Fates | Book 2 ✔️

[35]

A small tingle appears and disappears just as quick as I felt it. I groan, eyelids too heavy to open. What events have folded in a few days time, I muse. Before long, I feel another rush of sparks on my cheek. This time it causes me to rouse, eyes wide and alert. They relax the moment my eyes land on a smiling pair of blue ones. Lance is quick to embrace me, nearly hugging the life from me but I let him take his fill. He is much deserving of it after all I have put him through. 

"I was so worried, " he stresses, releasing me for a moment before taking me back into another hug. "So worried, "he murmurs this time into my neck with his hands curling into my hair. 

I relax into him, loving his familiar scent and closeness. If I could bury my nose any more into his neck I would. Everything about him brings me much-needed comfort and security. Goddess, how I missed him and ached to get back to him. 

"You know I would not let a thing happen to M, " I say finally, breaking the small bit of silence left between us. 

"I know. I know this. But can I not worry for you as well?" Lance breaks away from me and stares into my eyes, awaiting an answer. "I did not see you when you returned back. I did not know you even returned back before you ventured to those lands. The Old Man said you had returned but had to leave again, but I did not believe him. I thought he was lying to comfort me, and I was sick with worry— you had been away for so lo—" He pushes me further away from him as his voice breaks. 

One look at him and I know he is on the verge of tears. Tears come raining down not longer after. His eyes redden more, highlighting his deep blue eyes. Already his cheeks become flush with color. I can feel the burning heat from him without even touching him. What am I to do? He should not be stressing right now. He should only be around good things and feel good things. 

"Ah, Lance, what are these tears?" I wipe them away with my thumbs. I bring him close to me and his kiss forehead, his cheek, and the side of his mouth. "I would never be away from you long." 

Lance grabs my hand before leaning into it, sighing. "Still, " he whispers, "you know how I worry. How I cannot bear the thought of ever losing you again. It would break me into pieces I fear not even Dani would ever be able to put together again." 

"I do, so let me ease those worries of yours now," I murmur back and kiss him once then twice, each time longer than the last until he breaks away for a breath. Yet, I cannot stay away for long for as soon as he recovers I bite his bottom lip begging for entrance once more but he only turns away with a heavy sigh.  

"Appeased?" I ask.

Lance only scoffs away a smile and brings me back into soft kiss. "It will take much more than that. Much, much more than that." 

I take a look around and notice I'm no longer in the wagon but in a room, a familiar room. One I was once used to being in. 

"Emery, where is Emery?" I continue searching the room until Lance grabs both sides of my face and kisses me again. 

"He is with the Old Man."

"Oh... Well, that's good. I must've been sleep for a long while." 

"Eight or nine hours or so, yeah."

No wonder he was so worried, but that was just exhaustion. Having come from my clan to the lands beyond the red woods was quite the journey, and I had no rest in between. 

"Has he told you then?" I ask, searching his eyes for any hints of anger or annoyance.

"Told me what?"

"About Ciaran, his new friend?"

Lance licks his lips and nods. "That's all he has ever been talking about since he woke up."