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With the way she was cowering, despite not even having a single drop of fear tangling in her sweet peach-and-vanilla scent, he knew she wasn’t ready. She didn’t know what she wanted, what she was doing – she just wanted to feel safe while she nurtured herself through her trauma.

Nathair sighed and dipped his head to the side until his skull rested on his shoulder. “I want you to give it to me w-i-l-l-i-n-g-l-y.”

“Why willingly?” She looked down at her slumbering flame. “Is it like the devil of old? You must bargain for it?”

The snicker that escaped him was an accident. It immediately made her back stiffen.

“It will make you my b-r-i-d-e – bride. We will be b-o-n-d-e-d – bonded – forever. Where you go, I go. Where I go, you will go. I will protect you with all my might. We will be... one.”

“What...?” She bit her lip and lowered her gaze as she looked off to the side. “I just fled from one person, but what you’re saying sounds permanent. I-I, Nathair... I don’t know if I’m in the right place to make such a large commitment. I feel like I barely know you, or myself anymore.”

Nathair slipped into her view. “I will wait.”

“What if I never want that?” She shrunk under his gaze with her knees to her chest, clutching her soul tight like her life depended on it. “That sounds too important, too heavy. What if I’m the wrong person for you? There are other people... those who aren’t... broken.”

“You are not broken, Linh,” Nathair signed, tilting his head. “Just hurt.”

She pressed her lips together tightly. “You didn’t answer me.”

“I will do whatever you want, and h-o-p-e it is enough. You do not have to give me your soul. I am not expecting it in e-x-c-h-a-n-g-e for anything. I will not try to c-o-n-v-i-n-c-e you, or take it by force.”

Her brows drew together in deep puzzlement. “You won’t convince me?”

“You now know what I want. My goal is you. If all you will allow is a t-a-s-t-e – taste – then so be it.” Despite what Nathair said, he still let out a chuckle. “But I will not play fair if you claim me, Linh.”

Her cheeks heated, and she shrunk under his gaze for a different reason. Her eyes darted everywhere, as if looking for an escape, before relaxing. “B-but I have a choice?”

His heart swelled, and he nodded. “Always.”

When she loosened her hold on her delicate, wounded soul, Nathair pushed at her hands until she was forced to let it go. He squished it back inside her chest, where it currently belonged, but he vowed he would win this female. He would feel her flame tied to his horns one day, no matter how long that took.

That, or he would pine for her for an eternity, and wait for someone else willing to sing for him instead. They would have to be special to erode the way her essence clung to his own.I doubt anyone would be able to compare.

Droplets splattered against his scales, the yellow sand, and her hair. Linh appeared a little lost as she stared at the sand, as if she was struggling to absorb all this.

When he spoke again, she gave him her attention so she could see. “Inside, or play in the rain?”

She lifted her face to the dark sky and flinched when a raindrop splattered on her cheek. Then she closed her eyes and let more land on her face, and the swollen redness in her cheeks and nose appeared to cool.

Nathair enclosed them with his tail, while digging it underneath Linh until she was seated upon him once more. She didn’t try to flee, nor did she react as she kept her face pointed upwards.

The rain it is.

Tucking away handfuls of lemon ironbark into her bag, Linh continued to search the forest. It wasn’t particularly edible, but she thought she may be able to stew it long enough to make a dull tea with the water mint she’d found a week ago.

Placing her hand to her brow, she noted the sun’s afternoon location.We’ve travelled far from his pond today.They’d been foraging for hours.

Nathair slithered off to the side, and she followed. He only left her if he wanted her to check a new scent, something they hadn’t encountered yet.

He brought her to some flowers, and she knelt so she could check them properly. They smelt sweet, almost like vanilla, and she gingerly pulled one of them from the ground by grasping its base. She assessed its tubers, brushing them of dirt, to check their colouring.

These are pale vanilla lilies.She tucked them into her bag and then hunted for more in the area. They wouldn’t provide much sustenance, but it was better than only eating plums and fish.

Once she picked all the lilies she could, wanting to use boththe tubers and edible flowers, Linh moved them on.

She followed the stream that took them further north towards the cliff edge.There are probably better plants south.She shuddered at the thought of heading in the direction of Bragg’s bandit camp.

Still, she stayed near the stream and waited for Nathair to point out a new smell for her.