Ch#70
70
Varkas, who had been inhaling the cool air mixed with the scent of rain, turned his head to look at her.
A gloomy shadow cast over his eyes, which were as still as the dawn.
She wondered what thoughts were flickering behind those eyes that resembled an icy lake.
Was he worried about his future, now complicated and tangled? Or was he belatedly regretting his decision?
As if to make a mockery of her vow never to wonder about him again, Thalia found herself asking questions once more.
As I thought, it wasn’t because you liked Aila that you intended to marry her, was it?
I knew it.
Because you’re a man who can’t burn with passion for anyone.
In truth, it probably didn’t matter much who the person was.
That’s why you were able to play the part of a kind fiancé to Aila, and why you can now play the part of a plausible guardian to me.
Thalia rubbed the corner of her mouth where Varkas had touched her, erasing his trace.
Thalia Roem Guirta was nothing more than one of the countless responsibilities he had to shoulder. Therefore, she would not be fooled by the meaningless kindness he tossed her way like charity.
She turned her back to him and pulled the duvet over her head.
At some point, she seemed to have drifted off to sleep.
Her body, which had been tense all day, melted away instantly under the influence of the strong alcohol.
With her face buried in the pillow, her limbs lay limp beneath the soft covers. How long had she been floating in that hazy consciousness when a prickling sensation began to gnaw at her knees?
Tossing and turning at the unpleasant sensation, Thalia felt the pain grow more intense and forced her heavy eyelids open. Pitch-black darkness filled her blurry vision.
Suddenly, the drowsiness that had been weighing her down vanished. Thalia stared into the absolute darkness with eyes filled with terror.
The sticky night, devoid of even a single ray of light, stifled her breathing. As she panted heavily and clutched her tightening throat, the subtle pain that had started in her knees turned as fierce as a lightning strike.
She hurriedly grabbed her calves with both hands. She could feel the weakened muscles beneath her palms spasming. A cold sweat poured down her back from the pain, which felt as if blades were being driven into her.
Thalia bit her lower lip and clawed at the uncontrollably twisting muscles of her legs with her fingernails.
Just then, the sound of flint striking echoed, and a beam of light hit her face. When she snapped her head up, she saw a small, flickering candle and the pale silhouette of Varkas.
Varkas, looking at her bloodless face with a hardened expression, leaned over the bed.
Without a second thought, Thalia let out a shrill scream.
“Don’t touch me!”
She roughly shoved away his hand as he tried to examine her legs and crawled toward the edge of the bed. However, it wasn’t long before she was caught by him.
Varkas, pinning her shoulders down firmly with one hand to keep her from moving, reached for her calves, which were covered in fingernail marks.
Thalia screamed as if she were someone being doused in boiling oil.
“No! Don’t touch me!”
“Stay still. I’m only trying to look at the injuries.”
“No! I said I don’t want you to!”
As she twisted her entire body, gasping as if she might faint at any moment, he muttered something unintelligible and pulled her upper body close to him. He bound her tightly so she couldn’t struggle and rang the bell hanging above the bed with one hand.
A moment later, the bedroom door burst open, and the maids rushed in with panicked faces.
Varkas shouted loudly.
“Bring a healer immediately!”
Commotion ensued.
While an elderly mage rushed into the bridal chamber to cast restorative magic, the maids lit candles throughout the room and lit a soothing incense at the bedside.
Even amidst the chaos, Varkas held her tightly in his arms, not letting go.
Buried against his hard, thumping chest, Thalia looked around with terrified eyes.
Her nerves were on edge, fearing someone might lift her skirt to examine her legs. She curled her legs up as much as possible and gripped the fabric of her skirt like a shield.
After some time, the disheveled mage thrust a bluish glass bottle in front of her face.
“If you drink this, the pain will subside quickly.”
Thalia glared at it with narrowed eyes.
If I drink that, I’ll surely lose consciousness. Someone might try to lift my skirt while I’m asleep.
She clamped her mouth shut and turned her head the other way.
Then, long fingers gripped her chin and forced her head up. Soon, the mouth of the glass bottle was pressed against her lips. Thalia gritted her teeth and resisted.
Watching her with eyes cold as thin ice, Varkas brought the medicine bottle to his own mouth.
Before she could even grasp the meaning of his action, lips wet with the bitter herbal essence covered hers.
Thalia’s eyes flew open.
Cupping her jaw and pressing firmly against her cheek, Varkas pushed his tongue into her parted mouth. Immediately, the bitter liquid flowed in.
Thalia gripped his thin shirt so hard she nearly tore it.
She couldn’t understand what was happening at all. Her membranes, narrowed from swallowing the liquid pooled in her mouth, tightened around his tongue.
Tongue rubbed against tongue in a slow, heavy friction. A broken moan filled the space between their mouths.
Had he perhaps given her poison? Her throat felt as hot as if it were on fire.
“Haah….”
Their lips, which had been overlapped for a time that felt unnaturally long, slowly pulled apart.
Thalia looked up at him, having forgotten even the throbbing pain in her legs.
Varkas, staring intently into her dilated eyes, tilted the medicine bottle again and drained the rest of the liquid into his mouth.
Once more, their lips met. Thalia dug her nails into his forearm.
His tongue, having delved past her moist membranes, pushed the liquid—saturated with the scent of dark wildflowers—deep into her throat bit by bit. Her throat gulped, sucking him in instinctively, regardless of her will.
Thalia curled her toes, overwhelmed by confusion, shame, and a vivid sensation she was experiencing for the first time in her life.
Whether the medicine was already taking effect, the world began to spin.
Lukewarm saliva continued to pass into her esophagus. Even though the liquid on her taste buds no longer tasted bitter, he continued to swim through the narrow, damp space. It was a sticky movement, enough to make her doubt the intent of the act.
When she beat against his chest in her flustered state, the soft mass of flesh slowly retreated from her mouth.
Thalia panted heavily as she looked up at him.
Unlike her, who was a disheveled mess, his face was the same as always. That calm expression made her already chaotic mind even more tangled.
Could it be that what just happened was my delusion?
While she was gripped by that doubt, he traced her lips with his thumb. Only after hearing the wet sound did she realize her lips were completely drenched.
Thalia hurriedly hid her face under the duvet. A humid sigh fell over the crown of her head.
“…Sleep now.”
He took her head in his hands and pressed it against his chest. She steadied her ragged breathing within his warmly beating embrace.
Before long, the medicine began to spread through her body. Feeling her vision grow increasingly dim, she gripped his shirt tightly.
Don’t you dare touch my legs while I’m sleeping. Whether he heard her mumbling or not, he lightly stroked her back.
Soon after, the strength drained from her limbs and her vision went black. She fell into sleep as if plummeting.
When she opened her eyes again, sunlight was shining brightly into the room.
Thalia, looking up at the ceiling with eyes not yet free of sleep, flinched and turned her head upon sensing a presence.
She saw Varkas standing by the window, changing his clothes.
The light piercing through the glass slid white over his body, which looked like a plaster sculpture. As she watched him as if possessed, his quiet gaze flew toward her.
Thalia hunched her shoulders.
As if everything that had happened last night was a total illusion, Varkas scanned her with an indifferent face.
