I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 95: Fake sleep

The silence stretched on.

Malvoria had never thought silence could be this loud.

The plates were still on the table, the air smelled faintly of spices, and across from her—

Elysia was very obviously pretending to be asleep.

Malvoria narrowed her eyes.

She wasn't an idiot.

Elysia's breathing was too even, her fingers too tense, and every once in a while, her eyelashes twitched.

Malvoria knew what actual sleep looked like—this was not it. She tapped her fingers against the table.

Why wasn't this awkward?

It should be awkward.

She was not the type of person to just... sit in a room after dinner, staring at someone who was pretending to be asleep.

And yet, here she was.

Still sitting. Still staring. Still not leaving.

What am I doing?

Her fingers twitched against the wooden surface.

She needed to do something.

Anything.

Her mind whirled through possibilities.

She could wake Elysia up.

She could leave.

She could—

No.

No, she wasn't going to just leave and act like this whole situation hadn't happened.

She was Malvoria, Queen of Demons.

She didn't run from things.

She faced them.

She—

Elysia twitched again.

Malvoria sighed loudly.

Still no reaction.

Alright.

Fine.

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, and smirked.

"You know, if you're going to fake sleep, at least try harder."

Silence.

Then—

A long exhale.

Elysia rolled over onto her side, cracking open one eye to glare at her.

"Go away."

Malvoria grinned. "I was going to, but now I'm interested."

Elysia groaned, throwing an arm over her face. "I regret everything."

Malvoria leaned back. "That's fair."

A beat.

Then—

Elysia peeked at her from beneath her arm. "You're still here."

Malvoria shrugged. "You're still awake."

Elysia huffed.

Another pause.

And then, before she could stop herself, Malvoria found herself speaking again.

"...Why were you pretending to sleep?"

Elysia froze.

Then, slowly, she turned her head toward Malvoria, her expression flat.

"...Why are you still here?"

Malvoria arched a brow. "I asked first."

Elysia narrowed her eyes. "You brought food, you sat down, you stayed longer than necessary. If anything, I should be the one asking you that question."

Malvoria blinked.

That was...

Annoyingly logical.

Elysia crossed her arms, looking far too smug for someone who had been fake-sleeping two minutes ago.

Malvoria tilted her head, then smirked. "Fair enough."

Elysia stared. "Wait, you're not going to argue?"

"Why? You're right."

Elysia opened her mouth—then closed it.

Then frowned.

Then opened her mouth again.

Then stopped.

Malvoria grinned. "You're thinking too hard."

Elysia glared. "This feels like a trap."

Malvoria just gave a small, lazy shrug. "Maybe."

Elysia huffed, shifting beneath the blankets.

Malvoria leaned back in her chair, watching her.

This whole conversation was ridiculous.

And yet, for some reason, she didn't want it to end.

Her fingers tapped idly against the wooden surface.

Elysia was stubborn.

That much was clear.

But there was something... almost amusing about seeing her like this.

Not guarded.

Not tense.

Just...

Tired, but comfortable.

The thought was dangerous. She shoved it aside.

Instead, she stood.

Elysia immediately perked up. "Oh, finally—"

Malvoria walked toward the bed.

Elysia's sentence cut off.

Her silver eyes widened. "Wait, what are you doing?"

Malvoria didn't answer.

She just kicked off her boots, shrugged off her coat, and—

Without hesitation—

She lay down next to Elysia.

Elysia made a sound that could only be described as pure disbelief.

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Malvoria turned her head, smirking. "What? You looked lonely."

Elysia gaped at her. "You looked lonely?"

Malvoria shrugged.

Elysia buried her face in her hands. "I hate you."

Malvoria just smirked. "No, you don't."

Elysia groaned into her hands. Malvoria laughed.

And, for some reason, the silence that followed didn't feel awkward at all.

The room was dimly lit, the enchanted lamps casting a soft golden glow against the deep crimson and black furnishings.

The air carried the faint scent of spiced wood and something softer—Elysia's scent, a mixture of delicate florals and the lingering warmth of sleep.

It was a scent Malvoria had grown accustomed to, though she would never admit to recognizing it so easily.

The silence between them stretched, but it was not heavy. It was not the kind of silence filled with tension or unspoken hostility, nor the kind that felt oppressive, demanding to be broken. It was simply there, a quiet presence between them, breathing, shifting, existing.

Elysia lay beside her, her silver hair spilling across the pillow in soft waves, her expression still pinched with the remnants of frustration from their earlier exchange.

Malvoria had not missed the way her shoulders had relaxed slightly, how the sharp edge of her wariness had dulled just enough for her to not immediately shove Malvoria away.

That was... something, wasn't it?

Malvoria was not sure what she was doing here, lying beside her, staring at the ceiling as if she had nothing better to do.

She should have left already, should have stood up the moment she had made her point, but instead, she had settled in. And now, the warmth of the bed, the soft rise and fall of Elysia's breathing beside her—it was strangely calming.

She hated that.

Or, at the very least, she should have hated that.

But for some reason, she found herself simply existing in it, letting the seconds pass without feeling the urge to move, to fill the space with words, to put distance between herself and the strange, lingering comfort of this moment.

Then, just as she was beginning to think Elysia had fallen asleep, a soft voice broke the silence.

"...I still think you're unbearable."

Malvoria turned her head, raising a brow. "Oh?"

Elysia didn't open her eyes. "You're smug. Arrogant. Infuriating."

Malvoria smirked. "Go on."

Elysia let out a quiet, exasperated sigh. "And yet, somehow, you don't seem as insufferable tonight."

Malvoria huffed a quiet laugh, shifting slightly to rest on her side, elbow propped against the mattress as she tilted her head, watching Elysia. "High praise, coming from you."

Elysia cracked one eye open to glare at her. "Don't make me regret it."

Malvoria let the corner of her mouth curl into a half-smile before shaking her head. "Sleep, Elysia."

A pause. Then—

"I'm not tired."

Malvoria arched a brow. "You were pretending to sleep earlier."

Elysia huffed. "That was different."

Malvoria just gave her a knowing look.

Elysia scowled.

And yet, as the minutes passed, the tension in her shoulders eased further, her breaths slowing, her fingers twitching once before going still.

Malvoria watched as her expression softened, the sharpness in her features smoothing out, the exhaustion from the past few days finally winning against whatever stubbornness had been keeping her awake.

She let out a slow exhale, turning onto her back again, staring up at the ceiling.

She had stayed long enough.

Carefully, with the practiced ease of someone who knew how to move without making a sound, Malvoria sat up.

Elysia didn't stir.

Malvoria allowed herself one last glance at her before she swung her legs off the bed and stood.

It was time to leave.