Chapter 4.1

The glass greenhouse had been a gift from Synox to Aria for her eighteenth birthday.

Since Aria was too frail for outings, it was probably meant to give her something truly worthwhile to look at within the estate grounds.

Before the greenhouse, there had been a small pond there.

Though the pond disappeared when the greenhouse was built, Rosaline still recalled some of the days when it had been there

Like the walks she used to take with Aria.

Back then, Synox had been visiting the Rensier estate, and the three of them had walked together toward the pond.

But just as they neared the water, Aria sat her younger sister under the shade of a tree and said,

“Rose, wait here a moment.”

“What about you, sister?”

“I want to talk to Synox alone.”

Aria had always called him by name, ever since they were children.

Rosaline had once tried to do the same, but always ended up stiffly formal instead.

She had been curious what they would talk about, but never dared ask. Aria turned her back on her sister right away, as if hadn’t expected Rosaline to say anything at all.

Rosaline had watched the shadows of Aria’s parasol and the trailing hem of her dress flutter in the breeze as she walked away.

Aria sat Synox down by the water and took the seat beside him. They sat together in silence for a while, gazing at the pond. Then Synox reached to hold her parasol for her. Rosaline didn’t know what they spoke about, but just looking at them, they looked like a gentle, well-matched pair.

Compared to them, how much of an intruder I must have seemed, sitting off in the distant shade.

The memory of that early, unmistakable disparity made it hard to breathe. Her chest tightened. Her throat caught. Her nose stung…

And suddenly she really couldn’t breathe!

Rosaline startled awake.

“You’re up?”

The kidnapper, pacing the room, walked over and removed her gag. Rosaline coughed dryly and glared at him.

“…What did you do to me?”

She must have lost consciousness mid-sentence while listening to his rambling earlier.

The man shrugged.

“Nothing. The drug from before hadn’t fully worn off. You just fell asleep.”

She didn’t believe him, but before she could snap at him, another coughing fit overtook her. When it subsided, she finally noticed the noise outside. Someone’s here…

The man noticed her head turn.

“Looks like Synox Aphlenta chose the other side.”

“…”

“They touched the array, so the magic has already started seeping into your body.”

She’d been told what that meant, but now, the words hit differently. Rosaline blinked, slowly. The man stared at her for a moment, then turned away.

“They’ll be breaking in soon, so I’m off.”

“What? Wait!”

He was just going to leave? After kidnapping her and setting all of this up? How anticlimactic.

More than anything, Rosaline couldn’t understand why he was doing this to her.

No matter how hard she searched her memory, she had never met this man before.

But trying to argue fairness with someone willing to commit a crime like this was pointless. Rosaline held back her tears and asked,

“Why are you doing this?”

The man’s deep green eyes locked onto hers. He said,

“So that bastard can feel the same way I did.”

“What are you—”

Before she could finish, a burning sensation erupted in her chest. A metallic taste rose in her throat.

Her vision went black.

* * *

That day in the greenhouse, when she’d kissed Synox, that wasn’t the only thing they had done.

Still locked at the lips, Synox’s hand had moved behind her back. The sound of the greenhouse door creaking open echoed behind her. As he cupped one of her breasts, Rosaline had stumbled backwards, his intensity pushing her inside.

Click. The door shut, and the sound jolted Rosaline awake. She drew in a sharp breath, breaking their kiss. Synox’s hand clamped down on her forearm.

He looked down at her, close enough for their foreheads to touch. His vivid blue gaze flickered, so hot it felt like it might burn her.

“You’re capable of doing such things?”

His words, mixed with his panting breath, made her blush with shame. She glanced away.

“I didn’t know I was—”

“Doesn’t matter.”

He let go of her arm and grabbed her chin instead.