Emira tried to push away from him, but Lance held on.
She finally looked away, her breath uneven, and repeated in a low voice, "If I were given the option to choose an identity, I would rather be a Dark Witch, Your Majesty. But that isn’t how it works. I carry the blood of white witches, dark witches, and werewolves... but I belong to none."
Lance stiffened at her addressing him as Majesty. She was deliberately trying to put distance between them, if not physical, then emotional. He let it be for now and instead let her continue.
She let out a weak exhale and explained, "To become a white witch, I need a white witch to take me as an apprentice. To become a dark witch, I need the same. And if I want to embrace my identity as a werewolf..." Her fingers curled. "I don’t even have a wolf. There is nothing in me that completes that side."
Lance watched her closely. "You choose to be a Dark Witch because of your mother."
Emira’s eyes shut immediately, as if the mention of her mother hit harder than anything else. She nodded slowly.
"When your mother separated your wolf and your twin in the womb," Lance continued quietly, "she chose dark magic."
Emira froze. Her eyes snapped open, and all the breath left her at once. "How do you know that?" she whispered. "How do you know any of this?"
"You told me," Lance said slowly, staring at her. "You told me everything."
Emira shook her head fast, her eyes wide with shock. "No. No, I didn’t. I have never spoken of this. I have never told anyone. You’re lying." She pushed at his chest again-this time with more force- and managed to free herself from his hold. She walked away from him, hugging herself as she moved to a corner, as if protecting herself from him... "How did you find out my past, your Majesty."
She almost spat the words out defensively. He sighed but didn’t move toward her. He only closed his eyes and then as he opened them, he said, "Emira. Come here."
She stared at him and shook her head. "I won’t come to you. I won’t."
But even as the words left her mouth, her body betrayed her. Her feet moved first. Then her steps quickened. She shook her head, trying to stop herself, trying to dig her heels into the ground, but it was useless. Her body crossed the small space between them and stood before him, trembling.
"What is happening to me..." Emira whispered, panic creeping into her voice.
Lance stared at her for a moment and his expression softened with something she couldn’t quite understand. He took a slow breath, and then gave her a smile as she reached him unwillingly and panicked," I think it is time to talk, baby. A long talk."
The next moment, Emira felt the ground slip away from her feet. Lance had lifted her into his arms before she could even gasp, holding her securely against his chest. Her hands pressed against him in surprise.
"Where are you taking me?" she demanded, twisting slightly, though she knew it wouldn’t help. Why was she not able to stop herself.
Lance looked down at her with a small, almost calm smile. "Somewhere we can talk," he said. "Don’t worry. We’re not leaving the cabin."
His voice was steady, leaving no space for argument, and that only made her pulse race faster. She tried to push herself free again, but he didn’t budge. It was like trying to move a wall.
Before she knew it, they reached the kitchen. Emira blinked as Lance stepped to one corner she had not even paid attention to. He pressed his palm flat against a wooden log built into the wall.
For a second, nothing happened.Then a soft click echoed through the room and the log shifted.
Emira’s eyes widened as part of the wall moved backwards, sliding open as if it had never been solid at all. Beyond the opening, she saw only darkness and a void. There was an entire room behind this place?
"There’s... a room there?" she whispered in awe.
Lance nodded and stepped inside, carrying her with him. The moment they entered the place, the entire place lit up, making her blink.
This was... a prison? Not really. "It’s a playroom."
Emira shuddered at the words. What kind of a play room had handcuffs and chains hanging from the wall? This place was probably used as a torture chamber. There were even whips and other things that looked nothing like a... Her breath caught at the sight of the bed in the corner that also had handcuffs lined with satin hanging there.
"This..."
"Why did you bring me here?" Emira whispered slowly.
Lance smiled as he slowly set her down on her feet. "Because we need to talk without walls. And since you’ve kept too many things hidden in yourself... It is time to get naked... physically and mentally."
Hurriedly, Emira tried to step back, but she was caught the next minute as he pulled her back into his body with a hand around her waist," I would never hurt you, Emira."
Emira swallowed hard, her voice breaking slightly as she asked,
"Why would you bring me into a room like this?"
Lance smiled then and turned her away, pushing her towards the bed slowly," Emira. The Golden Moon is approaching soon. And there are too many things that we don’t know about each other.. Too many dangers tied to who we are... and what we are becoming."
Emira’s breath trembled. She didn’t try to step away this time, even though his hand stayed firm on her back, guiding her.
"What does that have to do with this room?" she whispered.
Lance leaned closer, his breath warm near her ear as he answered, "Everything, Emira. Because this is the one place where we don’t pretend. This is going to be your safe place. Here, you can do or say anything without fear. The one place where nothing can be hidden... not your truth, and not mine."