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“I don’t know,” she says finally. Her voice wavers. “I was just… It was scary, I didn’t expect him to find me.”
“The dark elf?”
She nods. “His name is Malachi, he’s my owner. A slaver. He came to take me back.”
And what a preposterous, ludicrous statement that is. Penny belongs to me and will only belong to me forever more. This Malachi doesn’t deserve the dirt on the ground, much less a creature as worthy as Penny. I can only assume the pale scars on her body all belong to him, and I exercise restraint in remaining calm for her.
She doesn’t deserve to see any more anger. She doesn’t deserve to feel unsafe.
“I told you not to leave,” I say, though not unkindly. “I want to keep you safe.”
“I was scared here, too,” Penny admits quietly, like she’s afraid of a reprimand that I have no plans on giving her.
My chest ached when I found out she was gone, yes. I felt angry, worried, and manic with the need to bring her back, but I am no Malachi. I will not cage her, even if the darkest parts of my soul trill at the idea of it.
Penny is soft, pretty, and delicate, just like the shells that remind me of her every time I see them. She deserves to feel safe, and I will give that to her. I will do everything in my power to make her see that she is welcome and safe as much as she is mine.
I let go of her wrist and remove my hand from her face. She doesn’t react, only dropping her posture down further to wrap her arms around her knees like the soft creatures that hide in hard shells.
“I’ll be back in just a moment,” I tell her and only get a hum in response.
I sink back down into the water and begin my search for the shells that remind me of Penny and anything else that she might enjoy. She reminds me of pastel shades of pink, orange, and yellow, so I grab any coral that resembles any of those colors as well.
With my arms full of decorations that are only a fraction as beautiful as her, I make my way back toward the temple and past Penny. She’s skimming her fingers over the water again, just like how she did in the cave where we met, and I feel all the better about my decision to please her.
The temple has an endless number of spare rooms to choose from, but I make my choice by picking one that is not too far from my own but with enough distance that Penny won’t feel like she’s been shackled to me.
Decorating the room is a simple experience that I’ve had many times over in the other rooms I inhabit. I take great care in layering the shells along the walls and working grooves into the stone to make designs. It’s meditative work that allows me to think about her reaction, and I feel nothing but excitement.
When I come back to Penny, she blinks once before focusing her gaze on me. She still looks tired, but the tears have since faded away for now.
“I have somewhere to show you. Somewhere you might like.” I raise my hand towards her, inviting her to take it, and she waits only for a moment before taking my hand in hers.
“Show me,” she says. My heart jumpstarts at the small hint of intrigue rather than the morose tones that I’ve heard from her all day.
19
LAIKEN
Istand by the door as she explores the room that I’ve made for her. I want her to feel like this space is hers, not mine. Because it is. I won’t let her out of my sight again, but I don’t want her to feel like a prisoner.
She seems to be impressed. I see her looking at all the decorations and little extra touches that I put in, and as she does, all of them become worth it. They are symbols of how much I care for her and how much I want her to be safe and happy. Clearly, she can tell that.
But it’s a cage, isn’t it? I worry she will feel like it’s a cage. I remember what the world is like outside and how I only just saved her from Malachi taking her back.
She must understand I only want the best for her. But will she?
“Is there anything which I’ve failed to provide?” I ask. She looks up at me, startled and shy. Clearly, I’ve done a good job.
I decide to leave her alone. Maybe in a few hours, she’ll be ready to talk to me.
“Don’t leave,” she calls to me as I’m just about to exit.
I pull myself inside. “What is it? Is there something you need?”
“No,” she says. “I just don’t want to be alone right now.”
“Even if your only option is being with me?”
