The Spoilt Beauty And Her Beasts-Chapter 514: Go then

Isabella didn’t move.

Couldn’t move.

Her fingers trembled where they rested on his chest, the heat of him burning through her skin like her bones were trying to melt. Osiris hadn’t moved either. His lips were still right there—dangerously close. The air between them pulsed.

Tight. Heavy.

Hot.

And he wasn’t even touching her that much. Just... lightly. Barely. His hand stayed on her arm, low, near the inside of her elbow. His palm was large, too warm, too steady, too solid. Like the kind of hand that could crush rocks or crush her spine—depending on his mood.

The worst part?

She didn’t want to move.

She really didn’t.

Her breath stuttered. Her head buzzed. Her lashes fluttered like traitors. She was just... stuck. In heat. In tension. In whatever black hole of hormones and betrayal the gods had tossed her into.

And Osiris—

Osiris just stared.

Lower.

Lower.

His eyes dropped from her eyes to her lips again.

Of course they did.

That stupid look in his eyes—

that predatory, lazy smirk barely there, like he was watching something already his.

His fingers twitched against her skin.

"You don’t have to do it," he said again, voice lower than before, dragging like smoke. "I will do it."

Her brain screamed.

Nope. No. Uh-uh. Abort. ABORT.

He wasn’t supposed to sound like that.

She blinked.

And blinked again.

What was she doing?

Oh right.

Right.

She hated him.

"I don’t care," she said stiffly, finally jerking her wrist free. She stepped back like he was on fire. (He technically was.) "Do whatever you want."

Osiris tilted his head.

"Mm. Is that so?" His voice dropped again, amused. His eyes didn’t leave hers.

"Yes." Isabella crossed her arms, acting like she wasn’t breathing through her mouth. "Who cares if you do it? Not me. Not anyone. That’s literally why you’re here, by the way. Obviously."

He let out a low chuckle, dark and amused, like he saw through her act like smoke.

"Of course," he said softly. "That’s why you dragged me here."

"I didn’t drag you—"

"—tied me up and begged me to follow—"

"I WILL KILL YOU."

He raised both hands in mock surrender, a smirk pulling at his lips. "Violent little creature."

"You’re the one who’s huge for no reason," she snapped.

"I didn’t pick my genetics."

"Pick new ones."

"Aw," he cooed. "You’re flustered."

"I’m NOT."

"You are."

Glimora, sitting a few feet away, covered her face again with one tiny paw. (She was too young for this)

Isabella spun around before her fists curled, because if she stared at him one more second she’d do something extremely unwise. Like kiss him. Or bite him. Or both.

Ugh. Idiot bird.

He’s so annoying.

So tall. So smug. So shirtless.

Why is he always shirtless?

Just because he’s a phoenix?

Grow up.

She hissed to herself and spun back. "Go then."

Osiris didn’t wait.

His expression turned serious, the teasing melting off just enough for a colder focus to take over. He turned and approached the magma-split rock slowly. It jutted halfway up the wall, like the mountain had cracked open and birthed a pit of fire. Glowing red light danced along the curves of the rock, and inside—

Firemoss.

Not just one.

A whole cluster.

Thick, red-orange vines glowed and pulsed like veins full of lava, stretched across the crack like a web of slow fire. The heat radiating off it warped the air in waves.

Osiris didn’t even flinch.

He climbed halfway up the rocks, careful but confident, moving like he’d done this before in a past life. The light flickered across his back, casting golden edges over his arms.

Isabella, on the other hand, was sweating.

Hard.

She tried not to be obvious.

She tried not to stare.

She tried not to care.

But she was staring.

And she did care.

Because—because—he didn’t have his powers.

He told her that before.

He told her that he was weak now. Drained. Simply because he lost his memory it somehow had locked up most of his flame. He could use it sometimes, barely, but not like before. Not like a real phoenix.

He was just a man now.

Not immortal. Not invincible.

Just a really annoying, smug, hot idiot.

And that idiot was climbing into a crack of literal molten death.

She chewed her lip.

Her fists clenched.

Then, before she could stop herself, she yelled—

"Be careful!"

It was instinct.

And she instantly regretted it.

Osiris stopped.

Turned.

Looked down at her.

She looked up at him.

They locked eyes.

She looked away first.

"I—I mean," she coughed, suddenly interested in the wall, "don’t die or whatever. We still have... things. To do." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Osiris didn’t say anything for a long moment.

Then, softly, like a smirk turned into words—

"...noted."

Isabella rolled her eyes at herself.

Why did she even say that? Ugh.

Glimora tilted her head curiously.

Osiris turned back toward the moss. He crouched closer, heat radiating off the rock like a furnace.

Inside the crack, the Firemoss pulsed.

He reached for it.

And Isabella watched, breath caught in her throat.

Because if anything went wrong—

if he touched it the wrong way, if it flared, if it burned him—

he’d die.

And for some reason, that made her stomach twist.

She didn’t like him.

But she didn’t want him dead.

Definitely not dead.

Osiris reached toward the moss.

Paused.

The Firemoss didn’t flare.

Didn’t spit.

Didn’t react.

It just... glowed.

Slowly.

Almost like it was alive.

The fire leaned into him like heat recognizing heat.

Like beast recognizing beast.

Isabella’s eyes widened.

The moss wasn’t attacking him.

Not at all.

And then she realized.

Oh.

Oh.

Because he’s fire.

Because he’s a phoenix.

The moss recognized him.

Her jaw tightened.

She couldn’t have gotten in here without him. And she couldn’t have touched the moss either.

He was the only reason they were this far.

And he was risking himself for it.

Even though he was weak.

Even though he hated her.

Even though she hated him.

Her heart thumped once.

Then again.

She bit her lip, gripping the folds of her dress.

Just don’t die, she thought again, watching him.

Just come back down.

She didn’t care.

She didn’t.

But—

Her voice caught in her throat.

He’s still not back.

...

Okay okay okay guys, guess what. I finally did it. The website is DONE. Like actually done. I’m still running a few tests and fixing things behind the scenes, but oh my god I can’t wait for you to see it. My new novel is going to be on there, and I swear I’ve never been this excited in my life. I won’t spoil anything yet because I want you to experience everything fresh, but in future episodes I’ll give the name and start teasing all the cool stuff I added. Just know... it’s not your regular reading site. Stay ready.