Page 18

Somehow, it’d stained his essence. He struggled to rid himself of it as it clung inside his nostrils, saturated the flood of drool, and invaded his bloodstream.

Annoyed that she’d elicited such a strong and visceral reaction from him, he retreated to the side. Once his tail tip grazed the ledge of rock lower down, he rested on it to keep himself buoyant.

He averted his gaze from her, only to bring it back with his sight flaring a bright reddish pink in embarrassment, as well as shame. With just how much looking at and smelling her had pleased him so profoundly, his reaction to her made him feel guilty over what he planned to do when she woke.

I have no right to feel anything towards her.Once more, he looked away, only to let himself sink.

Nathair wouldn’t change his mind and keep this little creature just because he thought her attractive and her scent called to him so intensely. He wouldn’t steal her, or keep her, even though he was aware that focusing on her tended to minutely quieten the fragments within his mind. He wouldn’t hunger for her presence for such a reason – he wanted to fix his brokenness on his own.

I will only... hurt her.Currently, he was lucid. Should his lucidity slip, he had a tendency to harm himself. He may claw her in confusion, in agony, and if he grew attached to her... and thenateher, the guilt of that may set him back.

Nathair was aware most of his Mavka siblings had brides. Weldir had kept him informed to the best of his capabilities while he’d been stuck in Tenebris. Sure, he’d suffered much envy, but he’d also just learned to accept that nothing about it could change at the time.

He knew that possibility was still unobtainable for himself.I am not deserving of a bride.He harmed when he did not mean to, expelled souls when he shouldn’t, and could not even speak freely unless he wanted to be riddled with unpleasantness.

Even if he longed for one, the chances of him keeping a human safe while he gained their trust were low.

He wouldn’t hold out on those chances changing, even if this particular female persisted in remaining. She would eventually run off scared; it was better he made it happen sooner rather than later.

His sight shifted to a deep blue as he coiled up on the ledge within his pond, waiting to feel the vibrations of movement from the surface. Such an ability had once irritated him, but he’d become reliant now that he was able to decipher it through his increased humanity. What had once itched his scales, now became a necessity for his senses.

Nathair picked at one of his scales, mulling over the last two days.I wonder what her name is.He’d like to know the name of the little female he’d likely remember for all time. The one he’d protected for a short while and didn’t end up eating.

Is it as pretty as her face and scent?Even her voice had been lovely. When she’d spoken to him the day before, she’d managed to lull him enough into listening to her plea.

Soft, gentle, sweet – her voice had been audible heaven.

He opened his maw and stuck out his tongue with ableurgh.Already she haunted his thoughts, persistently invading them.

Yes, he very much needed to get rid of this female before he became irrevocably obsessed.

Just as the nagging to rise and watch the female sleep began to itch his scales like an infection, he sensed the tiniest movement. A foot moving, perhaps even a groan, but enough of a disturbance highlighted she’d woken just as the sun was at its zenith.

Nathair immediately lifted to the surface, just in time to watch her rub the sleep from her eyes. With her face screwed up, she tilted her head to the side, and a crack sounded from her neck, which made her release a little cry. It appeared she had hurt herself by sleeping the way she did, which was upright against the boulders supporting her back.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stared at the grass with a docile gaze. It flicked to the water before darting to his skull.

The female gasped and recoiled to the side, falling away from him.

“You scared the hell out of me!” she exclaimed, before immediately settling. The dark circles under her eyes had eased exponentially, but they became sunken as something seemed to register. “H-have you been watching me sleep the whole time?”

Nathair rolled his head in annoyance, then flicked his tongue in her direction to taste the air. No fear had entered her scent.

Perfect. There was still plenty of day, and she had rested: time for her to leave.

Placing his hands on the pond’s edge, he slipped up until he’d exited to just a foot below his hips. That gave him enough leverage to skulk onto the land, slithering the long length of tail underneath him until he was completely free.

“I keep forgetting how big you are,” the female stated, giving him a weak smile that showed just how wary she truly was. “H-have you decided to finally come talk to me?”

Due to his torso not being flexible, nor having the ability to slither, he walked towards her on his hands. He did so cautiously, trying not to spook her too badly with sudden movements.

He halted his breathing when he was barely an arm’s length from her, her smell finally turning tangy as he reached out. She shrunk into herself, her arms and legs curling inwards, and her eyes clenched shut. Nathair ignored her response to his closeness and reached down beside her.

Her bag clinked and clanked as he dumped it onto her lap. The breath she’d been holding fluttered out of her, and she flung open her eyes to look down. She touched at the pale-brown satchel, before pouting her lips and frowning up at his skull.

Nathair pulled back and pointed to the forest.

Her gaze darted that way, and she quickly leapt to her feet. The bag thumped to the ground. She threw her hands out, like one might do to halt another.