Sanctuary of my heart

Chapter Eight

For a week, I'd been a prisoner in my own home, suffocating in the isolation. I hadn't seen Kael, hadn't been to the treehouse, and it felt like I'd lost the only part of myself that still made sense. My fingers absently traced the pendant around my neck—the one Kael had given me. I found myself playing with it constantly, turning it over in my hands, staring at it as if somehow, it could bring him closer. But it didn't. It only made me miss him more.

But tonight, something inside me snapped. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't just lie there, waiting for the walls to close in around me. As the house fell into silence, I waited, listening for the familiar creaks and groans of the mansion settling. Once I was sure everyone was asleep, I slipped out of bed, my heart hammering in my chest.

My footsteps were barely a whisper as I tiptoed down the hall, every muscle in my body tense. When I reached the back door, my hands shook as I gripped the handle.

Please don't creak. Please don't creak.

The cool night air hit me like a shock as I stepped outside, and for the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe again. I kept to the shadows, my heart pounding with every step. The woods loomed ahead, dark and silent, but the path to the treehouse was so familiar I could have walked it blindfolded.

When I finally reached it, I stopped, breathless and trembling. My chest tightened when I saw him—Kael, lying on the floor mattress of the treehouse, asleep, his face peaceful in the soft glow of the moonlight. He looked like he belonged there, as if he was part of the forest itself. He had brought in some fairy lights to the treehouse, which made the place glow golden and so beautiful.

I hesitated for a moment, just watching him, my heart aching with the need to be close to him. Quietly, I climbed up into the treehouse, careful not to wake him. But as I settled onto the floor, the wood creaked beneath me, and Kael stirred. His eyes fluttered open, and when he saw me, he jolted upright.

"Lyra?" His voice was rough with sleep, but the concern was immediate. "Where have you been? I thought—" He cut himself off, his gaze searching my face. "I thought you were avoiding me. Was it... was it because of the kiss?"

The worry in his voice sent a pang through my chest. I shook my head, my voice soft. "No, it wasn't the kiss. I—" My throat tightened. "It's Merrick. He found out I was sneaking out, and he had the windows bolted shut. I've been trapped in the house all week. I couldn't leave. Even now, it was a risk."

His expression darkened, and I saw the anger flash in his eyes. "He bolted the windows shut? Like you're some kind of prisoner?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "That's what I am."

Before I could say anything else, Kael pulled me into his arms. The warmth of his body, the strength of his embrace—it was overwhelming. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe. I hadn't realized how much I needed him until I was here, wrapped in his arms, breathing in his scent.

"I've been going crazy not seeing you. I couldn't stop thinking about you." he murmured against my hair, his voice low and thick with emotion.
"I slept here every night for the past week, hoping you'd show up" he said softly

A rush of warmth flooded through me at his words. I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, my heart hammering in my chest.

There was a moment of silence between us, a shared understanding that neither of us needed to put into words. Then, before I could think twice, I leaned in, pressing my lips to his. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but then something shifted. The floodgates opened, and all the emotions I'd been holding back poured out.

Kael responded instantly, his hands sliding up to cup my face, pulling me closer. The kiss deepened, grew more urgent, as if we were both starving for this, for each other. My fingers tangled in his hair as I pressed myself against him, the heat of his body igniting something inside me that I hadn't felt in so long.