The practice seemed to shake loose her old memories. So, while explaining how the rules worked, she spoke of her childhood in the forest city of New Malindi, the markets, and her family.
She shared about Selene and how close they were.
Idan listened with a stillness that suggested he was memorizing each word.
‘You love your sister dearly, just as I loved my mother.’
‘Do you miss her?’ Sheba asked Idan.
He took an inhale, then nodded after a beat. ‘Very much. Aeryn-Thall was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She had spun-gold hair that flowed like liquid light and eyes the color of a dying star’s core. She was also kind, warm as a summer hearth, and possessed a grace that could quiet a battlefield. She made me laugh when she mimicked the stuffy high-priests and tousled my hair just to see me scowl. She cared for me with unyielding patience and a love that felt like a permanent shield. I’ll never forget her. I even had this sigil branded into me in memory.’
He showed her a gold-inked, moving glyph on his upper shoulder that glimmered to view at his touch.
It was of a blossom Sheba had never seen before, with shimmering gold petals and a haunting, intricate design.
‘That’s the Aeryn flower, a sacred bloom in Sacra that heralds the first breath of the celestial spring, after which she is named,’ Idan said. ‘It reminds me she is always looking over me.’
Sheba reached out, her fingertips grazing the gold-inked bloom. As she touched the moving glyph, it seemed to vibrate with a pulse of power.
For a fleeting second, the highland hut faded, replaced by the ghost of a golden garden, the faint, melodic echo of a woman’s laughter, the heat of a midday sun, and the soft fall of rainy mist.
The sigil’s petals brushed against Sheba’s thumb, and the heavy knot of her grief loosened, as if Aeryn’s memory was reaching out to soothe the medic who was finally tending to her son’s soul.
Over the next few days, it became clear the bond they shared was a living, breathing tether that pulled tighter with every passing day.
It strengthened in the casual brush of his hand against her hip by the fire.
In the silence of a heated gaze over their cups ofkahawa, and in the effortless delight of waking up beside him.
Their passion intensified day by day, anchored by a quiet, steady comfort.
She’d found a soft place to land nestled in the arms of a man who treasured her.
One morning, the smothering winter drifts retreated, leaving the mountain slopes dusted with a lighter, crystalline powder that sparkled like crushed diamonds.
Idan stood by the stone hearth, his massive frame silhouetted against the rising sun, amber bleeding across the peaks.
‘The path to the valley is clear, the snow has melted enough for us to make our way,’ he remarked. ‘We should check on Lattaya village to see how they’re faring since the Rhixon raid. They also need to see we haven’t vanished into the ether.’
Sheba agreed, with both relief and anticipation.
For weeks, a quiet dread had hit her every time she gazed toward the canyon; the ghost of the hospital assault haunted her, as did her worry for the locals.
However, the thought that they were checking on their friends in the village lightened her spirits.
They pulled on winter cloaks and packed their satchels with thick slices of honey-cured meat, crusty loaves of hearth-baked bread, and clusters of tart mountain berries.
Idan took her hand as he led her through the towering pines and onto the path to the village.
It was a stunning day, the skies light blue and clear, the panoramic view of the valley below them astounding.
From time to time, their eyes met, his with an intensity that sent jolts through Sheba, as if she were on the edge of the most exciting adventure of her life.
With a man who was as protective asfokk, strong as well, carrying her over dangerous passes, and vaulting her over a river.
When the terrain became a mess of snow, ice, and broken rock, Idan scooped her into his arms.
Sheba gasped, her fingers digging into the hard muscle of his shoulders as his power surged.
