<h4>Chapter 24: Making Progress</h4>


    Violet hurriedly gobbled down her food, not because it was incredibly delicious, but because she wanted to be done with it as quickly as possible and get away from this psychopath.


    Unfortunately for Violet, Asher seemed to misinterpret her urgency. He looked at her with concern and said, "My poor queen, you must be starving. Let me order more for you."


    He was already picking up his phone when Violet shouted, "No!"


    He raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "No?"


    "Yes, I’m good. Any more than this and I’ll throw up," she replied honestly. Years of deprivation had conditioned her stomach to ept only so much, and she truly couldn’t eat any more.


    Asher frowned, clearly disapproving. "You have quite a small appetite. It’s not enough, little purple. But don’t worry, you’re here now, and I’ll fix that."


    Shivers ran down Violet’s spine at those words—a promise she wished had never been made. Asher was not going to let her out of his sight. Good thing she was already thinking of another way to escape. She would not let this psychopath groom her into being his "purple queen." That was never happening.


    Violet slowed her pace, eating less quickly now but still takingrge bites of food, trying to make it appear natural. Thankfully, Asher was focused on his phone now, and that gave her some breathing room.


    Still, Violet couldn’t help but watch him. Asher Nightshade looked surprisingly proper in his Lunaris uniform. Unlike Roman and Griffin—based on her recent experience with them—Asher wore his uniform fully and neatly, and she found herself wondering if he was, in fact, a model student.


    Or maybe that, too, was just an borate act to make people believe he was something he wasn’t. Just like his abilities, was everything about him a facade? What was real about Asher Nightshade?


    Violet got so absorbed watching him, trying to unravel the enigma he seemed to be, that she barely noticed she was still eating. There was something about him that was undeniably alluring, though she couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Was it his overgrown hair, gelled smoothly to one side of his face, or the nearly invisible pores on his skin? How could someone look so perfect?


    As he typed away on his phone, the slightest frown appeared on his face. Violet found herself having the ridiculous urge to smooth it away. <i>Yep, this was more proof that she was going crazy. </i>


    Or perhaps Asher was somehow willing her to find his features appealing. That sounded absurd, though considering Asher, nothing seemed impossible.


    Violet ended her inner monologue and lifted her head to steal a nce at him, only for her eyes to collide with his. The suddenness of it startled her so much that she choked, the food going down the wrong pipe.


    Violet began to cough violently, tears slipping from her eyes.


    "Here," Asher said, quickly pushing a ss of water to her lips. She didn’t even protest, instinctively gulping it down until the ss was empty. Asher set the ss aside and began to rub her back gently.


    "You’re safe. I got you," he muttered, his hand moving in soothing circles across her back.


    Violet had stopped coughing, but she was now frozen in ce, staring at Asher as if he had suddenly grown two heads. No one had ever said those words to her. Even though this was some twisted situation, no one had ever taken care of her like this.


    Maybe Nancy had, but only when Violet was sick and she didn’t want her to die. No one else had ever looked at her like she truly mattered, like they genuinely saw her.


    Violet was caught in the moment when Asher cupped her face with one hand, the other continuing to rub her back, his touch now slowing into a gentler, almost seductive rhythm. Her breath hitched,ing out in shallow bursts.


    Violet couldn’t fight the strange magic in the air. Asher leaned in, her own eyes slowly drifting closed. She knew what she was doing. It was only a kiss, nothing more. Violet justified it in her mind


    However, just as their lips were about to meet, the door suddenly swung open, and Principal Jameson’s voice echoed through the room, "Who the fuck is in my office...?" she trailed off as she processed the scene before her.


    Violet jerked back immediately, the feeling of being caught about to kiss a psychopath feeling like a p across her face. It was a sobering shock, yanking her back to reality.


    "Mr. Nightshade... Oh, shit..." Jameson cursed as she realized he wasn’t wearing his shades.


    Violet used the distraction to scramble away from Asher, managing to get to her feet just as Jameson pulled a pair of aviators from her bag and put them on.


    With the principal’s over-the-top reaction, Violet couldn’t help but wonder what was so unnerving about staring into Asher’s eyes.


    Sure, his eyes were unusual from the others, but that was all.


    If anything, Violet found herself oddlyfortable staring into those slitted, reptilian eyes. Unless, of course, Jameson had secrets she didn’t want Asher pulling from her. Unlike Jameson, Violet had no secrets, aside from her ns to escape tonight.


    "Oh..." Jameson finally seemed to recognize her. "Miss Purple..."


    Even with her eyes hidden behind the shades, Violet could sense the usation in Jameson’s tone. She had begun to judge her and it was not surprising, not after her "creative" application.


    Violet grabbed her satchel. "I’m leaving for ss."


    Asher rose to his feet as well. "I’ll escort you—"


    "No!" Violet shouted, startling both Jameson and Asher.


    She licked her lips, regaining herposure as she spoke calmly, "I think you’ve done enough already." And it was anything but a thank you.


    If Asher walked her to ss, Violet could only imagine themotion it would stir among the other students. She didn’t want that kind of attention.


    Beforeing here, Violet had checked her ranking, and to her dismay, she’d already moved up to eighteenth ce. If those she had pushed aside to reach that rank were anything like Sharon, she was in for more trouble, even though she wasn’t responsible for any of it. She didn’t even want this!


    Who on earth was pushing her up the ranks? Whoever it was, they’d have a meeting with her fists soon enough.


    For a moment, it seemed like Asher might ignore her and insist on his own way, but for once, he relented.


    Thank God, Violet sighed inwardly.


    Violet would rather deal with Asher’s obsession in secret than let it be broadcast to the entire academy. She just couldn’t handle it.


    Jameson, however, seemed to realize what Violet’s departure meant. That she’d be left alone with Asher. Oh shit.


    Immediately, she shot a pleading look in Violet’s direction, silently imploring her to stay.


    But Violet only saluted her with a knowing grin. "Have a nice day, ma’am."


    And then she left.


    Jameson swallowed, turning back to Asher, who now wore a scowl on his face.


    Just when he had been making progress with his purple queen, she had toe in and ruin the kiss.