Page 30 of Sett and his King
"Stop that. Don't say that," I said as soon as he spoke. Did he really think that I wouldn't want him, that I wouldn't want to…to be with him? To kiss him? To hold him?
"It's true, though, isn't it?" he said. "It's okay. I just…I just wanted to say thank you. It was the wrong way."
"It's not true, Drew," I grabbed him before the house helped him escape into another room. "It's not true at all, and are you forgetting? If you’re ruined, then so am I. Horus did the same thing to me that he did to you."
He stopped, his gaze focusing on my hand on his arm and not on my face. As if…as if he were ashamed.
It was so strange. I hadn’t seen him like that before. So…vulnerable. I knew I hadn’t known him long but he gave the impression of such a strong confident man and there it was, the human underneath the facade.
"It was an inappropriate way to thank you. It's fine. Let's…let’s just move on."
"No,” I breathed out. “We're not moving on until I know you believe me when I say you're not ruined."
He looked up slowly, his lips parting ever so gently and he gave me the smallest nod, which despite its size, shook me to my core.
I wanted him. I wanted this man. There was no denying it.
“Good,” I said. “If you’re ever doubting yourself again, I’ll be here to remind you.”
He didn’t say anything, he just blinked, but it was enough. For now.
"And as for me not liking men," I said, "that's not true at all. It's just that…my heart. It belongs to another."
“Of course,” he exhaled. “I understand.”
He licked his lips, glanced down at my arm and when I let him go, he made for the stairs.
“I could do with a strong drink? Would you like one?”
“Lead the way,” I said and followed him upstairs, across the hallway with the decorative shotgun and into the kitchen.
As soon as he stopped in front of the bar, he turned, grimaced and kissed his teeth.
“I’m actually starving. Would you like something to eat too?”
I nodded and he smiled before he got busy taking things out of the fridge and chopping it all up on the kitchen counter.
There were vegetables, and fresh herbs and meat all chopped in record time. It was when he tossed everything in the same pot, which sizzled on contact and got the rice started, that I realized he’d been using his power to prep everything.
He did the same with the drinks when he got to them. It was almost as if he didn’t like being watched. As if he didn’t want to be seen in his element. As if he just wanted people to just see the results, not the process.
“Here. I think you’ll like this,” he said barely a minute later, sliding a tumbler across the kitchen island with a deep red liquid that swirled as if of its own accord.
“Thanks.” I wrapped my hand around the glass.
The magic tickled my fingers. It was as if the glass had its own heartbeat and when I brought it to my lips and tasted the drink, it carried the same effect to the rest of my body.
It was strong and smoky with hints of sweetness and rejuvenated every ache in my body.
"You’re a true potion witch, aren't you?" I said after a couple of sips, when I noticed him watching me.
He shrugged. "It runs in the family. And I'm so much better at it than I am with my power. I mean, I don't almost die every time I cook."
With that, he smiled, took a sip of his own drink, a green concoction that almost seemed to glow, and he returned to the hob to distribute the food into two equal portions.
"Well, you're a true master no matter what power you use," I said and offered him my most sincere smile.
It seemed to have the desired effect as his shoulders relaxed and he sighed when he walked back to me with two plates.
