<h4>Chapter 93: Red Dress</h4>


    As much as she tried to hide it, Aria knew that there was no way Zyren couldn’t hear her heart thumping in her chest like it was about to break free from between her rib cage.


    "You’re excited to enter my room again?" He asked with a hint of teasing in his tone even as Aria simply red at him as she tightened her legs today, refusing to show any hint of the turmoil she felt within her.


    It only got worse when Zyren stepped in with her in his arms leaving the guards outside and shutting the door behind him.


    "You can put me down!" Aria softly said wanting to put some distance between them especially since her palms became sweaty and her heart refused to stop thumping in her chest.


    The memory of everything they had done in the room came rushing back and the dreams she had been having only made it worse as she openly red at Zyren who had a mostly nk expression on his face as he pointed to the bed.


    "I got something for you. It’s a dress!" He said pointing at the bed even as he continued to stand by the door, his demeanor made it clear that he had no intention to move closer something that made her feel relieved even as she stared at the dress on the bed with a hint of suspicion on her face.


    It was red and pretty.


    Unlike the usual clothes she had hung up in her wardrobe in her room the oneid out on the bed was exquisite.


    The arms were short but nothing that a good coat wouldn’t cover. Yet regardless of her feelings towards the dress, Aira didn’t move closer to touch it as she remained rooted to where she stood.


    ncing back at Zyren with a question on her face one that he refused to answer as he looked back at her in silence without showing any intention to speak.


    A hint of a frown shed across her face as she instantly turned back to look at the dress going as far as to take a few feet closer to where it wasid out even as she began to speak.


    "You want me to wear the dress?" She asked only to get an answer she was already aware of.


    "I’ll provide all your clothes for the tournament going forward!" Zyren responded in a tone that made Aira frown even more than she already did.


    "What?" She asked in a slightly snappish tone.


    "You want to pick the dress I would be buried in?" She asked without the slightest hint of humor in her tone yet surprisingly Zyren found it funny as a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    He stared hard at her even as he fixed his gaze on her for a few moments in silence before he finally opened his mouth to speak.


    "I want you to look your best!" He responded even as Aira slowly picked up the dress after taking only one extra nce at it before turning around to walk back towards the door with the intention of leaving.


    It was already bad enough that she was in his room and thest thing she wanted to do was stay for an extra moment longer than she needed to.


    But Aira had just stepped closer to the door with her hands outstretched to touch the door handle and step out only for her eyes to widen as she watched Zyren step right into her path blocking her from touching the door.


    He had on a ck top and pants like he usually did and the coat he wore was much bigger and fluffier in a way that made his huge stature look even bigger than usual.


    His hair was ck and long and his red eyes were focused on her with such intensity that she instinctively took arge step back even as she began to speak with a slight stutter in her voice.


    "Wh-what are you doing?" She asked in a loud but audible stutter but instead of backing away Zyren stepped forward speaking in a low register than usual.


    "I can smell your arousal from here!" he whispered to her in a low voice even as he stepped closer while Aria instantly stepped away from him without trying to hide the slight look of horror on her face unable to refute his words fast enough as he closed the gap between them with the speed of light.


    One moment he was a few feet away from the door and the next she could feel his breath fanning her face as he stood right in front of her staring down at her.


    "That’s impossible!" Aria responded with all the challenge she could muster in her eyes as she tried to step back only to feel his arms wrap around her waist tight enough to pull her closer to him.


    Until her entire body was pressed right aagainst his own and even then it’s still seemed like it was nowhere enough. His lips hovering over hers with his intent to kiss her being the most obvious thing without him trying to show it.


    "Do-don’t!" Aria gasped even as she tried to pull away from him only to realize that it was impossible. Not with how firmly he held her. Trying to get away was simply a pipe dreams since she was nowhere powerful enough.


    "Let—" she began to say only to be interrupted as she felt him grab her chin and raise it in a way that made it hard to firmly close her mouth.


    "One kiss should be—"


    "Don’t touch me!" Aria snapped at him even louder than before even as tears filled her eyes. "I don’t want to touch you!" She mumbled more to herself than him even as she watched him back away from her in the same breathe with a sly smile on the edge of his lips.


    Zyren even went as far as to raise his hands in mock surrender. "I can wait!" He mumbled out loud as he slowly walked forward towards the bed, a glint of excitement in his eyes as she watched Aira dash forward in the same breathe right out of his room like she was being chased by the hounds of hell.


    His senses were extraordinary so he was sure that he wasn’t wrong and the way she ran from him only served to confirm it.


    ’It’s just a matter of time!’ He thought to himself even as he walked past his bed and towards the drawer beside it picking up an ember ring which he twirled around between his fingers but refused to wear.