enjoyebooks Chapter 28
Chapter 28
The kitchen was alive with the sounds of sizzling oil and the earthy scent of spices blending together. The air was thick with heat, both from the oven and the simmering pots on the stovetop. But it was nothing compared to the tension I felt when I saw Celestina standing there, watching me with a raised eyebrow.
"I’m just saying," Celestina declared during our private cooking class, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she surveyed me, "if you're going to cook, you shouldn't look so terrified of the knives."
I glanced down at the gleaming chef's knife in my hand, the blade cutting through the air almost mockingly as I tried to adjust my grip. "I’m not terrified," I muttered, my eyes narrowing. "I’m... cautious."
Her lips curled into that knowing smile of hers. The kind that made me want to do something, anything, to prove her wrong. I set the knife down, trying to hide the fact that my hands were shaking just a little. Cooking in front of her was nerve-wracking—no matter how many times I told myself it wasn’t.
The chef overseeing our lesson, a seasoned professional who’d been with us since we started, couldn’t help but chuckle. He leaned in, his voice low and amused. "Perhaps you let Lady Celestina handle the cutting, sir?"
I let out an exaggerated sigh, pretending to give in. "I think that’s wise," I agreed, handing over the knife with all the solemnity I could muster, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity.
Celestina grinned, her fingers wrapping around the handle of the knife with ease. I watched as she expertly cut through the ingredients with confidence, each motion precise and practiced. I was still fumbling with the onions, wondering if I should cry, and there she was, a woman who could slice through her enemies with the same skill.
"You're doing that wrong," she teased as I struggled with the spice blend, the turmeric not measuring up to her standards.
I shot her a mock glare, which, by now, she’d come to expect. "Says the woman who nearly mistook turmeric for saffron."
Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "I was testing you," she countered, smirking, as she added just the right amount of ground ginger to the pot.
"Testing me?" I grumbled, mixing the spices together, wondering how she could be so relaxed. She wasn’t even breaking a sweat, and here I was, feeling like I was in a kitchen battlefield.
She looked over at me, her gaze softening slightly. "Yes, testing you. For your ability to keep up with me, of course."
The words hung in the air, playful and daring, but there was something deeper in them—something that made me pause. I hadn't been able to keep up with her in so many ways. Not when it came to her mind, or her heart, or even her will. She was always five steps ahead, always far beyond me in ways I could barely comprehend.
Still, there was no time to think about that now. We had a meal to prepare. I focused on chopping the fish into smaller pieces, doing my best to make them presentable.
And for a moment, everything felt easy. The noise of the kitchen faded away, and there was just Celestina beside me. I noticed how her hair swayed as she moved, how the light from the windows hit her just right, casting a golden glow on her features. She wasn’t the regal princess of the palace now. She was just Celestina, here in this room with me.
I took a deep breath, trying to center myself before I could screw this up more than I already had.
When we finished the dish and set it on the small table near the window, I felt a sense of pride—though I’d never admit it aloud. We sat down to eat, the table overlooking the crystal-clear waters beyond. I watched as she took her first bite, the way her eyes softened slightly, and then—unbelievably—she gave me a small nod of approval.
"This is surprisingly good," she admitted, taking another bite, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment.
I couldn’t hide my surprise. "Surprisingly?"
Her grin turned mischievous, the same grin I’d seen a thousand times in private moments. "Let’s just say my expectations were low."
I laughed, a genuine sound that felt oddly freeing. "Well, I’m glad I exceeded your expectations, Your Majesty."
She raised an eyebrow at me. "Don’t get too cocky, Kael. I still have to live with you, after all."
That comment made my heart beat a little faster. The sarcasm in her voice was a challenge, but there was something more beneath it. Was she starting to trust me again? Was this just a fleeting moment, or had I actually done something to bridge the chasm between us?
I leaned back in my seat, watching her as she ate. There were moments like this, small pieces of time where everything felt like it was falling into place, when I thought—just for a moment—that maybe we had a chance.
But then the reality of who we were and what we’d been through hit me all over again. She’d been through so much for me, and I had betrayed her in ways I could never undo. Still, here we were, together in this space, and I’d be damned if I didn’t take this moment with both hands.
After a while, the silence between us was comfortable, filled with the sound of us eating and occasionally stealing glances at each other. But it wasn’t just food that I had in mind. It was her—the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn’t paying attention, the softness in her voice when she spoke about things she cared about. I was falling for her all over again, and this time, I wasn’t going to let her slip away.
"Thank you," she said quietly after finishing the meal. "For this. For today."
Her voice was different now, softer. And maybe it was the way the sun was setting outside, or the fact that we were sitting in a moment of peace, but I felt something shift. It wasn’t the grand gesture I had hoped for, but it was real. And it was more than enough.
"You deserve more than this, Celestina," I said, my voice quieter than I intended.
She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. "Maybe," she said softly. "But this... this feels like enough right now."