Chapter 91
Ael had fully intended to torment her for much longer. Instead, Kiara collapsed far sooner than he’d expected. Before long, the soft, even sound of her breathing rose from within his embrace, and Ael could only stare down at her in bewilderment.
“What? Already?”
Ael gave her cheek a few light taps, but Kiara didn’t so much as stir. She’d already fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Left alone, he scratched at his head awkwardly and muttered,
“…Maybe I overdid it…”
Venting his frustration somewhere, Ael roughly raked a hand through his hair.
He honestly couldn’t understand what happened whenever he was around Kiara. Before meeting her, he hadn’t even known what desire felt like. Lately, though, the slightest opportunity was enough to make him act like a man in heat.
Even to himself, this didn’t seem normal. Ael silently mumbled the excuse to himself.
‘Maybe it’s because we keep getting interrupted.’
It wasn’t an unreasonable conclusion. Altnebra was still hopelessly chaotic. He spent every day putting out one fire after another, and the moment he finally caught a brief respite, the desires he’d been forced to ignore came surging back all at once. Even when he managed to steal a little time to find Kiara, something urgent always came up before he’d had the chance to satisfy the longing that had built up inside him.
As a result, he found himself rushing, half-expecting someone to pound on the door without warning.
‘Is this what they call s-xual frustration…?’
Ael glanced down at the sleeping Kiara curled up in his arms. She even had her mouth hanging slightly open. She looked utterly exhausted. For a brief moment, he worried another knock at the door might wake her.
Fortunately, this morning remained unusually quiet. There were no heavy footsteps charging up the stairs two at a time. No pounding that sounded ready to splinter the door. No distant voices calling his name from somewhere outside.
Since arriving in Altnebra, this was the first peaceful morning Ael had enjoyed. Though what good was free time if he was the only one who had any? Kiara simply didn’t have the stamina to keep up.
With no other choice, he’d have to let it go.
Clicking his tongue, Ael carefully slipped out of bed, leaving the sleeping Kiara undisturbed. He might as well make good use of this unexpected bit of leisure.
A short while later.
Seated beside the window, Ael closed his eyes beneath the warm cascade of morning sunlight. Perhaps it was because he’d happened to choose a seat by the window. Or perhaps because he’d spent so long surrounded by darkness.
Either way, the light felt dazzling.
It’s much brighter than the North Tower.
Cracking his eyes open, Ael slowly swept his gaze around the room. The ornate furnishings glimmered beneath the morning sun.
Sitting there in the warmth, he found himself thinking once again of Kiara. She’d spent so long shut away in that tower that it seemed she’d scarcely seen a ray of sunlight.
‘No wonder she’s so pale, cooped up in a place like that this whole time…’
The thought made him feel, at least, that bringing her here had been the right decision. Even so…
Something still refused to sit quite right with him.
Ael let out a quiet sigh.
He still wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of Kiara coming and going from the library. But what could he do? He’d already given her permission, and she’d come all the way there herself.
At the very least, if she spent more time walking around outside, perhaps she’d gradually build up some strength. And then… Maybe she’d last a little longer in bed, too.
‘Damn it, I’m really acting like I’m in heat, aren’t I?’
That was the best excuse he could come up with. The realization made Ael laugh quietly to himself. It was such an open, genuine laugh that anyone who happened to see him might have mistaken it for simple delight at finally getting to enjoy a peaceful morning beneath the sun.
At least, that’s how it looked to the man who had just stepped through the door.
“…What exactly is this?”
The man asked the question as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Ael glanced toward him before leisurely pushing himself upright from the chaise lounge where he’d been reclining. There wasn’t the slightest hint of urgency in his movements.
As though he had all the time in the world, he lazily sat up and offered the newcomer a smile.
“Looks like you’ve been well, Blaine.”
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