Page 10 of Must Love Moss and Moonshine (Moonshine Hollow)
TANSY
W hat are you doing?
You don’t even know him.
Have you gone mad?
As the fire crackled, its warmth slowly seeping into my cold skin, I felt a kind of stillness take over.
The sharp chill of the water had been replaced by steady heat from the flames, but it wasn’t just the fire that made my skin tingle.
It was the way Kellen was looking at me and the feel of his warm hand on my skin.
His eyes, always so carefully guarded, softened in the firelight. There was something unspoken hanging between us—too fragile to touch, but too real to ignore. The look in his eyes made my heart shudder.
Taking a deep breath, he gave me a gentle smile and pulled his hand back. We sat quietly under the blanket, listening to the fire shift as we tried to warm up. I moved closer, letting my body press against his side.
His eyes flickered to mine, his look heavy with something I hadn’t seen before. Desire, yes, but there was something else. A tenderness that made my chest tighten.
“You have been guardian here for one hundred years,” I said. “And you’ve been alone all that time?” Dryads, like Sylvans, had particularly long lives compared to humans or gnomes. But a hundred years alone was too long for anyone.
“That is the life of a dryad. We gather sometimes at Woodsong for ceremonies, but most of us prefer our solitude. Though I do visit Moonshine Hollow when needed.”
I set my hand on his arm. “That’s a very solitary life.”
He didn’t pull away. His lips trembled before he gave me a reassuring smile. “I have been content with it…mostly. Lately, however…” He shook his head. “Marvelle and the others keep me company.”
“It’s okay to want more,” I said gently.
He slipped his hand over mine. “Thank you.”
The warmth of his hand, the feel of his body pressed close, evoked such a strong feeling of want that I trembled. Everything inside me urged me forward, to feel his warmth against me.
I moved closer.
The space between us disappeared.
He cupped my face in his hand, his finger brushing my cheek. I leaned into his touch, feeling something shift in the air that made my heart flutter. I set my hand on his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat. And then, unable to stop myself, I pressed my lips to his.
The kiss was tentative at first, as if we were both savoring the moment.
He tasted of chestnuts and smelled like clean spring water.
His lips were soft, inviting, and our kiss grew more passionate.
Something about this was different. Sparkles of light danced through my head, like lightning through my whole body.
I had never felt a kiss like this before.
Then a memory flicked to life. I was on the road, sitting in a wagon beside a dwarf who was cracking jokes, making everyone laugh.
The sky was bright blue, tree limbs overhead covered in pink blossoms. Someone played a xylophone, the sound merry.
A seer’s wagon rode ahead, purple-and-blue curtains sparkling with beads.
Sunlight hit the moon-shaped mirrors, momentarily blinding me.
I pulled back sharply.
“Sylvie?” Kellen’s voice was barely a whisper.
“I remembered something. A caravan… I was traveling with others.”
“What kind of caravan?”
“There was music and…” The dwarf’s face came clearer now, his blue eyes sparkling as he playfully kissed my hand. My stomach twisted. “Oh gods. What if—what if someone is waiting for me?”
Standing quickly, I wrapped my arms around myself. My ribs protested the sudden movement. “I’m sorry, Kellen. I can’t.”
He rose slowly, pain flickering across his face before his guardian’s mask slipped back into place. “No apologies needed. I overstepped my role. I’m the one who should apologize.” He retrieved my trousers from beside the fire. “We should return. You need rest.”
The formal tone in his voice felt like ice water down my back. “Kellen… Please, you don’t need to be sorry.”
“It is my job to see to your care. I just got lost… I’m sorry, Sylvie. Let’s go back.”
He turned to extinguish the fire, each movement precise and controlled. I stood there, torn between the memory of the dwarf’s friendly face and the ache in my chest as I watched Kellen withdraw.
“Glimmer, little Sylvie. That’s what they call it when you meet your true love. When you find your soul’s twin, you will feel it to your core. You will know without a doubt you have found the one you are meant to be with for all your years.”
My grandmother’s voice echoed from some distant memory.
For a brief moment, I remembered her house amongst the limbs of the forest city of Greenspire.
I’d been sitting at her feet playing with fairy dolls I’d crafted from leaves, twigs, and acorns.
I remembered her weathered hands and her long, silver braid, even if her face was unclear.
And I remembered that she loved me, every lesson she ever shared was given with care.
I stared at the water, whispering, “Glimmer.”
Kellen paused, looking back.
I shook my head quickly. Gods, he would think me foolish, talking about ancient true love magic. I reached for my trousers, wincing as I pulled them on.
He noticed, of course. His hand caught mine as I reached for the blanket. “Go slow. You’re still healing.” His voice was gentle again, though his eyes remained guarded. “I’ll help with your boots in a moment.”
He returned to his task, leaving me with my churning thoughts.
Pitchforks and torches, the glimmer. Was it possible?
Dwarf, whoever you are, I hope you are worth what I may have to give up.