Chapter 54: Chapter 54

A R Y A

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"Where are you taking me?" I asked Xenos, laughing, as he guided me through the forest by the hand.

"Let yourself be surprised," he said, and then gave me a mysterious wink.

I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. I silently followed him through the coniferous forest, enjoying the leaves and the cool forest soil that tickled my bare feet. Summer was finally here and my outfit, which consisted of a skirt and a chest measurement, was enough clothing, even here in the north. The temperature rose every day and the sun burned my skin whenever I taught classes on the training field and taught my students the latest teachings of the “Zisara”.

The indigo blue lines that now adorned Xeno's skin as well, gleamed from beneath his white linen shirt, shone on the stray rays of sun that made it through the canopy of leaves. He didn't apply paint every morning like me or all other gis. But every now and then he let me have his way, with the opinion:” "You can paint as much of my skin as you like if it makes you happy."“

"Ah. I should have guessed,' I said as we suddenly stopped and he reached out his hand to part the translucent torrent of magic. I grabbed it and our symbols touched.

He gave me a crooked grin. "Not so hasty, “kitten”." Then he pulled me through the bulkhead with him. I had expected a small clearing, with a magical waterfall and a colorful flower meadow. But not with what was in front of me.

It was a house. Not enormously large, rather sweet and compact. The white stone wall was overgrown with plants and nestled perfectly around the large, thick tree trunk that broke through the middle of the house. It was as if this house was one with Gaia's nature, connected in the most enchanting way.

I couldn't help but stare wide-eyed. "It's beautiful." I ventured a few more steps out, stroking the wooden fence that bounded the front yard. Teak, wood that came from tropical areas.

"Whose is it?" I whispered, unable to believe it belonged to one of our pack members. There were so many details that pointed so much more to my homeland.

Xenos, who had followed me and was standing next to me, said lightly, "Us."

I raised my head. "What?"

'It's new construction. Built one sun's revolution ago.' he went on, looking at the house. "Perfect insulation for the winter, yet it doesn't get too hot in the summer because-"

"What do you mean, it's ours?" I interrupted, stunned.

He put his hands in his pockets and looked down at me. "I commissioned it a sun orbit ago."

Before a sun orbit. When we first met. I stared at him. "How come?"

A shrug. "If we could have worked out," he said simply and bluntly, as if it meant nothing. "Here." He handed me the keys. "Look at it."

Still perplexed, I took the key, then opened the garden gate and groped my way over the narrow edging stones that led through the small, but fine, slightly wild front yard to the front door. I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

My eyes burned as I wandered around the house, taking in everything. A large kitchen, a long solid wood table, a cozy living room. Everything was made of teak. My favorite flowers were in a vase on the table. Spices were piling up in the kitchen cupboards, there were wooden bowls to prepare my painting and all the ingredients for it as well.

"I don't know what to say."

He continued to stand by the door, his eyes never leaving me. He hadn't taken his eyes off me the whole time. 'Then don't say anything. Look upstairs first.”

"Okay." Okay? Seriously Arya? That was a stupid answer, but I just didn't know what else to say and felt as awkward as I did when Rowtag handed me the sheet. So I hurriedly made my way to the upper floor, climbed the spiral staircase while Xenos footsteps caught up with me.

The first room contained a large bed, next to a huge window and an ensuite bathroom. I checked out all the other rooms before stopping and turning to face him. "What are you going to do with all these rooms?"

The rooms were empty, the walls white. He stepped through the door frame. His hands still in his pockets as he gave me a wicked smile. "As little as I can keep my hands off you, I thought, I'll take precautions."

"Oh." My brows shot up.

Now he came towards me. Slowly and leisurely, like the predator he was. His light linen shirt tightened over his broad torso and his eyes lit up as he cocked his head at me. "Or don't you want children?"

We had never talked about it. And I'd never had to think about it before. But now, when I saw that sparkle in his eyes, the same sparkle I'd seen when he saw me with Koray, my uncertainty evaporated.

My teeth dug into my bottom lip. "Well, I think there's nothing wrong with that."

"Good. Because I intend to fill all these rooms,” he said, grinning. Then he grabbed me and lifted me up.

I laughed and automatically wrapped my legs around his waist. "All?" That was at least five.

"Everyone." His hand gripped my head and he pulled me towards him. kissed me deeply "After all, we have an eternity."

A month of Sundays. I wrapped my arms around his neck, slipped my hands into his collar and rested them on his back.

His mouth moved down to the mark and he licked it. "But I have one more question," he murmured, then lifted his head again and looked at me curiously. "When did you learn my language?"

I snorted indignantly. "Hey! I've always been able to do that!"

"Well... Brittle."

I punched his chest. "Take that back!" I snapped, but I couldn't maintain my mock indignation for long.

He laughed. "Tell me when."

"I don't mind." I rolled my eyes and my heart pounded loudly. "A few months ago."

He went very still, stared at me with burning eyes, and whispered, "Why?"

I smiled because he already knew why. There was only one reason I had ever bothered, for “Gaia's sake. I leaned down, so close our lips touched with every word, and confessed, "If we could have worked out."

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END