Chasing Starlight 💫

18. Pancakes. Part 1.

Alründ:
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It was a perfect time for dancing—three a.m. in the middle of a moonless sky, with only the stars sparkling overhead. As Alründ showed Ash the steps of a waltz, all he could see was her hand on his shoulder and her face smiling up at him. Her dark coat and pants blended into the sky, and other than his white wings, they were close to invisible up there—closer to keeping their secret. Spinning Ash under his arm, she went flying to the side. He spun her back again. She slammed into his chest and kicked him in the shin.

"You're an atrocious dancer," Alründ said.

"I can dance. See..." Ash did a small curtsy as she clung to Alründ's shoulder. The curtsey was clumsy, as was the spin that followed, but she looked so free in the air that Alründ wished they could dance all night.

"Debatable."

"You're just jealous."

"I'm more jealous of the air between us."

"Curse that air!" She laughed, floating towards him. Her mood quietened as they met with a kiss. The kiss was tender, her lips soft and warm against his. His mouth tingled. Their gildé beads might not have been visible, but they were going crazy, running back and forth over their skin. He swayed back, catching his breath. One kiss and he was all worked up. It didn't help that he could feel Ash's spirit burning lustfully, compounding his own lust. Two weeks of kissing Ash was pushing his restraint to the limit.

Ash hovered in front of him, fiddling with his hair, and he found himself kissing her lips again. Alründ floated back, hating that it was the right thing to do.

"It's late," he said, "and you need your sleep."

"And I say we fly to the beach like last night."

He raised a brow, amazed that she would want to fly anywhere. Her dancing was worse than usual, and her eyes had shadows beneath them. She had been surviving on three hours of sleep a night for the past fortnight. Alründ was expected to sleep after a nightshift, but Ash had been living two lives—school by day, and flights with Alründ at night.

She shrugged. "I'll sleep later, like next month...or whenever this ends." She stilled at that last part. He knew she hadn't meant to say it aloud.

"If it never ends, you'll be very tired. Not that I'll mind."

"Good." She leaned her head against the crook of his neck. "I'll just rest here, then."

"Stay as long as you like."

Holding onto Ash, he slowed his wings and began to drop, taking her with him. Ash never startled or looked up from her spot, she just held on. Seconds before the darkness gave way to streetlamps and house lights, Alründ scanned the roads and the gardens below, checking each lit window for onlookers, or worse, Lücan in the sky. If there was an emergency, Lücan could set flight at any time. And as the Head Sepheri was currently across the road, he would no doubt fly in this direction. It was instinctive for him to check on Ash and Marianne, even for a split-second. If that happened, the secret would come to a dramatic end.

Alründ clutched Ash's head to his chest. She sighed softly, and Alründ grunted a laugh. She's falling asleep. Mid-air!

Seeing the coast was clear, Alründ kept hold of Ash and drifted towards the Rendwick's house. He hovered by Ash's window and leaped onto the ledge. Halting his wings, he pressed them together and stepped onto Ash's bed. Her room was full of shadows and a sliver of moonlight, but Alründ had her tucked beneath the blankets in seconds. With a kiss to her forehead, he moved away. Tonight, he would return to his post outside her window. He would do the right thing—at least for some of his shift. Stepping onto the end of her mattress, he was within reaching distance of his exit when she sat up, and whispered, "Stay."