"I don't want you to be afraid of me," she gasped, leaning in again.
"Is that what this is? You think I'm afraid of you?" I asked, gradually recovering my breath.
She nodded, biting into her lower lip. Her doe eyes tore me apart. I couldn't bear to see her like this. I kissed her, opening myself up and projecting everything she made me feel. I had to make her understand that it wasn't fear that I felt. Not of her. I tasted her once more, reveling in the sensations she triggered from my very core.
"You don't understand," I whispered in her ear. "I'm not afraid. I am in awe of you."
The Daughter blinked several times. Her lips stretched into a smile, and I felt her relax further into me, colorful ribbons once again flowing through both of us.
"I can tell there's something in me," she mumbled. "Something even I don't understand. I know you felt it too. I just don't want you to fear me. I would never hurt you. I would never hurt the ones you love. I've been around you and your family and friends for long enough to tell that you are all kind, wonderful creatures. You've made me feel at home. You've looked after me and taught me the ways of the world. I may not know much, but the one thing I do know is that I would never hurt you, Phoenix. I can't."
I needed a moment to take it all in. I caressed her face and dropped a few kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, and the tip of her nose. I knew in my heart that I would never let her out of my sight. She was everything to me, and more.
"You're an extraordinary being," I said to her. "It isn't fear you saw in me. It's something else. I am amazed, I am entranced, I am weightless when I'm around you. And the energy inside of you … it's colossal … like nothing I've seen before."
"I feel it too, every day. I know it's there. I just don't know what to do with it. It's scary, but if you're near me I feel brave enough to face it, to face anything."
I held her close, running my fingers through her hair. She rested her head on my shoulder for a moment. Then, she pulled herself back and resumed her search through the swamp witches' book. I watched her.
What had my life been like before her? I couldn't tell anymore. It was as if I hadn't existed before we fell out of that shell together.
Her face straightened as she flipped through another page. She straightened her back and looked at me.
"I found it," she said.
Serena
I slept in our room that night, sharing the bed with Vita and Aida. We hadn't spoken much since I'd returned from Mount Inon, and we'd spent a couple of hours catching up. I was thrilled to find out that Aida and Field were becoming an item. She deserved all the happiness she could get, and I knew, deep in my heart, that Field was perfect for her. The wolf-girl needed the Hawk.
I was equally delighted to learn that Vita had also found the courage to take the first step toward Bijarki. I figured the incubus was probably still reeling from that kiss, but I couldn't help but applaud Vita for handling it the way she did.
We fell asleep while talking, eager to catch up as much as possible but unable to keep our eyes open.
I woke up at dawn, the sun peeking through the window. Vita and Aida were still far away in dreamland. Their expressions were soft and serene, and their muscles were relaxed. I hadn't seen them like that in forever, or at least that's how it felt. Time seemed to flow differently in Eritopia, each day bearing the intensity of a month from end to end.
I got up and showered quickly. The cold water energized me. I found another bar of soap in a cabinet beneath the sink. I sniffed it and was delighted to discover a mixture of lavender and lemongrass in its fragrance. I washed my hair with it and used a towel to dry it as much as possible.
The thought of Draven sleeping alone in his room quickly surfaced, drawing me out into the open corridor. I didn't want him waking up alone-that was, if he was still sleeping. I reached his door and opened it slowly, poking my head in to get a quick look.
My breath stopped in my throat. Draven was sprawled on his back wearing nothing but a pair of dark green velvet pants. The morning sun poured through his window, bathing his bare chest in a warm, golden light. His eyes were closed, his arms stretched out.
I bit my lower lip and went inside, closing the door behind me. I tiptoed all the way to his bed and slowly sank into the mattress, lying next to him, close enough to rest my neck against his forearm. I sighed and relaxed, watching his chest move up and down with each breath. I couldn't get enough of him.
He took a deep breath and turned his head to face me, peeling his eyes open. His gaze found mine, and his lips stretched into a lazy smile. He turned to his side and instantly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.