Keeper of Crimson Petals by Winter Lie

Author:Winter Lie [Lie, Winter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-01-08T00:00:00+00:00

twenty-four

Asher turned to storm over to his bed, but Jasmine grabbed his arm, yanking him to a halt. He stumbled and Jasmine shoved Asher back. He hit the wall with a surprised grunt, but the shock didn’t last long.

It might have been because she was already tired from her training with Riker, but Asher overpowered her easily. He knocked Jasmine’s hand away and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around and effectively swapping places with her as he slammed her into the wall.

“What is your problem?” Asher snarled, his lips just inches away from hers. His breath smelled like vanilla. “Do you want to die?”

“I want you to stop being a coward,” Jasmine hissed back. “This is my decision to make. If I could do this myself, then I would. We aren’t in a position where we can turn down tools to survive. Why should it be different if you’re the one that gets to control the magic?”

“Because it is. That’s the end of the story. We can try to find something else out later, but I’m not risking it.”

“You’re going to say that about everything until we’re both dead,” Jasmine countered. “This isn’t dangerous. We’ve already done it!”

“It could have been! We don’t know.”

“It’s not like you can’t stop if you need to. We’re going in circles. Just do it.”

“You know what?” Asher moved back, though he didn’t take his hands off Jasmine’s shoulders. His jaw clenched as he met her gaze. “Make me.”

“I’m your K–”

“Don’t pull that,” Asher snapped. “It doesn’t count and you know it. This isn’t a matter of safety to me. Using magic is just as likely to kill both of us as it is to kill just you. If anyone has the power to make orders right now, it’s me. And I’m saying no.”

For a moment, the two of them didn’t say a word. Anger and desperation swirled in Jasmine’s stomach, forming into a pit that wouldn’t disappear. Riker’s words pounded in her mind.

You don’t know who you are. You don’t know who you care about. How am I supposed to know any of that? I never had a damn chance to care! I didn’t have the opportunity to sit around like some monk and think about life.

“What’s gotten into you?” Asher asked, his grip tightening on her shoulders. “You seem out of it. Is everything okay?”

No, Watcher damn it. Everything isn’t okay. This is the only path I can take.

“I’m fine. You said that I had to make you do what I wanted.” Jasmine slipped out from Asher’s hands and took a step closer, pressing her body against his as she glared up at him. She could feel his heartbeat thump against her chest – and she could feel it quicken in response to her touch. “Were you serious about that challenge?”

“As if you speak in anything other than challenges,” Asher growled, not backing down in the slightest. “And you can’t change my mind. Give up.”

Jasmine’s chest clenched as they stood there, a second of silence passing by.

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