Book Two: KOTLC One-shots and More

We're Together Now (Kenric POV)

A/N: @ItsMitsuriSan requested some more Kenric content! This is a bonus chapter from my main story and it picks up where the "No Regrets (Oralie POV)" chapter left off, and gives us some of Kenric's perspective on everything that happened.

It had been indescribably overwhelming for Kenric to have his memories--his whole life--come flooding back into his conscious mind in an instant.

All the good, and the bad, and the traumatic.

And layered into that, his few years of life as a so-called human.

But finally getting to take Oralie into his arms and kiss her?

Every bit of torture at Fintan's and Brant's hands had been one hundred percent worth it to get to this point.

Not to mention seeing sweet little Sophie Foster--unbelievably powerful but also unbelievably insecure as she had been when he'd been taken--grown up, confident, and very happily married.

If she could recover from everything that had happened to her, then he could recover, too.

With Oralie by his side.

He was still shaken, but being able to freely admit to Oralie that he loved her, being able to kiss her and hold her hand and say all the things she'd never let him say before...mostly he just felt exultant.

'Shaken but exultant' seemed to sum up her feelings, too.

She was barely taking her eyes off of him.

It was like she was terrified he'd disappear the second she looked away.

Then again, she probably was.

He couldn't imagine thinking she had died. Having to spend years with that grief. He was amazed and impressed by her strength of will in not letting her mind shatter from the grief and the survivor's guilt.

She was incredible.

After they ate lunch, she had finally convinced him to take a nap, and he had slept on her couch. When he awoke, he saw her sitting in one of the chairs--which had been scooted right next to the couch, an empty teacup on the table beside her and a book in her hands.

But she was looking at him, smiling softly.

He knew she had barely left his side while he'd slept.

She'd probably been afraid to.

He sat up slowly, and cut off her question of "how did you sleep?" by leaning in and kissing her.

"I slept fine," he told her when they broke apart.

"I reached out and monitored your emotions periodically," she admitted, "just to make sure you didn't have any nightmares."

He looked at the time. "I only slept a couple of hours. I don't know what it'll be like when I sleep for longer than that. Last night, Sophie gave me slumberberry tea, and that helped."

"A sedative might--"

"No sedatives," Kenric insisted immediately.

Oralie brought a hand up to his cheek. "You've turned so pale. I'm sorry. No sedatives."

He leaned in and kissed her again. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh. I just..."

"No, I understand. I don't blame you. We'll make do with slumberberry tea."

"Now," Kenric murmured, "why don't you show me that massive projection in your office so I can see how many things have been added to it since I've been gone?"