“How did you do that?” I practically choked, shocked at how quickly he had moved.
“I can swim fast.”
“You can say that again.”
“You’ve got to see this city from above. It’s always so busy.”
We drifted above the walls and over the top of the open rooms within. It was like coming across a giant undersea flea market. Each room sold different items – everything from food to jewelry to treasure found on the ocean floor. We swam over a shop selling mirrors, a shop laden with nothing but seashells, and another stocked with metal furniture. There was so much to take in. I found myself looking up and down and side to side like a bobble head toy.
When we reached an area that was shut off from above, we swam down, passing through a large hallway. Thayde led me into one of the smaller archways and stopped.
“This is my place,” he said. He moved to the side and I swam past him into the apartment and looked about. Apart from it being very small, there wasn’t very much to it. He lived very neatly with most of his items in order.
Thayde sat on a lip in the rock and watched me take it all in.
“I always hoped I’d be able to bring you here,” he said. “It’s not much, but this has been my place since my mother died. I lived here with her before we met Limus.”
I swam to Thayde and sat beside him. “Thank you for bringing me to this place. It truly is breathtaking.”
“It’s special to me because I lived here with her.” He reached up to a nook in the wall above us and pulled down an oval mother of pearl box. “I started making this for you the first day I dreamed of you.”
The box was lovely. When he handed it to me, I placed both of my hands around it and held it. It fit perfectly in my palms.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it,” I said.
“Open it.”
I held the box up to my eyes to see where the clasp was to open it. I couldn’t find one. Turning it over, I studied the bottom. Nothing gave away the secret for opening the box. I looked at Thayde blankly and he grinned. Taking my hands in his, he gently pressed them together, putting pressure on the box. Then he twisted my hands in the opposite direction and the top of the box came off. Inside was a lovely silver ring. It was square and the top of it was inlaid with a beautiful sapphire colored stone.
“What is it?” I asked and he looked embarrassed.
“It’s a blue diamond.”
I was speechless. It must have cost an absolute fortune.
“Thayde,” I began, but the words didn’t come.
“Will you wear it?” he asked.
“What does it mean?” I asked, still taken back by its beauty.
“That we are dedicated to each other.”
It was perfect and, as I nodded, he slipped the beautiful ring on my finger. I threw my arms around him.
“Thank you, Thayde,” I said, “for everything.”
“You are my love,” he whispered in my ear.
“And you are mine.” I answered, meaning every word. He kissed my neck, sending shivers down my spine. Slowly, his kisses made their way up to my cheek, and he lightly ran his lips over it, ending at my mouth. I could feel every inch of him touching me and the energy we began to create made me feel light headed.
He slowed his kisses and spoke in between them. “Morgan, we have to get back.”
“Can’t we stay here?” I mumbled.
“No, love.”
“We’re safe here.”
“Your Mom would kill me.”
Sighing, I pulled away and agreed.
We left his apartment and headed back to the courtyard in search of Tiesa and Ezen. They were nowhere to be found.
“I bet they’re off falling in love, Thayde chuckled. “We’ll have to leave them be.” Wrapping his arms around my waist, he looked upwards. “Are you ready?”
I looked toward the invisible surface.
“You’re going to swim fast, aren’t you?” I asked.
“Hold on,” he said and in an instant the city was below us, disappearing second by second. The darkness quickly melted away into dark blue, then lightened until we shot above the surface.
“Holy cow!” I exclaimed and Thayde laughed. “Why didn’t we go down that fast? It would have saved me from a good ten minutes of absolute terror!”
“I didn’t want to scare you.”
“Yeah, well this is a much better way to make the trip.”
Looking around, I found the strip of land on the horizon.
“Do we have to get back that fast?” I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could.
“No,” he answered and at my pace, we made our way back home.
Chapter Ten