Rojuun

Chapter 26

Liselle woke in a comfortable bed.  Her head ached and her body felt drained.  She moaned as she sat up.  Her eyes opened, but she closed them right away when light seared through her skull.

“Lady Liselle!” Vevin exclaimed, jumping onto the bed next to her.  The volume of his voice rammed through her head, making her wince.

“Shh, shh, shh, Vevin.  My head hurts,” she pleaded piteously.

Vevin dropped his voice to a whisper.  “I’m sorry.  I’m just happy to see you awake.”  He ran fingers gently through her hair to sooth the pain.

“Mmm,” she responded, leaning into his touch.  She liked it when he did that.  Vevin liked to sleep in her room at night and when it was quiet, he would come to the bed and run fingers through her hair, humming until she was asleep.  She knew he had a crush on her, but didn’t mind.  Liselle hadn’t told him that she had a bit of a crush on him too.

“How long have I been unconscious, Vevin?” she asked, her eyes still closed.

He kissed her cheek before whispering, “For two days now.  Tathan was afraid that you might have burned out your mind, but he wouldn’t admit it to anyone.”

The kiss felt wonderful and she secretly hoped he would do it again.  “My mind is whole.  It just hurts a lot right now,” she said just as quietly as he had.  Liselle wondered if dragons and humans were allowed to be attracted to each other.  “I was very careful even though I shouldn’t have used that much power.  The plants wanted me to, and they helped me while making sure I was safe.”  She remembered that she was only half Human.  The other half was flower or something like that.

“The plants were worried about you too, Lady Liselle,” Vevin responded.  They leaned toward you as I carried you back.”  He continued to brush her hair back and even gave her the other kiss on the cheek she wanted.

She wondered if dragons and flowers were allowed to be attracted to each other and couldn’t help letting a giggle escape at the mental picture.

“What’s so funny, Lady Liselle?” Vevin asked with a smile in his voice.  He stopped running his fingers through her hair for a moment.

“Nothing, Vevin.  I just had a funny thought about flowers,” she said while moving closer to him in hopes that he would start again.  She still wasn’t brave enough to open her eyes.  “Where are we now?”

He resumed playing with her hair.  “We’re back in our room at Garrrn Dwelling.  Tathan and Sir Danth have gone back to fight sstejj.  They protect workers who are putting up gates at the other tunnels so they can claim that cavern.”

“You stayed with me?”

“Yes, Lady Liselle,” Vevin whispered.  “I couldn’t bear to leave your side while you were hurt.”  He kissed her earlobe gently, sending goose bumps throughout her body.

“I’m glad you stayed, Vevin.  I feel safer when you’re near.”  Liselle wondered what he looked like when he was a dragon.  She knew he was a purple dragon and purple was her favorite color.  She especially liked purple flowers . . . and dragons.

“I didn’t keep you safe in the cavern.”

Liselle opened her eyes just a bit.  The light wasn’t as bright as it had been.  They were sensitive due to her headache.  She focused on Vevin and saw the angry set of his jaw and his refusal to look her in the eye.  “Vevin dearest,” she said, gently running a hand along his jaw.  “You mustn’t be upset with yourself.  I did what I felt to be right.  I’m allowed to take chances and experience danger too, you know.”