ICE

118. An Indescribable Feeling

ANOTHER KNOCK SOUNDED at the door. Ravenna hesitated. Her inner organs twisted into intricate knots as she hastily hid the talisman within her dress. She rushed to the door and pulled it open.

Only to find Mylo, standing with his arms crossed over his chest. A crease had formed between his eyebrows, amplifying the concern that whirled within his eyes.

Ravenna blinked at him, confused and slightly alarmed. It took all of her restraint not to touch the talisman that pressed against her chest. She leaned against the doorway and leaned out a bit, glancing down the hall. "Is everything alright?" she asked him.

Her heart thrummed within her chest. This was it. Mylo had somehow been able to sense that magic had been used in her bedroom. He was here to arrest her —to expose her.

"You never returned," Mylo answered simply.

That took her aback. "What do you mean?"

He arched an eyebrow at her and stared at her coolly. "To the library," he clarified. "You never returned to the library. You made this weird face and then rushed out of the room. I don't think I've ever seen someone move so fast. Are you alright?"

She wasn't expecting that.

"Oh," she said. Her voice cracked slightly. "I'm alright. I thought I had lost something," she explained vaguely. She couldn't tell him that she'd really been summoned. It would make him instantly suspicious of her.

He didn't seem fully convinced. "Are you sure?" he pressed.

She smiled warmly at him. "Of course! All is well. I appreciate your concern."

His dark eyes watched her for a moment. His expression was curious and somewhat guarded. "I won't keep you any longer," he said.

"Will we meet again tomorrow?"

The question blurted past her lips before she could stop it. It was a stupid question. She'd spent almost every afternoon with him since she arrived at the castle.

He seemed somewhat amused by her question. Something shimmered in his eyes. "Of course," he told her.

Her lips tugged back into a large grin.

Without another word, Mylo lowered into a partial bow. She watched as he straightened and started down the hall, back toward the library.

A shiver tore through her.

The moment the door shut, Ravenna's shoulders sunk and the air inside her lungs evacuated. She closed her eyes. Her nerves raced along her veins, the tingles of an electrical current blistering her from the inside out. She forced herself to focus on her breaths. In and out.

She knew she was being ridiculous.

Part of her internal fire stemmed from her conversation with Vyses. Magic had been used to enable their communication. Even though she had not directly cast the spell herself, she still enabled it. And Mylo's timing was just a bit too precise for comfort.

She'd been almost certain that Mylo had caught her using magic, and that he'd come to expose her.

It also didn't help that Mylo had a certain effect on her.

The feelings she felt were indescribable. She didn't have words to explain the allure, the draw that she felt pulling her toward him. No matter how much time had passed. The feelings were mixed with a concerning amount of familiarity. The more time she spent with him, the worse it became. She knew him —she just couldn't place where or how she did.

It drove her insane.

Her heart calmed down slowly. She found her hand pressed against her chest, holding the talisman against the skin above her heart. The pressure generated an immense amount of heat.

She sucked in a breath, squared her shoulders, and lowered her hand. She walked toward her bed and sat down on the edge, her mind racing.

The more that she thought about it, she found it strange that Mylo didn't seem aware that she'd used magic mere minutes before he'd walked in. Especially since the walls supposedly prevented the use of magic.

She also found it somewhat reassuring. Her plans to gain control had been somewhat stalled due to the lack of magic. She couldn't speed things along nor did she have an untraceable way to kill the king. At least with the use of her magic, she'd have a fighting chance.

She needed to test out smaller spells first. To ensure that she wouldn't be caught. Instantly, she knew a few that she could test out. One in particular would speed her 'princess' lessons along, as it would increase her retention rate and enable her to remember anything that came across her path.

And the faster she could get through those silly 'princess' lessons, the faster she could get her marriage to Eoin over with.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate today, friends! And Happy Sunday to those who don't! I hope that everyone has had an awesome day so far! ❤

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read what has been posted so far! Chapter 120. Another Memory is now live on Patreon if you'd like to read ahead as well. I really appreciate you all so much!! ❤