Imperfect (Disappeared #1)

Chapter Twenty-One

Ahuil's foot touched hers and woke her. She opened her eyes slightly. Light flooded in. It was morning. His arms still firmly held her, and her face was still buried in his neck. They had slept the entire night in the same position. Theodosia felt utterly warm and content, as if bathed in sunshine, though her limbs screamed to stretch.

Reluctantly, she lengthened her legs and groaned as the tense muscles relaxed. That's when she realized that Ahuil was awake. Very awake. His golden eyes were open wide but not staring at anything in particular, as if he was listening deeply.

"What is it?"

"Something's off," he said, frowning. "I woke early in the morning and I've been listening ever since."

She rolled over and looked around. Nothing seemed amiss. The morning light was intense, flooding the wooded space with light. The willows glistened as if they had been painted with oil. The stream continued to burble merrily below.

"What's off?"

He sat up, his wavy hair wild and matted and his clothes wrinkled. "Not sure. Nothing exactly. I can just tell when things aren't quite right. Could be just the usual disturbance in the woods. Half-beings about somewhere, probably far off." 

He rubbed his eyes and smiled down at her. "Sorry, that was a rude awakening. We're in no immediate danger." He lay back down and drew her to him. "Tell me, how did you sleep?"

She began to feel shy again as she woke up. Still, the intoxicating scent and warmth of his body helped overcome her reserve. "Deeply. Did I snore? Toss about?"

She felt him shake his head. "You didn't move at all. I'd wake up and be afraid you'd stopped breathing. I had to put my face close to yours so I could feel your breath." He gently stroked her back. "Your world must have a lot of rules," he murmured into her hair. "Every time I touch you, you tense up. Honestly, it's a little weird to me. What could be more natural than touching someone? But for you, it's completely unnatural. I don't get it."

"Simple training. I never questioned its logic. Touch has a way of uprooting carefully planned social alliances. If you touch the wrong person, you could throw all that into chaos. And too, women are vulnerable in our world. You must obey the rules or suffer the consequences."

He pulled back slightly and gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I hate that. What if I lived in your world? And I wanted to touch you and you wanted to touch me and we couldn't? Good thing we don't have rules like that here. Or if we have, I've opted out of them." He gave her a twisted smile. "Though that kind of life can be really lonely. I'd rather be with you and endure a few rules, if I had to." 

Theodosia felt her smile wobbling as if she might start to cry again. He kissed her brow and sighed. "No tears. Let's eat and be on our way, or else I'm just going to pull you under these covers and never let you leave." 

She laughed and hugged him quickly, kissing him shyly on the cheek as she did so. He colored and smiled shyly at her. His expression was so sweet Theodosia found it almost impossible to get up.

Xochitl was cooking over a fire. She was wearing her antlers again and a green linen dress over her stout body. Her daughter was playing in the river in a light linen shift, splashing and laughing, the tips of her long brown hair wet. When she saw them, she ran out and tried to give them big, wet hugs. 

"Are we gonna catch more fish today?" she chattered. "I want to show you where I saw some orange ones. And we can go for a walk and Uncle Ahuil can show us where the owl nest is. He's ever so good at finding nests." 

Xochitl ran up with a towel, scolding, and wrapped her in it. 

"Sorry," she said, giving Ahuil and Theodosia hugs of her own. "She's been asking since she woke up when you could come out and play. Now she's completely wound up. Anyway, freshen yourself in the river and then let's eat. I have a treat for you two."