The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 36

She fought harder to run and as she did she felt her stomach flip as she began to fall. She willed her mind to allow herself to stay in the dream, willed herself not to wake with the start of falling. To her surprise her mind agreed with her. Shade caught hold of her just as she fell forward, somehow magically appearing at her side as opposed to his original position by the lake.

It was strange, but then again dreams usually were. She could see his sly smile as he held her up, one hand around her waist, the other supporting her upper back as she remained arched from the momentum of falling. While his face was still muddled by the dream, his smile was certain. Elysia closed her eyes and slowly Shade lowered her to the ground until they were both lying down, their heads turned towards another.

Her hand rested on his chest and she looked at him, hoping her mind would allow her to finally see his face fully. But how could a dream envision something she herself had not yet seen?

He was staring at her intently and slowly, ever so slowly, began leaning his head closer to hers, his gaze on her lips. She felt her own lips part as if welcoming his. He was so close to her she breathed him in and then...

"Wake up, Princess." 

Elysia's eyes opened quickly and she curled up in shock, wondering suddenly where she was. She glanced around and remembered the caves. She looked at Shade who was standing tall above her now. 

"We need to get going."

Elysia sighed but nodded her head. She had no idea if the sun was even up yet but it certainly felt early. 

As she sat up in the cot, she stifled a yawn and stretched her arms overhead. Looking down, she noticed how filthy her dress was. Pity, but at least it wasn't one of her more expensive ones.

Shade knelt down before her and Elysia resisted the urge to scoot back. His hands reached for the hem of her dress and she sucked in a breath as he lifted her dress up to her knees. She stared at him intently, her hands gripping the bed tightly.

"What are you--" she stopped, finally realizing his intent as his fingers gently probed the stitches above her knee.

"Not too bad. Should heal nicely."

She nodded, her mouth struggling to find words. She was all too aware of his fingers still resting lightly on her knee.

"How does it feel?" His voice was hoarse, still waking up. Elysia stared into his eyes, flecks of green bouncing off the small light from the lantern. Had they been outside in the light she would have been able to see his face clearly.

How did she feel? She couldn't tell him that his touch made her nervous and excited all at the same time. Or that she fell asleep last night to the memory of him holding her. She certainly couldn't tell him about her dream...

And then she realized he had been referring to her injury.

Quickly she pulled her dress back down, covering her exposed legs. "It's fine." It came out more curtly than she had meant and she stood up. "We should get going. Ralf needs the ash."

Shade stood, though he remained close to her, that magnetic pull to him urging her near. She stepped back. Grabbed the lantern, and led the way out.

Once outside the light overwhelmed them, causing them to squint as their eyes adjusted.

One of the monks waved them over and led them back to Simon. Simon looked less than thrilled to be tasked as their guide again. He also looked disturbed. Elysia could only guess he was perturbed at their sharing a room last night. Elysia still found it hard to look at Shade, as if doing so would let on that she had dreamt of him.