Chapter 78 - SEVENTY EIGHT: Don’t Run Anymore

Kel whirled around. "Who-Mmph!"

With a hand over her mouth and another to his lips, a man donning pants and a hooded cloak with nothing in between loomed over her.

"You wouldn't want them to hear you and come barging in here, right?" he whispered.

A pair of molten gold eyes glinted at Kel from beneath the hood and small wisps of sepia color hair peeked out the sides.

It was Soren.

Kel gulped, holding her breath as footsteps and faint voices passed by the door. By now, she shouldn't be surprised at the man showing up wherever and whenever he pleased, but she couldn't contain the shiver running down her spine.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kel trembling against the door while Soren calmly observed her, he released her.

"Ahhh," Kel inhaled deeply, her lungs screaming for oxygen.

"You should breathe through your nose," Soren teased. "Just like when kissing."

Kissing? Kel flinched as her steamy moment with the emperor in her dream flashed through her thoughts. 

"Don't speak nonsense," she hissed, scooting along the wall away from the door.

She was immediately stopped by a soft thud as Soren's palm landed on the rough stone next to her head.

"You've stood me up twice now," he glowered, "and here you are blushing about another man right in front of me."

"Who stood you up?" Kel mumbled, ducking under his arm. 

As she bent down, the man caught her arm and pinned it to the wall above her head.

"I don't like that," he said coldly, pressing against Kel's wrist until she thought it would break.

"Y-you're scaring me," Kel squeaked.

"Am I?" Soren gave her a final icy glare before turning away. "Anyway, I was wondering what took you so long to get here."

"What do you mean?" Kel asked, slowly reaching a hand toward the door. 

She usually felt uncomfortable facing Soren, but this time, she was overwhelmed with a sense of urgency. As long as he kept his back turned, she would be able to sneak o-

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Soren suddenly threatened. "Unless you want to see who can move faster."

Kel reluctantly released the door handle, dropping her hand back to her side.

If it was the first or second time she'd met him, Soren would have let her go easily. With his hands in the air, he would have apologized for making her feel uncomfortable and sent her on her way. 

Since then, however, the man had become increasingly aggressive with each meeting. This time, Kel feared she wouldn't be able to get away.

Her only hope now was to make enough noise to alert the guards. She'd get in trouble, of course, for wandering around the dungeon late at night, but for some reason she felt safer facing the emperor's rage than the unpredictable man in front of her.

"I wouldn't do that either," Soren clicked his tongue just as Kel opened her mouth.

He spun back around to face her with a fist clenched at his lips.

"You need to understand where I'm coming from," he murmured, closing his eyes. "I've been so nice to you and yet still… you…"

He trailed off, letting out a long sigh. When he opened his eyes again, his usual smile returned.

"What do you want?" Kel demanded. 

"Hmm nothing in particular," Soren replied thoughtfully. "I just wanted to see how your revenge was going."

"It's fine," Kel responded immediately. 

Was he here to offer his assistance again? Or, perhaps, force her to accept his assistance?

Soren chuckled. "Don't tell me you've given up already?"

"That doesn't concern you," Kel insisted. 

"Maybe not," Soren smirked, "but I'm dying to know what you found that could possibly be more important than your only comrade."

"... it's nothing like that."

"Oh, really?"

Soren walked closer and leaned forward until his face was only inches from Kel's.

"It doesn't have anything to do with what you were blushing about earlier?" he whispered.

Reaching out a hand, he gently ran his fingers down Kel's cheek and then grasped her chin.

Pulling her lips toward his, he continued, "if that's all it takes-"

"Stop!" Kel exclaimed, slapping his hand away. 

The corners of Soren's mouth twitched as he watched her scurry away. It was impossible to tell whether he was amused or upset.

"Look, I don't know how you got here, but you should leave," she muttered.

In the shock of the moment, she'd managed to escape Soren's reach but unwittingly gave up her spot in front of the door.

Are you a knight or a giddy school girl?! she scolded herself.

She'd have to think her next moves through carefully if she wanted to make it out of this room.

"It's so cute. I can see everything you're thinking," Soren chuckled, leaning back against the door to flaunt his superior position. "I really detest seeing you run away from me, however."

His eyes darkened once again, and his smile disappeared. 

"Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.

"Doing what?" Kel responded timidly. 

Soren's mood was too volatile. There was no way to predict if he would be smiling or charging at her next.

"Running," he answered darkly, reaching a hand inside his pants pocket. "Don't run anymore, ok?"

Kel glanced between the man's grim expression and the hand in his pocket. She needed to find a way past him before something bad happened.

But how could she lure him away from the door?

Think, Kel, think! she urged, peering around the room. 

It was completely empty. Not even a single strand of straw littered the floor. She'd also left her candle and map back inside the tunnel for the return trip; though, neither would be useful in the current situation anyway.

All that was left was.. Her.

Turning a trembling hand over, she gazed at her palm. She hadn't used her abilities since that day in the clearing the emperor had taken her to. Since then, even just to light candles, she'd been using matches.

"Should I?" she breathed. 

The only thing she could possibly burn was Soren. Even just the edge of his cloak would be enough of a distraction.

Breathing heavily, she stepped toward him, her palm outstretched.