No More Kisses\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Maya returned to the palace, she went to look for Cassian. He was in the training room sharpening a sword. She approached him and said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian turned when he heard her voice, and upon seeing her, he said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did it go?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWon\u2019t you\u00a0<\/p>\n
tell me what you went to do in the city?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya got closer, grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him down, and kissed him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be so nosy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were only a few guards in the training room, but they all turned to look at them. Cassian said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in public; don\u2019t just kiss me out of the blue.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, I didn\u2019t know we had to keep it a secret.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that, well I\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, I understand now, I won\u2019t kiss you again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya put a finger on his lips and said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNext time you want a kiss, you\u2019ll have to make the first move, because I\u2019m not doing it again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian felt he had made a big mistake, but there was no way to fix things now; anything he\u00a0<\/p>\n
said would seem like a mere excuse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya picked up one of the daggers from the table, weighed it from one hand to the other, and asked,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHave the elves already left?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, they said they would return in a few days.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess there\u2019s nothing left but to wait. I\u2019ll have to find something to entertain myself with, since it seems you\u2019re not available for me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
:.\u00a0<\/p>\n
< No More Kisses\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you know how to dance?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s with that question? Do you want to dance with me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Points\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the ceremony, there will be a dance. I still don\u2019t have a partner. Would you be my date?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you wanted to keep our relationship a secret.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t say that, just\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright, I\u2019ll be your dance partner that day, although I don\u2019t have a dress to wear. I\u2019ll have to go to the city to find one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI can call for a seamstress to come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya threw the dagger she had in her hand at one of the targets, and it hit right in the center. Everyone who saw it, Cassian included, was speechless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did you do that?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you I know how to protect myself. I have a very good aim. Maybe I should polish my skills a bit until the elves return, so I won\u2019t be extremely bored.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya continued throwing daggers at the targets, and all the soldiers there gathered around and saw that she didn\u2019t miss a single one. In a matter of minutes, Maya became close to all the soldiers there, which made Cassian feel a strange pressure in his chest. It bothered him to see others getting close to her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian sheathed his sword, annoyed, and said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaya, it will soon be dinner time. We should go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya said goodbye to the soldiers, and as they walked through the corridors, Maya said to him,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re all sweaty; you should take a bath. Actually, I should too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about we take a bath together?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf\u00a0<\/p>\n
you\u00a0<\/p>\n
think that when I said I should take a bath too, I was implying I wanted to bathe with you, you\u2019re wrong. But if that\u2019s what you want, you\u2019ll have to ask me, because I won\u2019t suggest anything again. If you want something, ask for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
< No More Kisses\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Points\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian felt embarrassed, he had actually gotten used to her always taking the first step, and although the idea of bathing together appealed to him, he didn\u2019t have the courage to ask.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just asking, it\u2019s not that I want us to bathe together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood, because we won\u2019t. I\u2019m hungry, and if we had gotten into the same tub, we would have ended up getting carried away, so I would have refused it anyway.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were just teasing me, weren\u2019t you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya quickened her pace and replied as she left him behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe yes, maybe no; you\u2019ll never find out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya went to her room, took a bath, and changed her clothes. When she opened the door, she saw Cassian, who was waiting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I have the honor of being escorted by Prince Cassian?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t tease, I wasn\u2019t waiting for you, I was just passing by.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHas anyone ever told you that you\u2019re terrible at lying?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, although it\u2019s not like I usually do it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s probably why you\u2019re so bad at it. So, are you going to escort me, or just stand there watching?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian extended his arm, Maya intertwined hers with his and said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s go before I start mistaking you for a snack and take a bite.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When they arrived in the dining room, Abril smiled upon seeing them arm in arm. Although Cassian kept denying it, it was more than obvious that there was something more than just friendship between them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHi Maya, glad to see you\u2019re back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, and where\u2019s the king?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassian replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy brother must be absorbed in work, surely he hasn\u2019t realized it\u2019s dinner time yet. I\u2019ll go get him. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Cassian left, Abril said to Maya.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s something between you two, it seems to me that Cassian has feelings for\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
(No More Kisses\u00a0<\/p>\n
you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Points\u00a0<\/p>\n
In fact, Maya had realized that the person Cassian had feelings for was Abril, but she had been discreet and hadn\u2019t mentioned it. After all, Abril was his brother\u2019s wife, and Cassian\u00a0<\/p>\n
must have wanted it to be kept secret to avoid any conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya took a piece of cheese from one of the trays, put it in her mouth, and replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not what you think; he already has someone else in his heart, but it\u2019s impossible.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? I would bet that person is you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s not me, and it\u2019s actually better that way, because soon we\u2019ll have to part.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy? I think you have feelings for him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not true.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u104b\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou smile a lot and seem really happy when you\u2019re with him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I have fun, but that\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re denying your feelings.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u104b\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not, because I don\u2019t have them. He\u2019s just a close friend, nothing more.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that\u2019s what you want to call it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo offense, but you\u2019re often quite naive, and I don\u2019t think you know much about relationships.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I\u2019m naive about some things, but since I was very young, I\u2019ve learned to see the aura surrounding a person, and when I see the two of you, I can see the same spark that exists between Alessandro and me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, there might be a spark, but it\u2019s purely physical, not emotional.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s the same for you, but when you share your body with someone, you\u2019re sharing feelings, not just pleasure. A bond forms that\u2019s hard to break over time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019ve already told you, I can\u2019t stay long, even if I want to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before Abril could say anything else, Cassian and Alessandro entered, and Maya was grateful for the interruption. The rest of the dinner went smoothly, and once it ended, Maya excused herself, saying she was tired, and left first, with Cassian following shortly after.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWas it my imagination, or did Maya seem uncomfortable during dinner?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/5\u00a0<\/p>\n
< No More Kisses\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alessandro asked, and Abril replied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I said something unnecessary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Abril stood up and said to Alessandro.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since we\u2019ve taken a nighttime walk in the garden. Will you join me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Points\u00a0<\/p>\n
They both went out to the garden, and Abril gazed at the starry sky. That day, the moon was barely visible, so the stars seemed to shine more brightly. A cool breeze made Abril feel cold, as summer was coming to an end. Alessandro took off his jacket, placed it on her shoulders, and said,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe night is cool, perhaps we should go back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, please, let\u2019s stay a little longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alessandro hugged her, warming her with his body, and said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine. Well, there was a moment at midday when I felt something very strange, a chill, but it was surely a change in weather.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure? Maybe you should rest.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Abril turned halfway and shyly said to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though it might not seem like it, I have a lot of energy. If you want, you can find out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alessandro kissed her and said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I will.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
He Threw Away and Sold to the Devil 143 No More Kisses\u00a0 When Maya returned to the palace, she went […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-his-regret-their-knees-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29912","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29912"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29912\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29912"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29912"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29912"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}