“Yes. It’s quiet, and most people in town don’t come down this far.”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I know.”
He glanced at me, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face. “You do?”
“I haven’t actually been down here before,” I admitted, “but I’ve seen it from the cliffs. Since I’ve been here, there have been nights where I’ve caught sight of the silver and blue shimmer in the water, almost like I was drawn to it. I mean, it’s kind of hypnotizing, and it brought me a sort of comfort when nothing else did.” I hesitated, then added more quietly, “So I’m guessing that was always you? All those times I saw it?”
“Yes. This is my usual spot,” he said, a faint hint of amusement in his tone. “My quiet little cove. That was, until someone decided to take up residence above it.” He shot me a playful grin.
I was just about to argue that I had every right to exist in my own cottage when something else clicked into place.
“Wait... the night of the storm,” I said slowly. “When you showed up at my cottage...” I paused, making sure I was putting the pieces together correctly. “Were you already down here, doingthis?”
“Yes,” he said again, then added, quieter this time, “but not just for that.”
“What do you mean?”
His gaze held mine, steady and unguarded in a way I hadn’t seen before. “Truthfully, I was here to keep an eye on your cottage... and on you.”
My heart skipped. “Why?”
“Because I was worried about you,” he said, and this time there was no teasing in his voice. “After I drained what was needed, I stayed longer than usual to make sure the cottage could withstand the storm. And when watching from a distance wasn’t enough to ease my concern, I went up to the cliff for a closer look. Everything seemed stable enough, and I intended to leave. But then I heard you scream.” A quiet breath left him. “The rest... well, you already know.”
I just stared at him, his words settling deeper than I expected. Because even then—even when he acted like I was a nuisance—he’d cared. From the very beginning, he’d been looking out for me, and that realization hit all at once, overwhelming me completely until suddenly, I was crying again.
Of course I was.
“Kara,” he said immediately, straightening slightly. “Are you okay? Do we need another session? I can take a bit more if needed, if—”
“No,” I cut him off, letting out a shaky laugh as I shook my head, wiping at my cheeks. “No, it’s not that.”
“Then why are you—”
“These are happy tears,” I said quickly as I looked up at him. “Because...” I hesitated, not quite sure how to say it without sounding completely pathetic, but I needed him to understand. “Because I’ve never mattered enough to anyone for them toeven think about checking on me, or watching over me, or even taking care of me. And it’s just nice to know you were here for me, even before you actually knew me.”
He stepped closer, stopping just a breath away, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fall quiet.
“Kara,” he said softly, “I think I’ve always known you.”
Chapter 10: Octavius
IWATCHED THE TEAR slip down her cheek, and for a moment, instinct tugged at me to take it away, to absorb the emotion like I always did. But she had said these were tears of joy, and I would never take that from her.
So instead of my tentacles, I used my hand. I brushed the tear away gently with my thumb, my fingers lingering as though I had finally given myself permission to feel whatever this was between us.
