“It’s underwater, but it will only be the shortest of swims.”
“I trust you. You haven’t gotten me killed so far.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he said, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “We’re almost at the wall. Time to dive. You ready?”
She looked ahead, the two animals were submerging and having the time of their lives, it seemed. If they could do it…
“Ready.”
“One last thing.”
“Yeah? Words of wisdom?”
“Of a sort. I love you, Maria of Earth. I just wanted to say that.”
Maria felt her heart swell in her chest, a knot of happiness clenching her gut. “I love you too, Zeph. Now get me out of here.”
“As you wish.”
He dove beneath the surface, helping guide Maria lowenough to not bump her head. It turned out it was barely a foot below and thus not a big concern. They swam perhaps ten meters when their limited light suddenly erupted into full sun above. They surfaced together, bursting out of the water with a splash.
“Oh my God,” Maria gasped, spinning a full three-sixty as she floated in the tranquil pool. “It’s beautiful.”
It was that indeed. A deep gorge bordered them, the cavern and water source hidden beneath, all emerging into a heavily wooded lagoon surrounded on all sides by tall hills and mountains, the tops angled out almost like a volcanic crater, allowing maximum sunlight to enter while keeping the entire area utterly secluded.
They swam toward the part of the shoreline where the two Llamalians had climbed out and were now happily grazing on lush burgundy and green grass. They sloshed ashore and walked to a dry spot, quietly taking it all in. It was perfect. It was safe.
Maria looked up at her man, love in her eyes. Love and hope. “Can we finally stop running?”
Zepharos felt his heart flutter in his chest, the way she looked at him, and he allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of love and the possibilities of this place. It was hidden. Secluded. And it would be near impossible to find.
“Maybe we can,” he said, a smile slowly spreading across his lips. “Maybe we can.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Maria lay comfortably in the soft grass, her head nestled in Zepharos’s lap as they lazily watched clouds drift by on a particularly lovely afternoon.
“It’s a donkey,” she said, pointing to a fluffy shape wafting high above.
“I keep telling you, love, I do not know what all these things are. Translation runes only work for things they can actually translate,” her mate replied with a chuckle.
“Well, you do the same to me.”
“Yes, but unlike you, I amawareI’m doing it.”
She reached up and smacked him playfully. “You’re such an ass.”
“Yes, and you love it.”
“I loveyou.”
“A feeling that is very much reciprocated and then some. What do you say we take the kids for a swim and then make some lunch? Would that please m’lady?”
“Oh, yes, sir. Very much, sir,” she said with a cheery laugh. “And where are they, anyway?”
“Call them. You know they’ll come.”
“Popcorn! Zippy! Where are you?”
