The King's Obsession ✔️

EIGHTEEN

Word Count: 1903

~Akara

The air in the cabin of the carriage is ice cold and tense as we head into the Jade Province.

After last night, I haven't felt very much like talking. Tai sits beside me, a manoeuvre he made when getting in that made me want to jab him the ribs with my elbow, but I've kept quiet, not wanting anyone to ask questions.

Although, it's painfully obvious something happened last night in our room. Marek has been watching me carefully ever since I got into the carriage this morning.

"Everything okay?" he eventually asks.

"I'm fine," I murmur, looking out the window.

"You don't look fine," Zavian notes. I turn to look at my friend, annoyed that he is so good at reading me now, that he can see that something is plaguing my mind. Zavian knows what it is like to have something weigh on you.

I shrug, letting out a breath I didn't realise I had been holding. "I just didn't sleep very well."

That's an understatement. Despite being tired, I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss with Tai, and what it meant. Knowing that our relationship is truly over is hard, even if it's the right thing for the both of us now. So I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling while trying to find my missing memories to distract myself.

"Something happen last night?" Marek asks, glancing at Tai, who is looking away, not entertaining this conversation.

I swallow tightly. "No."

"You two didn't talk?" Nakoa prompts. I'm not sure why she wants to know what happened between us that night, but I'm assuming it's because she doesn't want Tai back in my life, and were I to establish a romantic relationship with him again, she may be expected to become a Noble again.

"We talked," Tai merely says. I shoot a glare toward him, but he doesn't look toward me. He knows I want this conversation over.

Zavian frowns, looking concerned. "About?"

"Nothing important. Why are you all so curious?" I mutter distastefully. I wonder if they would have sated curiosity if they were able to peer through the window last night and monitor our entire conversation.

"I think it's obvious," Zavian drawls, all the ire in his eyes focused on Tai, who stares back at his old friend. It's strange to think that they were once close friends, with all the secrets Tai kept from him. Now he hasn't just lost me, but everyone else he cares about.

"Nothing happened, okay?" I snap.

"Akara is truly over me, aren't you?" Tai says sardonically, twisting his head to pin me with his gaze. His smile may portray one thing, but the contempt that leeches from him betrays his true feelings. "That was fast."

"I never said that," I remind him curtly, aware of everyone watching us, trying to garner as much information as possible, just from the words we share.

"You made it very clear," he murmurs.

Marek shifts, leaning forward ever-so-slightly, like a silent threat. "What exactly are you saying, Taius?"

I sigh, frustrated, knowing he's not going to let up until he knows what happened between Tai and I. "He kissed me."

"Really?" Zavian's eyes widen.

"It doesn't matter, it didn't last long," Tai says distastefully. I jab him in the ribs with my elbow, unable to stop myself. It's not like I don't expect him to be upset that our relationship has come to an end, but I hate that he is angered, when it was mostly his actions that caused our bond to split.