Desert Lily [SS#1]

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Lilium

The days seemed to just fly by once I realized how they could tell the difference between day and night down here. The brighter the lights became, the darker it got down here signaling that it was night time. During those days, I spent most of my time going to therapy and talking with one of the healers there. It was kind of like when I spoke with the Goddess but this time, I was just seeing memories and getting everything off of my chest. When I wasn't at therapy, I was with the tailor who was more than happy to see me since I had more ideas about different clothes and accessories she could make. Her clothes always had great quality. I also spent a good majority of my time with Sihea and Rowen who taught me more about the vegetations here and showed me how to cook some recipes. They even taught me some of Kai's favorite meals.

After them, I'd spend what little time I had left of the day practicing my magic and spending time with Kai. Immediately after the celebration, he started a new project and stayed busy in his workshop. While he stayed busy, I practiced my spells and magic out in the backyard. It was the fourth day of practicing my magic in the large backyard that I noticed the little shadows watching me from the bushes beyond the fence. They had seemed to be showing up everyday but I could never see who it was.

"Did you have a good day?" I asked while picking at my vegetable soup that I had just learned how to make as Kai smiled at me from across the table. He had cleaned up before dinner as he'd gotten covered in soot and metal shavings. He had lazily dried his hair and threw on a shirt and some shorts.

"Yeah, I made great progress on my project! I should be done before the sandstorms stop." He beamed as I smiled back at him faintly. "What's wrong?" He inquired with confusion setting in on his face as I put my spoon down before looking at him directly.

"I have so much I want to ask you about but I've been putting it off." I sighed as he ushered me on. "Before I forget, you never finished telling me about your gods and goddesses. You also never really told me what Ijiratians were and there's something watching me past the fence. They never attack, they're just always watching." I rushed out as Kai stared at me for a moment, taking in everything I just said before nodding. "I barely get to see you nowadays." I mumbled while looking back down at my food as my cheeks heated with embarrassment. Maybe I was being childish and he would probably see it that way like everybody else I've tried to love. I thought to myself as Kai placed his hand on mine, causing me to look up at him. He softly smiled at me while lacing our fingers together before kissing my hand.

"I'm sorry. I've been so focused on my project that I never really explained much to you. I'm sorry for neglecting you. I'll tell you whatever you want." He apologized while smiling at me as my heart thumped loudly in my chest. "I'll explain our deities to you if you're done eating." I quickly nodded as he released my hand before standing up and grabbing the bowls. Once he set those down in the sink, he made his way back over to me while holding out his hand as I accepted, lacing our hands together again. Once we were seated comfortably in the living room with Kai's hand running through my curls, he looked down at me.

"I'm ready." I smiled while leaning more into his side as he quietly laughed.

"Okay. So, you know we have 9 deities in total. You know of Storrerhia, Apia, and Tiocraven. I'll tell you about the rest starting with the twins of the mountains. Alorea is the Goddess of justice and her people are the ones I mostly trade with. Her people would be considered…I think the word your people used was um dragons?" He asked as I looked up at him in amazement. "They run from the base of the mountain to the middle. Now onto the other twin, Odeolan who is the God of prosperity. Nobody except for the Aloreans have seen them but they live at the very top of the mountain and barely descend it. Nobody dares to step foot up there for fear that they might freeze to death in the white soot. They're also very reclusive and wish to remain neutral." He explained as I tapped his thigh.