Chapter 5: Cold Looks
>>Aelin
For a fleeting moment, I thought perhaps I had reached him. He came and grabbed my shoulders, concern etched across his face.
There was warmth in his eyes, "What did you mean you lost our baby?" My head dropped but he placed his fingers on my chin and made me look at him, "We were having a baby? How-when?"
Right then the door burst open, and Ruoxy came running into the room.
"Dear, what are you doing?" she said, her sweet, melodic voice grating against my ears as she ran to him and latched onto his arm and pulled him away from me. Her hair shimmered under the dim light, her fox-like ears twitching as she tilted her head to look up at him with wide, adoring eyes. "You told me you'd only love me."
Draegon's attention shifted entirely to her. The flicker of emotion I thought I'd seen was gone, replaced by a resigned coldness. He placed his free hand gently over hers, his gaze softening—but not for me.
"Draegon," I called out, my voice trembling as I clutched the pendant. The cold metal pressed into my palm, grounding me as I fought to steady myself. "Don't abandon me..." The words felt like shards of glass in my throat.. But I had no choice. Draegon was my last hope—the only hope I had ever had.
He turned to face me, his violet eyes once again devoid of warmth. The coldness in his gaze struck like a dagger.
"Abandon you?" Ruoxy held his arm tightly, "When did I own you?"
"Draegon..." Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, "I'm your wife... You married me..."
"Ruoxy is my wife now," he said, his voice calm, almost feeling like it was devoid of any emotion at all.