PATH OF THE STAR HUNTER

Revna quickly recognized the source of her restraint; to her utter surprise, it wasn’t Desmond who had captured her but Claire. Revna didn’t know that as an arcanist who embarked on the path of telekinesis, Claire had a sense of space that far surpasses Desmond’s innate instincts.

In the past, Claire might not have noticed Revna hiding in the shadows, but that had changed over time, and now Claire was always aware of Revna’s presence whenever she was within range.

In other words, Claire had long known about Revna spying on her room, but she had decided not to do anything about it until now. Of course, Claire had her own reasons for putting up with Revna’s spying, which had made her very uncomfortable when she first realized it, but it seemed like just a moment ago, Revna had crossed a line that Claire was unwilling to let pass.

Revna’s first instinct was to try to break free of her restraint, but she had underestimated how strong it was; without the ability to generate any momentum, Revna didn’t have the strength to break free of it.

Due to all the training Revna had gone through, she was pretty good at adapting to new situations, so realizing that she couldn’t move at all, Revna managed to calm down and look in Claire’s direction, waiting for Claire’s next move.

Still lying on her stomach, Claire’s emerald green eyes looked back at Revna as one of her hands lay outstretched, projecting the force field. As part of some kind of unspoken agreement, like Revna, Claire made no noise as she got up and sat on the bed, still looking in Revna’s direction.

In a voice much more serious and dark than was normal for her, Claire spoke. “I asked you a question, are you having fun?”

Revna’s first reaction was to make sure Desmond hadn’t been woken by the noise, but upon closer look, she realized that a thin force field surrounded her and Claire backing away from Desmond. Revna guessed that this field had a soundproofing function since Desmond hadn’t reacted.

.....

Somewhat confident that Desmond wasn’t going to wake up, Revna responded with some stiffness. “You already knew it?”

The respect and obedience in Revna’s voice had lessened now that the interaction involved her and Claire, something the latter noted. Still, Claire had a rudimentary understanding of Revna, so she didn’t find it all that strange.

Not that Revna had an aggressive tone or anything like that; if anything, Revna’s way of speaking now seemed more sincere in Claire’s eyes.

“You underestimate me too much, Revna. I understand that in a real fight, you would cut my throat in less than a minute, but if you think your skills are infallible, you are too naive.” Not necessarily upset, Claire responded with some firmness and confidence.

Contrary to what one would have expected, Revna listened very carefully to Claire’s words. She did not dismiss her failure to hide or underestimate Claire’s abilities; on the contrary, she seemed to want to know more about it to improve and eliminate her weaknesses.

Such notions crossed Revna’s mind for only a moment before she realized a significant problem... Claire knew what she had been doing all this time.

Completely flushed and embarrassed, Revna tried to look away from Claire but couldn’t because her body was still restrained by the telekinetic energy field.

Forced into a corner, metaphorically, Revna responded. “I just wanted to know what it feels like.”

Due to her sitting posture, Claire’s figure was very well exposed to Revna’s eyes, but Claire didn’t care; in fact, she had a mischievous smile on her lips as she looked at the Nordic-looking girl.

“Do you want to know what it feels like? What exactly?”

Claire’s intention to provoke Revna couldn’t be more evident, but the latter didn’t care; Claire had already caught her red-handed, so she might as well confess.

Flushed and helpless, Revna answered. “I wanted to know how it feels to be in your position.”

As soon as Revna responded, a more intense telekinetic force began to control her body. Like a puppet, her actions began to be decided by someone else.

Revna was helpless, humiliated, and furious; she didn’t expect Claire to be so cruel. But nothing prepared Revna for what happened next. Rising from the bed entirely, revealing her naked figure, Claire moved closer to her, pressing her body against Revna’s body.

Still unable to understand Claire’s intentions, Revna watched as her body moved of its own accord, pressing herself against Desmond’s body and striking a very compromising pose.

Like the whisper of a succubus, Claire’s delicate, intoxicating voice reached Revna’s ear, and she felt a chill run down her spine. “Do you mean this position?”

Before Revna could even try to answer the question, two intense sensations of pressure washed over her body as Claire placed one of her hands on her chest and the other on her waist.

At this point, the restrictive force field was gone, but Revna didn’t dare move an inch for fear of waking Desmond and possible retaliation from Claire.

Leaning in slightly, Claire put her face right next to Revna’s, and looking the latter directly in her eyes, she began to speak again. “You and I had a little chat a couple of months ago. Back then, I thought you understood, but it seems that wasn’t the case. You see, my dear Revna, I know how much you want Desmond, I know you would do absolutely anything for him, and that, at least for me, is enough to earn you a place in this house. In that sense, we are not very different; I would also do anything for Desmond, including sharing his love with other people.”

At this point in her speech, Claire ultimately released Revna, and taking her attention away from her for a moment, Claire kissed Desmond cheekily before turning around to face Revna again.

“As long as Desmond wants you, I will do nothing to get in your way, but this, the spying and stalking from the shadows, has to stop. Don’t get me wrong, Revna, actually, I quite like you. Everything you do for Desmond greatly makes me appreciate your presence, but I still won’t tolerate any more of your sneaky games.” Out of nowhere, all the flirtatiousness and insidious seduction disappeared from Claire’s demeanor, leaving behind only a severe and unforgiving look, making it clear that she was serious.

Free of her restraints, Revna didn’t hesitate for a second to push herself off Desmond and out of bed, now facing Claire at a more comfortable distance for her. Still, Claire’s words and attitude hit Revna with all force, leaving the young redhead ashamed and regretful.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t as if Revna didn’t realize how twisted her actions were; she just hadn’t been able to stop herself at the moment. Truth be told, part of the reason Revna was the way she was; was due to her insecurities that made her believe she wasn’t worthy of being truly together with Desmond.

That same insecurity made Revna more comfortable lurking in the shadows, but always being hidden from other people’s sight gradually twisted her way of seeing the world and her own actions. At some point, Revna began to think that as long as no one could see her, there would be no problem with anything she did.

Revna’s way of thinking had met with more than one setback in the past, including her previous argument with Claire, which caused cracks in her logic. Still, it wasn’t until now that Claire confronted her so earnestly that Revna began to Truly challenge her thinking.

Seeing Revna’s scolded childish expression and her meditative face, Claire decided to add oil to the flames. “I see you’re still wearing those earrings Desmond gave you. They look pretty good on you; it’s a shame Desmond can’t see them more often. Now that I think about it, that applies to all the nice clothes, dresses, and accessories the Garden girls give you. Instead of delighting your Master’s eyes with their presence, they remain hidden in the shadows just like you. How do you expect to get your Master’s attention and affection while hiding in the dark?”

Claire’s words were the final nail in the coffin that buried Revna’s obsession with stalking from the shadows. When the desire to be loved by Desmond collided head-on with the insecurities and twisted logic in Revna’s mind, there could only be one undisputed winner, and it didn’t take deliberation to know which one it was.

Of course, the change wouldn’t happen overnight, but Revna was willing to see the error in her actions and find another way to get closer to the object of her desire. With this understanding made, the only thing left for Revna was to give an honest apology. “I am sorry.”

Claire lay back on the bed with a tired sigh before pulling a sheet over her body and answering in a soft voice. “You better be sorry. Do you know how uncomfortable it is for me to realize someone is looking at me while I’m making love to Desmond? As if that wasn’t enough, I still have to help you and give you tips to get my man’s attention, my dear Revna; even my kindness has its limits.”

The shame that flooded Revna’s body grew four times stronger at Claire’s response. “I’m so sorry, young lady.”

“Call me Claire. If you want to harass Desmond by calling him Master, that’s fine with me; it’s always fun to see my dear Desmond in an awkward position, but leave me out of it.” Claire answered after yawning a bit.

Understanding that Claire was genuinely tired, Revna turned to leave. As she left the room, just before she closed the door, Claire’s voice again reached her ears. “Let this be the last time, Revna.”

A terrifying chill ran down Revna’s spine, who found that bloodlust and aggression incredibly familiar. Revna might never have thought this, but right now, to her at least, Claire and Desmond looked a lot alike. The jovial and enthusiastic Claire, always full of warmth and joy, now looked very much like Desmond when he revealed his fangs.