"Don't bother. I would rather die."

He turns to face me again, his wings flutter behind him and I envy him for that. Anger bubbles inside me for what he has done, but before I can speak, he does.

"You have lost your wings and haven't eaten since the moment you came here-"

"That's because I don't want to be here!" I seethe at him in fury. "You brought me here against my will! You took away my wings! How cruel can you be!?" My sudden confidence has me marching over to him and slapping him across his face.

My eyes blow wide in fear as he grabs me by my neck and pushes me against a wall. I wince as my sore back hits the hard surface.

"Do not interrupt me while I speak!" He grits out, tightening his hold around my neck. I tug at his hand in a futile attempt, only resulting in him growling at me.

"Har-ry... please," I choke out. I can feel the darkness clouding my senses again but he releases his grip immediately and holds me as I fall into his arms.

"Why do you defy me and make me do these things?" He whispers and I can sense a battle inside him, as if he doesn't know who to blame; him or me.

"You took away my wings," I reply in a whisper and he tightens his embrace. Oddly, I love being in his arms right now. I don't have energy or will to pull away, so I let him hold me for as long as he desires.

"I had to," his voice is low... sad.

"So that I wouldn't leave?"

"You couldn't have left even if you had them," he answers, amused. "I won't let you away from me again."

"What if I don't want to be with you? Will you force me to stay?"

"Yes, agápi mou," his reply is instant and sincere. "Nothing and no one can take you away from me."

I don't know whether to be petrified or flattered, so I choose none.

"I am hungry," I look up at him to see him smiling. I wish I could see the green of his eyes again, if only for once. Maybe they would tell me what happened to him. What changed him.

"Now that's something that can be arranged quickly," he brushes his hand on my cheek and settles other on my hip, giving it a small squeeze. "Why don't you sit down again while I tell my servants to bring food for us in here?"

"Us? You haven't eaten?" I ask out of curiosity. This conversation feels so normal. This is what's confusing about him, I never know which way his mood swings.

He shakes his head and heads out.

I sit back down on the chair around the small dining. There are just two chairs, the other one right beside the one I am sitting on rather than facing me.

He made it clear that I can never escape this place. Should I feel comfortable with that? It's getting harder for me to get a hold upon my thoughts.

He returns back in a short while, a woman trailing behind him with her head bowed down. Her wings are mud coloured and tattered from beneath. I notice that her eyes are completely black when she looks up while serving plates from the trolley.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asks when I keep staring at her retreating figure.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," I shrug and turn to look at my plate. The food looks mouth-watering and my stomach grumbles.

I hear a short laugh and glare at the source.

"You should have eaten when food was offered rather than being stubborn," he smirks, unaffected by my clear distaste of his actions right now.

"Maybe you should think that someone would prefer to starve rather than eat something offered by you."

"And yet, here we are."

I huff and drop the conversation. Picking up the fork, I stab into the piece of meat, wishing it was Harry's skin.

None of us says anything until the plates are empty. I feel considerably better after eating.

"You said you hadn't eaten. Why?" I ask again.

"You don't get the hint to drop a subject, do you?" I give him a bored look, wanting him to continue. He lets out a deep breath. "You were out for four days. Even in unconscious state your body was writhing with each shedding feather. I couldn't have stomached anything even if I had eaten. You were dying in front of my eyes from the pain, I couldn't think of anything else but you."

I let out a whisper of his name, "Harry-"

"I had to cut off your wings, or else...," he clenches his eyes before speaking, "You would have died."

He is out of his chair and heading again to the door before I can respond.

"Harry, wait!" I call after him.

His feet come to a halt and I am quick to catch up with him. I wrap my arms around his torso from behind and don't let myself think too much as I place a kiss at his neck.

"Thank you," I whisper and place another kiss at the same spot before pulling back.

He is quite and I wait for him to speak.

"Y-you should rest," he stutters and doesn't turn before flying out.

I bite my lower lip and try to suppress the heat rising on my cheeks. I don't know what got into me to do this, but it feels nice.

And...

He cares for me.