Bonds of Light and Fire

56. A Yulemas Gift

The artwork above is not mine.

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Luciana blinked her eyes open, then stiffened. Warm breath touched her neck and an arm was slung over her waist. Someone's legs were tangled with hers. She was pressed back against a solid chest. Her heart stumbled over itself. Luciana lay still, not daring to move. Suppose she did and the person woke? What would happen? What would they do to her? Where was she? What was...

The arm vanished from her waist. The mattress creaked beneath her ear as someone shifted away from her. Luciana trembled, unable to make herself stop. "It's all right, Luci. It's just me," a familiar voice murmured.

Luciana closed her eyes and managed to draw a few steadying breaths. "Vaughan?"

"I'm here."

He didn't move or reach for her as she tried to calm her racing heart. At last, Luciana rolled over and faced him. Vaughan's dark eyes shone with concern. "I'm sorry," Luciana whispered. "I woke up and forgot where I was. Who I was with."

"It's all right. It used to happen to me too. Sometimes it still does."

Luciana licked her lips and exhaled slowly. "How do you make yourself remember?"

"Scents. I try to focus on the scents I smell. Trying to discern them distracts my mind and helps me remember where I am." Vaughan rolled onto his back and folded his hands over his stomach.

"Maeve's room always smelled of strong perfumes," he said. "My room in Doranelle smelled like Connall and I. Dew and night air. Foliage and spices. Cedar and ash. My room at home just smells like me and the oil I use to clean my weapons."

Vaughan glanced at her. "Connall used to wake up panicking too. I'd feel him jerk awake. Sometimes I heard the sounds he made while dreaming. He always left the room before I could speak to him."

    "Was I making sounds?" Luciana asked.

    "No."

    "How did you know what was happening?"

    "I felt your panic and heard some of your thoughts."

    "Oh." An embarrassed flush crept into her cheeks.

    Vaughan smiled. "Don't be embarrassed. It's all right. We'll just have to work with our bond and figure it out. I'm sure there's a way to keep each other from feeling or hearing things we don't want to share."

    Luciana nodded and sat up. Vaughan followed suit. "I'm going to walk around the palace a little. I need some space and a change of scenery." She twisted out of bed and moved towards the drapes. Luciana gazed between them and saw the sun barely poking above the horizon.

    "You might run into people. I thought you didn't want to talk to anyone."

    "I don't. It's early enough that most of Dorian's guests will still be in bed, and I doubt the servants will talk to me."

    "Kyllian, Aeron, and our other escorts will be awake. I don't think any of them are capable of sleeping in," he chuckled.

    "That's a risk I'll have to take," Luciana sighed. She opened a drawer in the dresser and grabbed a shirt and pair of pants.

    "Do you want me to come with you?" Vaughan asked.

    He stood, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. Luciana watched him briefly. Her gaze dipped to his abdomen as his shirt lifted slightly, revealing scarred bronze skin. She saw the dusting of hair that vanished into the waistband of his pants. Luciana turned away as a mixture of fear, shame, and longing swirled in her gut.