The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate
Chapter 85: Herbal Massage

Chapter 85: Herbal Massage

At the end of the training, Esme made her way back into the shadowspire. She could barely get her entire body to move.

Her legs ached deeply, muscles tight and sore from the relentless laps and exercises Revana put her through. After everything, Revana’s disappointment was still clear, because she finished the entire laps within ten minutes, which Revana didn’t seem proud of.

Honestly, she swore she was at the brink of breaking into tears when Revana judged everything she did today. Sighing to herself, Esme continued to climb up the stairs, her legs trembling as if they could give out at any moment. Her lungs still burned from exertion, and her arms felt heavy, the fatigue spreading through her body like a deep, bone-deep weariness.

Once inside her chamber, the shadows brought a momentary relief. She resisted the urge to collapse onto her bed and chose to change from her outfit first. She settled with a simple flay skirt so she could treat her aching legs, before finally settling on the chair in her chamber, wincing as her muscles protested.

"I don’t have any salve here," Esme noted as she browsed through her table, wishing she had taken note of that first before relaxing. She keeps forgetting this wasn’t her home, where she was surrounded by her several herbal salves.

It was necessary for her to add salves on her skin before bathing.

A knock on the door drew her attention, and she didn’t have enough strength to answer it.

"The doors unlocked," she said instead, and the door creaked open afterwards. Her eyes widened when her visitor was no one else but Donovan. The sight of him in her chamber stunned her, and he was wearing his blindfold again.

Realizing he was the one who made Revana teach her, she scowled at him and turned her face away.

"What are you doing here?"

"I assume you’ll need these," he replied, holding up the jar of herbal salves he had brought for her. "To ease the pain you’re feeling."

"How did you know I was back?"

"I’m well aware of who stays in the shadowspire," he approached where she sat and pulled out the second chair, taking his seat, then he patted his lap.

"Legs up," he said, prompting her to place her legs on his lap.

"What do you plan on doing to me?" Esme’s eyebrows furrowed at him. When she hesitated, he gently lifted her leg and placed it on his lap, his touch surprisingly gentle.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, that hurts!" Esme exclaimed, a mix of irritation and amusement laced in her voice. "I won’t fall for this treatment. You’re the one who put me in this condition by sending Revana to train me like I’m some kind of soldier."

"Cause she’s the best around here, and you’ll learn faster under her instructions." He retorted, carefully removing her boots and dropping them at his side. "Within a few days, you’ll start to see the results, give it some time."

Applying the jar of salve into his palm, his touch was deliberate, slow, as he spread the cool balm over her skin.

"Lift your skirt a bit," he said, and Esme’s face flushed slightly. She lifted it up to her thighs, and her breath caught in her throat as his fingertips pressed into her calves, strong yet gentle, massaging the tension from her aching muscles.

"Pain is inevitable," he murmured, focusing on the knots in her legs. "I wish I could give you a pain-free training, but I’m afraid I’m not capable of doing everything. You’ll feel better soon." His voice was endearingly assuring, and Esme could feel her heart flutter for the umpteenth time, an all-too-familiar sensation that caught her off-guard.

She assumed he would be upset with her for walking out on him earlier, but here he was, tenderly caring for her sore legs.

There was an unnerving sweetness to him that she couldn’t possibly ignore, and other times, the side of him which he hides makes her speculate. His eyes were filled with sorrow, yet it was the most beautiful thing she’s ever laid eyes on.

How can someone be so complicated?

Esme’s breath hitched when she felt his hands move higher, the sensation of his hand against her skin sending warmth through her, a stark contrast to the coolness of the balm.

Esme tried to use conversation to distract her thoughts from wandering to his touch. "Why do you wear a blindfold?" she asked. "Your eyes are actually..."

"You don’t need to say it," he interjected softly. "I know already. It’s fine if it makes you uncomfortable, you’re not the only one who gets creeped out at the sight of it. It’s a habit of mine that I don’t go to bed with my blindfold on, but I’ll try to keep them on when we share a bedroom next time." there was a hint of promise in his voice, and Esme wasn’t sure how to voice out her actual thoughts. That wasn’t what she really wanted to say.

And did he just say next time?

"I’ve been told by many how they hate it," he continued. "Mostly because my eyes are a perfect replica of my father’s eyes, others because they can’t stand what they see in them."

"What do they see?" Esme asked.

Donovan’s lips curved subtly at the curiosity in her voice. "You’re not getting any information about that." His touch around her legs lingered a little longer than necessary, as if he was taking his time to memorize the feel of her skin beneath his fingers.

Esme wanted to close her eyes, to let herself relax under his careful touch, but her mind was buzzing with the tension that hung between them, growing with each stroke of his hands.

Her eyes widened when he applied the paste in his palm again, and his hand slid from her calves to her thighs, kneading the tired muscles with deliberate care, his touch sending sparks through her body. She tried to focus on the pain in her legs, the soreness, but it was fading, replaced by something much more distracting.

"Where else do you feel sore?" He asked, his tempting voice sending a delightful shiver down her spine. "If you don’t tell me, how can I know exactly where to touch to bring you the most pleasure?"

This man...!!

Esme instinctively dropped her legs from his laps, a flush creeping up her cheek. "I don’t need your services anymore. I plan to draw myself a hot bath and drink some tonic afterwards, so you can leave."

"Not fair, you know." Donovan covered up the jar of herbal salves and rose to his feet, but instead of leaving, he stepped closer, effectively trapping Esme in the chair, his scent wrapping around her like a cloak.

She flinched back, her heart racing, caught between her own desire and defiance.

"Are you really just going to tell me to leave?" He tilted his head at her. "Is that what you really want, Esmeray?"

The way he uttered her name was a strange turn-on for Esme. When he leaned in, slowly, as if giving her time to push him away since she should already be aware of what’s coming, her hands stayed low, and her protest was nowhere to be seen.

Her breath caught when his lips landed on the corner of her mouth, a playful yet tender kiss that lingered longer than it should have before he pulled away.

Esme’s heart drummed in her chest when he whispered into her ear. "I won’t do anything drastic if you don’t want it, Esme. Just breathe, and calm your fragile heart." He ruffled her short hair affectionately as he pulled himself back, a mischievous smile curving his lips before he turned towards the door.

"You can view me as a bad man, Esme," he suddenly said, his fingers closing in on the door handle. "But don’t think I’ll ever treat you badly. Get some rest, and you can have your breakfast in your chamber if you’re too tired to come down." With that, he left, closing the door behind him.

Esme could feel the heat consuming her cheeks, a blush igniting her skin, and she fanned her face frantically with her hands, desperate to quell the heat, like it would do anything to cool it down.

After having breakfast, Althea eagerly pulled Esme and her sister over. "Today is all about us girls! I’m so excited, I get so jealous when the guys get to hang out, but now it’s our turn. Aren’t you two excited for today??"

"I thought Finnian was coming along," Esme reminded Althea.

"He changed his mind," Althea replied. "Lothar and Donovan plan on testing the new weapons they made a blacksmith craft for them. Finnian wanted to go with them because they promised him a new weapon. So it’s just us."

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