81.- The Flower of Chaos

The garden on the fourth floor pulsed with life under the crimson glow of the red orb, a sanctuary Sebastián had shaped over years of care. He hummed a haphazard tune as he adjusted a rustic table carved from knotty wood, setting out a clay pot of shadow root stew, a salad of luminescent leaves with Shadow Rose petals, and a shadow berry cake adorned with faintly glowing Will-o'-Wisp flowers. Woven vines formed a natural arch above the table, laden with flowers that cast a soft light, while polished crystals from the third floor encircled the space like silent sentinels.

Terrón, the little earth golem, toddled after him, clutching a Will-o'-Wisp flower plucked from a pot. "No, Terrón, that's not food," Sebastián said, reaching for it, but the golem stuffed it into its clay mouth with a snap. "Well, I guess you liked it. But the cake's off-limits, got it?" Terrón dropped a shadow berry, and Sebastián picked it up with a low laugh, shaking his head.

His thoughts drifted to Kaili as he worked. He remembered her laughter echoing across the underground lake, the brush of his hands against her wings as he cleaned them, the calm she found in the water. This dinner wasn't a grand gesture; it was simple, a way to tell her he saw her, that after a century, she was part of his world. He placed a brooch with a Lunar Chameleon flower—a detail he'd secretly cultivated for her—in a corner of the table and waited, his heart beating with a mix of nerves and calm.

Firm footsteps broke the silence. Kaili emerged from the shadows, draped in the dress of vines and iridescent petals he'd given her long ago. Her folded wings shimmered with hues of purple and blue, and the golden, silver, and red runes on her skin pulsed in time with the orb's light. Her jeweled horns gleamed, lending her an imposing yet approachable air.

Sebastián smiled, gesturing to the table. "You look incredible, Kaili. Sit down before Terrón decides you're the main course."

She raised an eyebrow, taking a seat with grace. "What's this, human? Do you think I'm one of my queen's maids to fill everything with flowers?" Her tone was playful, lacking its usual bite.

"A bit of everything," he replied, chuckling as he served the salad. "This is Lunar Whisper with Shadow Rose petals and a Mirror Tree sap vinaigrette. It tingles a little, but it won't knock you out."

Kaili picked up a leaf, eyeing it curiously. "Tingles? Is this one of your tricks to make me grimace?"

"If I wanted that, I'd have given you something sweet," he said, settling across from her. "The stew's shadow root with dragon scale dust—we got it together, remember? When that wyrm nearly flattened me."

She took a spoonful, nodding. "Yeah, when you hid behind a rock while I split it in two. Not bad, human. It's got strength."

"Glad you think so," he said, relaxing. "The cake's shadow berry, not too sweet. I know you don't like sugary stuff."

Kaili sliced off a piece, chewing slowly. "I like the purple. It's like the shadows where everything bends to me. How'd you come up with this?"

"I thought of you," he admitted, shrugging. "I wanted it to have something of you."

What's this idiot doing? Kaili thought, drumming her fingers on the table. An ordinary human, no strength, no looks, and yet… why do I feel so at ease? A spark of joy flickered inside her, one that puzzled her. "You didn't poison anything, I hope," she said aloud, her tone light. "If you did, I'll drag you to the beyond."

"Don't tempt me," he laughed. "I'd have to run, and you know I'd trip."

"Like with my lance," she shot back, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You fell flat on your face and kept trying."

Sebastián laughed, taking a bite. "Yeah, and you laughed so hard I thought you'd wake Aurora. It was a show."

"You were a mess," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement. "No strength, no grace, but you didn't give up. That was the best part."

"That wyrm nearly ate me for not giving up," he pointed out, resting his elbows on the table. "You made it look easy."

"Because I'm a Throne of Chaos," she said, pride in her voice. "Everything's easy for me."

"I remember," he said, smiling. "But I also saw you at the lake afterward. You always linger there, staring at the water like it gives you something."

How does he see that? Kaili thought, frowning. He's nothing special, and yet… he gets me. Why does that feel good? "Were you spying on me?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

"No, just watching," he replied, calm. "You stop, take a deep breath. It seems to calm you."

She took another bite, thoughtful. "The lake's… quiet," she admitted, her voice softer. "I don't think about it much, but yeah, I like it. Not like your flowers that won't shut up."

"They don't shout, they whisper," he corrected, laughing. "Don't you ever get tired of complaining about them?"

"Never," she said, smiling. "But the lake… yeah, I like it. Don't tell my queen, or she'll make me put more water in my chamber."

"My lips are sealed," he promised. "Though those pools I set up already do the trick."

Kaili nodded. "The throne, too. It gives me perspective, like you said. But don't think you impressed me that much."

"Of course not," he laughed. "Just enough for you to use it."

He knows me too well, she thought, and that spark grew. He's not strong, not striking, nothing sets him apart… so why am I enjoying this? "What about you?" she asked, shifting the topic. "Sword or lance? You're always tripping over both."

"Tripping's my gift," he said, laughing. "But you… I like watching you with them. Which one's your favorite?"

"The sword's art," she said, perking up. "Precise, lethal. Every cut matters. The lance is raw power—I split a wyrm with one thrust. What would you do with one?"

"Fall again," he admitted. "But your weapons suit you. Like those runes that glow when you talk about my queen."

She raised an eyebrow. "My runes? Now you're studying them?"

"They're hard to miss," he said, smiling. "They shine brighter when you're at ease, like right now."

At ease? she thought, her wings quivering. With this plain human? I don't get it. "You're weird, human," she said aloud, but her tone was gentle.

Sebastián pulled out the Lunar Chameleon brooch, offering it to her. "I had this saved. I grew it myself. It shifts with your runes. I wanted you to have something of your own."

Kaili took it, her fingers brushing his, and pinned it to her hair. The flower turned a soft pink. I like this, she thought, touching it. Why do I like it so much coming from him? "Not bad," she said, her voice steady. "How'd you make it?"

"An old seed, some dragon scale dust, and patience," he explained. "I thought it'd look good on you."

"It does," she affirmed, and that confusing joy stirred stronger. Damn human, what are you doing to me?

A clumsy crunch broke the moment. Terrón and the golems stumbled in, wobbling under a massive rock. "Terrón, no!" Sebastián exclaimed, half-standing.

Kaili laughed, rising. "Let me." She hoisted the rock with one hand and slammed it into the ground, crushing some plants. "That's decoration."

Sebastián sighed, rubbing his neck. "My flowers aren't thrilled, but it's your touch."

"Better than yours," she said, sitting back down. "What were you going to do with that rock?"

"Nothing, Terrón was showing off," he replied, glancing at the golem. "Right?"

Terrón dropped a berry, and Kaili caught it. "Clumsy like you," she said, tossing it back.

"An honor," he laughed. "Think Aurora would approve of this?"

"My queen would say it needs more chaos," she said, smiling. "But she likes things with personality."

An amber glow lit the garden. Aurora appeared, approaching with a warm smile. "Sebastián, this is beautiful," she said, planting a light kiss on his cheek. "Kaili, I see you've put your mark on it."

"Had to fix his mess, my queen," Kaili replied, slicing more cake.

Sebastián offered Aurora a piece. "Try this, Aurora. Tell me what you think, sweetheart."

She took it, tasting it with a soft laugh. "It tastes like you, Sebastián. Enjoy your night, both of you." With an affectionate wink, she faded away.

Kaili glanced at him. "She always knows when to show up."

"It's her gift," he said, settling back. "What would you do with that trick?"

"End a fight before it starts," she said without hesitation. "You?"

"Bring more cake," he laughed. "Or hide from you."

"You couldn't," she shot back, smiling.

"Speaking of hiding," he said, "did I ever tell you about trying to grow those Shadow Roses? The vines nearly ate me."

Kaili laughed. "Seriously? You're a hazard to yourself."

"Yeah, but it was worth it," he said, pointing to the salad. "Look what came out of it."

"Not bad," she admitted. And this night… it's not either, she thought, that confusion deepening. Why am I having fun with him? It doesn't add up.

The dinner stretched on with light chatter—about wyrms they'd faced, plants they'd grown, the dungeon's chaos. "Why do this?" Kaili asked at last, her tone more serious. "All this food, the flowers. What's in it for you?"

"Nothing," he said, earnest. "I just wanted to spend time with you. You deserve it."

Deserve it? she thought, her wings trembling. No one says that to me. And this ordinary human… makes me want to believe it. "You're an idiot," she said, but her voice was soft.

As the night drew to a close, Kaili stood, her wings unfurling with purple glints. She looked at Sebastián for a moment, then deliberately plucked an iridescent feather from her wing, its glow pulsing like her runes. She set it on the table and turned to leave. Before she could step away, Sebastián reached out with a calloused hand and gently took hers—soft and warm despite her warrior's strength, a stark contrast to his rough grip.

"Kaili, wait," he said, his voice steady yet tender. He pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist in a warm embrace. "Thank you for agreeing to this dinner. I had so much fun." With his index finger and thumb, he gently lifted her face, gazing into those stunning eyes—black sclera with sparks of red, gold, and silver, like universes trapped within. He pressed a tender kiss to her cheek, then met her gaze again. "I hope we can do this again someday. I wasn't lying when I said you look absolutely beautiful."

Kaili froze, her runes flaring with a bright gold. What is this? she thought, her heart racing. His hand, his voice… I shouldn't feel this way. She said nothing, only gave a slight nod, and walked off toward the second floor, the feather glowing on the table.

Sebastián picked it up, feeling its softness. "A night to keep," he murmured, tucking it into his tunic.

In her chamber, Kaili stood before the obsidian mirror. The pools reflected the gems, the mushroom curtains danced with her wings' colors—purple, blue, gold—and the moss-covered throne commanded the space with quiet majesty. She touched the brooch, now a vivid pink, running her fingers over it. The fresh scent of floating lilies filled the air, and the drip of water echoed like a slow heartbeat.

"My first date… with a man," she whispered, her voice low but clear. "A frail human, no strength, nothing to set him apart. His laugh when I smashed that rock, the taste of that cake, the way he looked at me without fear… I liked it. Damn it, I liked it too much." Her wings quivered, and her runes glowed with warm gold. She thought of the feather—a piece of herself, a fragment of her essence she'd left in his hands. I didn't say it, but I felt it, she thought, pausing. Why did I do that? Because this night was mine, and he… he caught me without me understanding how.

She sank into the throne, the moss molding to her form. Closing her eyes, the weight of being a Throne of Chaos slipped away for a moment. She recalled his rough hand against her soft one, the embrace, the kiss on her cheek. He's not handsome, not strong, nothing remarkable, she thought, brow furrowing. So why do I feel this way? Why do I want to sit at that table with him again? A faint smile curved her lips, and the dripping water filled the silence. Something new—a warmth, a sweet confusion—settled within her, like a shadow that, for once, didn't need to dominate or comprehend.