He uses his free hand to salute warmly. “Got it, captain.”
She laughs a little too loudly. “I took care of the top shelf for you, too. She kept her feet on the ground in your absence.”
“Oh, good. Can’t have her overworking those pretty wings of hers, can we?” His lips curl into a smile as a knowing look I don’t particularly favor passes between them.
Do they think I’m blind? Since when do they have inside jokes?
“We’re speaking the same language,” she says, nodding and closing her eyes in contentment. “Well, I’ll let you two get back to it! You’ve made stellar progress so far. I imagine you’ll finish this vast chamber by the end of next week at the rate you’re working at.”
She prances out of the archives, shutting the doors behind her.
Once I’m sure she’s out of earshot, I peel away from Kai and punch his arm.
Ouch.Something tells me that hurt me more than it hurt him.
Refusing to show a shred of weakness in my expression, I stare at him square in the eyes. “Ajog?Really? That’s the story you’re going with?”
“What? I’m not lying. I did go on a jog.” He crosses his arms while sporting a smug expression.
I knew it. That punch didn’t impact him in the slightest.
“Lie tome again.”
He rolls his eyes.
“I’m not lying. I really did go on a jog this morning. I just did it in the land below.” A mischievous glint enters his gaze. “It wasamazing. Just what I needed to get through another day here.”
In an instant, he embraces me, wrapping me in his arms. The crown of my head reaches just beneath his collarbones. Tucking me tightly into his body, he exhales a breath of relief.
“Thank you,” he whispers into my hair, then bends down to rest his chin on my head.
His tight hold is different from what I’m used to. I’ve never felt so warm in someone’s arms before. Losing my wits, I can’t help but echo his movement, loosening my shoulders and leaning into him.
A couple of moments later, we break apart and get to work. We only have a few sections left. Granted, considering we haven’t started placing artifacts or scrolls on the shelves in an orderly manner, we still have a ways to go. But I’m actually proud of the progress we’ve made in such a short time.
As we organize the books, he tells me more about his adventure. The highlight was, of course, his visit to Chrysocolla Cove. The way his entire face lit up as he spoke about catching a peek of his sister and her boyfriend warms my heart. His happiness is unlawfully contagious.
I find something about Kai disarming.
Perhaps I can trust him after all.
It’s been nearly a week since Kai’s adventure. After raving about the mountain air, the dense forests, and Chrysocolla Cove nonstop for several days, he eventually simmered down. After settling down, some of the light in his hazel eyes faded a bit. He misses his mortal life more than I can understand.
I meant it when I told him I have no desire to return to the living realm. The thought of spending time down there makes me grimace. Too many uninvited memories intrude my mind when I think about my life before death. I know it’s a bit cowardly of me to run from my own memories, but I can’t bring myself to do otherwise.
I can, however, understand how much he misses his loved ones.
I miss mine, too. I’ve just gotten used to hiding it.
We’ve gotten into a comfortable routine as of late. We work on different parts of the archives during the day, separate for a couple of hours after the workday concludes, and reunite for an evening walk as the sun sets. He likes taking walks—he says walking clears his head.
The more time I spend with him, the more I realize it’s been a while since I had any sort of companionship. Sure, I was close with Stephen for a while, and I do enjoy Nial’s occasional pop-ups, but this is indisputably different.
I’ve grown so used to facing the world alone I’ve forgotten how grounding it feels to have someone to walk beside.
I’ve caught myself smiling more often recently, too. I even effortlessly fell asleep in my own bed last night for the first time in weeks. Rather than reading with the intention of escaping everything, I’ve been reading for pure enjoyment—no ulterior motive.
“—What about you?” he asks unexpectedly as we pass by Celeste’s, the clothing shop. I break out of my stupor and regard him.Ugh. What did I miss?
