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She felt bad about that, but she also couldn’t regret it. She’d needed someone, anyone, to aid her. She didn’t care who or what they were, so long as they were safe.

And despite what he was, Linh was beginning to regard him as safe. Scary, and a little off-putting with his serpent skull and body, but he hadn’t hurt her, hadn’t tried to do anything cruel towards her.

She needed that. A presence that, although daunting, was secure. It made a pang of tenderness spread throughout her chest as they both watched the fish cooking over the hot coals.

I was scared of falling asleep.Maybe that’s why he put space between them – had he been able to sense she was uncomfortable?

She’d slept lightly at first, worried he’d finally make a snack of her or try to touch her while she was seemingly unconscious. Both were scary, both made her stomach tighten.

The fact he didn’t come near her meant she’d finally...rested.Although her sleep was fitful and plagued with horrible nightmares, each time she woke up, she’d been alone. No one was holding her when she didn’t want them to, and there wasn’t an uncomfortable presence lingering.

The fire had been warm, her jacket comforting, and her bag the most amazing pillow – only because it meant she was free.

She blinked her lazy eyes. The area was quiet, and she’d forgotten how much she missed silence. There was no clattering of armour, or the banging of swords in the midst of training. No kicking of dirt from at least a dozen footsteps. Just blissful nature as it ebbed and flowed around her.

Even Nathair’s breaths were quiet, although still noticeable due to his colossal size.

Her heart hadn’t felt this settled and at peace for so long. Before, it felt like it was always racing, seconds from imploding from stress and anxiety. Her forehead didn’t feel so weightedwith depression and hopelessness. Her mind, although scarred, didn’t pound behind her eyes as she constantly searched for a way to escape.

She took in the long, boring silence, and almost wanted to weep with relief.

“I like your home,” Linh stated as she crossed her legs. She gave the fire a small smile, hoping that Nathair could see it and would understand it was because of him. “It’s peaceful. I like how quiet it is.”

The longer the silence dragged on, the more she wished they could fill it. She wanted to learn more about the person who saved her, yearning to be able to converse with him in the blissful quietness of the environment. She was eager to hear their conversation echo, as opposed to her previous flinching whenever a loud bash or sharp clang in the background put her nerves on high alert and rendered her silent with worry.

He said he lost his voice, so I wonder what it sounds like.Did he magically lose it, or was there something physical at play?

I wonder if I can help him.Or, perhaps, find a way for them to speak, even if it was without his voice.I know sign language. Perhaps I can teach him.

A small rumble came from him, and he lowered himself into his circling tail. It moved, slithering around and scraping loose rocks against the stone ground.

Her cheeks warmed when she realised he was releasing a quiet purr again, but he was so close, his chest right next to her, that it sounded loud. For some reason, her heart stuttered, and she found herself wanting to give more compliments to see if the sound could deepen.

She looked up. “I like how the sun streaks are really pretty. They make everything bright enough for me to see all the vegetation growth on the ceiling and walls.” He blocked most of the underwater lake from view, so she brought her gaze to whatshe could see of it. “The water smells nice, and the trickling feels really good to listen to. It made it easy to fall asleep. You picked a wonderful home, Nathair.”

The more she spoke, the deeper his purr became. Then she let out a tiny squeak and lifted her arms when the tip of his tail slipped underneath her crossed knees and circled her backside.

He did nothing more but press his tail around her, but her heart sped up. She wasn’t sure if that was in bashful joy like before, or the nervousness of being touched.

Lifting her face, she found herself gazing into bright-yellow orbs and a serpent skull. His hooked ram horns glistened from a streak of light bouncing straight onto one. Both glittered from the fire, reflecting the golden hairline fractures, and she found it remarkably beautiful.

Moments before, his presence had felt imposing. Now, as she stared into the vortex of his glowing orbs, a sense of... calm washed over her. His touch no longer felt wrong or ugly, and instead made her feel lightly cradled and safe.

It helped that his hands never reached for her. They remained inside his wrappings, as if he wanted to hold her in the most informal way to show his appreciation for her compliments.

His orbs flickered with dark green, and she recoiled in surprise, which made him do so as well. His tail slid away, and she averted her gaze when she realised they’d just been staring at each other.

Licking at her lips, unsure as to why she was nervous – but not in a way that twisted her stomach with fear – she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

“T-thank you again for getting me food.” She assumed, since he’d given them to her, that he’d intended for her to eat them. “I’ve eaten fish, but it’s rare – since people need to leave our villages to get them. I’m kind of excited, since I can tell you gotthem from the sea due to the smell of you. I wonder if they taste different from freshwater fish.”

His tail tip slipped back underneath her thighs to circle her backside. She could almostfeelhis thoughts with the action: ‘She likes the food I caught for her.’His tail gripped even tighter than before.

He likes to be reassured.If it was that easy to keep the Duskwalker content, then Linh would happily supply him with plenty of reassurance.

Once her meal finished cooking, she placed the bottom of the sticks into a crack of rock so they would stay upright to cool. Then she rose to grab more wood.

All the hairs on her body stood on end when the Duskwalker let out a long but quiet growl as she left his side. Her stomach clenched like the strangest butterflies had taken flight. Yet he never stopped her from walking away, allowing her to do what she wanted, even if it displeased him.