SWNOVELS Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Naya silently left the trolley of food in Rhys' room. The room was dimly lit as usual and not even a single soul was around, except from her of course. She still wondered why he requested that she only served his meals but she was kind of grateful that she had never met him on any of the occasions she had served his food. She closed the door silently and made her way out, she was almost out of the left wing when one of the people who gave her a headache in the palace appeared. "Not again.." she mumbled to herself on seeing Kai approach her. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the lowly maid," Rhys said, his voice dripping with condescension. "What are you doing here in the left wing? I thought you were supposed to be serving food in the other parts of the castle." He teased as he stopped in front of her. "It's none of your business. You should focus on your work instead. You keep proving to me every time that you're jobless.." she fired at him, how dare he call her a lowly maid. She was a maid, he was a guard, there was clearly no difference between them as they both served others. "Of course it is. I guard this floor so I should know what you're doing here?" He queried with a smug at the corner of his lips. He already knew why she came, he had laid out the rule that only Naya served his meals. Naya was about to respond, but then she stopped herself. She knew that it was pointless to argue with Kai, he would just keep trying to get a rise out of her. And she wasn't going to let him win. She just looked at him, her expression cool and impassive. "You're not going to get a reaction out of me," she said, her voice calm and collected. "I'm just going to do my job, and you can do yours. Let's just leave it at that." "Seriously Naya... There's no need to be hot-headed all the time. You should cool off babe.." He advised with a sneer and Naya rolled her eyes at him." You cool off yourself!" She fired at him. He always tended to bring words out of her mouth. Kai just smirked, enjoying the fact that he was getting under Naya's skin. "What's the matter, Naya? You seem a little tense. Maybe you should relax a bit. I can think of a few ways to help you do that." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Naya felt a surge of disgust. She didn't know how she could have ever thought he was attractive, he was nothing but an annoying man. "Excuse me. You know I usually get scolded because of you all the time right?" She scowled. Jennet would give her another earful." Really? " Rhys muttered as he pursed his lips. " Yes!" Naya confirmed. " So it's best if you stop getting in my way.. " she was on the verge of pleading with him. "I just wanted to be friends. It's so boring around here" Rhys shrugged his shoulders." Then make friends with your fellow guards.. " she pointed. "No... " Rhys stated. "It's you that I want Naya..." He deadpanned in a low voice that sent chills down Naya's spine right at that very moment. She felt like he had another meaning to that. "Suit yourself.." she mumbled and Rhys found himself smiling. "By the way, why do the others call you mute? Your voice is working just fine.." he asked curiously. She had a sharp tongue, so why did they call her mute? "I have nothing to say to you seriously..." Naya was about to walk away from her when he spoke." You sure do... At least tell me why you don't speak to the others.." he grilled. Naya hesitated for a moment, but then she decided to answer him. Maybe if she explained herself, he would understand and stop pushing her to interact with him. Also, it would stop him from spilling that she could speak to others, she still had a mystery to solve and did not want to be under pressure. "I don't speak to the others because they're mean to me," she said. "They make fun of me, they call me names, and they just generally make my life miserable. I'm not going to be friends with people who treat me like that." She replied hoping he would believe that. There was a little truth in it though. "Oh.." Rhys mouthed as he smacked his lips. "How about I be your knight in shining armor? I can save you from any form of bullying.." he said, grinning mischievously and Naya could tell that he was pulling her legs as usual. "Go to hell.. " she uttered angrily. Rhys laughed at her response, clearly amused by her reaction. "You're so feisty," he said with an amused look on his face. . "I like that about you. It makes things more interesting." He confessed. "I'm not here to be your entertainment," Naya snapped, trying to keep her cool. "I'm here to do my job, and that's it." "You're no fun," Rhys teased. "But I can change that. I'll make you see that life can be more than just work. I'll show you how to have fun." "Sadly I don't want that.." she retorted as she began to walk away from him. "Then what do you want?" Rhys asked following behind her. "A peaceful life.." Naya replied in a low voice laced with pain. She always wanted to live happily with her family and mate, but now she couldn't even boast of anything. "Can you give me that?" She turned to face him with a serious expression on her face. "A life full of happiness, a life free of troubles, a life you get to live with the ones you love. A life where you'll get everything you need. Can you give me that Kai?" She asked him again as he kept quiet for a long time as his jaw worked. "You'll never know if you don't try. How about we try? I can take you to heaven Hun.." he replied with a playful smile on his face and Naya instantly felt like punching his face. How could he always be unserious? Naya felt her anger rising again, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from saying something she would regret. He was making fun of her feelings, and she didn't appreciate it. "I'm not a joke to you, Kai," she said, her voice sharp. "I'm a real person with real feelings. I don't appreciate you treating me like some kind of plaything." Rhys' smile faltered, and a grim expression formed on his face. "I'm damn serious. I can give you that.." he drew out word by word. "Damn you!!" Naya groaned having had enough of him as she stomped her feet away. "Naya!" Rhys called after her as she turned with a frown on her face. "See you again.." He blew a kiss at her. Naya whose face had turned Crimson red, glared at him before running away.