Chapter 554: Prying Eyes
Her gasp caused a wave of panic to wash over me, and I froze, mind going blank. "No! I, um, I..."
My voice trailed off as heat crept over my face, turning my ears fiery red. Alone with Luke? That had to be one of the worst-case scenarios imaginable, didn’t it? There would be nothing to stop him from taking the shard, hurting fate, or deciding he wanted me as his slave after all. My heart raced at the thought, pounding with fear, a whirlwind of anxieties vying with a flutter of... excitement? My tail flicked agitatedly in response, and I caught it mid-air, stroking it in a futile attempt to quell the turmoil within me.
"Y-yes," I squeaked, my gaze fixed on my lap, unable to meet their curious eyes. "Th-that’s a much better idea. We should just—"
I lost track of my words as I finally registered the one unexpected emotion swirling within me. Excitement? The fear and anxiety at being alone with the Apostle of Curses was understandable, but why did some part of me relish the idea? It must be the reason behind the insane impulse to go with Luke alone, but it didn’t make any sense. What was happening to me? Why would I ever want to spend more time with him?
"I’m afraid I must disappoint you," a voice interjected from behind, startling me for the second time that night, "but I won’t be available to join any adventures for the next week."
Fyren emerged from the shadows, his arms crossed, a shadow obscuring his face. A subdued anger smoldered in his eyes, and he frowned as he took in my flustered state.
"And what’s going on here?" he asked, his hard gaze on Luke. It was clear his anger wasn’t because of Luke, but he found himself the unfortunate target.
Luke recoiled slightly, his tail flicking anxiously. "It’s nothing, Lord of Ash. We were merely discussing the state of Xiviyah’s soul. Her personal realm has recovered, and she wanted someone to accompany her for protection."
"So you recommended me," Fyren said flatly. This was very clearly not a question, but if it were, it would have only one answer.
Luke hesitated, searching my face for any indication of a correct response. I didn’t even feel his gaze and stared blankly at the Fire Demon, my lips parted in an anxious gasp.
"Right," Luke finally conceded. "There’s no one better suited to protect her than you."