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As I finish undressing and wiping Karul's body clean, I can't help but whisper, "Why are you so happy and so set on revenge? What did they do to you?"
I kiss him on the head and make to leave, but suddenly, his hand darts out and grabs my wrist. I gasp in surprise, instinctively twisting to avoid falling on top of him. I end up rolling onto the bed beside him instead.
Before I can react, he pins me down, his eyes searching mine intently. "Don't leave me, my love," he murmurs, his words slightly slurred from drink. "Stay with me tonight."
My heart pounds as I gaze up at him. His eyes are glazed from the alcohol, but beneath, I see a vulnerability and need I've never witnessed before. Slowly, I nod.
Karul visibly relaxes, a soft smile touching his lips. He releases me and pulls me close to him instead, burying his face in my hair. Within moments, his breathing evens out in sleep.
I lay awake for some time, listening to the steady sound, more confused by this mercurial man than ever.
Eventually, I drift off, lulled by his warmth.
15
KARUL
Sunlight pierces through the gap in the drapes like daggers in my skull. I wince, head throbbing as consciousness reluctantly returns. What the fuck is this?
I peel my eyes open and immediately have to squeeze them shut against the painful brightness. Ah, yes, the aftermath of last night's revelry. I groan. My mouth is dry as sand. How much wine did I consume in my victorious stupor?
As awareness filters back, I become cognizant of a soft form pressed against my side. Her. I crack an eye open once more to see her still slumbering form.
Panic slices through my hazy mind. What occurred last night after I stumbled drunkenly up here? I look down, relief washing over me as I see we both remain clothed. No... I did not take her in this state.
Thank the gods for that small mercy.
Still, finding her here seeds doubt. Doubt I sought to avoid by drowning myself in wine and spectacle. Yet, with my vengeance achieved, I find myself adrift... listless, even. I should feel jubilant, but I’m left empty, directionless; the drink-fueled bravado of the darkness past deserts me in the harsh light of day, leaving only uncertainty and a pounding head and unable to bear the spinning thoughts.
With utmost caution, I slip out of bed, making sure not to wake her. This growing attachment unsettles me. I need time alone to regain my bearings and subdue these troublesome emotions.
All I know is we need to decide our path forward since we have fulfilled our contract.
I slide hastily from the bed, putting much-needed distance between us. Her nearness scorches, yet I cannot pull away, fully at least.
Agitated, I pace the room, the sound of my footsteps echoing off the walls: Curse this lingering allure! Have I not taken sufficient pleasure from her flesh?
My restless steps carry me to the balcony, where I grip the balustrade, glaring out at the cheerful dawn as if it mocks my inner turmoil. The throbbing in my head builds to a crescendo until my stomach violently rebels against last night's gross overindulgence.
Doubling over, I retch helplessly over the edge, the remnants of the grand feast making a second unwelcome appearance.
Below in the garden, a gardener looks up at the unseemly commotion. Catching sight of my utter humiliation, he hastily stifles a laugh behind his hand.
I straighten up, wiping my mouth angrily with the back of my hand. Fixing the impertinent servant with a baleful glare, I yell down, "You find your lord's distress amusing, sir?"
Fear flashes in the gardener's eyes as he anxiously lowers his head. "A thousand apologies, my lord," he mumbles before beating a hasty retreat out of sight before I can recall his name or face.
The conquering prince, laid low by his own reckless hedonism for all to see. How far I have fallen from the soaring heights of my vengeance last night.
This wretched vulnerability is intolerable. I slump down against the balustrade, all the fight gone out of me. Now that my all-consuming purpose is extinguished, the thrill of triumph has curdled into despair.
Who am I without the flames of revenge that drove me for so long?
A hollow husk adrift on the bitter ashes of the past.
With a growl of frustration I turn back, crossing to the bed where she still slumbers. So serene, so perfect... I am captivated against my will. Clenching my fists, I force myself to turn away. I must resist these unwelcome stirrings.
Our contract no longer binds us to intimacy. "Keep your distance, witch," I mutter under my breath as I stalk to the door. “Foul temptress.” But glancing back, my traitorous heart twinges to leave her.
