“Casper, what are you?—?”
But I don’t get to finish. The shock of the cold water surrounds me, pulling me under before I can catch my breath. I break the surface, gasping, just as Casper bursts through the waves beside me—grinning like a boy who’s just stolen the sun and gotten away with it.
There’s something reckless and bright in him, something untouched, and for a breathless moment, I see the ghost of who he might’ve been had the world not asked him to bleed for it.
“You’recrazy!” I laugh, breathless, splashing water straight into his face.
He chuckles, his joy infectious. Then, he swims toward me, stretching out his arms to pull me close. My legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he holds me steady, the water swirling around us. I place my hands around his neck, drawing him into a kiss, deeper now, as if the rest of the world has disappeared.
Casper pulls us beneath the water, the coolness enveloping us, the kiss deepening as we move together. Beneath the surface, I feel only the rush of water, the warmth of his body, and the safety of his arms. I could stay here forever, lost in the moment, in the silent promise he’s made to hold me, in the space between breaths, in the peace of being fully alive with him.
Only him.
43
CASPER
Lailah moves her body closer to me, the warmth of her skin against mine, as we lie in the quiet of the cave. The only sound is the soft crackle of the fire nearby. I pull the furs up around her, the cool air making me want to keep her close, sheltered from everything.
Her hands find their place on my chest, her fingers tracing the lines of my tattoos, moving slowly in soft, circular motions. A shiver runs down my spine at her touch. Normally, I don’t let anyone in this way, but with her, I crave it. It's everything I never knew I wanted.
I kiss the top of her forehead gently, and she stops her delicate movements, shifting so that her chest is pressed against mine. She gazes up at me from beneath her lashes, and I can’t help but lose myself in the depth of her eyes. They hold so much—so many questions, so much pain—but also a faint glimmer of hope.
“Tomorrow we have to go back to reality,” she says.
My jaw tightens as I pull her closer, unwilling to let go. Jason met with Sarris and his father two days ago, and after four days of waiting in this cave, the moment for answers feels agonizingly close.
"What if this were our reality?" I ask, my voice a low ache.
She hesitates, biting her lip, her brows drawing together. I tilt her chin gently, guiding her eyes back to mine.
"There’s no one else. Only us," I whisper.
She pulls away slightly, the confusion and fear in her eyes making my heart ache.
“You and me,” I say, my voice trembling with what I’m proposing, but I can’t stop myself from wanting it. “We can leave. We take different names. We go far from here, where no one will find us. No crown. No responsibilities. Just us.”
Her eyes soften, but there’s still hesitation there, deep in her gaze.
“We can’t just disappear,” she whispers, as if the very idea terrifies her.
“Why not?”
I want this with every part of me.
“It’s not about the things we leave behind, Lailah. It’s about what we’re looking for. We don’t need anything but each other. You can choose your life—yourreallife.”
Her brow furrows, masking something she’s afraid to say.
“You don’t understand,” she says, her voice cracking, her hands trembling slightly in mine. “My father... the stone... if anyone gets their hands on it—if anyone finds out what I am…”
She looks at me with fear in her eyes, her breath shaky, her vulnerability laid bare. I know the risks, but I’m not afraid. Not of her. Not of the truth she holds within her. I kiss her softly, my lips trembling against hers as tears slip from her eyes, salt mingling soft skin.
"It’ll never end," she whispers, looking away, fear evident in her trembling voice. "I’ll never be safe."
Her words cut deeper than she knows, a desperate edge rising as she looks at me. “They’ll come after us," she says, her voice breaking. "They’ll tear us apart."
I can see the agony play across her face. But I won’t let her carry this alone. I won’t let her be right.
