My Darling Katherina

Chapter Thirty-Two

Katherina felt the impact hit her roughly, the harsh colliding of flesh and water shaken her and yet she could still feel the rush of excitement as she jumped. She pushed herself deeper into the warm oblivion, her lungs desperate for air but she swam further down, wanting to feel the sand and how far was the ocean floor.

In the end, she didn't make it. The need to breathe too much as she let her instincts take over, pushing her up to land as she gasped oxygen in. Just feets from her were her companions of travel.

The twins of Sun laid on the cool sand of Summer's beach, its once golden color dimed to tan as dark clouds cover the sky where no star or moon shined. They looked at peace as they rested, no shiver or cold when the wind danced on their skin. Their intertwining hands kept them locked together as they slept. A beauty of a painting or sketch if Katherina knew how to do either of those.

A certain Cousin of Dawn simply sat near the fire pit they dug, a book in his hands as his eyes of pale gray skimmed through the pages, concentrated on the written ink that played in his mind as he read each word. Suck into a reality that made him smile as he flipped onto the next page.

Katherina felt hands wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to them as she splashed them away, echoes of laughter and silence spreading like a disease. They took her hands into theirs, Night and Ice danced in the dark water. She let herself let go with them, her power surface as joy and happiness sank in her bones, to resurface as light.

She let herself flout, her gaze fixed on the sky, her hands touching the oceans soft silk, and breathed.

Gentle hands massaged her scalp causing her to hum, which let blood rush to her cheeks from embarrassment.

"Relaxed, aren't we?" Hemera smiled, fingers untangling her red hair, Ziv behind her- hands on her shoulders to ease tension from her muscles. "Any deep thoughts you want to share?"

"Only that I'm cold." a deeper voice responded.

Katherina opened her eyes as she felt the still water move from the current of Sahar and Thea joining them, hand-in-hand. "Any sane Fae who had a mind would be against going to the oceans when it's freezing."

The shipshaper of the group swam closer to him, "We could always burn that book of yours, then the heat of the fire will last longer." Ziv teased, chuckling at Sahar's flinch. To which he splashed water at them, making Hemera and her squeal as they splashed back.

The once relaxed atmosphere now a competition on who is the last one standing.

They leaned on the other for warmth, the day over as the world around them darken, only the fire lighting the place around them. She felt herself lean towards Ziv, resting her head on their lap, Hemera draped over her from behind as Thea and Sahar snuggled together.

Their thoughts rested as their eyes dropped. The only sound heard was the cackling of the flames and soft sleepy waves.

"You all are my family," she whispered, tracing patterns on Ziv's leg, "and if anything were to happen to any of you, I would lose my mind. The blood that runs through us means nothing to me except the love that I have for each of you. In Life or Death, I bind myself to you."

Katherina focused power around her body, letting it flow out of her like a waterfall, for it to land like droplets of rain on them, their skin glowing with hers-just for a second before fading. A soft feeling resting over her back once the oath of her words finished.

It was known that If you make a deal- an oath- in the Court of Night, it will show that same agreement on your skin as a tattoo, forever marking you until it is completed or broken.