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Chapter 7
The sight that greeted Balfor as he closed in on Nayome would be a regular occurrence in his dreams for years to come.Teine,in numbers not seen for over fifty years, swirled through the trees, energizing the forest. He could feel his body refresh, restoring his well of energy to levels he had thought were unattainable. But that wasn’t the vision that would haunt his dreams.Nayome.
He watched in awe as she reached out for them, and theteinesurrounded and embraced her. Her skin was shining silver like moonlight, ethereal and full of magic. Her hair, unbound, was not untouched either, the silver dust highlighting the streaks of fiery red that he hadn’t noticed before. Starlight sparkled in her eyes, which shone bright with surprise and wonder. Her silhouette in the moonlight imprinted on him. Nayome was of thedruid,of the earth, and the earth had called her home.
His mind fought against that impossible conclusion, despite the vision before him. They had put traces, and meticulously tracked the genetics over generations. Nayome couldn’t be one of them. But then, what other explanation could there be?
Balfor shook himself and rushed towards her, as Nayome collapsed forward from the rush of energy that passed through her.
Spotting the empty and discarded water bottle on the ground, Balfor felt a pang of guilt. She must have taken the dinner they laid out with her when she escaped.If she had collapsed in the forest and been found by someone else…Balfor shook himself, it hadn’t happened that way, and he was here now.
That reminded him. The others, they would have seen theteine, their numbers would have lit up the forest, creating a beacon visible for miles. Anyone who hadn’t seen them would have felt the energy rising, and be en route to investigate.
Flipping Nayome gently over onto her back, he smoothed out her hair, still streaked with silver and red, and placed a gentle palm over her forehead. Closing his eyes, he let some of his energy reserve, topped full for the first time in ages, flow through his palm.
A gentle light, reminiscent of the glow emitted by theteineemerged, starting from the center of Balfor’s palm and growing brighter, until Nayome’s eyes fluttered open.
She looked groggy, eyes glazed with confusion and sparkling with the remnants of the energy flow. She would feel that afterglow for hours, given the number ofteineshe called to her. Hell, Balfor was feeling a bit of it himself, just from proximity. At least he had removed the influence of the drugs they had placed in her water, so the grogginess should clear.
“Nayome?”
“Blake…?”
Balfor frowned, lines of irritation forming around his mouth. She had forgotten his name already? Before he could correct her, Nayome reached up with her silver-streaked arm, and threaded her fingers through his dark hair, tugging gently.
Balfor closed his eyes, allowing her to tug him slowly forward. He was feeling warm, from the glow ofteine,and enamored at the vision Nayome had been at the center, covered in what looked like moondust. They were both not quite in their right minds, but her hands weaving through his hair felt intoxicating, and he couldn’t have put a stop to it if he tried.
Eyes flicking down, Balfor felt a warm rush of desire flow through him as he caught sight of Nayome’s heavy-lidded eyes, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips.
“Nayome,” Balfor warned, thinking he needed to stop this now. They were both full of magic, drunk on the energy. “We shouldn’t.”
“Kiss me.” She whispered, her eyes clearing.
Groaning, intoxicated with the whisper of her voice, the sight of her twinkling in the moonlight, Balfor cradled the back of her head with his hand, protecting it from the rough ground. He still hesitated until Nayome’s grip firmed, her hands becoming more insistent. He waited until every trace of sleep left her eyes before he finished his descent, their lips meeting gently.
Parting her lips, Nayome’s moan matched his own as their tongues collided, the kiss deepening. It felt as though they were sinking into the forest floor, the surrounding trees protecting them from the realities that waited for them on the other side of this moment.
As the heat rose, Balfor strained over Nayome, making sure not to crush her under his weight. Her hands were trailing heat down his back, slipping into the bottom of his shirt, as her hips rose off the ground to meet his.
His whole body felt like it was on fire, and for a time nothing existed outside him and Nayome, and the magic buzzing through the forest, adding fuel to their passions.
At the sound of a twig snapping under a nearby footfall, Balfor stiffened, the effect as chilling as being doused with a bucket of ice water.
Leaping to his feet, he saw Nayome blink a few times and felt a moment of regret as the haze of desire cleared from her eyes.
“What—” She began.
“Shh” Balfor hissed, motioning to the trees surrounding them.
As Nayome sat back up, panic flashed in her eyes.
“Wolves!” she hissed, as they heard something approaching, her eyes darting frantically left and right.
Balfor shook his head, but would have to come back to that later. She had seen wolves? They weren’t kind in these parts.
Balfor reached down, and Nayome clasped his outstretched hand, allowing him to help pull her to stand abreast of him.
Balfor had to crane his neck to lean down to Nayome’s ear level. Brushing her thick hair to the side, mouth against her ear.
