AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I begin crying before I even open my eyes. How could I endanger Selliss like this? He took such good care of me. He got me out of the dungeons. Things could have been much worse, and I took it all for granted. And to what end?
Selliss rolls over, and I know that he’ll be up soon. He always moves around a lot right before he wakes up. It’s actually kind of cute.
I’m not sure when I started using words like ‘cute’ in reference to Selliss. Maybe somewhere around the time I noticed that he memorized the food I like and stopped serving the ones I don’t. Or when he stopped having them bring the soaps I didn’t like and only stocked the ones he knew I did.
Maybe it was when I woke up one morning as he was leaving and he tucked the blanket around me, unaware that I was awake.
As I lay there letting the tears roll out of my eyes, I ponder what all of this means, and why it took me so long to put two and two together. Why am I only now seeing the good in this man? Why was I so blind to it before?
The more I think about it, the more I realize that Selliss has actually sacrificed a lot for me. He came all the way out here looking for me after I ran away. I never would have thought he would think twice about my disappearance, let alone come after me.
I turn over so that I can look at him. His tan scales are glowing slightly in the morning light. He looks beautiful like this, and part of me wants to reach out and touch him.
Fuck it. I let my hand drift up to his neck, feeling the scales. They’re softer than one would think.
Selliss opens his gold eyes, and I pause for a moment, unsure of what his reaction will be. When he doesn’t say anything, I continue touching him, from his neck up to his cheek.
The moment feels more intimate than any we’ve ever had together. Is it possible that the two of us both feel the same way about each other?
“You’ve been crying,” he finally speaks.
I stay silent, but I retract my hand. He catches it midair and brings it back to his face.
“Don’t stop,” he whispers.
As we stare at each other, another realization hits. The way I’m feeling right now, this ache in my chest. It’s pain, regret, and a mixture of something else that I haven’t been able to put my finger on.
But now I know.
“Selliss?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
Before he can respond, I keep talking.
“I love you, and I understand if you have to kill me. I deserve it. When the time comes, I’m ready.”
He blinks at me, shock evident on his face. But before I can say anything more, he sits up, shoving my hand aside.
“Shut up,” he growls, standing up and stretching.
My body is so stiff from last night’s endeavors, as well as sleeping on the ground, that it takes me three tries in order to fully sit up. Selliss is gathering his things, making like he’s about to leave.
“Get up,” he orders.
I do as he says, staring at him all the while. Is he really not going to acknowledge what I said? I begin to feel like maybe being honest was a mistake. Maybe I should have just kept my mouth shut.
I understand that in his position, being in love with a human would be catastrophic. Forbidden. I know that he is part of a naga military that is essentially against humans, particularly humans and naga mating. I’ve gathered that much over the weeks.
So maybe he can’t say anything back. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to because he doesn’t feel the same about me.
“Come on, we need to start walking,” he says, finally looking at me.
My chest hurts as I look at him, but I nod and start following him.
“Where are we going?”
