Serena quirked a brow at him, suspicion dancing in her eyes, but before she could speak, Darius stepped forward and scooped her off the ground with practiced ease. Her gasp turned into a sharp shriek as her world tilted and she found herself slung over his shoulder like a sack of grain.
"Darius," she yelped. Fresh chapters posted on Nove1Fire.net
She felt his grip tighten and then he laughed. Serena’s face promptly heated up and she took in a deep breath and tried to remain as calm as possible.
"Put me down," she demanded, though her voice came out in a breathless huff.
"Alright," he said agreeably, and kept walking.
Serena pressed into his backside and lifted herself up slightly, the door was getting farther and farther away from them. She gave up trying to fight and resigned herself to the ridiculous position until, with an easy crouch, Darius set her gently onto the bed.
He stood up and placed his hands on his hips, and smiled triumphantly. Livia’s words were buried deep into his heart, it would hurt too much to dwell on it. The man pushed his hair back and looked Serena up and down, her hair was even messier now, spread across her head like a halo. She breathed loudly, her chest rising and falling with every inhale and exhale. And then her dress was slightly bunched up to her knees.
"You did not ask why I missed you that much?" Darius asked.
Serena blinked and then she narrowed her eyes. "Clearly that was a ruse."
Darius tilted his head and then got into bed with her and traced a line down her arms. "Really now?"
"Yes, really. I would even have finished breakfast in the time that you were gone," Serena retorted.
The sly man, she thought. It should be a crime to wear such a face and smile like that. Her eyes betrayed her, drifting to the bridge of his nose, to the subtle curve of his mouth, and finally to those maddeningly amused eyes.
"Even you don’t believe your own words," he said, voice low and coaxing.
She exhaled sharply, blowing a loose strand of hair from her face. Darius reached out and tucked it behind her ear, his hand lingering. Then he leaned in.
"I do think men like to lie," she whispered.
Darius drew back in mock horror, his hand flying to his chest. "You think I’m one of those scoundrels who spit nothing but lies? I’m highly offended."
"Maybe you are, I am as good as a stranger," Serena replied.
Instantly she almost regretted it when she saw the expression on his face, but it was just a flash and she figured it must have been a trick of the light.
Darius held her chin in his hand and then turned her head from side to side as though he was inspecting her. He hummed and then let go of her.
"You do not look like a stranger to me," he murmured. "And I said before I do not kiss strangers."
With that Darius lowered himself and planted a soft kiss on Serena’s lips. He pulled back and gave a cheeky smile. "Do you still think I am a liar?"
Serena’s lips parted in surprise before laughter bubbled out of her. She tilted her head, gaze flickering from his eyes to the ceiling. "Perhaps." But then, as if something inside her softened, she added more quietly, "Perhaps not."
"Oh pooh," Darius sighed through his nose, lounging back against the pillows like a man defeated in the most pleasant way. "I shall do my best so that my fair lady thinks me nothing but an honest man."
He stretched beside her, shoulder brushing hers, and stared up. His fingers, never content to be idle, found their way into her hair and twirled a lock around, then let it go, only to catch another.
Serena let the silence settle for a beat before breaking it. "How do you feel about this... party coming?"
"Hm," Darius hummed, his hands still entangled in her hair. "What can I do? Does it matter how I feel about it?"
Serena furrowed her brow and then she glanced at Darius, he was looking up to the ceiling, or rather his fingers tangled in her hair above him.
"Well that is important," she said.
Serena sat up and crossed her legs, this prompted Darius to look at her. He huffed and then looked back at the ceiling waiting for her answer.
"Because your feelings do matter, it affects people a lot," Serena said.
It was from experience that she spoke from, she had seen it over and over again playing out with her former patients. Once they were convinced that they were going to recover it had not taken too long before they were out of their assigned beds. On the other side, there were those who had a bleak outlook on what was going to happen to them. A few tragic ones passed away.
Serena vehemently believed that if you lost the war in your mind it would manifest into your real life. But these were the extreme cases anyway.
"If I thought I was going to die in the East I would have," Serena added. "I almost did."
She lowered her gaze this time, there was a point in her exile when she wanted nothing more than to disappear. To be put out of her misery. The woman mused that some spirit had heard her, perhaps her goddess, and led that malicious rogue to her to kill her.
Darius let her words sink in and then he turned to her, supporting his head with his palm. "Well, I think about what would happen if it would all go so wrong."
Darius closed his eyes briefly and cursed inwardly. "Our eggs are not all in one basket but this basket is supposed to be our golden goose."
Serena blinked slowly and then scooted closer to him. "I will try my best, I know I am supposed to be bait but I will do my best."