The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 280: Opening Up

Jerrick’s eyes gleamed with a glassy sheen, the crimson hue deepening as he heard her words. Jessamyn’s gaze met his with a sincerity that cut through the tension between them. In her eyes, there was no hint of deception—only a raw, unfiltered truth.

She truly believed that his cruel words had merely slipped out in a moment of weakness. They hadn’t wounded her as he feared they might have, and that simple realization made his chest tighten with emotion.

"You understand me," Jerrick whispered, his voice thick with regret. "You love me, even after everything I’ve said. Forgive me for being so cruel to you..." His fingers traced the delicate contours of her face as he cupped her cheeks, the warmth of her skin grounding him in this moment.

He felt unworthy of her forgiveness, yet there she was, leaning into his touch, her soft lips curling into a tender smile as if to say there was nothing to forgive.

Jessamyn nestled into his hands, her body instinctively following the warmth of his palm. That was her answer—she didn’t need words to tell him that he was already forgiven, that his harshness had never really touched the love she held for him.

Her eyes softened as they remained locked on his, the tension between them melting away in the comfort of shared silence.

After a pause, she broke the quiet with a gentle query. "Speaking of Isadora... how is she doing?" Her voice held a note of concern, a motherly tenderness that made Jerrick’s heart ache.

"William said she didn’t shift," Jerrick replied, his tone softening as he spoke. His hands traced delicate patterns along her skin, savoring the smoothness beneath his fingers. "She trusted your words, believed that Bernard would be fine... and so, she held back."

Jessamyn’s eyes widened in surprise, and in a sudden, almost frantic motion, she tried to sit up. Her reaction startled Jerrick—he could feel her pulse quicken beneath his touch.

Concern flashed in his eyes as he gently pressed her back down onto the bed, his hands moving soothingly along her arms. "Shh... it’s alright," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her temple and stroke her hair until he felt the tension leave her body.

For a moment, they simply breathed together, the rise and fall of their chests synchronizing as he held her close. He knew she was calming down because he was calming himself, and their connection was so deep that her emotions often mirrored his.

Still, he couldn’t shake the curiosity that gnawed at him. Her reaction was far more intense than he’d expected.

"You’re not telling me everything, are you, Mynah?" His voice was soft, almost teasing, as he leaned in to kiss her lips, then trailed those kisses across her cheek and down her neck. The heat of his breath brushed against her skin, sending shivers coursing through her.

His body radiated warmth, a slow-burning fire that grew with each tender caress. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her, to let his desires take over and claim her, but he needed answers first.

Jessamyn held his gaze, her eyes revealing both affection and something unreadable—a depth of secrets she wasn’t ready to share. Time seemed to stretch in the room, each passing second thick with unspoken words. The only sound was the faint, rhythmic noise of his lips pressing against her skin, each kiss leaving a trail of warmth that made her body hum with anticipation.

She finally spoke, her voice soft but tinged with guilt. "I once blamed you for not telling me why you rejected me back then... why you couldn’t explain until the very end and I had to find out for myself. But now... I understand." Her words were filled with a bittersweet understanding. She was, after all, a hypocrite—keeping her own secrets while expecting him to lay bare his soul.

"Do you really understand?" Jerrick’s voice was a low, velvety murmur as his hand slid down to her thigh, tracing delicate lines over her skin. His touch was both teasing and possessive, each brush of his fingers sending a ripple of heat through her.

"Hmm..." Jessamyn let out a sound that was more a moan than a hum, the vibrations carrying her desire.

His teasing had awakened a hunger in her that was impossible to ignore. Her blood felt like molten fire in her veins, pooling at her core and making her crave more of his touch. Her body responded instinctively, hips tilting slightly toward his hand.

"Did you see Isadora turning in your vision?" he whispered, his breath hot against her ear as his fingers wandered dangerously close to the sensitive spot on her inner thigh.

The tension was thick, almost suffocating, as her thoughts warred with the sensations overwhelming her body. Every brush of his fingers against her skin threatened to break down the dam she’d carefully built to contain her emotions.

"I’m happy she didn’t turn," Jessamyn managed to say, her voice breathless as her eyes fluttered closed. "But is that really something to be happy about?" She gave in to her desires, surrendering to the way her body responded to his every touch, her mind clouded with pleasure.

"If you ask me," Jerrick replied, his voice husky with need, "Yes, it is." If given the choice, he would have preferred to be human all the time as well, despite the power that came with his other form. "Although I’ve grown accustomed to certain advantages..." he added with a playful smirk, his lips brushing against her collarbone.

Her worries about the prophecy flickered back, trying to break through the haze of desire. "If she didn’t turn... I’m worried what other changes could come," she whispered, her voice trembling as his hair tickled her neck. Her hands tangled in his dark locks as he kissed lower, down her chest.

"It could all be good changes," he murmured against her skin, his lips finding the places he knew would draw the sweetest sounds from her. His fingers found their way to her core, coaxing her closer to the edge.

"I hope so..." Jessamyn gasped, arching her back as the pleasure built within her. Her body responded to him like an instrument being expertly played, each note higher than the last, until she was trembling in his hands. The world around her blurred, her thoughts melting away until all that was left was the heat, the sensation, and the exquisite release that followed.

She shuddered as the wave of pleasure crested, her mind lost in the euphoria of the moment. But as the bliss faded, reality crashed back down, and with it, the memories she had fought to keep buried.

Tears welled in her eyes, her heart clenching as the image of Jerrick cornered by the elders of the council came to her mind. They hunted him like an animal and trapped him using her as a bait. She watched him suffer in agony.

And then... right in front of her eyes...

Her sobs broke through the silence, raw and full of anguish. "I saw you die... Jerrick, you can’t die," she cried, clutching onto him as if holding him tighter would keep the vision at bay.

Jerrick’s heart ached as he gathered her trembling form into his arms. He pressed gentle kisses to her forehead, wrapping her in his warmth.

Her tears soaked his skin, but he didn’t care. There was no pleasure in her pain, no satisfaction in her tears, but a part of him was relieved that she had finally let it out—that she had allowed herself to be vulnerable with him, just as he had with her.