"I'm so embarrassed," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the still running shower.
Krevan's breath caught audibly, his shoulders squaring as his gaze traveled over her."You're stunning," he said, the words hanging in the steam between them.
She backed away, securing the towel that seemed impossibly small now.Their fingers brushed as he handed her a second towel, the brief contact sending an unexpected current through her skin.His eyes—those extraordinary green eyes—followed her every movement, softening with something more than concern.
"I should go," Krevan whispered, but he remained rooted in place, his voice gentle.
When she finally dared to meet his gaze, the vulnerability there mirrored her own, and something fragile and new bloomed in the space between them.
"Ancelin, what frightened you?"His tone gentle, though his stance was rigid, powerful."What were you running from?"
"Just a bad dream," she answered sharply, shaking her head.
His broad shoulders filled the doorframe, blocking her escape.His eyebrows rose."You had a dream...while showering?"
"Yes, I dozed off on the bench because I was exhausted, and the shower was relaxing.I'm embarrassed, Krevan.Please, just leave so I can get dressed."Ancelin waited for Krevan to step aside."How did you even get in here?I locked the bedroom door."
"This is my house.No lock can keep me out," Krevan responded."I heard you scream and came to help.I didn’t intend to embarrass or upset you."
Ancelin nodded, accepting his explanation.
"I'll go now," Krevan said, his voice softening as he averted his eyes."I'll wait downstairs.The rain's stopped for a moment—we're in the eye of it."His fingers lingered on the doorframe."If you'd like, I could show you the farm before the next wave hits."He turned to leave but paused, his shoulders rising with a deep breath."Ancelin," he whispered, "there's nothing to be ashamed of."
When she emerged from the bathroom moments later, clutching her towel, she found only the ghost of his warmth in the room, the door closed with such gentleness she hadn't heard it click.She pressed her palm against the wood where his hand had been and felt her heartbeat in her fingertips.
The rain had eased, and sunlight began to shine through the gray clouds.This world bore some resemblance to Earth.Ancelin stood still, gazing out her bedroom window, admiring the landscape.The vibrant green pasture gently undulated around the house.With the rain and fog now dissipated, she could see three barns of varying sizes.Everything was tidy and seemed meticulously planned.Even the clusters of trees appeared deliberately arranged, artistically scattered to create a picturesque scene.The view stirred something in her chest—a memory of the barns like the ones in her grandmother's faded photo albums of Ohio farmland.But this wasn’t Ohio.She inhaled deeply as she dressed.Ancelin's breath came easier now, the tightness in her chest loosening like a fist slowly unclenching.Even with the nightmare's echo still ringing in her mind, something about Krevan's steady presence seemed to quiet the chaos inside her—a calm she hadn't known since before her world shattered.
Ancelin hurried down the staircase, not wanting to keep Krevan waiting.She paused at the kitchen threshold when she spotted him lounging in the living room, his long legs stretched out as he flipped through channels on the suspended SatView screen.Her fingers gripped the doorframe as the bathroom scene flashed through her mind—her bare skin against his shirt, the hard press of his body, the way his voice had dropped to a rumble.Heat bloomed across her chest and climbed her neck.She swallowed hard, watching him from the shadows.Something about the casual strength in his hands as they worked the remote made her pulse quicken.Krevan was like a predator at rest—beautiful, compelling, and absolutely not safe.
Her stomach knotted itself into a fist.The enormity of her decision crashed over her like a wave—galaxies from home with a stranger who'd just seen her naked.Lena’s parting words at the spaceport haunted her: "You can't outrun grief, Ancelin, even at light speed."
She'd ignored the warning, desperate to put light-years between herself and the bloodstained walls of her family home.Now she stood frozen, a woman who'd once complained about spotty Galaxnet in her comfortable housing, facing outhouses and chamber pots on a planet where nothing was familiar and unfamiliar dangers lurked everywhere.
"Ancelin?"Krevan's deep voice broke through her spiral."Ready for that tour?Animals need tending first, then I'll show you the old house and my greenhouse."He held out a rain jacket that would swallow her whole."You'll need this—the rain here cuts like ice.We'll see snow within a month."
"Snow?Really?"She crossed the room and accepted his offered jacket, their fingers touching briefly."Thanks for letting me borrow this.Mine is packed away somewhere."Her voice grew steadier."Are there more than just chickens on your farm?"
"Yes, snow.And I'm raising four Earth pigs alongside four Triaxen tartis to see which adapt better to this environment," he explained, flashing a lopsided smile."Come next warm season, I'll experiment with different field crops to find the most profitable option.Everything's still in its early stages."
The sunlight streaming through the large windows caught his golden-brown hair where it fell across his forehead, softening his features and making him appear younger than he had last night."We should go through the garage.The ground's muddy, and I don't have boots small enough for you.If you want to stay inside, that’s okay.”
"Hold on—I packed boots," Ancelin said, darting back upstairs.She rummaged through her bag, yanking out the sleek gray weatherproof boots she'd bought specifically for this new life.When she returned, she lifted one foot slightly, then the other, like a child showing off new shoes."I'm ready for the grand tour.I appreciate all this, Krevan.Really."
Krevan didn't say a word; he just smiled and guided her out of the house into his large, spotless garage.He then took her to the nearest building, saying, "This is the chicken house.It's climate-controlled with excellent air circulation.It can get a bit noisy here.Let's gather the eggs and feed the chickens.I might need to visit Coti later this week for more grain.There's a small feed and hardware store there."
As they entered the chicken house, the birds went wild.The free-roaming ones dashed to the far end of the building.Wherever Krevan moved, collecting eggs and feeding them, the birds hurriedly scattered or backed away, nearly trampling each other in their haste to avoid him.Ancelin noticed the birds seemed unusually fearful, almost as if sensing a predator among them.Krevan's actions weren't threatening, yet the birds continued their noisy protests.
Observing him analytically, Ancelin tried to understand the strange scene.Krevan showed her how to collect the eggs, and, true to the rest of the property, everything around him was pristine.The egg collection system was designed so all the eggs rolled to a single spot.After tending to the birds, Krevan led Ancelin outside, where the birds immediately calmed down.He then directed her to a small door leading to a larger barn."Ancelin, I'm heading back to the garage to fetch something for these animals.You go on inside; the pigs and tartis are in pens at the far end.I'll be back shortly."
"Alright," Ancelin agreed."How do you keep everything so clean and organized?"
Krevan swung the barn door wide, stepping aside to let her enter first.As she passed him, she felt the heat radiating from his body in the cool air."Sleep's never been a necessity for me," he said, his voice low."Few hours is all I need, and I see great in the dark.Makes for productive nights."He gestured toward the interior."Take a look around.I'll just be a moment."With that, he turned and strode back toward the house, leaving her alone in the dimly lit barn.
Ancelin glanced over her shoulder to find only empty space where Krevan had stood moments before."Fast is an understatement," she muttered to the wooden beams above.Making her way to the far end of the barn, she approached the divided pens housing the pigs and tartis.The creatures welcomed her with a chorus of contented grunts and snuffles as they pressed curious snouts against the barriers."Don't worry, little ones.I'm sure breakfast is coming soon," she said, reaching out to stroke a velvety ear.Without warning, the animals erupted into piercing shrieks that raised the hair on her arms.Whirling toward the door, Ancelin's heart lurched—Krevan stood inches away, his sudden presence stealing her breath."I—you—" she stammered, pressing a hand to her chest."Where did you come from?These poor animals are terrified, and now I can barely hear myself think."
"Next time, earplugs," Krevan called over the cacophony, scooping feed into the troughs.The animals fell silent except for eager snuffling as they dove into their breakfast.He motioned toward a side door."This way."The room beyond held metal shelving stacked with supplies and a desk wedged into the corner beneath a calendar of Verrian weather patterns."Storm's coming in half an hour," he said, sliding into the chair and pulling up a tablet."I need to log these feeding amounts.Make yourself comfortable—won't take long."
Ancelin sat on a wooden crate, mesmerized by Krevan's hands dancing across the keyboard.Without warning, his fingers froze mid-motion.He tilted his head as if listening to something beyond human hearing."We have company," he murmured, rising to his full height.His eyes narrowed toward the entrance."Nobody comes this far out.Stay behind me."His tone brooked no dissent.Heart quickening, Ancelin trailed him through the barn's dim interior, where animal musk and sweet hay filled each breath.The rumble of engines shattered the pastoral silence.Two ATVs, caked with dried mud, rolled to a stop outside.Four figures climbed off, their heavy footfalls announcing their arrival like thunder.
