The Boy With The Arrows

C H A P T E R • T H I R T Y N I N E

For a few moments, Dream simply stared at me, as though he were expecting something to happen. In a way, I hadn't known what to expect at all. That enchantment on the bracelet had been affecting me for so long without my knowledge, and I'd half wondered if all the decisions I'd made because of it would come crashing back down upon me instantly.

But nothing like that happened. Instead, there was the slow realisation that nothing had actually changed. I was still me, I realised, with sudden clarity.

"Tell me now, then," I spoke, raising my eyes to Dream's. "If what you told me is the truth, then I deserve your honesty now. Give me what I deserve."

Dream shook his head, green eyes widening in disbelief. He stepped closer to me, and took my hands, taking back the bracelet and slipping it into his pocket, before holding my hands again.

"What you deserve, is someone who can show you love as perfectly and unconditionally as you do. You deserve every good thing I could possibly give you, Alexa... Jett... baby... I want to try. I want to give you all of those things, I want to tell you I love you in every way possible. In every way I couldn't tell you before."

Both of us breathed out shakily, and I laughed softly, a sound of happiness and relief. I wriggled one of my hands out of his gentle grip to reach up and run my fingers through the tips of his blonde hair.

"I love you, Dream."

Dream's smile grew happier, and it filled me with warmth.

"I know, baby. I love you too. With all my heart."

I finally pulled him closer, my arms dropping to wrap around his waist, head slumping tiredly against his chest. He responded immediately by returning the hug, holding me tightly to him as though I were about to float away.

"I don't deserve you," he muttered.

"Dream," I mumbled against the soft fabric of his green hoodie. "Schlatt was trying to pull us apart, did you see that, earlier?"

"What?"

"He knew you'd done something, made it seem like a big deal. I know you were just trying to do the right thing, and you definitely should have told me about it sooner than you did, but Schlatt wanted to use the fact that you were keeping something from me to drive a wedge between us. What he doesn't know about me is that I'm mature enough to know we are stronger when we're working together." I pulled back a little to look him in the eyes. "You are my king, Dream. And I am your queen. We belong with each other, and we protect each other, okay? I don't wanna hear you tell me you don't deserve me because you made a mistake, albeit a bad one."

Dream was smiling at me, happiness making him glow under the dim rays of sunlight that filtered through the foggy ravine.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.