Page 162 of Architecti
“Stop what, Midnight?”I say, my voice as tired as my bones.
“You’re acting like you died.”
“We all die.”
“Well, you’re not dead yet, so stop acting like it.Just don’t.I can’t stand another?—”
She cuts herself off, turning away from me as she stalks into the kitchen.
“Another what?”I say, striding after her.
“Just forget it.Go back to bed, you need to rest.”
But I don’t want to rest, not yet.I need to know what happened and everything is blurry.
“Where’s Thalia?”I ask.
Midnight halts.“Missing.Ignatius has hushed it all up, of course.Said she’s on leave.How can he be a hero helping me to save you only to turn round and lie to everyone moments later?”
“The lies have always come easy to him.”
“I’m so over all of this,” she says.“I can’t...”
I grab her wrist and pull her to me.She glances down.I’ve never taken control like this, I am always the submissive.I like my place.There is nothing I love more than her in control.But not tonight.Tonight, I am exhausted, and I need answers.
I want to control something, take something back.I release her.
“You can’t what?”I say, my voice hard.
Midnight’s nostrils flare, her fists clenching by her sides the way they do when she’s cross.“I can’t cope with another Aurelia.”
She sags.I let her hand go, and she continues, as if a dam broke.
“I get that our fate is predetermined.But she just gave up.Wouldn’t fight.Once she knew it was terminal, she just stopped.Laid in bed all day and refused to try, she wouldn’t look at magical solutions.She wouldn’t do anything.I just wanted her to fight.If she couldn’t do it for herself, then do it for me.Keep pushing because she wanted another day, another week, another month with me.But she didn’t.She accepted her fate and gave up, and it broke me.”
My heart aches for her but… “I’m not Aurelia.”
“I know,” she nods.“I’m sorry.I knew as soon as I made the comparison it was wrong.You’re nothing like her.”
I’m not.And yet, part of me wonders if I have given up.I have always fought.Spent my life fighting my father.Injury after injury, and yet tonight, things are different.Am I resigned to my fate?Whatever that may be.
Tonight, I need something different.Need control.Power.
“Get on the floor,” I say, that professor tone lacing my words.
Midnight hesitates.This is not how we work.Something defiant flashes through her gaze.But she nods.
“I don’t sub, but for you, I will gladly get on my knees.”
“Such a good boy,” I purr, testing the water.Her shoulders heave a deep sigh.
Interesting.
“My safe word is moth,” she says, and I laugh.
“You’re kidding?”
“I hate them, I’m hardly going to say that word in the bedroom.”
