Truth of the Whisper

Chapter Twenty-One.

Nyshard stayed. I knew he would, and I also knew that he wouldn't go if I would ask him to. So, I lay there in silence, he sat there – also in silence – and maybe, both of us were just occupied with our own thoughts.

'Nysh?', I said, after a while.

'Yes?', he answered in my thoughts.

'It's in the middle of the night. You should go to bed, too.'

'I won't leave you alone.', he stated.

'But why? I'm fine... I really am.'

'Adriyele, I won't leave.'

I bit hard on my lower lip and stayed silent for a few moments. Then, I moved to the side and pulled my blanket away 'You're a stubborn jerk'

'Adri, I...'

"Come here, or leave", I rasped.

He didn't move for a while. But then, I finally heard a rustling sound, as if he had stood up. "Adri, I ..."

I looked over my shoulder and murmured, my voice still rough "Nysh. Stay, or leave. But you won't sleep in a damn armchair"
I felt him move closer, I felt his aura... and then the mattress next to me sank down. I shoved a bit of my blanket in his direction, but he draped it over me and lay on the mattress.

And again – we lay there for a while.

'Why don't you want to leave me alone?', I asked.

'I already told you.'

Slowly – and careful of my broken ribs, I rolled to the side and looked at him over my shoulder 'Not really, Nysh.'

"I told you that I need to see that you are alright.", he murmured silently.

'You see that I am alright'

"Adriyele, if you really want me to go, I will.", he offered, causing me to sigh 'No, it's okay, I think... It just feels as if you are avoiding an answer.'

He was silent at that, but then much to my surprise, he rolled to his side and put his hand on my arm, which was covered with my blanket. Slowly, he let his finger run along it "I don't know what I would have done if they had succeeded in taking you, Adriyele. My claim will fade soon, and if the men from the Circle would have brought you to him – which I do not doubt, then he could have forced you into a mating."

'All your efforts would have been in vain...'

"I don't care about that. But I don't want this for you, Adri. You don't deserve that.", he murmured.

Sighing, I whispered "But your claim will fade. Until I'm twenty-one, Phylon can't get me in his hands. He will always try to...", my voice wavered. 'He would have forced me to more than just a kiss, wouldn't he?'

Nyshard's hand stopped his movements, then he whispered "I forced you, too. You didn't want to kiss me, and I forced you, too.", he pulled his hand away and I felt him shift.

Hastily, I rolled onto my back and was just able to let my bandaged hand brush along his, as he was about to get out of the broad bed. 'Which I don't blame you for, Nysh – just in case you have forgotten. And you said that you didn't want to. So, you forced yourself just as much, only for the sake of my protection. You said, that you... despise yourself for it. I'm sorry you had to do that.'

He finally turned his face to me. 'I despise myself for it, because I forced you. And because I knew that it would be your first kiss, and I didn't want it to be like that for you. A kiss is supposed to be something beautiful.'