started shaking, my heart was beating frantically. My mouth swelled with a sour taste from nausea that clung to me. Taking deep breaths helped, but not completely. The pain wouldn’t fade entirely. As soon as the sickness passed, I sat up and opened my eyes. Light from the moon filled the room. I looked up…it was nearly full.
“Are you okay?” Marren asked.
I nodded. “I think I want to lie down now.”
8
The Prophecy
By the time I had slipped into long black tights, a black blouse and a red velvet bodice, I had improved. Marren insisted on carrying me to bed, in case I was forced to surrender to another bout of cramps. I clung to him, breathing in the remaining scent of dried rose petals from the bath, and held onto him when he laid me on the bed, not willing to let him go just yet.
“When are the Ancients going to be here?” I asked just before I fell asleep, curled up next to him. The drapes danced in the warm breeze that blew in from the balcony. The moon's light shining onto the stone made it look like it was glowing with a pale blue aura.
“Several days from now, at least that is what their letter entailed.”
“Do you think I'll be changed by then?”
“I don't know.” An eerie call cut through the air. A howl that was both beautiful and terrifying. I sucked in a breath and clung to Marren tighter. I felt a chill crawl up my spine and raise the tiny hairs on the back of my neck. “That's Enid telling me everything is clear. You are safe tonight.”
“Why are you worried about my safety? I can defend myself just fine. You even saw to that.”
“I know, but some things are beyond your level of skill.” He added almost as an afterthought, “It's my job to protect you.”
I pulled myself up to his face, rubbing my lips gently along his cheek to his, and then laid my head back on his chest, listening to the thumping bene ath his shirt. Just before I fel l asleep, I heard him whisper, “Marry me...”
“I already have,” I whispered back and let unconsciousness sweep me away.
When I awoke, it was warm, but there wasn't a fire. The heat I felt was different, like it came from within me. A tiny ball of flames pulsating beneath my skin. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I drank too much ale, or what it could feel like to have swallowed a tiny sun.
I stretched out my body, reaching for Marren but finding cold sheets instead. I opened my eyes and saw him on the balcony, shirtless. The beads in his hair lace danced in the wind that blew warm gushes of air into the room. I licked my lips and crawled to the other side of the bed, slipping off to sneak up behind him. I slid my hands in between his arms and wove my fingers together locking him in my embrace. I felt him take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His hand covered mine.
“Good morning,” I whispered.
He twisted to face me, kissed me on my forehead and whispered, “Good morning, uwoduhi .”
“I love it when you say such beautiful things.” I smiled into his chest, leaving a kiss where my lips touched.
“That's exactly what it means.”
“Beautiful things?”
“Beautiful,” he said.
I remembered talking about it once, but never getting very far. Nestled into his chest, I breathed in the smell of his skin. The faint smell of dried rose petals lingered still. It brought the memory of the bath to mind, which in turn lead to the reason for the bath and the way fighting him makes my body react. His arms tightened around me, lifting my feet off the floor and carried me back into the room. He sat me gently on the bed and started to unlace my bodice while his lips parted and massaged mine. Mid-kiss, he paused, sucked in breath and stiffened. I heard a quiet tapping at the door.
“Damn it. Stay here. And this time, please stay here.” He patted the bed firmly. I nodded, afraid of the sudden change in mood and watched him grab a shirt and then walk through the doors like he was running into battle.
I stared at
“Are you okay?” Marren asked.
I nodded. “I think I want to lie down now.”
8
The Prophecy
By the time I had slipped into long black tights, a black blouse and a red velvet bodice, I had improved. Marren insisted on carrying me to bed, in case I was forced to surrender to another bout of cramps. I clung to him, breathing in the remaining scent of dried rose petals from the bath, and held onto him when he laid me on the bed, not willing to let him go just yet.
“When are the Ancients going to be here?” I asked just before I fell asleep, curled up next to him. The drapes danced in the warm breeze that blew in from the balcony. The moon's light shining onto the stone made it look like it was glowing with a pale blue aura.
“Several days from now, at least that is what their letter entailed.”
“Do you think I'll be changed by then?”
“I don't know.” An eerie call cut through the air. A howl that was both beautiful and terrifying. I sucked in a breath and clung to Marren tighter. I felt a chill crawl up my spine and raise the tiny hairs on the back of my neck. “That's Enid telling me everything is clear. You are safe tonight.”
“Why are you worried about my safety? I can defend myself just fine. You even saw to that.”
“I know, but some things are beyond your level of skill.” He added almost as an afterthought, “It's my job to protect you.”
I pulled myself up to his face, rubbing my lips gently along his cheek to his, and then laid my head back on his chest, listening to the thumping bene ath his shirt. Just before I fel l asleep, I heard him whisper, “Marry me...”
“I already have,” I whispered back and let unconsciousness sweep me away.
When I awoke, it was warm, but there wasn't a fire. The heat I felt was different, like it came from within me. A tiny ball of flames pulsating beneath my skin. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I drank too much ale, or what it could feel like to have swallowed a tiny sun.
I stretched out my body, reaching for Marren but finding cold sheets instead. I opened my eyes and saw him on the balcony, shirtless. The beads in his hair lace danced in the wind that blew warm gushes of air into the room. I licked my lips and crawled to the other side of the bed, slipping off to sneak up behind him. I slid my hands in between his arms and wove my fingers together locking him in my embrace. I felt him take in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His hand covered mine.
“Good morning,” I whispered.
He twisted to face me, kissed me on my forehead and whispered, “Good morning, uwoduhi .”
“I love it when you say such beautiful things.” I smiled into his chest, leaving a kiss where my lips touched.
“That's exactly what it means.”
“Beautiful things?”
“Beautiful,” he said.
I remembered talking about it once, but never getting very far. Nestled into his chest, I breathed in the smell of his skin. The faint smell of dried rose petals lingered still. It brought the memory of the bath to mind, which in turn lead to the reason for the bath and the way fighting him makes my body react. His arms tightened around me, lifting my feet off the floor and carried me back into the room. He sat me gently on the bed and started to unlace my bodice while his lips parted and massaged mine. Mid-kiss, he paused, sucked in breath and stiffened. I heard a quiet tapping at the door.
“Damn it. Stay here. And this time, please stay here.” He patted the bed firmly. I nodded, afraid of the sudden change in mood and watched him grab a shirt and then walk through the doors like he was running into battle.
I stared at
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