Chapter 4 Chapter 004

ELORA’S POV

"What do you want?" The stranger's question hung between us when he said it the second time. I stared at him. What did I want? The answer came to me before I could think of any better one. Of course this was the best one. If I needed to escape the Obsidian Feast, then I had to lose my virginity, and I don't think I knew anyone better to help me than this stranger standing in front of me.

"I want you to sleep with me." The stranger choked, actually choked, when I said that. His eyes widened, so dramatically that, for one ridiculous second, I wondered if I had finally managed to shock him. He shook his head suddenly, then grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to arm's length.

"Are you crazy?" I blinked

"You asked what I wanted."

"Yes, I did but I didn't expect you to say that!"

"Why?"

"You barely know me, and you can't ask a stranger for that."

"But I know you." He stared at me, his expression was filled with surprise and confusion.

"You do?" I nodded confidently, his expression became completely lost, like he had been caught.

"Yes!"

"How?" I smiled.

"You are a laborer.” His eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"A laborer?" He pointed at himself. "Me? A laborer?" I nodded

"Yes, you are a laborer running away from your master." His lips parted, for some reason, he looked like he was fighting an enormous urge to laugh, I pointed to his trapped foot. "look at your boots, they are covered in mud, and your clothes are dirty, you must have been running through the workers' district and you looked exhausted," I folded my arms, "it only means you have been working all day and got tired, so you decided to run away." The stranger stared at me, the longer he looked at me, the more amused his expression became, and it made me begin to question my assumption. "You are not?" I found myself asking.

"I am not what you think I am, I am a..." He stopped again, I didn't give him a chance to finish before my voice came up again.

"You know those demons are organizing an obsidian feast?" His eyebrows furrowed.

"Which demons?"

“The royal dragons, those princes," I lowered my voice dramatically, "those monsters," he stared at me, I continued before he could interrupt, "they always take the finest things for themselves and leave the scraps for everyone else, and apparently, even a woman's virginity isn't off-limits to them." His expression became increasingly strange, his brows pulled together as he watched me rant. "They call it some grand royal tradition," I continued, "but everyone knows what it really is; they parade the richest and most beautiful women in their province around like they are choosing a piece of meat."

"Hey!" He said but I didn't stop.

"And the worst part is that ordinary people like us don't get a choice."

"You..."

"They decided who is worthy, who isn't, who gets invited, and who gets thrown out."

"Little Witch!"

"What?" I screamed, getting irritated as he kept interrupting me, every now and then, he stared at me, and I stared back at him

"Have you finished?"

"No!"  I snarled. He sighed, "Yes!" He narrowed his gaze.

"Which should I take?" I twitched my lips, not saying another word. "Fine, I thought virgins were only required for the Obsidian feast."

"Yes," his brows furrowed, then he looked at me strangely.

"So why did you want to lose yours?"

"Exactly," I said. He looked at me strangely. "If I were a virgin, I would qualify, but if I am not then I don't have to attend." He went silent, studied me for a moment, then he said.

"You don't have to go." I laughed bitterly at his words.

"You didn't understand."

"Then explain."

"I don't have a choice.," His expression hardened.

"You always have a choice." I shook my head.

"Not when you are poor." He didn't answer; he looked away. "The people who organize the feast didn't care what we want; they care about how much we can make for them." My fingers curled around the coins in my pocket. "I have spent my whole life being told what I am allowed to want, where I am allowed to live, what work I am allowed to do, and how much food I am allowed to eat." I swallowed hard. "So don't tell me I have a choice." For a moment, neither of us spoke; then he said quietly.

"Find someone else." I frown.

"What?" He stepped backward.

"You heard me, find someone else." He turned and walked away. My eyes widened as I looked down at his foot; it was moving. He was walking perfectly. My mouth fell open. The bastard had been able to move the entire time; he was just fooling me.

"You asshole!" I grabbed a small stone from the ground and threw it at him. It struck the back of his coat. He stopped, slowly turned around, and looked at me.

"What now?"

"You tricked me!" He raised an eyebrow. "You could move your feet!"

"Yes, I can."

"Then why were you pretending the whole time?" A smirk appeared on his face.

"Because it was amusing." I stared at him in disbelief.

"For a second, I thought those men were going to kill you because I trapped your foot!" His smirk faded slightly.

"You were worried about me?"

"I thought you were helpless?" His brows furrowed.

"I was never helpless," he admitted, and that somehow hurt because I felt stupid.

"Well, you certainly looked helpless!" He sighed.

"You are a dramatic little witch." I felt my eyes sting, I hated that I suddenly felt like crying.

"I was trying to help," I said, and at that second, the tears welled up in my eyes and fell. His expression changed; he stepped closer.

"Hey!" I looked away as he reached for my face,

"Don't."

"I didn't do anything." I glared at him; he studied me for a moment, then he sighed. "Sorry." I glanced at him; he looked almost uncomfortable saying it. "I just..." He rubbed the back of his neck, I like the satisfaction on your face when you realize you could trap me." I glared at him, while he winked at me.

"You are horrible,"

"Sounded better when it's coming from beautiful lips." My cheeks burned at his words. He thinks I am beautiful. I felt like I was turning red. I lowered my gaze. He turned again, but I knew I had to stop him; I might not meet anyone else who could help me.

"Wait!" He stopped, I hurried toward him. "What about our deal?" He glanced over his shoulder 

"What deal?" I stared at him.

"You said you would help me."

"I said you should tell me what you wanted."

"And I told you." His eyebrow rose; I felt my face heat. "Well," I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out my coins, "I will pay you." He looked at the coins, then at me.

"How much?" I smiled, thirty pieces was a lot for someone like me.

"Thirty?" His face remained completely blank when I mentioned the amount.

"Thirty?" He asked, I nodded.

"Yes," he turned away.

"Too small." My jaw dropped.

"Too small?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"Come on! Don't act like that; you are the one who is going to enjoy this more." he stopped, then slowly turned around, his eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure you are a virgin?" I stared at him.

"Stop asking stupid questions, are you in or not?" His lips twitched. "Perhaps, I could take your advice and look for someone else." I turned dramatic, hoping he would stop me. 

"Wait!" I stopped; my heart screamed, while I tried to put on a stoic expression. I turned slowly to him, not wanting him to see how happy and desperate I was.

"So..." I folded my arms. "Are you doing it or not?" He studied me,

"You are certain." I rolled my eyes; this stranger is annoying. If I had an option, I would have walked away.

"Yes!" I answered without hesitation.

"Are you sure you won’t change your mind?" I shook my head.

"No!" His eyes remained on mine; something unreadable passed through them, then he stepped closer.

"You don't even know my name?" I frowned. What would I do with his name?

"That isn't necessary," he smirked.

"You don't even know where I am from."

"So what?"

"You don't know what I do."

"I know, you are a laborer." His mouth twitched, I pointed at him. "Don't start," he laughed softly. It was the first genuine laugh I had heard from him, and annoyingly, I liked the sound. "What?"

"Nothing." He stifled his laughter.

"Then why are you laughing?" 

"Because you are reckless." I rolled my eyes.

"And you are still avoiding my question."

"What question?"

"Are you in or not?" My patience had run out. He went mute for several seconds; he simply looked at me, then he stepped closer until there was barely any space between us. My breath caught; his eyes held mine.

"You are playing a dangerous game, little witch." My heart hammered. 

"Are you in or not?" He remained silent. "Yes or no?"