Page 39

Ignatia

It's been so long since I've stretched my legs like this for fun.

Most of the time, running was a fight for survival. Any mistake could result in never seeing tomorrow. All I could muster were tears and pathetic breaths.

Today though, I'm running to save my pride.

It's easy now, dashing past people walking and the short brick buildings lining the sidewalks. The air, fragrant with amare flowers, whips by me despite the lack of wind.

I turn over my shoulder with a laugh as Amias races behind me.

He's smirking, biting his lip as he passes people, like he's calculating something.

I don't know what he's planning, but it doesn't matter. I'm going to get to the orphanage first.

I turn the corner and the large stairs to the orphanage are in sight. I continue my race forward. Amias is a ways away. He won't make it.

Just a few steps ahead, and a figure comes up to me. I shriek as strong arms wrap around me when I recognize the bright chuckle from my attacker.

“Amias!” I scold when he swings and sets me down behind him. He dashes for the orphanage. “That's cheating!”

He looks over his shoulder with a wink and keeps racing away.

How?

I grunt and give into the chase. No, I have to make it there first.

Luckily for me, a street comes between us and the orphanage a few buildings down, and the protective walls aren't up yet. Amias, being a stickler for rules, waits for the protective walls to come up.

Buys me time.

I pass him and run in the street, just as the walls come up. Amias grunts and gives into chase. “Hey!”

I stick my tongue out before continuing my run. Just one foot on the first stair and I win.

I make it right in front of the building but arms scoop me up once more, this time by the waist, lifting my feet off the floor. “No! I can't let you win!” Amias growls playfully.

My cheeks turn hot. I don't miss the fact that his chiseled chest is right up against my back.“Hey, no! This is cheating!” I shout with snorts slipping between.

“You cheated when you took off without warning me!”

I suppose he's right. I did that. “That's different!”

“No it's not!” He laughs and turns me so my back is to the stairs.

I need to think quickly.

I grab his hands around my waist and smirk, trying to ignore the fluttering in my chest. “I didn't think you’d be taking the romantic route with this.”

His grip loosens.“What?”

The moment he's confused, I pry his hands away and race out of his arms. I step on the bottom stair and jump cheerfully. “Yes!”

“No!” Amias groans, only to slowly smile. “You’re a sneaky one!”

“Sneaky? I prefer the word smart!” I chuckle, puffing my chest before looking up to the orphanage.

Two weeks have gone by since the whole invasion. I decided to help with the children after the attack as we settled them back into the orphanage. The children seem to like me now since I've been talking and playing with them.

Today, it feels like we're in an oven. I'm sticky despite my blue tank top and denim shorts.

Amias' outfit isn't much different from mine, only his top is white and now splotched with sweat.

The wetness outlines that perfectly sculpted chest, which I can't help but glance at every couple of seconds.

The smell of amare flowers on him only seems stronger with the sweat. It's pleasantly sweet. I could bury myself in it.

As we climb the stairs towards the orphanage, a thought pops in my head. “It's been a while since we talked about dreamscreechers.” I’ve been meaning to ask, but after the whole invasion, it didn't seem appropriate. But things are settled down now.

A grin grows on his lips, almost like he would burst in laughter. “I was just thinking about it last night.”

“You have?”

“Yeah. I think I have a solution.” He nods excitedly. “It's almost guaranteed to work. We can easily fix the Amara Kingdom.”

I raise my brows. He seems confident. “What kind of solution did you think of?”

He stops and I stop with him. He glances at the door before turning to me. He lowers his head and leans towards me. “Have you heard of Cosmo's wish?”

I furrow my brows and shake my head. I lean in close too. “No?”

We're so close, that I can smell his minty breath, which fits well with the amare scent. A few more inches and our lips would touch.

Something that briefly enters my mind from time to time.

What would it be like to be his first kiss? And his first time? What would it be like to see him breathless and out of his element? Would he want me to be his first?

I bite my tongue to suppress the imaginary feeling of his soft lips. As sweet and understanding he is, being with him could still put me in danger of being killed.

Amias' continues. “Well, a Cosmo's wish is a gi-”

“Hey! Don't make out in front of the orphanage!” I snap my gaze to see Glaide smirking at the bottom of the stairs. He runs up toward us.“Have some decency and get a room!”

I scrunch my nose. “We aren't-”

He comes behind Amias and claps a hand on his shoulder. “I can take care of Sabina if you both prefer.”

He might as well have grilled my face with how hot my face is.

“Glaide!” Amias snaps.

“No, go ahead. There's so much tension.” Glaide winks at me before running into the doors.

Words get caught in my throat as I look back at Amias. His cheeks look sunburnt. “L-let’s go before Glaide says anything else stupid,” he murmurs. He races up the stairs.

“Sure.” I say instantly, following him after him.

We walk through the door of the orphanage and sign in for the day. Then we walk into the room with squishy rainbow tiles where the kids are playing.

A familiar little blonde runs up to us, wearing a red floral dress.

“Sourdough!” Amias kneels down to have her run into his arms.

But in a twist of events, she zips past him and runs right to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Claree!”

“Oh!” I titter. Before smiling and bending my knees to hug her back. “It's nice to see you Sabina!”

“What?” Amias cocks his head sideways, his face scrunched in confusion.

Sabina turns over to him and skips over to hug him. “Amee!”

“Hey! I thought I was favorite!” He scoops her up, with a playful pout. I laugh. I guess Sabina and I have gotten closer over the weeks.

“You’re both my favorites!” Sabina giggles. “You're my future parents!”

Amias and I snap our heads to each other. We freeze. Where did that assumption come from?

Amias titters. “ Where… where did you get that idea from?”

“Ms. Hollow said you like her! You kiss and go on dates and make goo-goo eyes at each other! That means you're married!”

I shrug. I guess if you count the times we've baked bread together or gone out to restaurants throughout the past two weeks…

But did those really count as dates? I mean sure, I might have played around and flirted a little bit, and we had a few more flour fights, but I don't think it means much. I don't think the plan is to get much further than that either.

“Goo-goo eyes?” Amias chuckles as his calming eyes look at mine, perking a brow. “I don't know about that.”

Against my better judgement, I smirk. There’s nothing wrong with messing with him a bit.

Besides, it's amusing to see the prince flustered, especially knowing it would offend his grandmother if she knew what I was.

“I don't know.” I glance down to his soft lips before returning my gaze to him. “Were we?”

His cheeks only seem to get more red as he quickly glances back to Sabina, making me chuckle more under my breath.

It's adorable… and a big “fuck you” to Amara, which is the main reason I'm doing it.

Not because of feelings I shouldn't have for him. I'm only fooling around with him.

“How about we go play?” He sets Sabina down and she runs off to our usual play spot. When she’s out of earshot, he playfully scowls at me. “You're not beating the accusations, Flame.”

Flame has started to stick since he complimented my eyes. If it were anyone else, I probably would've hated it considering how my mother named me. She wanted me to be the fire that it destroys everything in its path. Put in that context, I've never really liked the name Ignatia.

But after Amias’ explanation on how I remind him of fire, his nickname only makes me more confident.

I shrug. “Might as well have fun with it.”

“What’s so fun about it?”

“I don't know, Captain Prettyface. It’s amusing when you get flustered.”

He rolls his eyes despite the smile tugging his lips. “Now I know how women feel when men flirt with them at the club.”

“The difference is that you actually like it.”

He furrows his brows. “I-”

“Amee! Clare!” Sabina runs back to us and pouts. “Come on!” She runs over to grab Amias' hand and drags him towards the play room.

“Okay, okay!” Amias says. I chuckle along as we go into Sabina’s favorite playroom.