Sequel: One Apology ›
One Look
to protect her.
Jasmine faded into his room on the twelfth night since it all began. The look in her eyes made him forget how to breathe and he didn’t say a word as she walked over to where he stood, magick rushing around them as her emotions came to the front. Falling back to his own training, Daniel placed a barrier between them right as she hurled energy at him. It pushed him back and he faded to a different spot in the room, thoughts racing as she continued to hurl energy at him.
He wasn’t sure if she was purposely using magick recklessly so that she wouldn’t hurt him or if she was so overwhelmed by the emotions shining in her eyes that she’d forgotten everything he’d taught her. She was cursing and crying when he faded right behind her, wrapping his arms around her and locking her arms between them. After promising not to attack him, he released her, but when she turned around, she didn’t lift her head to look at him.
Confusion swamped him and he slowly lifted his arms to hug her, watching the way her hands clenched into fists before opening and reaching towards him. Her lilac scent surrounded him again as she buried her face in his shoulder. It took her a while, but she finally told him why she’d attacked him. She’d dreamt of a man coming in and hurting Anna. In that dream, she’d seen him, but instead of helping Anna, he’d started choking Emily.
For the first time since they’d started talking to one another, he asked her to give him more details. Unfortunately, that was all she could remember as she’d woken up and checked on the younger girl on instinct. She apologized for the way she’d acted and stepped out of his arms with her cheeks so bright he wondered if they’d feel warm to the touch. When he remained silent, she looked down at her feet.
He’d never lied to her before. So he told her another truth. He never wanted to see her hurt. She smiled and he gave her a small one of his own. It was too late to tell her the truth, he realized. He’d grown selfish in wanting to have her around and forgot that his father would kill her if she got in his way as he’d never had patience for those with weak hearts.
She tilted her head to the side as he opened his mouth to tell her everything, hating how he had to clear his throat as fear kept the words at bay. Shifting his weight from foot to foot, he told her he wouldn’t be able to train her tomorrow. The sad look in her eyes made him curse as he explained that his father was coming in to town. She laughed and his stomach flipped the same way it always did, making him smile sadly at her.
Running his hands through his hair, he looked at her and said she should get out of the mansion as well. She stared at him curiously and he felt like an awkward teenager as he said she deserved a normal day out with her friends. Not knowing what else to say, he glared at the wall behind her and mumbled something about possibly seeing her afterwards.
After she left, he sat on the floor and forced himself to take deep breaths until his heart stopped beating so fast. In a few hours Daniel and his dad would do a lot worse than what she’d dreamt if the girls happened to show up. He only hoped Jasmine found a reason to keep them out of the mansion as he’d told her.
He wondered if she’d forgive him one day.
With a sigh, he faded back to his bed and closed his eyes, the scent of lilies haunting him as he fell asleep.
He wasn’t sure if she was purposely using magick recklessly so that she wouldn’t hurt him or if she was so overwhelmed by the emotions shining in her eyes that she’d forgotten everything he’d taught her. She was cursing and crying when he faded right behind her, wrapping his arms around her and locking her arms between them. After promising not to attack him, he released her, but when she turned around, she didn’t lift her head to look at him.
Confusion swamped him and he slowly lifted his arms to hug her, watching the way her hands clenched into fists before opening and reaching towards him. Her lilac scent surrounded him again as she buried her face in his shoulder. It took her a while, but she finally told him why she’d attacked him. She’d dreamt of a man coming in and hurting Anna. In that dream, she’d seen him, but instead of helping Anna, he’d started choking Emily.
For the first time since they’d started talking to one another, he asked her to give him more details. Unfortunately, that was all she could remember as she’d woken up and checked on the younger girl on instinct. She apologized for the way she’d acted and stepped out of his arms with her cheeks so bright he wondered if they’d feel warm to the touch. When he remained silent, she looked down at her feet.
He’d never lied to her before. So he told her another truth. He never wanted to see her hurt. She smiled and he gave her a small one of his own. It was too late to tell her the truth, he realized. He’d grown selfish in wanting to have her around and forgot that his father would kill her if she got in his way as he’d never had patience for those with weak hearts.
She tilted her head to the side as he opened his mouth to tell her everything, hating how he had to clear his throat as fear kept the words at bay. Shifting his weight from foot to foot, he told her he wouldn’t be able to train her tomorrow. The sad look in her eyes made him curse as he explained that his father was coming in to town. She laughed and his stomach flipped the same way it always did, making him smile sadly at her.
Running his hands through his hair, he looked at her and said she should get out of the mansion as well. She stared at him curiously and he felt like an awkward teenager as he said she deserved a normal day out with her friends. Not knowing what else to say, he glared at the wall behind her and mumbled something about possibly seeing her afterwards.
After she left, he sat on the floor and forced himself to take deep breaths until his heart stopped beating so fast. In a few hours Daniel and his dad would do a lot worse than what she’d dreamt if the girls happened to show up. He only hoped Jasmine found a reason to keep them out of the mansion as he’d told her.
He wondered if she’d forgive him one day.
With a sigh, he faded back to his bed and closed his eyes, the scent of lilies haunting him as he fell asleep.