Caged By the Lich

19. Astrid

19

ASTRID

I settle into the plush chair across from Olvaar's imposing desk, the now-familiar scent of parchment and ink filling the air. Our lunch sits between us, a spread of exotic fruits and savory meats that would've made my mouth water just weeks ago. Now, it's almost commonplace.

Olvaar's eyes flick up from the report he's reading, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Enjoying the view, little rebel?"

I roll my eyes, grabbing a slice of some violet fruit I can't name. "Just wondering how many trees died to fuel your paperwork addiction."

He chuckles, the sound low and rich. It still catches me off guard sometimes, how easily we've fallen into this... whatever this is.

We chat about inconsequential things as we eat - the latest gossip, a new trade agreement with a neighboring demon lord. It's almost... pleasant. Until I decide to poke the bear.

"So," I start, keeping my tone light, "about yesterday's little incident..."

Olvaar's eyes narrow slightly, but he doesn't interrupt.

"Don't you think you might have overreacted? Just a tad?" I pop another piece of fruit into my mouth, feigning nonchalance. "I mean, you almost put the guard through a wall over a crude joke. That seems a bit much, even for you."

The temperature in the room seems to drop several degrees. Olvaar's jaw clenches, a muscle ticking in his cheek. When he speaks, his voice is dangerously soft. "You think I overreacted?"

I shrug, refusing to be cowed. "It's not like it was the first time someone's made a lewd comment about me. I can handle myself, you know."

Olvaar's eyes flash, swirling with streaks of angry blue. "That's not the point," he growls.

I blink, taken aback by the sudden intensity in Olvaar's voice. His eyes bore into mine, no longer playful but blazing with a fierce protectiveness I've never seen before.

"Unacceptable?" I repeat, trying to maintain my casual facade. "Come on, Olvaar. It's just how things are. I'm used to it."

"Used to it?" he snarls, slamming his palm on the desk. I flinch involuntarily. "That's precisely the problem, Astrid. You shouldn't be 'used' to such disrespect."

I laugh, but it comes out hollow. "In case you've forgotten, I'm human. In this world, that's all the reason demons need to treat me like dirt."

Olvaar's eyes narrow dangerously. "Who else?" he demands. "Who else has dared to disrespect you in such a manner?"

I shrug, suddenly uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny. "Does it matter? It's been happening my whole life. Even at my father's court-"

"Names," Olvaar interrupts, standing up abruptly. His chair scrapes against the floor, the sound making me jump. "I want names, Astrid. Every single demon who's ever treated you as less than you are."

I stare at him, genuinely confused by his reaction. "Why do you care so much? It's not like-"

"Because you're mine!" Olvaar roars, his voice echoing off the walls. The air crackles with his barely contained power, and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

We both freeze, the weight of his words hanging between us. Olvaar looks as shocked as I feel, like he can't quite believe what just came out of his mouth.

"I mean," he starts, his voice softer but still intense, "you're under my protection now. And I won't tolerate anyone treating you with anything less than the respect you deserve."

I feel my defenses rising, a familiar wall slamming into place. "I'm not yours," I snap, pushing away from the desk. "I'm not anyone's. That's the whole point."

Olvaar's eyes flash, swirling with streaks of angry blue. "That's not what I-"

"No?" I interrupt, my voice sharp. "Then what did you mean, exactly? Because from where I'm standing, it sounds an awful lot like you think you own me."

He growls, low and dangerous. "You know that's not true."

"Do I?" I challenge, pacing now. My heart's racing, adrenaline pumping through my veins. "Because last I checked, I'm still a prisoner here. Or have you forgotten that little detail?"

Olvaar's jaw clenches. "You're not just a prisoner anymore, Astrid. You know that."

"Then what am I?" I demand, whirling to face him. "What exactly is this... thing between us?"

He runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "I don't know," he admits. "But I do know that I care about what happens to you. Is that so hard to believe?"

I laugh, but it comes out bitter. "Yes, actually. It is. Because no one's ever cared before. Not really. So excuse me if I find it a little hard to swallow that suddenly, the big bad demon lord gives a damn about some human girl."

Olvaar's eyes narrow. "You're not just 'some human girl,' Astrid. You never have been."

"Stop it," I hiss, wrapping my arms around myself. "Just... stop. I can't do this. I can't let myself believe that you actually care, because the moment I do…" The words catch in my throat. I don't even know what I'm thinking or feeling anymore and it's all pouring out before I can process it.

"Astrid-" Olvaar starts, taking a step towards me.

I back away, shaking my head. "No. Don't. I can't... I can't let myself be vulnerable like that. Not with you. Not with anyone."

I back away until I feel the wall against my back, leaving me with no room to get away. Olvaar advances, his eyes blazing with an intensity that both thrills and terrifies me. He's close now, so close I can feel the heat radiating off his body.

"Astrid," he murmurs. He reaches out, gently tilting my chin up until our eyes meet. I gasp softly at the sight. His eyes are swirling with deep purple, so intense and unlike anything I've seen before.

"You can be anything with me," Olvaar says, his thumb tracing my jawline. "You're safe here. With me."

My heart pounds so hard I'm sure he can hear it. I want to look away, to run, to hide from the overwhelming emotions threatening to consume me. But I can't. I'm trapped in his gaze, drowning in those mesmerizing purple depths.

"I..." I start, but the words die on my lips. What can I possibly say?

Olvaar leans in closer, his breath warm against my skin. "Let go, Astrid," he whispers. "Trust me."

And in that moment, I do. All my doubts, my fears, my carefully constructed walls - they crumble away. I surrender to the tide of emotions I've been fighting for so long.

So I slide my hands up around his neck, leaning up and pulling him to me at the same time. Because there is one undeniable fact.

I want him.

Our lips meet, and it's like a spark igniting a wildfire. The kiss is fierce, passionate, filled with all the pent-up tension and unspoken feelings between us.

Olvaar's hands cup my face, holding me like I'm something precious. I clutch at his shirt, pulling him closer, needing to feel every inch of him against me.

And the tension between us seems to explode with that movement.

The kiss turns more passionate, and we dive in. I pull Olvaar closer, as close as physically possible, trying to get more of him. His hands tangle in my hair, tilting my head back as his lips claim mine with a ferocity that steals my breath.

His touch is electric, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through my veins. It's like he's burning me alive, and I want it. I crave it. I've never felt anything like the magic that seems to be flooding through me, igniting every nerve ending in my body. His lips, his hands, his very presence—it's all overwhelming, all-consuming.

I can't get enough of him. My hands roam his body, feeling the hard muscles beneath his shirt. He groans into my mouth, a sound that only fuels my desire.

His arms wrap tightly around me, lifting me off the ground as if I weigh nothing. I wrap my legs around his waist, clinging to him as our tongues clash and our breaths mingle.

The room spins around us, but all I can see is him. All I can feel is him. The world narrows down to just the two of us, lost in a whirlwind of passion and need.

His eyes, swirling with purple amidst the gray, meet mine for a brief moment, and I see the reflection of my own desire burning in them. It's like we're sharing the same breath, the same heartbeat, the same soul.

His lips trail down my neck, leaving a path of fire in their wake. I gasp, arching into him, needing more. Needing everything. His hands grip my hips, holding me firmly against him as he trails kisses along my collarbone. I'm lost in sensation, drowning in the intensity of our connection. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I never want it to end.

I can feel his heart pounding against my chest, matching the frenzied rhythm of mine. It's like we're two halves of a whole, finally coming together to form something new, something powerful, something soul shattering.

It's so intense, so much that I'm stunned, and when Olvaar moves back up to my lips, he must see something on my face because he pauses. He pulls back a little, those eyes swirling with purple still, and he cocks his head.

"Astrid?" His voice is so rough and so damn attractive that I almost groan from the way my name sounds on his lips.

But I can't sort through my mind fast enough, and it shatters everything. He quickly drops me to my feet, taking a step back, and the regret all over his face is enough to gut me.

"V, I-"

And then I cringe. His eyes darken as I use the nickname, the one that I only ever use when I'm pushing him away, when I'm angry, blue flooding his eyes. And I know that look.

He's pissed.

I want to tell him that this wasn't a mistake. I want to beg him to kiss me again. I want to say that it felt like my soul was being ripped out and I'd gladly give it over to him.

But when he shakes his head, cursing beneath his breath as he heads for the study door…

I say nothing at all.