Chapter 98: Against Valemont

Elara:

"Enjoying the view, Argentis?"

I closed my eyes immediately. Apparently, the universe had decided that one peaceful evening was too much to ask for.

I wanted to dig a hole right there beneath the tree and bury myself in it. Actually, no. Jumping into the stream sounded considerably better. Anything... absolutely anything... would have been preferable to spending another minute with the menace known as Reign Valemont. Unfortunately, neither option was available, so I settled for the next best thing - pretending I hadn’t heard him.

I stared at the stream and said nothing, hoping perhaps he would take the hint and leave. It was a stupid hope. Reign had never understood the meaning of the word leave, especially when it came to me.

I heard his footsteps approaching over the grass, and a moment later he stopped beside me. He didn’t say anything immediately. Instead, he stood there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, looking out at the dark water flowing beneath the moonlight.

His friends hadn’t followed him, which meant it was just the two of us. Part of me was relieved because at least there wouldn’t be an audience for whatever argument he had decided to start tonight. The other part of me was deeply suspicious of the fact that he had deliberately come after me alone. I couldn’t decide whether being hidden from the crowd was a good thing or a terrible one.

For nearly ten seconds, neither of us spoke. The silence should have been peaceful, but standing beside Reign made even silence feel like a challenge. I could feel his presence beside me without looking at him, could almost feel the warmth radiating from his body in the cool night air. Then I felt him shift.

When I finally glanced sideways, I found him turned completely toward me. His eyes traveled slowly over me, from the loose strands of my hair to the coat wrapped around my body. His gaze lingered for a moment before finally settling on my face.

I immediately turned back toward the stream before asking flatly, "What?"

"I’m looking," he replied, and there was that infuriating amusement in his voice.

I folded my arms tighter as I replied as calmly as I possibly could. "Then perhaps you should try looking somewhere else."

His lips curved slightly, but instead of obeying, he stepped a fraction closer. "You always get so defensive around me."

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped me almost immediately, but there was no humor in it. "That’s because every time you come near me, my otherwise perfect day goes dark."

His expression shifted, and I watched as the amusement faded into something harder. "Maybe things go wrong because you insist on fighting everything I say."

I turned toward him then, my patience already thinning. "Maybe I fight you because you keep saying things worth fighting."

He stared at me for a moment before asking quietly, "And what exactly am I supposed to do, Argentis? Pretend everything is normal and you aren’t the one trying to mess up because you think you can stand solo against our entire world?"

I frowned. "I never asked you to pretend anything." I couldn’t bring myself to comment on his second statement. After all, I did plan to take on everyone all on my own once I was ready for it.

"No," he said, taking another step closer, "you just keep acting like you can stand outside everything happening around you. Like none of it concerns you."

His words irritated me more than they should have. "My life was taken away from me before I even knew what was happening. Forgive me if I don’t feel particularly interested in playing whatever game everyone else has planned for me."

His jaw tightened at that. "You think this is a game?"

"I think you all keep making decisions about my life without asking me."

His gaze sharpened. "And what happens when your choices put you in danger?"

I scoffed. "I seem to remember surviving quite a few things without your permission."

"Barely." The single word came out so coldly that I froze for half a second. "You were nearly... attacked, and you still think running around alone is some kind of proof that you don’t need anyone."

I stepped closer to him this time, refusing to let him tower over me. "And you think threatening me, cornering me, and trying to control where I belong is helping?"

His expression darkened immediately, but he didn’t deny it. That silence told me enough.

"And since when you started worrying about my well-being, Valemont?" I demanded, keeping my voice low despite the anger burning through me. "You don’t get to decide where I belong. I decide that."

Reign’s eyes locked onto mine. "You really think it’s that simple?"

"Yes."

"Then you are more stubborn and stupid than I thought."

I glared at him. "And you are more arrogant than I thought."

"You knew I was arrogant."

"I underestimated you."

A faint smirk appeared on his lips. "That almost sounds like a compliment."

"It wasn’t."

"Pity."

I just let out a sigh and turned away, but his next words stopped me. "You keep pretending you can walk away from all of this whenever you want." I slowly looked back at him as I replied, "Because I can."

He shook his head. "Not forever."

Something about the certainty in his voice sent a chill down my spine. "Watch me." I started to step past him, but he moved into my path. I stopped immediately. "Move."

"Listen to me."

There was a touch of urgency in his voice... maybe? But I wasn’t going to let him play any tricks on me. "I have been listening to you for weeks. And that is precisely why I’m tired."

His eyes flashed, and the teasing arrogance disappeared completely. "You don’t understand what you are standing against. You think going against me is simply that? You think you are only showing me that you don’t need me?"

"Then enlighten me."

"I’m trying."

"No," I snapped. "You are trying to make me bend."