."
Before I could respond, he lifted me in his arms, carrying me to the bed. The world around us faded away, leaving only the two of us and the tangled emotions that had been simmering for weeks.
I didn't resist as he laid me down, his hands gentle but insistent. His lips found mine again, and I surrendered to the storm we had both been trying to fight.
For that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the wedding looming on the horizon, not the secrets or the lies or the plans I had made.
There was only Rowan and the fire he had ignited within me. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself burn.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
