And she didn't want to come up for air.
His arms bent behind her back and pulled her flush. So flush, he nearly pulled her off the ground. His hands threaded in her hair and in the tulle on the bottom of her dress. She'd never felt so wanted by anyone before. He consumed her—tasting of salt and wine and everything she ever wanted.
After a few moments, he pulled back, and his hand pressed to her cheek. Both were breathless and struggling to steady. She stared up at the darkness in his pupils.
“I am so dead,” he whispered.—
—“Nyssa?"
She was back on his beach, Nadir still sitting in front of her, her hand in his. She inhaled a sharp breath as she returned back to the present.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I've just been... My mind keeps replaying things," she admitted. "I think it's trying to take me back to a simpler time."
How easily the words came from her lips surprised her. He squeezed her hand and whispered, "Tell me about it," against her skin just as Lex came back onto the porch.
"She's been awake an hour, Commander, and you're already swooning her?" Lex mocked.
Nyssa smiled as Nadir feigned surprise. "I really don't know what you mean," he said.
The grin on his face didn't waiver, and he winked quietly upon meeting her gaze.
Nyssa ate the pastries and stew that Lex had brought her while Lex and Nadir smoked and chatted about the day. Lex was asking him questions about his army and the different legions. Nyssa knew she should have been listening, but she couldn't stop staring at all the new sights around her. She'd hardly had a moment to take it all in when they'd arrived the first night.
After a while, Lex retired, and Nyssa insisted she take the bed and told her she wanted to sleep outside that night and get some fresh air. Honestly, Nyssa just wanted to feel the wind on her face and smell the familiar salt in the breeze.
"I nearly forgot," Nadir said once they were alone. "I had something I wanted to show you. Hang on. You’ll love it.”
She squinted at the smile on his face. He stood before she had a chance to question him. His pop inside was brief, and when he emerged back out, she chuckled at the sight of him holding up two books.
"Thought you might like these," he said as he sat down beside her.
She poured over the rich leather-bound book he gave her, even bringing it to her nose to smell, which he laughed at.
"What book do you have?" she asked.
“You’ll not be able to read this one,” he said, flipping through the pages.
“Why’s that?”
“It’s written in the old language.”
“Really?” she asked as he opened it up for her to see.
The script practically jumped off the page. There was a beauty in the curves of each line. As though the words were alive and were meant to seep into her very core. She allowed her fingers to brush over the inscriptions. The lettering was unfamiliar, and yet… she swore she knew it.
Something about it comforted her.
"Is it like the one you showed me at Magnice?" she asked. "Written by a Lesser One?"
"This was written by one of our people,” he said. “Short stories of fantasies and things that never happened."
“Could you teach me?” she asked.
"The language? Why do you want to learn?”
“It would be nice to know what your people are saying.”
Nadir paused, eyeing her sideways. “Iiyii,” he uttered in a mocking tone.
