“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
I shrugged, struggling to think of an excuse for being out of bed at midnight.
“Collecting herbs,” I said finally. “Some of them only grow near the forest, and when I was lying in bed, trying to sleep, I remembered that I’d forgotten to harvest them…”
I trailed off, my lie sounding too unbelievable, even to my own ears. Voren said nothing, only blowing on his cupped hands to warm them.
“Let me escort you,” he said, and I stifled my curse. If Voren was tagging along, there was no way I could visit the tower tonight. Uneasy, I took a step back, shaking my head.
“I’m not sure—”
“If the herbs are so important, I don’t mind making the trip with you,” Voren said with a smile. “Helping out the citizens of Vilusia and all that. Just think of it as me being in training to be the next mayor.”
With a sigh, I turned away, my mind whirling as we both walked to the woods, Voren falling into step beside me.
As we drew close to the forest, I pointed to a bush near the clearing, pretending it was the herb I was looking for. “I’ll just harvest some of that—”
“I’ll help you.”
As I plucked leaves randomly, trying to make it seem like I knew what I was doing, Voren drew closer, until he stood at my elbow.
I tried to ignore the uneasy feeling churning in my gut as Voren stood next to me, a slight smile on his face and his eyes alight with familiarity.
As I turned to look at the bush again, I felt Voren’s eyes on me, his gaze lingering with an intensity that made my skin crawl. I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me like a heavy cloak.
“So, tell me, Seranni,” Voren said, his tone casual but with an underlying edge that sent a shiver down my spine. “Are you well rested after all the excitement yesterday?”
I forced myself to maintain a polite smile, despite the rising sense of dread that threatened to overwhelm me. “I’ve been well, thank you,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tremor of fear that danced beneath the surface. “Had a good long rest, and I’ve been keeping busy with my chores and my studies.”
Voren nodded, his expression unreadable as he studied me. “That’s good to hear,” he said, his tone deceptively casual. “You always were so diligent, so focused on your studies. Ambitious and driven, that’s what you are. It’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you.”
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach at his words, a sickening sense of foreboding settling over me like a dark cloud. There was something in his tone, something in the way he spoke, thatset my nerves on edge, that made me instinctively wary of his intentions.
“And what about you, Voren?” I asked, trying to deflect the conversation away from myself. “How has your training been coming along? Your father must be looking forward to leaving the mayor’s responsibilities to you.”
Voren smiled, but there was something cold and calculating behind his eyes, something that sent a chill down my spine. “Oh, you know me,” he said, sounding cheerful. “Just the same old, same old. But enough about me. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, something important.”
I tensed at his words, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach as I braced myself for what was about to come. There was no avoiding this.
“What is it, Voren?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Now, he would say he knew about my powers, and tell me he had written to the army…
Voren took a step closer, his face now serious and his gaze piercing mine. “It’s aboutus, Seranni,” he said, his voice low and urgent.
I blinked.
“You know I love you,” Voren said, grabbing me by the shoulder. “I've loved you for as long as I can remember, and I can’t stand the thought of you being with anyone else.”
I felt the breath catch in my throat. When would he finally understand that I didn’t see him that way? How could I make him understand?
“I... I don't know what to say, Voren,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “I told you, I’ve always thought of us as just friends...”
Voren’s smile faltered, just for a moment, before he quickly regained his composure, his expression once again carefully neutral. “I understand, Seranni,” he said, his voice betraying none of the feelings that I knew must be lurking just beneath the surface. “But please, hear me out. I know how you feel, but I truly believe that we’re meant to be together."
I felt a surge of panic rising within me. I had thought he’d gotten the hint when I had brushed him off the other day, but it seemed I would have to be more direct for him to understand.
“Voren, I’m sorry, but I couldneverfeel that way about you. Never ever.”
“Are you refusing me because of your magic?”
