Page 26 of Realms of Shadow and Sun (A World of Sun and Shadow #3)

Sion woke up, his senses on high alert. He couldn't believe he allowed himself to fall asleep. He was supposed to be guarding Selenia.

Selenia. Where was she? He frantically lifted his head as his eyes searched around the camp. There she was, sitting on a log and looking directly into the fire, a small blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

He walked over to her, and touched her lightly on her good arm. She jumped, startled by his presence.

"What are you doing up, Selenia? You were supposed to be resting. I'm worried about your arm."

She looked up at him, and something in her gaze seemed different. He wasn't sure what it was, but she seemed...off.

"Selenia, what's wrong?"

She looked at him and swallowed hard, grasping at her gown as if to still her hands.

"Nothing,"

she said, her voice wavering.

"Are you in pain?"

he asked, frightened that her arm was getting worse or that she had lingering effects from her heat sickness.

"You could say that,"

she whispered.

Sion felt a rush of sympathy come over him, and he sat down next to her on the log, putting his arm around her waist. She flinched, almost as though his touch burned her.

"Selenia?"

he questioned.

"It's nothing...you just...it's better if you don't touch me."

Sion felt a pit in his stomach. She must be angry about what transpired in the cave. He didn't know what came over him, and now she didn't even want him near.

"I promise, I won't touch you again,"

he said, removing his hand and inching to the far side of the log.

Selenia didn't respond and continued looking into the fire.

Sighing, Sion sat up. It was near morning, and if they made good time they could be in the Snow Lands by tomorrow, or even late this evening.

"Let's get packed up,"

he said, grabbing some dirt and throwing it over the fire to put it out.

Selenia said nothing, but moved to gather up her belongings, not even looking at Sion.

Sion had never seen Selenia so forlorn. He assumed it was Jurel's death, hitting her all over again. Perhaps the kiss they shared sparked old memories for her. He wished he could do something to assuage his guilt, but she didn't even want to talk to him. When they stopped midday to water the horses, she scarcely glanced at him, and hardly said two words. It was worse than he feared. Would she say something to Grayden about his indiscretion? He tried to think back, to find out what had possessed him to make a move on his best friend's sister, but he couldn't fathom why he acted the way he did. Maybe he was just so lonely, starving for any type of touch that wasn't cruel or hurtful. She was so sweet and innocent, the opposite of Cressida.

And her lips. So soft and fresh...

Fates, what was wrong with him? He needed to get away from her, and fast. He started counting down the hours, eager to be off this horse with her in front of him, so the temptation would leave him.

When they finally crossed over into the Snow Lands, there was no gradual shift in the terrain and weather like usual. The second they passed the boundary line, snow, thick and viscous, whipped around them.

"Sion, what's going on?"

Selenia asked, trying to pull her small blanket around her shoulders, her nose already pink in the few minutes they'd appeared in their lands.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's some kind of blizzard,"

he said, amazed. Their lands had been losing their magic and becoming warmer and warmer, so they hadn't seen weather like this in quite some time.

"What should we do?"

she asked, her teeth chattering.

Sion looked at the sky, trying to gauge how fast moving the storm was.

"Selenia, I was hoping to get back to the lodge by this evening, but I'm afraid this storm isn't safe for us to travel through. The visibility is horrendous, and I'm concerned that we'll go in circles and run out of provisions. I think we ought to stay the night."

"You're probably right,"

she said, pulling her blanket up around her shoulders even tighter.

"What happened to your hat?"

Sion asked, looking at her pink ears and her hair whipping around in the wind.

"It must have blown away," she said.

An odd sensation down his spine hinted that she was lying, but it seemed such an odd, insignificant thing to lie about that he ignored his suspicions.

He scanned the horizon, looking for something to help shelter them from the wind. An outcropping of rocks caught his eye, and he directed Honor towards them.

He dismounted and then helped Selenia down. When he put his hands on her waist, she flinched, and he felt guilty all over again. She tried to keep her body away from him the entire time they rode, and the slightest touch caused her to tense everywhere.

"I'm afraid we'll have to share a tent,"

he said, his eyes searching hers. For a split second, he thought he detected a look of excitement, but it was so fleeting he was sure he imagined it.

"Alright,"

was her only reply.

They worked together, albeit silently, to set up a makeshift campsite. Once the tent was pitched and a fire flickering in front of the rocks, he motioned for Selenia to get inside.

She paused at the tent flap, watching him arrange himself in front of the fire.

"Sion, you'll freeze to death. I know you're adapted to the cold, but there's no way you could survive the night out here in a blizzard. Come inside."

He looked down at the snow covering his boots, and then back at the tent. He watched Selenia crawl in, and then headed in behind her.

She sat on the sleeping mat, shivering in her gown. Her clothes were soaked, and his were too. The snow was wet and damp, unlike the sweetly falling snow they were used to.

He sat down on the opposite side, trying to keep as much distance between them as he could. He watched as Selenia blew on her trembling fingers, trying to bring warmth into them. He struggled for a second, then moved over to her and took her hands in his. She looked like she might protest for a second, but then she held still and watched as he rubbed her pale hands in his.

"You have to keep your fingers moving, keep the blood circulating,"

he said, rubbing her fingers and then moving to her palms. "I refuse to allow you to lose a limb."

She trembled while he continued to caress her hands, and he worried that she was going to get hypothermia in her wet clothes.

"Selenia, I think you need to remove anything that's wet. The tent can keep us warm enough, but it won't do much good if you're in soaked clothing."

Wordlessly, she began to unbutton her blouse with her good arm, her fingers shaking. Sion wasn't sure if it was from the cold or if she was scared to be undressing in front of him. He turned towards the side of the tent, giving her privacy.

"Once you're finished, get into your sleeping roll and then I'll do the same."

Sion heard her struggle with her injured arm, but he didn't want to offer to help her undress. He'd already crossed far too many lines on this journey.

After a few minutes, her voice came quietly. "I'm finished."

He turned around, and saw her white shoulders, bare against the blankets and a sudden burst of desire surged throughout his body. He swallowed hard, reminding himself that she was off-limits. Sion turned again and began removing his soaked clothing. Once he got to his trousers, he remembered that he wasn't given any undergarments at the Sun Realm. He considered sleeping in his bottoms, but the wind howled outside and shook the tent slightly, and he decided against it.

"Selenia, close your eyes,"

he said, turning back to strip. The cool air hit his body, and he was glad to be getting out of his wet clothes.

He quickly shucked his pants and then crawled into his own furs. He glanced back over at her, and saw her eyes widen. Was she embarrassed at the thought that he was completely naked? Or the fact that they were sharing a tent? He wondered if he should say something, apologize for the conditions, but instead he just blew out the small candle he had lit and closed his eyes, the situation completely confusing him.

Sion was hovering near sleep when the sound of thrashing and crying caught his attention. He looked around in the dark, squinting to see what was happening. He could barely make out Selenia's silhouette, shaking and seizing. Without thinking he reached out to her, and pulled her close. She sat on his lap, stunned for a moment before she wrapped her good arm around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Shhhhh...I'm here,"

he said, rubbing her bare back. She continued to cry, unable to form words. Her chest was flushed against his, and he sighed, enjoying the warmth their bodies made together. The storm dropped the temperature significantly, and Sion couldn't ever remember being this cold. The wind howled around them, masking the sound of her sobs. He continued to hold her, and her scent enveloped him. She smelled like clean cotton and roses, and he was surprised, unsure how she could smell so amazing considering they had been traveling. He shuddered as he suppressed a sudden desire to run his fingers through her soft hair.

Slowly, she stopped shaking but continued to cling to him, like a newborn to its mother.

"I'm here for you, darling."

The endearment rolled off his tongue so naturally that it surprised him. He expected her to pull away, but if anything, she grabbed him more tightly. Sion became very aware of the fact that she was completely bare from the waist up, and he could feel her soft breasts against his chest. Her nipples were hard and cold, and he took a shaky breath, trying not to give into the arousal he felt stirring in his groin. Her skin was supple and velvety, pale and inviting. He never thought he'd ever see another woman besides Cressida, and the longer he held her, the more enchanting she became to him.

He knew he should push her away, move her off his lap and back to her own furs. But he was drawn to her in a way he had never experienced before. Sion knew she was a pretty girl, but he'd never felt desire for her.

"Sion?"

she questioned, as if finally realizing she was in his lap. She let go of him quickly and then covered her chest with her arms, suddenly embarrassed.

He couldn't fathom why she would be embarrassed. Her body was the most alluring he'd ever seen before.

"Selenia, I..."

he trailed off, looking for an excuse for his attraction to her, but none came. Instead Sion just stared at her lips, remembering how sweet they tasted against his.

As if sensing his thoughts, she moved forward, hands still covering her chest. She dipped her eyelashes and looked up at him, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Beautiful,"

he whispered, reaching up to stroke her cheek. "So beautiful..."

Selenia continued to watch him, unmoving. He wondered if she could feel the same pull of desire that he felt.

Throwing caution into the wind, he moaned and leaned forward to press his lips to hers.

Electricity jolted through him, and the second his lips met hers, he fell. There was no turning back, no way to climb out of this hole he dug for himself, as he quickly fell in love with his best friend's sister.