Adelasta jolted awake, her heart pounding like a war drum as the memory dissipated. For a moment, she thought she was still on the black sand, hearing the eerie whispers of frost and the echo of that horrible, unblinking eye. But as she blinked rapidly, her surroundings came into focus
She was back in the dimly lit room with ornate sapphire accents, soft silk sheets beneath her, and the faint smell of floral scents in the air.
She was back in Vastarael's bedroom.
"Ugh…"
She groaned, rubbing her temples as if that would erase the surreal nightmare she had just witnessed. Her head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. Her vision was blurry as she glanced around. And there he was, Vastarael Richinaria, leaning casually against the wall near the door, dressed in what had to be the simplest outfit she'd ever seen on him.
A plain white shirt, slim-fitting pants, and—was that… sneakers?
Sneakers. On the Prince of Beauty.
"Seriously?" She muttered under her breath, her voice groggy. "Do you ever look bad?"
"Good to see you're still functional," Vastarael said with a faint smirk, completely ignoring her complaint. He pushed off the wall and walked toward her. "I stopped the memory a little early. You're welcome, by the way."
Adelasta glared at him, though it lacked her usual fire.
"Stopped? You didn't even give me a warning before you dropped me into… that. And why the hell would you even let me experience that creepy place? What part of that was helpful?!"
Vastarael raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips quirking up.
"What part wasn't helpful? You survived, didn't you? Also, you wanted to experience what I felt right?"
"Barely!"
She shot back, throwing the nearest pillow at him. He caught it effortlessly, his smirk widening. She huffed in frustration, her head still spinning from the experience.
"What kind of skill is this anyway? Memory Implantation? Sounds like something straight out of a horror story!"
He sat down on the edge of the bed, resting the pillow on his lap as he leaned slightly toward her.
"It's dangerous, I'll admit. Mortals can only handle about five seconds of it before their brains start frying. Immortals like us? You've got a solid ten minutes, if you're lucky."
Adelasta stared at him, her expression somewhere between disbelief and sheer horror.
"Fry my brain? You're joking."
"Am I? Get up and see for yourself."
Adelasta narrowed her eyes at him, fully expecting this to be another one of his dramatic exaggerations. But as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, the world tilted violently. Her vision blurred, her knees buckled, and the entire room spun like she was trapped in some kind of hellish merry-go-round.
"Whoa—!"
But before she could hit the floor, two strong arms caught her, holding her steady.
"Told you," Vastarael said, his voice laced with amusement as he steadied her against his chest. "See what I mean now?"
Adelasta's mind was in chaos. Not because of the dizziness that was already starting to fade, but because of the way he held her. His grip was firm yet careful, his arms circling her completely, as if to shield her from the world. His body was warm, despite the sapphire embedded in his skin, and she couldn't help but notice the faint scent of sea salt clinging to him. It was distracting.
Too distracting.
And then her brain caught up.
"Wait," she murmured, glancing down at his arms. "Two… arms?"
Her gaze locked onto his right arm, specifically, the one that had been missing. Only it wasn't flesh and bone like his left. It was sapphire, intricately sculpted to mimic the shape of a real arm, gleaming faintly under the room's soft lighting. It was beautiful in a strange, otherworldly way, but it was undeniably functional.
"Oh, this?"
Vastarael said casually, following her gaze as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He flexed his sapphire fingers, the motion seamless and eerily lifelike.
"Yeah, someone made a bionic arm for me using sapphire. Comes in handy when you're missing the original."
"You're telling me… you've had this the whole time? And you just chose not to use it in front of me until now?"
"Well, it wasn't relevant before," he replied, shrugging with his real shoulder. "Besides, it's not like I'm showing off for you."
"Not showing off?!" She snapped, her voice rising as she jabbed a finger at his chest. "You're wearing custom-made sneakers in your own room and casually throwing your bionic sapphire arm in my face like it's a normal day!"
Vastarael chuckled and for a moment, Adelasta forgot how to breathe.
"You'll see more of it in another memory soon enough. But for now, you need to relax. You look like you're about to collapse."
She scowled at him, though the effect was ruined by the way her legs wobbled as she tried to stand on her own. Vastarael didn't let go, his grip tightening just enough to keep her upright. Her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and something else she wasn't quite ready to name.
"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms despite the fact that she was still leaning against him. "But don't think for a second that I'm letting you off the hook for this. You're insane for using that skill, you know that?"
"Probably. But you handled it better than most. I'm impressed."
"You're lucky I don't have the energy to argue."
"Lucky me. Now, time for breakfast and I'm sure you didn't have anything."
Before she could even form a protest, Vastarael stepped forward, leaned down and scooped her up in his arms princess-style.
"Wha—HEY! What the hell are you doing?! Put me down, you handsome lunatic!"
Adelasta yelped, her hands instinctively gripping the front of his shirt.
Vastarael didn't even flinch nor did he slow down. In fact, he seemed entirely unaffected by her protests as he made his way toward the door.
You can't even walk straight right now. Don't make me lecture you about overestimating yourself."
"I— I wasn't going to fall again!"
"Really? Because a few seconds ago, you nearly collapsed."
Adelasta opened her mouth to retort but closed it just as quickly when she realized she had no defense. She groaned instead, slumping back slightly in his arms, her face burning with embarrassment.
"I can walk, okay? Put me down!"
"No," Vastarael replied simply as he walked down the hallway.
"I swear, you're the worst—"
"Be quiet."
Adelasta huffed, her glare sharpening as she prepared to unleash a new string of protests. But then Vastarael's expression shifted. His eyes hardened, his lips pressed into a thin line, and there was something commanding in his voice when he spoke next.
"Adelasta, just let me take care of you for once, will you? You'll thank me later. I am in no mood for arguments on this beautiful morning. I just got back."
The way he said it made her brain short-circuit for a moment and before she even realized what she was doing, the words escaped her lips:
"Yes, sir..."
Silence hung in the air for a beat before Adelasta's eyes widened in horror, her face turning a deep crimson.
Vastarael froze mid-step, staring down at her with a look of pure shock—then his lips twitched, and a grin broke out across his face.
"Did you just... 'Yes, sir' me?"
"No!" Adelasta snapped, her voice going up an octave.
"I didn't— I mean, I didn't mean to— Shut up!"
But Vastarael wasn't letting it go. He chuckled and it only made her want to bury herself in the nearest pile of pillows.
"I don't know, Adelasta. That sounded pretty deliberate to me. You're more obedient than I thought."
"Don't push your luck, Your Esteemed Highness," she grumbled, glaring up at him as her blush deepened.
"Oh, I'm definitely pushing it," Vastarael replied, his grin widening as he adjusted her in his arms. "I mean, it's not every day I hear you of all people admitting defeat. Let me savor the moment."
Adelasta let out a long-suffering groan, covering her face with her hands.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."
"No, you don't. In fact, I think you missed me."
Adelasta stiffened, lowering her hands just enough to glare at him.
"I did not!"
"Really? Because you're awfully red right now. And you're letting me carry you without putting up much of a fight. Any normal woman wouldn't let me do this to them."
"That's because I'm still dizzy, you ass! And you're still the most infuriating person I've ever met!"
"Infuriating and missed."
Adelasta groaned again, this time louder.
"I swear, if you keep talking, I'll—"
"You'll what?"
"I'll... I'll bite you."
For a moment, Vastarael looked genuinely taken aback, blinking down at her in surprise. Then he burst into laughter, the sound echoing down the hallway as he shook his head.
"I'd like to see you try, future Duchess."
Adelasta scowled, crossing her arms as she muttered, "I hate you."
"No you don't," Vastarael said again, his voice softer this time.
She didn't reply, but the corners of her lips twitched, betraying the faintest hint of a smile.
As they continued down the hall, Adelasta finally noticed something strange. There were no servants. The normally bustling hallways of the spire were eerily quiet, devoid of the usual maids and attendants who flitted about tending to their duties.
"Where is everyone?" She asked, frowning as she glanced around.
"I sent them away," Vastarael replied.
"You... sent them away? Just for this hallway?"
"Of course," he said with a shrug. "You'd never let me hear the end of it if someone saw me carrying you like this."
Adelasta blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Wait... did you actually think about how I'd feel?"
"Don't get used to it," he said, smirking down at her. "We're practically childhood sweethearts. I know everything about you. And... I'm glad."
"About what?"
"Elyonari really made you more open to people. You're not the cold Adelasta who used to not care about anyone at all. I'm not the only one who changed you know. And... I'm happy. You're really more beautiful like this."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the warmth blooming in her chest. It was such a small thing, but the thoughtfulness behind it caught her off guard.
As they reached the teleportation circle at the end of the hall, Vastarael finally set her down, his hands lingering just long enough to make sure she was steady on her feet.
"Better?"
Adelasta nodded, though she avoided his gaze. "Yeah. Thanks... I guess."
Vastarael smiled, but he didn't press her further. Instead, he gestured toward the teleportation circle, his tone light as he said,
"Breakfast awaits, Lady Vazakiel. Shall we?"
Adelasta sighed, brushing her crimson hair out of her face as she stepped onto the circle.
"Fine. But don't think for a second that I'm letting you carry me ever again."
"We'll see about that," Vastarael replied, his grin returning as the circle began to glow.
And as the teleportation magic enveloped them, Adelasta couldn't help but wonder how someone so insufferable could also make her feel so... safe.