She’ll know that I’m not okay . . . That I’m . . .
It’ll destroy her.
She couldn’t do that, not to her dear sister.
The thought sent Luna kicking towards the surface.
Cold air stabbed her lungs as she gasped and treaded water, forcing her to take shallow breaths, but it didn’t matter. She was alive. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, lost to the water around her. She wasn’t okay, but she was here.
Slowly, she dragged herself back to the shore. She’d only been in the water for a few minutes, and already, her skin was paling to blue.
She collapsed onto the grass, naked. Her skin burned from the cold, and her body trembled so hard it felt like her bones might crack. She curled into herself, holding her feet, trying to coax warmth back into her toes.
“I could get used to waking up to this view,” Damien said as he draped a blanket around her shoulders. Her face heated, and she clutched the fabric to her body, shielding her nakedness from him; she hadn’t even heard him come over. How long had he been awake? Had he seen her dive into the water? How much of a view had he gotten?
Without a word, he sank down beside her, the weight of his presence settling into the earth at her side. “You okay?”
She turned to him. Lines of worry wrinkled his face, the intensity too much for her to consider right now. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. “Remember the man whose back you broke?”
“I’ll never forget him.”
“We were . . .” She struggled to find the words to describe their relationship and what ithadbeen. What they had shared was secretive, taboo. It hadn’t really been a relationship at all.It was a mistake.That’s all it had been.
Though, in her mind, before the ball, she had fully planned a future with him. Despite coming from different social statuses, she never anticipated it to be a problem. The conversation with her parents would have been difficult, and while they likely would’ve respected her decision, they’d be disappointed. It wouldn’t have mattered to Luna. With Clyde, she may have been poor, but her life would be filled with happiness because they’d have each other, regardless of how cliche that seemed; she truly believed it. It had all been for nothing, though. The dreams she had planned for eons were up in smoke. Her throat bobbed. His deceit still pained her, and thinking about it now tore the wound open slightly. “My future looks entirely different now.”
It surprised her that she had yet to shed any tears for Clyde. She didn’t love him anymore, but she did miss their shared moments, however tainted they now were. But, if the dreams she had dreamt were all built on lies, she didn’t want anything to do with them. She was ready to let it go. Or at least, she wanted to be ready.
“Is that what woke you tonight?” There was curiosity in his voice, but she didn’t dare open her eyes, fearing she would find pity in his.
“Yes and no,” she explained. “I had a bad dream.”
“Those humans really did a number on you.”
They really had.
“You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” he said. “As long as I am here, I’ll protect you.”
“But you—” She stopped herself. A knight in shining armour. He was offering that to her—even after everything he said. The weight of it pressed down upon her as much as the water had. Maybe she’d been wrong earlier; maybe hewouldgrieve the loss of her. “You have me?”
“I won’t let you fall.”
Falling wasn’t one of her concerns; it’d be so easy with a man like him. The thought crossed Luna’s mind so abruptly, it took her by surprise. She opened her eyes, expecting to meet his gaze, but when she looked up at him, all she could focus on was the small fluttering lights surrounding him.
Only then did Luna become aware of the sound of wings flapping as small butterflies danced through the air. Their soft blue wings glowed with a subtle luminescence, making them appear almost ghostly.
They flew all around, and she wondered how she had missed them earlier. Their delicate hum resonated in the air, calming her nerves. They danced with the night’s darkness, moving about as if it were their friend. Their bioluminescent glow glinted off the water’s surface, blending with the starry display above. It stole away Luna’s breath.
Separating her wet hair from her skin, she flipped it outside of the blanket as Damien shifted, nudging her gently with his shoulder. He silently invited her to share the moment with him, and, encouraged by a tug on her heart, she leaned against him, enjoying the warmth his proximity provided.
The butterfly ballet continued around them, and a surge of emotions coursed through Luna like a river of starlight. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Most in the Light Kingdom believe,” he said quietly, “that during a blue moon, their ancestors take form—just for a night—as butterflies.”
Luna turned to him, the light catching in her eyes.
“They say the spirits come to guide the living towards what is right.” His voice was almost reverent. “Not always what is easy, or even what is safe—but what’s true. What you need most, even if you don’t know it yet.” He glanced at her then, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. “Sometimes they appear before someone makes a choice. Sometimes after. But, they always come for a reason.”
Tenderly, he brushed his fingers along her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. His touch sent a ripple of tingles through her, subtle but impossible to ignore.
