The dangerous Game

Chapter 10: The Dangerous Game

The days following her encounter with Kaelen were a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Evelina couldn't escape the pull of her thoughts, her heart wrestling with the consequences of the decision she had made. She had ignored the warnings, cast aside the caution that had governed her life for so long, for the sake of a demon—one who had made it clear that he was dangerous, that he would never care for her the way she so desperately wanted.

But what was she to do? With every attempt to turn a blind eye to what had been building up inside her, things only got worse. Kaelen's eyes, deep red, seemed to see right through her; the way he had spoken to her-"I'm dangerous, Evelina. You don't belong with someone like me"-echoed in her mind, yet no longer scared her. If anything, they lit a fire of defiance within her.

But she was not naive. She knew the risks. She knew the danger of being close to someone like him. Kaelen wasn't just any demon; he was the King of Demons, as powerful as feared. A being who, no matter how much he tried to push her away, somehow became a part of her life.

The next time she saw him, it was in the palace gardens. She had sought solitude there, hoping to find a moment of peace away from the pressures of her life. The weight of her betrothal to King Leon still hung heavy over her, and her father's unspoken expectations were like chains around her wrists. Yet, it was in the garden, amidst blooming roses and high hedges, that she found herself standing before Kaelen once again, quite unexpectedly.

He leaned against one of the stone pillars, the hem of his dark cloak blowing a bit in the wind, his eyes crimson and set toward the horizon. She had felt her heart jump, in spite of herself. Handsome was far too tame to describe him-his features keen and enthralling-but he wore about himself an aura of something dangerous, of something that told her deep inside she ought to be afraid.

Yet, she no longer could make herself be afraid of him.

Kaelen didn't act the least bit surprised to see her standing here. He only turned his head around, and those lips curled up in a thin, almost ridiculing smile. "You should be more careful, Princess," he spoke in a low, deep voice coming thick with warning.

"I've heard that a lot lately," Evelina replied, the tone light, though her heart raced in her chest. "Is that all you ever say?"

Kaelen's eyes narrowed and he stood upright, his gaze hardening. "You think this is a game, don't you?"

Evelina stepped closer to him, her feet moving before she'd fully processed the decision. "Maybe I do. But what if I like playing games with you, Kaelen?"

For a moment, the air between them crackled with tension. Kaelen stared at her, his eyes unreadable, as if he was trying to decide whether to push her away once more or to acknowledge the pull that had begun to form between them.

"You don't understand," he said, his voice strained. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

For a moment, Evelina said nothing, her words caught in her throat as she digested what he had to say, the confusion inside. She knew he was dangerous, knew that everything about him was at odds with the world she had been raised in. But it was that very danger, that darkness within him, that seemed to call to her.

"I understand more than you think," she said softly, her gaze meeting his with an intensity that surprised even her. "You think I'm some naive princess, sheltered from the world. But I'm not. I know what it means to want something forbidden. To crave something that might destroy you."

Kaelen's lips parted as if to say something, and then he appeared to hesitate. His eyes flashed with something-something fugitive, something like doubt-but it was gone almost before it had formed.

He turned away, the cloak swirling about him like a dark wing. "I'm not the one you want, Evelina. You should stay away from me."

But this time, Evelina didn't flinch. She didn't back down. Instead, she stepped forward again, her hand reaching out as though she couldn't stop herself. "I can't," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind. "I don't want to stay away from you."

Kaelen froze, his back to her, and for the longest moment, neither moved nor spoke. Evelina could feel the weight of his tension, hesitation in the way he moved, like he was torn between pushing her away and pulling her closer.

Finally, Kaelen turned to her, his face hard, but his eyes—those piercing red eyes—gave him away. There was something in them, something that spoke of a vulnerability he had long buried deep inside.

"I warned you," he said softly, his voice tinged with regret. "You should leave, Evelina. For your own safety."

But Evelina didn't move. She refused to. "No," she said firmly. "I won't leave. Not now. Not when I'm starting to understand what's happening between us."

Kaelen's jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed as though he was fighting with himself. His eyes softened for a fraction of a second before the walls slammed back down, colder and harder than before.

This is a dangerous path you're walking, Princess," he said, his voice low, a growl. "And I won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to protect you. Even if it means pushing you away."

Evelina felt a pang of something-maybe hurt, maybe hope-deep in her chest. She wasn't sure, but it was there, pressing against her heart as though demanding to be acknowledged.

"I am not afraid of you, Kaelen," she said, the voice stronger now, firmer. "I want to understand you. I want to be with you."

Kaelen looked at her with an unreadable face. The moments of silence lengthened between them, thick and heavy, and Evelina felt her heart pound in her chest.

And then at last, finally, Kaelen spoke again, his voice barely in a whisper. "You have no idea what you are asking for."

Before Evelina could utter a word, he was gone, his figure melting into the dark like a specter. Out of breath and unsure, she stood, her mind racing.

She had made her choice. And now, there was no turning back.