𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝘿𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙭

|18| Scars

EMARA

Lilly laughs, taking a deep breath before filling her mouth with air again, puffing out her cheeks. Jace giggles, grabbing the sides of her face and squishing it to make the air whoosh out and create a raspberry noise. He pats her cheeks after the air is gone, wanting her to fill them up so he can do it again.

I chuckle to myself, take Bear's leash, and stick it on the side of the cart. His tail wags as I run my hand down his back. "Good boy, let's go home."

Something feels off. I turn to look over my shoulder and search the crowds of people. I find a pair of gray-brown eyes and graying slicked hair. Morrigan.

I do not stay to stare. I didn't need to bring attention to it, and I do not want my attention to be misconstrued. Jace makes a grabbing motion for me, and I take him from Lilly's arms. Taeric looks like he is trying to figure something out. He glances over his shoulder in the direction of where Morrigan is, but he is gone.

I walk in silence beside Taeric, simply enjoying the nice weather. It is the last stretch of heat before it cools down for fall and not long after that snow, which means some good ol' Colorado blizzards. I will have to prepare the house for that too. Taeric watches the girls closely as they run up ahead. I study him as he pulls the cart. His silence wasn't easy at first, and I was worried I talked too much, but he genuinely seemed to enjoy the one-sided conversations. It had become a lot more normal, and I had been picking up on certain things about him without having to talk about it.

There are small things, like food. He likes anything I make, but his favorite is jelly sandwiches. I can also add the honey chocolates we had today to the list. The light blue tinge in his eyes is the biggest giveaway. His eyes are a giveaway for almost anything when it came to him.

The words of the woman who sold them flashed through my mind. Husband. Family. I can't stop the warmth that spreads through me at the thought of that. I also can't stop the embarrassment. Why didn't I say anything to correct her? I just stood there like an idiot and then said 'bye.' Why? I can't deny I had a growing attraction to him, but there was no way he felt the same. And he is sweet and cares because he is kind and because I helped him, so he is returning the favor, not because he feels anything deeper for me. He is only still here because he needs a place to stay until his friends can take him back home... Then that is it. He is gone.

As we walk through the trees, the shiny waters of the lake peek through, teasing us in the heat. The branches bend and twist, hanging lower now that we are going down a less-used path. The musky odor of the lake fills the air. You could blindfold me, and I would know we were close to the lake because of the smell. It got worse towards the end of summer too, but it's also nostalgic and reminds me of the many times my dad took me to the lake during the summer for a little fishing. I scrub my eyes with the palm of my hand, willing the tears to stay away. Why do so many people have to leave?

I look away and cough to get rid of the choked feeling in my throat. The pattern of Taeric's steps lost its rhythm, and I know he noticed my change in emotion. That is another uncanny thing about him. He definitely picked up on things before I did, and it is like he can sense things humans can't with their normal senses. Which, I guess, he isn't human. And that is why he can't stay. I wouldn't want to stay on Earth if I had the chance to leave either...

Jace shifts in my arms, sitting up straighter. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about my dad, that is all. I miss him. I am sure you understand."

His brows furrow, but he nods. I can tell he is battling a few emotions, but I have no idea what they are. His eyes melt into a darker shade of blue, like the moonlight during a storm. Maybe he remembers his own parents. Maybe he is feeling bad for me. Maybe a mix of both.