Shadowseeker

chapter twenty-six

The sound of a door slamming made Aelia's eyes fly open. It seemed like the fire at her house had made her a lot more nervous, and she relaxed as she realised where she was. She shifted slightly with a sigh, tugging the blanket up to her chin. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt, she decided, her eyelids fluttering shut.

"So she's awake at last."

Aelia sat up, her head snapping towards the source of the noise. Realising who it was, her eyes widened slightly, and she drew her knees to her chest protectively.

Draven was facing away from her, looking into the mirror that hung on the wall.

He was staring coolly at his reflection as he buttoned up his shirt, which was a startling white against his olive skin. Her gaze lingered on his hands for a moment, but she quickly averted her eyes as he noticed her looking. She stared resolutely on the bed in front of her, her cheeks heating up. As much as she hated to admit it, she thought that he looked good, especially in the shirt that he was wearing.

"W-What are you doing here?" Aelia asked hoarsely, clearing her throat to hide her embarrassment.

"I could ask you the same thing, my dear," Draven responded, a hint of thinly veiled amusement in his voice. "This does happen to be my room, after all."

"Your room?" Aelia faltered, reluctantly lifting her chin to stare at him in disbelief. "Raz never told me."

"Raz wanted to let you sleep, and there's no room anywhere else," Draven explained with a smooth shrug.

"I didn't hear you come in at all," Aelia said with a quick glance at the other bed. It looked like it hadn't been slept in, but Draven was meticulously tidy and would've most likely tidied it anyway.

"Don't panic, princess," he raised his eyebrows, glancing at her in the mirror. "I slept on the sofa last night. A bit uncomfortable, if you ask me."

"Oh," Aelia said sheepishly. "Thanks."

"Does it matter?" Draven enquired, his voice silky as he tipped his head slightly. With a flourish, he produced a red tie from his pocket and began to tie it around his neck. 

"I was just a bit surprised to find you in here when I woke up," Aelia argued, folding her arms and glaring at his reflection. "Besides, I'm not entirely sure if I trust you yet."

"You don't trust me?" Draven was quiet, and Aelia couldn't detect the emotion in his voice. He  paused for a moment, his unwavering gaze still staring at his reflection. After a moment, he straightened his tie. "I just saved your life, and you still don't trust me?"

Aelia froze, scared that she had offended him.

"Well, I-"

"I'm flattered," Draven said with a quiet chuckle. "It means that I still intimidate you. How charming."

"You did try to attack me once," Aelia pointed out, desperately trying to justify herself as she remembered the last Shadowseeker raid. The last time she had been a respected Sunkeeper, and the last time that Eli had trusted her. "Who says you won't do it again?"

"It was for effect, my dear," Draven fired back at her, his voice level. "It would have seemed odd if I had done nothing, don't you agree?"

Aelia struggled to find a response, which he quickly picked up on. With a smirk, he adjusted his finished tie, smoothing it down against his shirt. She rested her head against the wall behind her, her mind wandering. The events of last night flashed through her mind, and she shuddered as she remembered the old man who had been murdered by Lighthunters, a group she had once trusted to protect her.