Shadowbook

Chapter 24: The Intense Labyrinth of Possible Death

"Come to me, love, come hither!" Astor cooed from above the trapdoor that morning.

I sighed. "What do you want, Astor?"

"I wish that you might sleep beside me, love."

His voice was like music, smooth and silvery. I crept through the trapdoor, up into the main part of the carriage. The black velvet canopy and curtains kept out all daylight, and Astor waited expectantly among the silken pillows. I smiled playfully. "Whatever you desire, my lord."

Astor grinned and beckoned. "Come hither, Lovey. Let the sweet darkness embrace you as it seeps away from the rest of the world." I crawled toward him and let him tenderly wrap four layers of his folds around me. The fifth was modestly wrapped around his waist.

We sat together, wrapped in a cloud of darkness. His inner folds were so soft. Had they ever touched anyone else before? "Willy is the only other person I permit to handle my folds," said Astor, reading my mind. "I am pleased that you now appreciate that I am willing to make myself vulnerable to you in this way."

"I feel very safe in your folds." I put my hands on his waist, running them up and down his sides, feeling the contours of his lean muscles. "Your chest is so smooth." I thought I saw him smirk in the dark, then I felt his lips touch mine. I embraced him, stroking his hair and wings. Mmmm... "I love your hair," I whispered. "It's so beautiful and soft and elegant... I like how it curls up in the back, and how it's always a bit messy. It's cute."

Astor chuckled. "I love yours. 'Tis like the sunset, or like..." he laughed deviously, "cherry syrup. And your folds are quite beauteous, too, like the sky at dusk."

"I'm not used to my folds yet."

"You do not yet have the same connection to yours that I have to mine. My folds are all that has covered me, my entire life. They are a part of me. If someone else were to hold them, they would have power over me..."

I acknowledged the elephant in the room. "Do you think Abaddon might try to take your folds away from you?"

Astor was silent for a moment. "Perchance."

"Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Why can't you just let your parents do this for you? Astor, If I lost you—"

"I will not rely upon Mummy and Daddy to fight my battles for me! I will not sit in my palace like the spoilt child I so often am! I am a man now!"

"You're trying to prove yourself to your parents."

"No, I am not trying to prove myself to my parents, or even to my kingdom. I am trying to prove myself to myself."

"Oh, Astor!"

"Nyx, let us worry not." Astor lay down and stretched his wings. "The folds are safe. Lie beside me. We shall await the hours of darkness."

I sank into the soft pillows and the warm folds. "I'm not sleepy. Were we going to make out?

"We ended up talking about what imminent peril we are in."

"Sometimes, imminent peril can be sexy. Nothing can come between us, Astor. Especially not Abaddon."

"This is what I love about you, Nyx."

"I love you too, Astor."

We wriggled beneath Astor's extravagant folds, kissing and cuddling. After a few minutes of passionate writhing, I whispered, "It's so interesting that when people are infatuated, they overlook their lovers' flaws... we revel in them!"