The King's Obsession ✔️

THIRTY THREE

Word Count: 1973

*Mature Content Warning! Read At Your Own Discretion!*

~Akara

I stare at the old motel. Huh.

Nowhere in my memory do I remember coming here recently, but I have stepped foot into this shabby old place before. My parents brought me to this town once when they were preaching, and we stayed in this exact motel, which is how I figured out where it was after my dream about Grey.

Marek isn't impressed, standing next to me with his hands shoved in his pockets, frowning.

He wasn't reluctant to spend the day with me. When I revealed my motive, however, he was far more sceptical, wondering if my source of information is accurate.

I need to see though...I need to come back here and see if anymore memories come back to me, so I can track my exact movements, and determine how I came to kill a Summoner, and who this mother is.

And I already waited all week for Tai to spend a day elsewhere so I could sneak out and get this done.

Marek glances at me. "So we are doing all of this because of..."

"A dream. Because of a dream," I affirm. I know I probably sound insane to him, going off of what I saw in a dream, which could very well not be real. But it felt real, and Grey hasn't stopped by for me to confirm whether we have been here before. I need to make sure, for my own piece of mind.

"And you're certain it wasn't just that...A dream?" Marek asks. He wasn't very convinced when I explained the nature of the dream - especially the part where I was kissing Grey. He didn't believe I would be willing to do that ever, desperate or not.

I don't even recgonise that version of myself, so it's impossible to say.

"It felt too real, and it made too much sense, while making none at all," I admit, knowing I sound ridiculous, but it's more so a feeling than anything based off of real evidence.

Marek nudges my side with his elbow. "I don't think I like the idea of you making out with another guy."

"Stop, you're not funny," I snap back, moving to kick his ankle, but he dodges out of the way last minute.

"Maybe I'm not joking. Maybe I am jealous," he muses.

"Marek..."

He reaches out, grabbing my hands with his own gloved ones, squeezing tightly. "I watched you move on with a man I hated. Hearing you made out with some guy so you could find your way to me doesn't really stand up, so no, I'm not too jealous."

I look up at him, the man I am so deeply in love with. Even though he is joking, it's clear from his eyes that there is still a lingering pain there, that he is being forced to relive, now that I'm thrust back into Tai's path.

"Okay, then why that look?" I ask warily, noting his clenched jaw and tense shoulders beneath his classic black hunting jacket.

"Because I see him I'm going to strangle him with my bare hands," he mutters. All seriousness, not joking.

I roll my eyes, tugging on his hand. "Come on, I'll book us a room."

He follows me inside the old motel, waving his hand through dust as we step into the lobby. A woman sits at the front desk, mindlessly reading her book, not bothering to look up, even as we approach her.

"Hello, may I-"

She looks up, a flash of recognition passing through her widened eyes as she looks over me. "Are you the King's fiancee?"