Profound Devotion

Chapter 17

July 26th
Monaia

"Naia!"

"Monaia, I know you're here somewhere."

"You are not getting out of this!"

My mother's stern voice startled me from my dreamless sleep. Her frustrated stomps echoed through the floors below, only growing louder as she neared the narrow staircase and began climbing them one-at-a-time.

I was still safely wrapped in Cassius' arms to my surprise, and as I pulled back to examine his face, I found his eyes half-open and watching me stir beneath him.

"How long have you been awake?" I blushed and increased some of the distance between us, though he made no move to remove his arm that was draped lazily over my waist.

"From the moment your mother entered the house and began calling out for you." His face remained emotionless, though the tone of his voice lifted and made a subconscious smile flitter onto my lips.

"Monaia!"

My smile dropped, and the memory of my conversation with my brother made me tumble out of bed and scramble to the doorway.

"Stay here." I whispered, ignoring his curious gaze as I flattened my hair and slipped out into the hallway before she found us sharing a room.

She stormed up the stairs, a rare glare scrunching her normally relaxed features. I fidgeted nervously under her scrutinizing stare as her eyes flickered between me and the guest bedroom door that I had forced closed behind me.

"What are you doing in there? Why aren't you sleeping in your own bedroom?"

My mind fumbled with a possible excuse, only for me to come up blank. "I—"

Atticus stepped out of his room just in time, stopping in his tracks once he spotted our mother's suspicious stare.

"What's going on?" His lips crept up into a curious smile as he pulled his bedroom door shut dramatically slow behind him.

Our mother propped her hands on her hips and raised a single eyebrow. "Why is your sister staying in your spare bedroom? Did you do something to hers?"

Atticus shrugged his shoulders and ducked past us to reach the staircase. "She's been having a hard time sleeping. I guess it helps."

I shot a burning glare of my own into his back as he disappeared to the first floor, leaving us alone.

"Right, well..." She trailed off, relaxing her shoulders and straightening her posture. "Didn't your brother tell you to meet me this morning? You're forty minutes late, and breakfast is already almost done."

"I slept in. I was planning on meeting you, I promise." It was just difficult to wake up when Cassius' body heat was surrounding me, making it nearly impossible to think straight.

She shook her head and wrapped her fingers around my bicep, dragging me behind her and straight out the front door of the house.

"Mom, I have to at least change first." I motioned toward my wrinkled pajama pants and disheveled hair.

"It's too late for that. You should have thought about that before you didn't get up in time."

I gaped at her and hid my face as I received amused glances from the other parents in the village. They gave my outfit a once-over and laughed, warming my cheeks with embarrassment. I didn't even have shoes on, and the twigs and rocks along the path to the dining hall were digging into the soles of my feet.

"There she is!" Dianna wiped her hands along the front of her apron and ushered me into a quick hug. "What's with your clothes?"

I scowled as we pulled away, and an apron of my own was slipped over my head. "She wouldn't let me get dressed."