Riftan had appeared again as usual. He had been coming to the library frequently to find Max, which made Ruth sigh in frustration this time.

  Ruth told Riftan.

  Riftan responded dryly to the question, approaching Max from behind and bowing his head closer to hers. Max’s cheeks colored as the texture of his cold lips touched her forehead. He gently rubbed her hair and whispered

  Riftan appeared dissatisfied. He frowned and grumbled.

  Since Riftan’s return to the castle, he spent much longer in the bedroom. Max’s face turned red, recalling how much time she spent in his arms almost every night. Riftan groaned near her eye and hugged her shoulders tightly with both arms.

  Ruth said, bored.

  Riftan said.

  Ruth told Max.

  Max couldn’t lift her head. She clasped her fiery hot face. Riftan clicked his tongue and pulled on Max’s arm.

  Max tightly gripped the edge of the desk. She was too ashamed at this point to go their bedroom.

  Riftan was impatient and tugged on her arm again, but Max held the desk more tightly. While she enjoyed her time with Riftan, it was too embarrassing to stay in bed during broad daylight. What if the servants gossiped badly about them? She closed her eyes and moved her eyeballs back and forth in embarrassment, waving an arm at the stacked books near her.”


  Riftan scrunched his eyebrows together in dissatisfaction.

  He took a book from the stack on her task and looked it over. The pages were filled with all sorts of intricate figures and ancient words. He looked at Max again and frowned.

  Ruth said.

  Riftan, who was still rifling through the pages stopped and raised his head, his eyes flashing.

  At Riftan’s reaction, Ruth glanced at Max, confused.

  Riftan shouted fiercely, throwing the book away wildly. Max trembled. She didn’t know if she would’ve had permission, so she hadn’t asked, but she thought he would be happy if he knew she was learning magic for him.

  Ruth countered.

  Riftan was still upset.

  He lashed out, blaming Ruth.

  Ruth didn’t know how to react and responded, slightly ashamed.

  Riftan burst. Max grasped fabric on her knees tightly. When Riftan saw her face turn white and scared, he swore and squeezed her shoulder, trying to calm himself.

  Max looked at him in shock. Riftan hesitated and touched her face, his tone impatient.

  He couldn’t find the words to explain and bit his lips. A strange silence fell upon the library. Riftan continued to shift his gaze between Max’s discouraged face and Ruth’s disapproval. He swept his hair with one hand roughly. A cold look passed over his face.

  He turned away and left the library. Max watched his back hopelessly.

  Riftan didn’t come back until dark. Max wandered the room anxiously, looking out the window constantly for him. According to Rodrigo, Riftan wasn’t armed and had taken his horse to leave the castle.

  Max felt like the blood was drying in her veins. The three cats, who had been sleeping comfortably near the fireplace, came out from under the bed and cried and groaned, as if expressing her feelings for her. She took one cat on her lap, petting it, then lied down on the bed and quietly closed her eyes.

  She couldn’t understand what had made Riftan so angry. Was he upset that she hadn’t told him she was learning magic? She should have asked his permission before she had started.

  She bit her nails nervously, lost in thought when she heard a rattling sound. She hastily closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She could tell by the footsteps who was coming.

  Max didn’t have the courage to see Riftan in the face. Riftan approached her silently and carefully pushed the cats off the bed back into their basket.

  She listened, wanting to know his mood. Riftan placed the basket near the lit fireplace, took off his cloak, and hung it off to the side. He sat down on the bed to take off his boots. Max waited for him to lie next to her.

  He didn’t move and just sat for a long time. Feeling rejected, Max bruried her face deep into her pillow. He didn’t want to lie next to her, it seemed. She had disappointed him. She had just wanted to support him. Was she too incompetent to be trusted? She bit her lips. He had said so firmly that he didn’t need her help. His words had struck her painfully. She curled her back to hide the hurt on her face.

  At that moment, a rough finger gently touched her cheek. Max held her breath. Riftan gently cupped her cheeks and pulled a few strands of her hair away. Even without opening her eyes, she could feel his intense gaze on her, as if her face was right next to the fireplace.

  He continued to sweep her hair away and took her fingertips to his lips. Max automatically shuddered from his touch. Did it seem like she was rejecting him? Riftan flinched and slowly returned her hand to her side and began to move away. Max hurriedly grasped his hand.

  But after holding onto him, she didn’t know what to say. Max looked at him cautiously. Did he know she was only pretending to be asleep? He didn’t seem surprised she was awake. Underneath his fringed hair, his eyes, dark as ink, looked at her without expression. She shriveled at his look. Maybe he was angry at her. She was terrified.

  she said recklessesly, although she did not know exactly what she was apologizing for. Riftan drew in a short breath and hugged her.

  Cold fingers penetrated her hair and touched her scalp, wrapping themselves around her small head. Max exhaled as Riftan buried his nose in her chest. Her shoulders trembled. Riftan rubbed her back and said irately.

  Max trembled and bit her lip. She was relieved that he was being affectionate again, but could hear the sadness in his voice. She grabbed the hem of his sleeve as Riftan held his forehead grudgingly.

  She felt Riftan’s arm wriggling underneath his sleeve. He shook his head vigorously.

  he said.

  Riftan said violently. He sighed in agony and swallowed before kissing her lips hungrily. Max pressed against his face, his hard chin shaking under her hand. A small line of saliva dripped over his thick neck. Riftan pushed his tongue into her mouth and tasted her slowly, tenaciously.