CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Remi removed her skirts and changed from her corset into her bare tunic. Her abdomen was finally able to fully expand, and the relief was intoxicating. She laid down on her blankets and looked up at the top of her tent. A ladybug crawled across the stitched hides. She watched it wander around, searching for a way out.

"You'll find it." Remi said, reassuring the ladybug- and herself.

Theo's blankets had been set up next to Remi's. The tent was narrow, but long enough that they would both be able to sleep comfortably.

Guards paced the rows of tents outside. Their boots crunched the gravel, a steady beat that reminded Remi she was not the only one tasked with defending the royal family. Though she knew that these men would be no match for whatever was coming, as the past timeline had taught her. Still, it was a comfort to know she would not be fighting alone.

A pair of footsteps grew louder as their wearer walked closer to her tent, they stopped. Remi looked down her nose at the opening.

"Remi? It's Hux... Can I come in?" His voice was a low whisper.

Remi bolted up right, her muscles singing in response. Though her strength had was slowly returning, she remained frustratingly weak. Still unable to push her body as she had before. She rolled her eyes at her body's inability to get with the program.

"Yes. Come in." She whispered back.

Huxley brushed through the flaps, kicking his boots off as he entered her tent. He looked too big for the space. The tent was large enough for Remi and Theo, yes- but Huxley was bigger than the two put together.

The heat that his body generated greeted Remi like the feeling of entering a warm cabin after a being outside on a snowy day. He smelled like campfire and crisp night air. Remi drank it in, letting his presence calm her racing thoughts.

Huxley crouched down next to her, even resting on his knees his head pushed the top of her tent outward. Remi smiled and Hux gave her a sheepish grin in return. She sat up, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He embraced her, drawing her in and rubbing his hand in small circles across her back.

They both knew what was coming now. The only unknown was when.

Remi pulled away first, looking Hux in the eyes. She could see her reflection in his deep brown eyes. A pink flush radiated across her nose and cheeks. His eyes were unlike her own, she knew that, but still she felt as though he could see into her mind, her heart and soul.

"Is everything quiet tonight?" Remi asked, tucking her head under his chin- she squeezed him tighter to her.

"Very quiet. Though, Theo's still up. Entertaining the guards. She has energy to spare that one." Hux chuckled. "Thanks to you, of course."

Remi swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. "You can lay down, if you'd like." She didn't dare release their hug, too anxious to look him in the eyes, and see his reaction.

Remi could feel the vibrations in his chest as Hux chuckled softly. "I was hoping you'd ask." Remi leaned back on her blankets as Hux removed his cloak and draped it over them. His arm lingered across her as he pulled her closer.

Remi curled herself into him, wrapping her leg around his. An overwhelming sense of belonging flooded through her. His embrace felt like home, like safety and protection. A cocoon of warmth. She breathed in his scent, willing her mind to commit it to memory. Each moment they had together was more precious than the last.

They didn't speak. Their breathing synchronized as Huxley rubbed Remi's back. Her worries, her mission, her job ... all felt so small. As long as she had him, the weight of the world was lifted. He knew her past, her future and still he was unbothered by their impending future.