Secrets Among the Thorns

The weight of Xianric's presence lingered long after his shadows had disappeared. The forest itself seemed to have absorbed the tension, its branches hanging lower, its roots twisting tighter in a way that felt almost conspiratorial. I kept my head high, though my nerves were frayed, and Vin’s silence certainly wasn’t helping.

“Are we not going to talk about what just happened back there?” I asked, breaking the uncomfortable quiet as we pressed deeper into the Thorned Forest.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Vin said curtly, his jaw visibly tight.

I stopped mid-step, crossing my arms. “Nothing? Really? I just had shadow guy—you know, your mortal enemy—pull me into his weird obsession vortex and declare, *and I quote*, ‘you’re mine.’ That feels pretty talk-about-worthy, don’t you think?”

Vin spun around to face me, his expression sharp enough to cut through stone. “What do you want me to say, Ayehtta? That you should’ve run the moment he appeared? Because you should have.”

“Oh, so this is my fault now?” I shot back, gesturing wildly. “Next time I’ll make sure to carry around anti-shadow spray. Does that exist here? Can I add it to my queenly toolkit?”

Vin muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like “why me” before turning back to the path. His usual regal patience was wearing thin, and I couldn’t help but smirk at that tiny victory.

---

We continued through the forest, its oppressive darkness swallowing the daylight entirely. The air was thick and damp, filled with the faint rustle of unseen creatures. I kept my guard up, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Xianric—his voice, his touch, his unsettling smile.

It wasn’t just his words that had burrowed into my mind. It was the way he looked at me, like I was the only thing in the world worth seeing. It was annoying, sure, but it also... did something to me. Something I wasn’t ready to think about too closely.

“Ayehtta,” Vin said suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“What?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended.

He nodded toward a clearing up ahead. “We’re not alone.”

My stomach flipped as I followed his gaze. Standing in the middle of the clearing was Xianric, his dark cloak billowing slightly despite the lack of wind. His shadows curled around him like loyal pets, their movements fluid and deliberate.

“Oh, great,” I muttered. “Round two. Just what I needed.”

Vin drew his sword, its blade glowing faintly as he stepped protectively in front of me. “Stay back,” he warned, his voice steady but tense.

Xianric’s gaze shifted from Vin to me, his lips curving into a slow smile. “Back so soon, my queen?”

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, though my voice lacked the conviction I was aiming for.

Xianric chuckled softly, the sound rich and velvety. “Why not? It suits you.”

Vin took a step forward, his grip on the sword tightening. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“And yet,” Xianric said smoothly, his dark eyes glinting with amusement, “here I am.”

The shadows at his feet began to spread, crawling toward us like living vines. Vin swung his sword, the blade cutting through the encroaching darkness, but Xianric didn’t even flinch.

“I don’t want to fight,” Xianric said, his gaze focused entirely on me. “I came here for her.”

“Too bad,” Vin spat. “You’ll have to get through me first.”

Xianric’s smile faded, replaced by an expression so intense it made the air around us feel heavier. “I don’t think you understand,” he said quietly. “I don’t need to get through you. She’s already mine.”

The shadows surged forward, knocking Vin’s sword from his hand and pinning him to the ground. He struggled against them, but it was clear he was outmatched.

“Vin!” I shouted, instinctively moving toward him, but Xianric was faster.

He closed the distance between us in a single step, his hand reaching out to grasp my wrist. His touch was cool, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You shouldn’t concern yourself with him,” Xianric murmured, his voice soft but commanding. “He’s irrelevant now. You’re all that matters.”

“Let me go,” I said, though the steadiness of my voice surprised even me.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze dropping to my lips for just a moment before returning to my eyes. “Why would I do that?” he asked, his tone laced with amusement. “You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.”

His other hand moved to my waist, his grip firm yet gentle, and suddenly I felt like the entire world had shrunk to just the space between us.

“You’re insane,” I said, though my voice trembled.

“Perhaps,” he admitted, his lips curling into a faint smile. “But even you can’t deny there’s something between us.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat as his fingers brushed against my cheek. His touch was impossibly soft, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

“You challenge me,” Xianric said, his dark gaze piercing. “You defy me. And yet, here you are, standing before me like no one else ever has. You’re fire, Ayehtta. And I can’t look away.”

“Flattery won’t change the fact that I find you deeply annoying,” I managed to say, though my voice lacked the conviction I was aiming for.

“Won’t it?” he murmured, leaning in slightly.

Before I could respond—or come up with some snarky remark—his lips were on mine.

It wasn’t the kiss I expected, if I’d ever expected a kiss at all. It was both commanding and gentle, his touch firm but careful, as if he was holding back just enough to keep from overwhelming me. The shadows around us seemed to still, their movements growing quiet as the world narrowed to just this moment.

When he finally pulled back, his dark eyes were filled with a mix of triumph and something deeper, something I couldn’t name.

“You’re mine,” he said softly, his voice filled with quiet intensity.

Before I could respond—or throw something at him—he stepped back, the shadows swirling around him like a living cloak.

“Until next time, my queen,” he said, his voice echoing as the shadows consumed him once more.

I stood frozen, my heart racing and my mind spinning, unable to process what had just happened.

Vin groaned from where he was still pinned to the ground. “Are you… blushing?” he asked, his tone incredulous.

“No!” I snapped, though the heat in my cheeks betrayed me. “And if you tell anyone about this, I’ll—”

Vin raised an eyebrow as he brushed off the shadows. “Relax. Your secret’s safe with me. For now.”

“Let’s just get out of here,” I muttered, turning away before he could see the way my hands were trembling.

As we continued deeper into the forest, the memory of Xianric’s words—and his kiss—clung to me like the shadows themselves.

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