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Stephen’s lips pressed into a straight line. “Yes, sir.”
Kai escorted him to a wing of the castle inhabited by all sorts of creatures, some human in form, some not. He informed Stephen of the identities of his superiors while showing him the closet-sized room assigned to be his quarters. It contained little more than a bed and a wardrobe, which he was assured would be outfitted with garments suitable to both his stature and the work he’d be expected to perform. Following the delivery of directions to the washroom, Kai left him alone, and he sat down on the bed for a moment’s rest before taking a much-needed shower.
As he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, he was tempted to lie down and fall asleep in an attempt to forget everything that had happened since finding the magical stone in the woods, but he was distracted by the clatter of tiny feet crossing the threshold. Looking up, he saw the polished arthropod who had visited him in the cell. “You survived,” Tirani said.
“Indeed I did. I suppose you’ll be seeing more of me.”
“How nice for both of us.” Her seven legs swiftly carried her across the floor and up onto the bed beside him. “I have something for you,” she whispered.
“What is it?”
One of her claws reached out and pressed something into his palm. “Be careful. Don’t lose it.” She hopped off the bed, exiting as quickly as she had arrived. Stephen opened his hand to examine the gift and his heart skipped a beat. Inside was a small, glowing gem, identical to the one he assumed had been lost.
Chapter Eighteen
The tranquil pond in the forest looked exactly as it had the last time Liora had visited it. An overwhelming sense of relief washed over her when she heard footsteps rustling through the grass behind her. She whirled around to see Stephen rushing toward her, and she ran into his open arms. “Thank goodness you’re here!”
“I…hey! You can talk!”
She released him from her tight embrace to stare into his wonderful gray eyes. “I guess it’s easier to reach you when you’re not so far away from me.”
“Either way, I’m glad we’re together.”
He tilted her chin upward to kiss her, and she welcomed the feeling of his soft lips against her own. Guilt tainted her enjoyment of the act, however, and she pulled away from him, dropping to her knees in the grass at the edge of the water.
“I’m so sorry,” she said as he sat down next to her. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I really wasn’t thinking things through.” The first hints of tears stung at the corners of her eyes. “I was being selfish. I just wanted to bring you here, and be with you, and…” She shook her head. “And I’m still being selfish! I haven’t even asked if you’re okay.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He smiled at her, but it was tinged with a wistfulness which had never been present in his previous excited grins. “I think I’m fine. Sometimes, I’m not sure if everything that’s happened actually happened, you know? I mean, I know I’m dreaming now, but even when I wake up, I don’t know if I’m going to be at home, or in some strange place I’ve never heard of, or somewhere else entirely.”
Liora laid a hand on his knee. “I know I’ve put you through a lot. I feel bad.”
“Don’t.” His gaze returned to the serene water. “I may be a little homesick, and I’m sure my sister must be wondering where I disappeared off to by this point, but I needed a change. I was going through the motions for far too long. Nothing was important to me.” He inhaled a deep breath. “And then you appeared out of nowhere.”
“So I did.”
“It’s kind of funny. I felt more awake in my dreams than I did anywhere else. I knew you were alive, that you were real, and you stirred something inside me.” He glanced at her. “So, I don't want you to be upset. I made a choice. I chose to take a chance on you because I needed to know what existed between us.”
“You weren’t what I originally expected to find,” she admitted as she crawled in front of him. “But you turned out to be so much more. You’re kind...” She kissed his forehead. “Creative...” The next kiss landed on his nose. “And filled with such restrained passion, I wanted to be as close to you as possible and learn how to set it free.” Her last descriptor was punctuated with a lingering kiss to his lips.
The grass provided an adequate cushion as he pulled her down. They lay side by side, breathing with each other and enjoying being in the presence of one another. Her mouth found his again, seeking the solace of his intimate touch. His tongue probed into her, drawing her in with lazy circles and gentle caresses. At last, there was nothing rushed or frantic about their shared tenderness.
She stroked his cheek. The warmth of his skin beneath her fingers comforted her, though she knew it couldn’t last much longer. For once, she wanted to end the dream on her own terms, rather than waiting for the world to disintegrate and for Stephen to be ripped from her grasp. Breaking away from him, she stared into his eyes, committing to memory the affectionate way he gazed upon her until they could meet again. “I like knowing you’ll be here for me tomorrow,” she said, slipping her hands into his. “Let’s say our good-byes now. Then perhaps we can have a day of peace.”
He nodded. “I’ll be thinking about you from the moment I wake up.”
Despite everything they had done, he still had the ability to bring a girlish blush to her face. “And I’ll be thinking of a way to get us home. I owe you that much.”
“Before you go…” He tucked a golden curl behind her ear. “I have a question for you.”
“Yes?”
“You created this, right?” he asked, waving his hand around in the air. “The trees, the rocks, the pond, the waterfall…everything?”
“I did. I wanted you to feel at home.”
“I do. It’s beautiful.” A sly smile crept across his face. “But maybe we should go somewhere else tomorrow. Someplace wildly different, somewhere you want to be. Show me what you dream of.”
“I think that can be arranged.” She kissed him one final time and let go. “Sleep well, Stephen,” she whispered as everything faded into her favorite shade of gray.
