Chapter 153: Aphrodisiac

Elara:

The bartender had long placed the fourth glass in front of me, and I was just reaching for it when another hand appeared and calmly pulled the glass away.

I turned toward the person beside me, prepared to complain, but the words never made it out as I watched Lorien standing there with the drink held safely out of my reach. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the restaurant staff quietly disappearing from the private floor, including the handsome bartender who had been making my drinks all evening. I frowned and reached for the glass again, but Lorien simply moved it farther away.

"You are not drinking anymore," he said at last, his voice low and firm.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Why not? It barely has any alcohol in it," I protested, leaning toward the glass. "And I only need one more."

I tried reaching for it again, but Lorien kept it out of reach with one hand while his other caught my wrist before I could lean too far. His fingers were cold against my warm skin, and the instant they touched me, an unexpected spark seemed to travel all the way up my arm.

I froze.

The sensation was strangely soothing, almost painfully pleasant compared to the heat that had been building beneath my skin, and for one dangerously stupid second, I found myself wanting to move closer simply because his touch felt so cool. I forced myself to stay still, blinking rapidly as I tried to collect my thoughts. Then Lorien suddenly lifted the glass toward his face and inhaled deeply.

His expression changed almost immediately. He frowned and took another careful breath from the rim of the glass, his eyes narrowing as though he was trying to identify something hidden beneath the sweetness of the cocktail. Then his eyes widened and he turned toward me so quickly that whatever silly thought had been occupying my mind disappeared.

"Elara," he said, and something in his voice made my stomach drop. "What’s in it?"

I stared at him blankly. "It’s a cocktail?" I answered, as though that explained everything.

Lorien looked down at the glass again before saying, "This contains moon orchid extract."

I blinked. "Okay..."

He looked at me with an expression that made me realize the answer was not okay. "Moon orchid is commonly used in certain medicinal preparations," he explained, his voice becoming increasingly serious, "but in concentrated quantities, it acts as an aphrodisiac. It intensifies physical sensations, raises body temperature, and can severely affect judgment when combined with alcohol."

My mouth fell open. For several seconds, I couldn’t even breathe properly. I looked at the glass and then back at him, horrified. "That was in the drink?" I whispered.

Lorien’s jaw tightened. "Apparently." Then his eyes narrowed. "How many did you drink?"

My fingers trembled as I slowly raised my hand and showed him three fingers. Lorien stared at them. And for one long second, he said nothing. Then he closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse.

"Three," he repeated, opening his eyes again. "Of course."

I swallowed nervously. Suddenly the warmth spreading through my body no longer felt amusing. "Am I going to be okay?" I asked quietly.

He immediately set the glass down far away from me. "We are going back to the academy. Now." His tone left no room for argument. "You need to see a healer immediately."

For once, I didn’t argue. I slid from the high stool, but the moment my feet touched the floor, the entire room tilted violently. My vision blurred, my knees buckled, and I barely had enough time to gasp before Lorien caught me. His arms wrapped around me, steadying my weight before I could hit the floor, and I instinctively grabbed his coat.

Despite the layers of clothing between us, another shiver ran through me at the contact. I lifted my head, and our eyes met. For a moment, neither of us moved. His blue eyes searched my face, while I found myself painfully aware of how close he was.

The silence stretched between us before Lorien was the first to recover. He tightened his hold just enough to keep me upright and said quietly, "Come on."

He started walking, taking me with him, and I followed because for once my body and brain seemed interested in cooperating. The corridor outside the private floor seemed impossibly long. More than once, my vision suddenly darkened at the edges, forcing me to stop and blink until the walls became solid again. More than once, my knees turned weak enough that Lorien had to catch more of my weight. Each time, he steadied me without saying anything, his grip firm and controlled as he guided me toward the exit.

The heat inside my body kept increasing, spreading from my chest through my arms and legs until even the cool night air beyond the restaurant doors sounded like something I desperately needed.

"Lorien," I whispered, my voice weaker than I intended. "I’m fine."

He glanced down at me with an expression that suggested he didn’t believe me for even a second. "You are barely standing."

"I’m still standing," I argued weakly.

"Because I’m holding you up," he replied without missing a beat.

I would have rolled my eyes if another wave of dizziness hadn’t hit me.

By the time we reached the restaurant entrance, I could barely focus on anything except the steady presence beside me. Snow was falling outside, tiny white flakes disappearing against the dark pavement, and the cold air should have helped, but the heat beneath my skin only seemed more pronounced by comparison.

Lorien kept one arm securely around me as he guided me toward the waiting car. My legs nearly gave out again just before we reached it, and his grip immediately tightened. I heard the car door opening somewhere beside us, but my vision blurred before I could see much.

I leaned more heavily against him, exhausted and dizzy, and for the first time that night, I stopped pretending I could handle everything myself. With Lorien supporting nearly all my weight, I finally made it out of the restaurant and into the waiting car.

The night had just began...