Page 133 of Daughter of the Serpent

How did he know the forest so intimately, as if it were a part of him?

How did he hold secrets her people, even the elders, had never grasped?

Yet, she could see the connection etched into his shoulders, woven into his very being. It was unmistakable - he was born of earth and stone, shaped by the howl of thundering wind and the wisdom of ancient trees, whos’ gnarled roots carved deep beneath the surface. Here, in the heart of the glen, surrounded by the wild creatures and spirits of the night, he was revealed in his true form, and it was wondrous.

Hewas wondrous.

The longer she remained in his presence, the more she realized - he was everything she had never dared to be, and everything she ached to become.

Axel took her hand in his and directed her outward into a slow spin. Laughter poured from her, rich and unrestrained, and she tipped her head back to the heavens, feeling the deep well of her heart expand in her chest. She had never known such lightness, such unfiltered joy, as if every burden she carried had been stripped away by the magic of the glade, and the pull in Axel’s eyes.

Axel’s grin widened in response, his gaze fixed on her as if nothing else existed - not the spirits, not the fairies, nor the forest itself.

He spun her again, his strength anchoring her as they moved together as one. When he pulled her close this time, her hands rested against his chest, his heartbeat strong and steady beneath her palms. Sylvie looked up, her laughter fading into something softer, something deeper. The forest's magic pulsed around them, but it was his gaze - intense, unwavering - that held her captive. For the first time, she didn’t feel bound by her past or her future. She felt alive. She felt free. And she relished it - the rare, unguarded glimpse of him, of themboth. Here, beneath the darkened night, there were no masks, no pretense.

Just him. Just her. Just this pure, unfiltered moment.

“How do you feel?” His voice was a quiet murmur, rich with curiosity, his hand warm where it rested at her waist.

“Clumsy,” she admitted, her cheeks burning under the weight of his gaze. She wasn’t as graceful, as sure - footed as he was. Yet, to her surprise, she found she didn’t care as much as she thought she should - not with him.

Not with the way he was looking at her now.

His grip tightened at her waist, firm and possessive, sending a shiver through her. Her skin hummed with the awareness of him - his closeness, his touch, the way he saw her.

Really saw her.

His fingers pressed just a little deeper, enough to make her breath hitch, enough to steal the last of her composure.

He leaned in, his voice a whisper against her skin.

“You fail to see yourself clearly.”

She swallowed hard, her throat dry.

"How so?"

His answer came without hesitation.

“Because if you could see what I see, you would never doubt yourself again.” He paused, the words settling between them like a promise. His eyes burned into hers, somehow deeper. Darker.

“You're beautiful, Sylvie.” The words came quickly, as if stating them was the simplest truth in the world. “Especially tonight.”

She stammered, breathless - yet she had no time to recover.

Axel stepped back, and the cool air rushed between them, causing her to instantly miss the warmth of his touch. Her gaze followed his every move, her breath hitching as his hand met the leather strap at his belt. With ease, he untied it, letting it fall softly onto the forest floor. Her lips parted, the unspoken questionclear in her eyes, but Axel said nothing. Instead, he continued to retreat, the shadows of the trees giving way to the silver glow of the fairy waters. Sylvie’s pulse quickened as his tunic was followed by his breeches, leaving his bronzed, tattooed flesh bare under the moonlight. For a moment, he stood on the bank, his form powerful and gleaming, before stepping into the still waters. They embraced him, rippling softly before claiming him entirely.

Sylvie watched stunned, rooted to the spot, all logic lost.

She should leave.

She should go back - avert her eyes.

She chewed her bottom lip.

"What are you doing?" Her voice trembled as she called after him, though she tried to steady it.

He didn’t answer right away, his back to her, the water rippling in glimmering waves around him. Moonlight danced along the surface, casting faint halos of light around his shoulders. His hair, darkened by the water, clung to the nape of his neck and disappeared beneath the liquid mirror.