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"I trust you." The gold of his eyes looked at me, not the marshmallow, but at me, threatening to melt.
"Yes, we did a lot together back then—the whole family." I hastily answered his question again and looked at my brothers and father. "As children, we often went camping with my parents. Then, just like now, we would lie in nature under the stars, roast marshmallows, count shooting stars, and laugh. We laughed so much."
We were the only children at our school who had ever been camping. The upper class preferred luxury resorts to down-to-earth vacations at the campsite or countryside. Despite all his work and the wealth he had acquired, my father always remembered his childhood, and I would be eternally grateful to him for that.
"My parents were outdoorsmen too," Aspasia, sitting on the bench beside me with Emma, interrupted my thought. "They were true adventurers. We even set up camp in the middle of the Rocky Mountains once. My father showed me the different constellations at night. Those are the memories you should hold on to."
"Which memory from your many lives is your favorite?" Emma wanted to know.
"All those memories where I could feel true happiness and love. Regardless of whether it was short-lived or what I had to sacrifice for it. At the end of the day, what really makes life special are those little moments. These feelings. No battles won, triumphs, or entries in history books. No wealth or power. The greatest palaces and treasures fade in the light of death. None of that counts in the end. Only the feeling of happiness and love will accompany you out of your life."
Tanael's eyes met mine. Indecision was reflected in his golden irises. And I couldn't let go of one question. Was my life too short to keep me away from this man?
CHAPTER 35
It was a wonderful evening. We drank wine late into the night, warmed ourselves by the fire, and at one point, Hecate even presented my brother Chris with a guitar. Music, which had been a big part of his life before his move into the priesthood, had been lost, and with the takeover, it had been banned altogether—even in the churches. Apparently, the relationship between my brother and the Goddess of Magic had become far more than just that of teammates when he told her about it.
At first, he hesitantly sang a few melancholy songs that tamed the fire. But a few glasses of wine later, the instrument had completely captivated his player. Chris had always had a soft spot for Irish folk music, so traditional Irish sounds surprised us in this Italian setting. His fingers flew over the strings, cheerful and lively. Maggy and Lariel immediately jumped up and danced to the rhythm of the music. Aspasia and Emma didn't miss out on this exuberant spectacle either. They jumped wildly around the fire. Sam pulled Aza along with him, and they joined the others. They all laughed. My father and Rick began to sing the lyrics to the notes, swearing allegiance to their Irish roots. Even Jordy was tapping his foot up and down. The atmosphere was unique.
"Would you like to dance with me?" Tanael stood up and reached out his hand to me.
This would have been the perfect moment to play my sabotage-the-pleasure card, but instead, I grabbed his hand and enjoyed the moment. It felt right, and that's all I was asking for now.
The God of the First Light whirled me around exuberantly, and the wine went to my head. The fireflies spun above us, almost as if they were dancing too.
Forgetting. I wanted to forget all my problems, worries, and fears. Just for tonight. To take from life what it offered without any strings attached. So, I left everything else behind me. Enjoyed what I was given and let myself go.
Tanael held me and also seemed to be relieved of a burden. Rarely had I seen him so relaxed, indeed downright free.
Whatever battle was raging out there, peace and friendship reigned in this garden between the different worlds and beings. As different as we might be, many things connected us. At that very moment, it was the music.
Suddenly, the fast sounds slowed down, and Tanael pulled me close to him. He gently placed his hand on my back, and I leaned my head against his chest. His heartbeat had the same rhythm as mine, and the sounds surrounding us. I finally felt at home, like a ship that had reached its home port at the end of a long journey. Exhausted but happy, I closed my eyes. Like treetops in the wind, we swayed to the guitar's sound.
"Are you happy?" Tanael's voice sounded far away and yet so close.
"Yes," I mumbled back in my thoughts. "I am right now. And you?"
The angel took a deep breath before kissing me tenderly on my hair.
"Yes, I'm very happy," he sighed and snuggled even closer to me.
My heart leaped for joy. He is happy! Knowing this also made me feel even happier.
The wine, the adventures, and the relaxed atmosphere suddenly made me very sleepy. I could barely stay on my feet. At some point, Tanael took me in his arms and carried me into the house. I cuddled up to him contentedly. The next moment, I felt the soft mattress beneath me.
"Sweet dreams, Myrina," Tanael whispered, gently kissing me on the corner of my mouth. The moment I drifted off to sleep, he was already gone.
The following day, I woke up early thanks to the light streaming into my room through the high windows. Drowsy, I put one of the pillows over my face to protect my eyes from the brightness. Tanael's scent enveloped me, and I was immediately wide awake.
I quickly sat up and looked around, but the angel was nowhere.
I felt disappointment mixed with relief. No, a night together could never happen! Then, I would be lost entirely.
Groaning, I let myself fall back into the pillows. Why was everything so complicated?
To save myself a broken heart, I had to make a decision before it was too late. It would only be respectful to Alex if I waited a few more months before getting involved with a man again. By then, Tanael and I would have parted ways, hopefully in a better human world. Then all I had to do was forget this man, and I would be free. However, my gut told me that forgetting would be the most challenging part of this endeavor.
I decided to concentrate on today for now and crawled out of bed full of energy. In addition to the meeting to prepare the next steps in our search for the essential documents and John Adam Nash's identity, dinner at Hades and Persephone was also taking place today. So, I still needed an evening dress. I wondered if Stephan was already awake. He could certainly help me with this.
