But it wasn’t just his looks.
Selvyn was caring, considerate,funny.
He was all the things I never thought I’d have.
And hopefully, he’d stay with me forever.
Forever.
Exactly how long was that?
“Come here,” I asked, beckoning him onto the bed with a curl of my finger.
He climbed overtop of me so that he was laying closest to the window, and pulled the quilt over us both.
“Everything alright?” he asked, tucking me tight against him. “Are you sore?”
I slid my hand up his neck and ran my thumb over the coarse hairs of his beard. “I’m fine. It’s just—” I bit my lip before sputtering out, “How old are you?”
“Iris.” Laughter rumbled out of his chest. “Why do you ask? And of all times, why right now?”
I stared deep into those golden pools of his. “You look so young. And Marta and Elric, too. But I know you’re not. You have to be at least seventy. Maybe even older than that.”
His expression softened and he let out a deep sigh. “I’m around seventy-six, give or take a few years. Marta and Elric are much older than that. It has something to do with the magic. It slows down aging.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “So what you’re saying is I’ll die before you.”
Selvyn gripped my chin and pressed his forehead to mine. “We don’t know that for sure. But what I do know is that we’ve been waiting our entire lives to find one another. Whatever time I have with you is precious. My life begins and ends with you.”
He kissed me, slow and tender, letting me know how much he meant it–confirming my life would begin and end with him too.
Chapter14
Iwoke the following morning to the crowing of a rooster piercing my sensitive ears. Iris was snuggled next to me, her face just barely visible from where she was buried beneath the quilt.
Sunlight streamed through the thick panes of the window and lit up her face, her full lashes casting delicate shadows onto her cheeks.
She looked so different from when I first stumbled upon her in the caves. The bruising along her brow had faded and her cut was mostly healed, but it was something else.
Like she was truly at peace.
I savored the moment, and the fact that from now on, this would be our new normal.
“Iris,” I hummed and stroked her cheek. “Iris, it’s time for us to start our day.”
She stirred, blinking her brown eyes a few times before squinting up at me. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, angel. Did you sleep well?”
She gave me a shy smile and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Of course I did.”
“Are you in any pain?” I asked, trailing my tail over the dip of her waist.
Iris bit her lip. “Not really. I’m just—uncomfortable.”
I nodded in understanding. “After breakfast, I’ll have Marta fetch you a tonic.”
I climbed overtop of her, giving her a quick kiss before I rolled out of bed. Her eyes followed my every movement, watching intently as I buckled my kilt and tied my boots.
