Angel of the lake

Chapter Seven

Meg hated to admit it, but that night, she slept like the dead.

Considering everything that'd happened to her in the last twenty-four hours, she should've been tossing and turning restlessly, fighting through the fear of what was to come. And yet, sleeping against a living furnace, forgetting it all had been all too easy.

Of course, she didn't regret the sleeping part. When she blinked awake, she felt refreshed. Meg was in a better condition to face the world and all the unknown threats and monsters that came with it. What she did regret, however, was how easily she'd let her guard down around a stranger.

Hadn't the last few days taught her that she couldn't trust anyone?

King Claudio may have seemed friendly, and he'd promised that his intentions were pure, but she'd learnt better than to trust people blindly based upon what they said. Hadn't Nadine been example enough of that?

Now, she'd be wary. And if anything remotely suspicious so happened to present itself to her, then Meg would challenge it appropriately.

Starting with the cuddly, warm demon King.

When she awoke, he was already awake beneath her. His hand rested on the small of her back, just out the way of her injury. She caught a glance of his face before he clocked onto her being awake.

Though clearly troubled over something or other, the demon King looked content. As if the world had all fallen to his feet.

Meg wished she knew the feeling.

Before awkwardness could fester, she sat upright, startling the King into awareness too.

"Good morning," She said, way too chipper.

"Good morning Megan." That content look didn't leave his face, though she saw him make a conscious effort to rein it in. "Sleep well?"

Her cheeks reddened.

"Yes. Thank you. And I'm sorry about—"

"Don't worry about it. After your swim yesterday, you needed the warmth."

"Well uh, thank you. For your warmth and such." Before things could get too heated, she turned for the exit of the tent, hurriedly pulling the zip back. By the time he'd realised what she was doing, she was already halfway out of the tent.

"Megan, wait—you should wrap up warm before you—lord almighty."

She heard him mumbling as he followed after her.

She made it back to the lake, steps quick, before he caught up to her.

Of course, Meg appreciated his kindness in the night—really, she did. But she had some things she had to figure out on her own too. She didn't know whether she could trust him, since, really, she couldn't trust anyone now. Besides, he didn't know if Giselle had passed through here or not.

Meg was clinging onto hope they'd be able to find each other.

Behind her, Claudio rose to his full height after crawling out of the tent with a bag in hand. He rummaged through it before offering her a pile of material.

"It won't be size accurate, but there're some women's clothes here," She took them carefully, still wary of him. "You might be more comfortable in something more fitted and covering."

"Would the owner mind me wearing these?"

Meg didn't know much about this world and its customs, but with just a touch she could tell these clothes were expensive. Had she ever felt clothing this soft? It certainly beat out her ratty nightgown.