Chapter 13
The past few days had passed in a strange haze for Aeliana. Her discovery of the library had given her something she hadn't expected-comfort. In this dark, alien fortress, where everything was cold and distant, she had found a small corner of solace, surrounded by the familiar spines of Earth's greatest literary works. But the comfort was fleeting. Tharx was a constant, looming presence, even when he wasn't around. She could feel him watching, sense his frustration building, and with every passing day, the tension between them seemed to thicken, as though both of them were waiting for something to snap.
Aeliana had grown tired of it. Tired of the silence, tired of the walls he kept building between them. She had tried to make sense of her own emotions-her anger at being trapped here, her fear of him, and, most confusingly, the strange pull she felt toward him. But no matter how much she tried to push it all away, the feeling wouldn't leave her. Tharx was always in her mind, always haunting her thoughts.
Her interactions with him had grown more frequent. Sometimes, she would pass him in the long, twisting corridors of the fortress, their eyes locking briefly before he would turn away without a word. Other times, she'd sense him lingering just outside her quarters, a silent sentinel, watching but never engaging. It was maddening. Aeliana had never been good at sitting quietly in someone else's world, especially when she had so many questions burning in her chest.
Why had he taken her? Why did he keep her so close but refuse to explain anything? She deserved answers, and if Tharx wasn't going to give them willingly, she was going to confront him head-on.
That evening, as Aeliana wandered through the fortress, she found herself drawn toward the warm light spilling from a room she hadn't entered before. She slowed her pace, peering inside, and her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't one of the intimidating chambers or cold, lifeless corridors she had grown accustomed to. It was a kitchen. A rare sight in a place that otherwise felt sterile and devoid of anything resembling life. The room was spacious, with large counters and a window overlooking the city below.
And standing by that window, his back turned to her, was Tharx.
He stood in silence, his tall figure outlined by the faint green glow of the city beyond. His shoulders were tense, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked more like a statue than a living being, his presence heavy and immovable.
Aeliana hesitated for a moment, her pulse quickening. She hadn't expected to find him here, but this was her chance. She could feel the weight of all the unspoken questions and frustrations bubbling inside her, begging for release.
She took a tentative step inside, clearing her throat softly. "May I come in?"
Tharx didn't turn around immediately, but she saw the way his shoulders stiffened slightly, as if her voice had pulled him from some deep, internal struggle. For a moment, she thought he might ignore her, but then, in a voice low and strained, he responded.
"You may."
The words were simple, but they carried a heaviness that made Aeliana feel as though she had crossed some invisible line. She stepped further into the room, her heart racing. Her original intention had been clear-she wanted to ask him if she could continue to use the library, a request that seemed simple enough. But now, standing here with him, the words stuck in her throat. The tension in the air between them was thick, electric, and the questions swirling in her mind suddenly felt much larger than whether she could read in peace.
Tharx remained silent, still facing the window, his gaze fixed on the distant city. Aeliana swallowed hard, steeling herself. She had come this far-there was no turning back now.
"I wanted to ask," she began, her voice softer than she intended, "if I could keep using the library. I've always loved reading, and well, it's the only thing that makes this place feel less like a prison."
Tharx's reaction was immediate. He turned slowly to face her, his glowing eyes narrowing as they fixed on her with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.
"No," he said flatly, his voice colder than she had expected.
Aeliana blinked, taken aback by the abruptness of his refusal. "What? Why not?" she asked, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "I'm stuck here. It's not like I'm asking for much. You've already let me use it before-"
"I said no," Tharx interrupted, his tone brooking no argument. He stepped closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her as he loomed before her, his expression hard.
Aeliana felt a flash of anger rise within her. This was ridiculous. She wasn't asking for something unreasonable, and yet he was acting as though she had demanded the impossible. "You keep me here, in this fortress, with no explanation, no answers, and now you're denying me the one small thing I've found comfort in?"
Tharx's eyes flashed with something dangerous, but Aeliana didn't care. She was tired of being pushed around, tired of the walls he kept building between them.
"Why do you keep avoiding me?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "Why won't you just talk to me? You keep me here, but you refuse to explain why. What do you want from me, Tharx?"
His expression darkened, and Aeliana's pulse quickened as she saw the way his body tensed, his jaw tightening. For a moment, she thought he might lash out at her, but instead, he turned his gaze away, as if the very question pained him.
"I do not avoid you," Tharx said, his voice low but strained.
"Yes, you do," Aeliana pressed, stepping closer, refusing to let him brush her off. "You avoid me, you refuse to answer any of my questions, and you keep me locked away in this fortress like some-some object you don't know what to do with! You won't even let me have a reason for being here. I deserve answers."
Tharx's eyes snapped back to hers, burning with a dangerous intensity. "You deserve nothing," he growled, his voice edged with a cold fury. "You are mine. That is all you need to know."
The words hit her like a blow, but instead of backing down, Aeliana's anger flared. She clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over.
"That's not good enough," she snapped. "I deserve to know why I'm here. Why won't you let me leave? Why do you keep me locked away like this? What are you so afraid of?"
His expression shifted then, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering frame looming over her as the space between them shrank. His presence was suffocating, but Aeliana refused to back down. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, but she wouldn't be intimidated. Not anymore.
"You think you can challenge me?" Tharx growled, his voice low and menacing. "You think you can demand answers from your captor?"
Aeliana's heart raced, but she didn't let the fear show on her face. She lifted her chin, meeting his gaze with defiance. "I think I deserve answers," she shot back. "I think you're afraid."
Tharx's eyes narrowed, his entire body tensing as her words hung in the air between them. For a moment, Aeliana thought she had gone too far, that she had pushed him beyond his limits. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and she saw the muscles in his jaw tighten. He looked as though he might explode, the tension between them crackling like electricity.
"Afraid of what?" he growled, his voice a dangerous whisper.
"Afraid of me," Aeliana said, her voice steady despite the fear pounding in her chest. "Afraid of what you feel."
The silence that followed was thick, heavy with the weight of her words. Tharx's eyes burned into hers, his expression unreadable, but Aeliana could see it-something flickering in his gaze, something he was desperately trying to suppress. His breath came faster, his chest rising and falling with a barely contained intensity.
For a long, tense moment, neither of them moved. The air between them was charged, crackling with an energy Aeliana couldn't explain. Her heart raced in her chest, her pulse pounding in her ears. She could feel the heat of his body so close to hers, the tension in his posture, the way his gaze seemed to devour her.
And then, without warning, Tharx moved.