Wucaii

Chapter Twenty

Aelana headed toward her cave, thinking it was the only safe place to hide from Dek, but the weight at the end of her talons told her it wasn't the safest place for Kalen. She wracked her brain for a haven. He couldn't go back to his house; Dek would find them there. The church was out of the question; Bayn might be a partner in Dek's plan. In reality, no matter where they went, Dek could track them through the earth. Still, there had to be someplace where she could sense him coming, be able to defend them if needed. She angled toward the forest.

She gently set Kalen down on the island in the river. Landing next to him, she glanced at her surroundings. The sun sank below the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of orange, red, and purple. Darkness would creep in soon, but it wouldn't affect her ability to sense anything coming toward them. The river magnified her senses. But it would take Dek a while to get there. He couldn't fly. She did have that advantage.

She listened intently. The only sounds that reached her ears were the flowing of the river and the leaves of the trees as they swayed gently in the wind. Occasionally, a bird chirped, but with night falling, silence fell as well. She focused on Kalen. He seemed fine, covered in a thin layer of dust, but she could see no major damage. Her hands gently brushed across his face to clear away the grime. When she was satisfied, she placed her hand on his forehead and one over her amulet, whispering into the air.

Kalen sucked in a sharp breath and fell into a coughing fit. He jerked upward, rolling away from Aelana while he struggled to catch his breath. She rubbed his back, trying to soothe his fit. After a few moments, he caught his breath. He rolled onto his back and stared at the sky, his gaze drifting to Aelana. She smiled weakly at him, still unsure how he'd react seeing her in her true form. She readied herself for the worst. He touched her cheek with his hand.

"Aelana?" his voice was hoarse.

"Yeah."

"I wondered when you'd let me see the real you."

Her hand covered his, confusion coursed through her. "What do you mean?"

He propped himself up on his elbow. "I mean, I was wondering when you would drop the spell. It took me a while, but I finally figured out you were the same Aelana as the statue."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

He shrugged his right shoulder. "I'll be honest, it did a little at first. But I could never get you out of my mind. I don't know why, but you consumed my entire being. And being with you felt so right. I didn't want it to end."

"Did you know when we were at your house, on the couch?"

His cheeks turned red. "I did. But again, I didn't care. As long as I got to be with you, I was happy." He leaned forward and kissed her passionately on the lips.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and they held each other for a long time. Aelana felt tears well up in her eyes, but they didn't fall. As wonderful as the situation was, there were other pressing matters that needed to be taken care of. To her chagrin, she pulled away from the kiss.

"Kalen." Her tone became serious. "Do you remember what happened after you left your house?"

He stared into her eyes for a long moment, searching his memory. "Dispatch called. There was a report of a murder at the church. Dek called it in. He asked for me specifically. I didn't want to go, but technically I was still on duty, so I had to. When I got there, I was surprised to see I was the first unit to arrive. I radioed to see if the others were en route, but I didn't get a reply. My radio died. I went in, and when I stepped through the doors, the world went black. Next thing I know, I'm here with you." He glanced around. "Where are we?"