Word Count: 2340

My soles of my feet slip as I struggle up onto the roof for the second night.

Tonight it's cooler, an ice kissed breeze from the far-away Azure Province mountains play with the ends of my loose hair. Thick, livid clouds crawl lazily across the sky, casting shadows amidst the pale moonlight that traces the roof.

I quite prefer this weather. The cold numbs my cheeks, daring to glide under my cardigan that I keep wrapped tightly around my limbs.

With one last heave, I pull myself up onto the final ledge of the roof, ignoring the sting from the slate tiles digging into my palm as I stand. A figure sits at the edge of the roof, only a few metres from me. Their arms are braced behind them, long legs hanging out off the side, a sense of peace and ease about them. I know immediately it's not Zavian.

Frustration with an ounce of fear swirls inside me as I step forward. They don't turn their head, wind rustling their dark cloak that splays out on either side of them. The milky hint of moonlight on their hair makes me second guess who I'm looking out. But who else would it be?

Marek.

"How..." The word falls past my lips without much control.

He turns his head to look at me, and for a moment I'm still. His sapphire eyes are frosty, as cold at the air around us, dark hair rained down across his forehead. His hair has only grown thicker and slightly longer these last months, far more unkempt and somewhat alluring...If I allow myself to admit that. I'm unsure of whether it's his futile attempt to hide his marking, which tonight, is as silver as the moon above.

"Don't ask," he murmurs darkly.

My throat is dry. "I'm assuming telling you to leave would be in vain."

"Why aren't you telling Tai about what happened to you?" He asks after a long pause. His tone is a fine mix between accusatory and curious.

I know what he means without having to ask. He's wondering why I'm hiding the fact that I was attacked from Tai, and more importantly, that there may be Beast lovers coming for my throat. He would just blame himself, I've since decided. The last thing I desire is for Tai to be sought after by more people.

"What else do you know?" I ask tentatively.

My steps are wary as I make my way toward him, careful not to slip, only to topple to my doom. Marek doesn't say anything as I sit beside him? Letting my feet hang like his, looking down at the formal lawn below. I've never feared heights, likely from climbing trees my whole life.

"Everything, Akara," he admits, adjusting his gloves. I look at me as a lump gathers in my throat. "Nothing you do can be hidden from me."

There's nothing sinister in his tone, yet I shiver. I know he's right, yet part of me doesn't have the energy to fight it. Marek has made it clear that he can enter my life as he pleases, even if he hasn't revealed his motive for this particular visit.

"I'll tell Kailor there are spies in the manor," I say blandly.

Marek releases a slow breath. I watch him tap his finger against his thigh, thinking. I'm so used to his presence now that I'm unbothered at the idea that he could push me off this roof right now. He would have, had he desired such a thing. That doesn't equate to being comfortable, however. My body still tenses at his cinnamon and pine scent, the proximity to his body and the heat dragging off it, wrapping itself around my senses.

"No, you won't," he says firmly. It's less of a demand, and more of a certainty.

I hold his gaze, wondering if I can be bothered stepping up to his challenge. Instead, I just allow my shoulders to deflate pathetically. Maybe I will mention it to Tai, but that would mean Marek is coming to see me, and I can't help but feel guilty for not pushing Marek away more.

"Alright...Get on with it then," I mutter, motioning around.

Marek tilts his heads. "Hmm?"

"Well, you're here for a reason, aren't you? I'm tired," I tell him flatly.

I'm tired, dealing with Kailor's constant fussing around me, trying to get me to admit I know something about Elan's death, when I most definitely don't know a thing. Tai has been calming, of course, but I've enjoyed these nightly meet-up's with Zavian. We share a lot of pain and trauma, getting along way too well.

"You were coming to occupy Zavian's time, weren't you?" Marek says, his tone teasing, almost as if he can read my mind. I don't share his amused smile, glaring at him. "Tai not enough for you?"

"Him and I have a lot in common," I explain apprehensively. I haven't had a real friend in a long time, especially since Jessa betrayed me. I trust Zavian, knowing he hates Vaia as much as I do, and wants to protect Tai beyond anything else.

"A man like that isn't worth filling your time with," Marek says calmly, although there is something dark lingering in his tone.

I rest my hands back behind me, ignoring the rough bite of the roof shingles on my palm. "He isn't exactly fond of you either."

"Figures," he comments, the side of his mouth turning up slightly.

I stare at him, puzzled, and mildly irritated. He's far too good at keeping things to himself, only telling me what I want to hear. I'm not sure how I ever managed to trust him. He lied to me about everything, I mean he didn't even tell me what his powers really are, and why he is so frightened of using them.

"What aren't you telling me?" I ask him softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I watch his forehead, the way the nights breeze rustles in his hair, the bronze strands contrasting against the silver of his marking.

"He's addicted. Do you understand how dangerous that is?" he questions, a genuine fear consuming his gaze.

I turn my head, wondering if he has been listening to Zavian and I's conversations, or if he has been doing other research into everyone I spend time with around here. "What do you know about that?"

"I have magical blood in my veins. People have killed my kind to drink our blood...It turns them into worse monsters than what the river can do," he explains to me. I can tell he's overexaggerating, and although I would usually understand his apprehension about Zavian, the reason for him making this comparison anger me.

"You would say that, wouldn't you?" I mutter. "You believe that insane rhetoric like the rest of the rebels."

I always thought Marek would be the last person to believe the Forbidden River will give everyone power. Maybe he doesn't care about the sacrifice, of the many lives that will be lost as a consequence. He's already powerful, which means his reasons for doing this must be especially insidious.

"You don't know anything, do you?" he sighs quietly, shaking his head. I frown at him, hating that he can act like this, as if I should know anything about what is going on. He has told me nothing about his intentions with Vaia, except the small hints he has given me over the past months.

Instinctively, I go to grab him, to shake some sense into him, but I stop myself. "Tell me then. Tell me what I should know."

"You should distance yourself from Zavian. He's a very real threat to you," he responds. I roll my eyes, knowing nothing can ever be easy when I'm trying to get answers out of Marek.

"And what do you gain from that?"

He doesn't respond, staring out toward the forest, the slightest grimace on his face. Whenever he doesn't want to answer me, he goes quiet, which means no matter how much I pry, he isn't going to be honest with me. Releasing a long, slow breath, I thread my fingers through my hair, wondering if I should get up and leave, or stay here to continue questioning him.

"Does Vaia know you're here?" I ask him, knowing my tone is accusatory, but I'm also curious. How much can he get away with while working with Vaia?

"Vaia trusts me," he replies with after awhile.

"Did you kill Elan?" I ask him. If I find out he is responsible for hanging Elan's dead body from that tree, then I can report it back to Kailor, and he will finally not suspect me anymore. Kailor clearly doesn't actually thinks I did it, since it's unlikely I could kill a Summoner and hang him by myself, he just wants to get rid of me.

Marek studies me, chewing on the edge of his lip as he thinks. "No. I don't know who did that."

"That bothers you, doesn't it? Not knowing something...Not being ahead of everyone for once," I say, taunting him, but in a harsh, uncompromising way. Just because Marek saved my life with those Beast-lovers, it doesn't mean I'm going to be his friend.

I still don't trust him...

"It bothers me that there is a killer at large," he admits, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. I frown, knowing that there are already enough killers out there, especially those that have already targeted me. "One that could have killed you."

"Let them," I tell him pathetically. I'm sick of everyone targeting me, or betraying me, or keeping secrets from me. Tai is the only person I can trust around here, and maybe Zavian.

"Let them?" Marek questions tensely, before closing his eyes, realising a long breath. "Akara..."

"Why did you do it Marek? Did you ever care for me?" I ask him, exasperated. Part of me wants to know, but the other doesn't. The other wants to keep hating Marek, not wanting to ruin my burning anger for him with revealing his motivations.

"Deeply," he replies gently.

His gaze is unflinching as he studies me, waiting for my reaction. His eyes are honest, making it impossible to twist this into him manipulating me.

"Love me?" I breathe. The moment the words come out of my mouth, I decide I truly don't want to know the answer to this. What if he loves me? What would I do with that information? I couldn't tell Tai, without a risk of him retaliating against Marek, making everything worse.

Marek opens his mouth to respond, but the sound of Tai's voice echoing from below interrupts him.

"Akara? Are you up there?" he calls.

I freeze, looking down past my feet. Marek is up in an instance, concealing himself from Tai's view, who now walks down the path, looking up toward the roof. Pathetically waving down at him, I attempt to look as normal as possible, despite the fact I'm sitting upon the roof.

"Yes Tai," I reply, glancing over my shoulder to see Marek has disappeared. I shudder, grateful for Tai's interruption. Whatever Marek's admission was going to be, I can sleep tonight knowing I that I don't know. That's far more comforting than if he would have told me he is in love with me, or at least was, at one point.

"Why you up on the roof? It's cold," he calls out, rubbing his arms for emphasis. I hadn't even realised it was cold, too distracted with my conversation with Tai.

"I needed some air. Why don't you join me?" I offer, patting the shingles next to me, as if it's a very tempting offer.

Tai looks as though he may tell me to come back down into bed, since he's clearly been sleeping, dressed in his thick black robe, but instead nods, albeit reluctantly. I stare out across the forest, admiring the glittering stars nestled into the velvety sky.

Tai approaches carefully across the roof, sitting down next to me. "I'm worried about you."

"Don't be. Seeing Elan's body really shook me up. I'm still getting over it," I admit. It's true, at least. It's what I came up here to talk to Zavian tonight. I've also been venting to Tai, who is always comforting. But there's only so much he can do, since he's also connected to his father, who truly cannot stand me, no matter what I do.

"We are safe here now," Tai assures me, resting his hand on my thigh. I smile warmly at him, although I don't feel any emotion to accompany it. "How can I put your mind at ease?"

Breathing out slowly, I watch the way it fogs in front of me. "Do you love me?"

"You know I do," he murmurs, dark brows dipping slightly, confused as to why I'm pressing him on this.

I've had an idea in my head for awhile. It's one that may be ridiculous, and could get me killed, but since I've figured Marek isn't willing to let me die yet, and that may be a demand made by Vaia, I could use this opportunity to real help our cause.

"I think there is something I need to do," I confess, looking at my hands. "I need to hand myself over to the rebels."

💗••💗

If you guys want to read ahead, you can read more of KING'S SEDUCTION on Radish! It's chapters ahead of Wattpad (:

You'll will find it under KING'S POSSESSION on Radish, as season 2!

🌷••🌷

I'm officially rewriting Alpha Jasper's story now on Radish! It will be following the same storyline with the same characters, but with revised scenes and some new ones!

I love Jasper's story so much that I wanted to go back and rewrite it. I hope you guys will enjoy it, you can find it now on Radish (:

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~Midika 💜🐼