XXVIII

From Reya’s Diary, Two Years Prior

Day Three

Dear Diary,

I nearly struck that beast of a man today. Why anyone deemed him fit for the title of Master of the Elements is a mystery I will never comprehend. He constantly derails our lessons to make crude remarks about my appearance. His conduct is not merely unprofessional; it is rude and disgusting. Today, he had the audacity to address me by my first name, as if we were equals. He is a lecherous, sexist pig.

Day Five

Dear Diary,

I am certain I have become the object of the Master’s lust. As his pupil, this is a violation of several protocols. He cornered me in the corridor today—in full view of everyone—and invited me to his private quarters for dinner. The shame was scalding. How does one respectfully decline such an invitation in so public a forum? It turns out, you don’t. You accept. It is utterly unbelievable that I agreed to dine with him. Fortunately, the dinner is three weeks away, which gives me time to devise a way to change his mind.

Day Twenty-Six

Dear Diary,

Tonight, I dined with the Master of the Elements. I believe I may have been gravely mistaken about him. I must record every detail, lest I forget a single moment.

An unsettling energy had me pacing my room for an hour beforehand. I had not considered any real danger until I caught my reflection in the mirror. The dress, borrowed from another student, was a perfect fit. It was a black gown with a corset top that plunged low, a daring décolletage that left me feeling both exposed and powerful. The long, pleated skirt was lined with a brilliant scarlet that flashed boldly with every move. The woman in the mirror was a smoldering seductress. And to my surprise, I rather liked her.

In all our previous encounters, he held every advantage. He was the Master, I the pupil. His habit of appearing shirtless was a clever tactic to disarm any young woman with a pulse. The man, I must admit, is built like a god. (Anya blushed furiously at this and almost stopped reading.) But not tonight. Tonight, this woman would be more than poor Aden could handle.

As the hour arrived, I walked toward the private apartment of the one man who had ever truly challenged me. The stairwell was lit by dancing candles, and in that velvety darkness, it was easy to become someone else.

The door to his chambers swung open just as I reached it. Before I could speak, he pulled me into his embrace, his mouth claiming mine in a passionate kiss. (Anya gasped, her cheeks burning.) I was utterly unprepared. My carefully constructed plans shattered into a thousand pieces. All I could feel were his hands on my waist, the firm pressure of his lips, and the roaring in my ears that drowned out all thought. He was the first to pull away, striding toward a massive fireplace while I remained frozen by the door, fighting to catch my breath. In that single, electrifying moment, all I knew was that I desperately wanted to understand everything about this suddenly mysterious man.

I banked the fire that now throbbed deep within me and moved toward him. When he turned, his handsome features were a mask of apology and regret. "I—I must apologize, Lieutenant. I don't know what came over me."

The words escaped my lips before I could stop them. "Reya. Call me Reya."

My defenses crumbled as I smiled, and his stunning blue eyes locked with mine. "Reya," he breathed, a look of wonder on his face. "Reya. Reya!" He swung me into his arms, spinning us around until we stumbled, laughing and lightheaded, against the dining table. For the first time, he truly looked at me, his gaze sweeping over me with an approval that made me blush. He gently turned my face back to his, his fingers tracing the line of my cheekbone, caressing my throat. A current of electric anticipation traced the path of his every touch. (Despite her reddening cheeks and feeling vaguely voyeuristic, Anya read on.) His eyes remained fixed on mine, even as his hand drifted lower, his thumb brushing the lace at the top of my dress. A sharp breath escaped my lips. His eyes spoke volumes his words could not, and he raised his hands to cup my face. Emboldened, I leaned in and kissed him softly. He responded with a fervent groan, his hands clamping around my waist as he lifted me effortlessly onto the table. He kissed me again, a breathless exploration that moved from my lips, across my collarbone, to the hollow of my throat.

I’m afraid the rest of the evening is far too private to commit to ink. Until next time.

Day Forty-Seven

Dear Diary,

I have been meeting Aden in secret. Our trysts are one thing, but our conversations… they are magnificent. We talked for hours that first night. We share a deep passion for lore and history. It is so rare to find a man who burns with such enthusiasm for these subjects. I find myself hoping we might work together one day. At Ravenhold, perhaps.

Day Sixty-Four

Dear Diary,

Aden told me he loved me tonight. Words failed me. I questioned whether two people so young could truly grasp the weight of such a word. My doubt wounded him. When I tried to explain, he grew distant. He said I thought too much and felt too little, and that I would die alone. In my own hurt, I retorted that what we had was merely physical, that I had never felt anything for him. The look on his face… He told me to leave. I tried to apologize, but he just told me to go.

I have been crying for hours, and I don't even know why. Perhaps the heart understands what the mind cannot.

Day Eighty-One

Dear Diary,

I have not heard from him. He will not even look at me. He cancelled our training sessions. Food has lost its taste; sleep has become a stranger. I regret my words every waking moment. Maybe he is right. Maybe I will die alone.

Day 205

Dear Diary,

It has been so long. My despair worsened after my last entry. It became… suicidal. One night, after too much wine, I decided my life was no longer worth living. I found myself on the highest balcony in Everwood, the wind a siren’s call to the unforgiving ground below. But a young recruit saw me and had the presence of mind to fetch the Base Commander. Aden.

He used a powerful wind spell to launch himself onto the balcony beside me. Without a word, he drew me into his arms and simply held me, rocking me back and forth as I sobbed uncontrollably, the dam of my composure finally breaking as I rambled on about how I had always loved him.

From that moment, our love was undeniable. As I healed, we found our happiness again. When he was offered the post of Base Commander at Ravenhold, he asked me to come with him. His younger sister, Anya, will be joining us. I am so excited to meet her.

Day 210

Dear Diary,

I met Anya today! She is the sweetest, brightest, kindest, and most amusing girl. I already adore her! (Anya grinned, giggling at the effusive praise.)

Day 367

Dear Diary,

We are finally settled at Ravenhold. I am only eighteen, and I am in love with the most incredible man in the world. His only family, Anya, loves me! She keeps making hints about rings. I think she knows Aden is planning to propose. I wish he would hurry. If he would only ask, my 'yes' is already waiting on my lips.

Day 402

Dear Diary,

I cannot believe what I am about to write. I am leaving Ravenhold, and I am never coming back. The depths of my own stupidity are unfathomable. I gave my heart to a man who was engaged to another woman. He never told me. Not a word. And neither, apparently, did Anya. I have never known such pain, such white-hot rage. May a thousand plagues take Aden, and may he never know happiness again. I pray I never see his face again. I don't think I have the strength to ever love again.

Goodbye, my dear diary. My story ends here.

—Reya

Now

When Anya finally closed the diary, she was surprised to find her own cheeks wet with tears. It was the most heartbreaking story she had ever read. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes and rose to leave. As she straightened, her gaze met Reya’s. In those familiar green-gold eyes, she saw a portrait of anguish and old regrets.

"Anya," Reya’s voice was gentle, laced with sorrow, not anger. "Did you read my diary?"

Anya could only nod, a fresh wave of tears overwhelming her.

Reya rushed to her side, gathering the young girl into a warm embrace. "Shhh. Why are you crying, little one? There's no need to weep for the past."

Anya cried for another moment before pushing herself away. The mischievous imp in her resurfaced as she declared, "I'm not crying for the past! I'm crying for the future you two could have had!" With that, she fled the room, leaving the echo of her anguished sobs in the Aqua Mage’s ears.

Later that night, Aden sat on the bottom step of the stairs leading to the female residential wing, fidgeting with a loose bootlace as he rehearsed his words. An incandescently furious Anya had descended upon him that afternoon, lecturing him with a startling ferocity about his lack of courage in matters of the heart. Her tirade had shaken him, but it had also solidified his resolve. To hell with his arranged marriage and the political fallout. He was betrothed to a vapid twit incapable of holding a meaningful conversation for five minutes. Reya, by contrast, could debate him into a corner and best him in a game of wits. He still loved that about her.

He looked up, startled, to see Reya herself standing before him, hands on her hips.

"Waiting for someone?" she asked, her tone clipped, already moving to walk past him.

"W-wait! Reya!" He shot to his feet, grabbing her arm gently. He could feel the tension in her, the powerful impulse to pull away. "Reya, please. I need to talk to you. I know I never explained, and I feel I owe you that much, at least."

Reya laughed, a short, sarcastic sound, and yanked her arm from his grasp. She fixed him with a glare that burned with the heat of a hundred suns. He flinched but held his ground. "DON'T! Just don't, Aden. It's not worth it. What could you possibly say? That you would choose me if you could turn back time? That you'll always love me? Spare me the fantasy, Aden. We both know it’s a lie."

She turned and stomped up the first few steps, her anger cracking to reveal the profound hurt she had hidden for so long. Aden stood at the bottom of the stairs, his fists clenched. Anya’s impassioned words echoed in his ears, steeling his nerve. In two quick strides, he was up the stairs behind Reya, catching her and turning her to face him.

"I never chose to marry her, Reya," he said, his voice urgent and raw. "It was arranged before I was even born. After my parents died, I honored the arrangement because I thought it was what they would have wanted. But I was wrong. Anya told me today… she said that all parents ever want is for their children to be happy. I wasn't happy after you left. I haven't been happy for two years. And I won't be happy again until you say you'll marry me!"

Reya blinked, the sheer weight of his words stunning her into silence. Fresh tears, untainted by sorrow, streamed down her cheeks as she took a sharp, shaky breath. Their eyes met, and in that instant, the old, intense current arced between them. All the pain and rage she had carried for so long simply evaporated.

"YES!" Reya cried, her voice ringing with joy as she threw her arms around his neck.