Imperfect (Disappeared #1)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Theo, Theo." A voice filtered through to her consciousness. As she woke she registered how warm she was, nestled within Ahuil's arms and cocooned in the quilts. Oh God, sleep, finally. She must have nodded off, though she didn't remember when.

"Yes?" she mumbled.

"You're tickling me with your eyelashes."

She opened her lids slowly. He was leaning over her, smiling, his eyes smudged purple underneath but still golden and clear as ever otherwise. She felt so much relief just to see him, with the beautiful morning light framing his messy locks. She reached up and ran her fingers through his soft waves.

"You must have been dreaming, because your eyelashes started fluttering quickly and I could barely stand it. I never knew my neck was so ticklish but there you go."

She laughed. "I don't even remember what I was dreaming about. I feel as if I died for a couple of hours." She yawned a little. "I hardly slept at all. I must look a terrible fright. Not that I care overmuch." Her stomach growled angrily and the two of them laughed.

"I'm more concerned about feeding you. And you look beautiful, besides. I can't get over those eyes of yours. They're as blue as the sky. I've never seen the likes of them before."

His gentle smile sent shoots of panic through her belly. She realized she was probably grinning in a very stupid fashion. She fought for control over her face, which wanted to betray exactly how much she liked him. Being coy was not her strong suit.

"At home I would be neck deep in silk and lace, perfumed within an inch of my life and my hair carefully oiled and braided," she said. "That's the benefit of a lady's maid: no matter your emotional state, you always look spectacular. I fear right now my messy feelings are reflected directly on my person."

Ahuil caught the hand that was stroking his hair, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. "I can't even imagine that kind of life. That kind of privilege."

She looked away. "You must think me insane to want to get away from it all."

"Not at all. Incredible privilege can mean incredible limitations. Honestly, we have more in common than you think."

Their eyes met but the moment was cut short by a clanging noise from below. Ahuil groaned. "Breakfast. And I was just about to kiss you, too."

She gasped and pretended to hit him. "Horrible man. All right, let's go before things get violent here."

He turned his back as she put on her other dress. There wasn't much she could do about her hair; she re-pinned the braids and smoothed them down best she could. Ahuil helped her back up the ladder and then they took the hammock down to a huge platform below.

There were plenty of people, men and women, sitting at long communal tables. They were all simply dressed in light cottons and helping themselves to platters of food. No one seemed to be serving and no one was dressed finer than anyone else, which couldn't be more unlike Helenshire. Aside from that difference, they looked the same as English folk, except that they were a shade stockier. Some of them also had the same incredible dark brown eyes as Xochitl and her brothers. Most people immediately stopped eating and stared at Theodosia as she passed. She nodded at them awkwardly.

Ahuil guided her over to the end of a table where two men sat. They looked like slight variations of him. One was broader with a flatter, more angular face and a great beard. The next was just as broad but with lighter brown hair and a more prominent nose. Their eyes were similar shades of light brown flecked with gold, though they were not as startling as Ahuil's.

The one with the beard wrapped his arms around her. She was surprised but hugged him back. The other did the same and a feeling of heat followed that Theodosia had come to recognize as the energy connection that made translation possible. They introduced themselves then in English as Yaretzi and Cualli, Ahuil's two older brothers.