ELVEN | K.TH

44

I wouldn't ever. There was no way he could find me— no way anyone would ever find us all the way down here. We were literally fifty foot underneath the Palace and I was pretty sure whoever made this place made it so it wouldn't ever be found out by anyo—

"You two are worse than wandering sheep, aren't you?"

My head jerks up at the icy, feminine voice.

Arlen.

Then a familiar voice follows, deep and dark and rich, like the blackest, smoothest silk.

"Rinei."

"You just surprise me over and over again."

A strong pair of arms whisk me away from Jungkook. And I look up to glimpse a pair of eyes, slightly glowing in the darkness.

I can't even breathe. I can't think.

"Tae..."

Elves had night vision.

But how— how had he found me?

Tears slowly flood my eyes again. And my bottom lip starts trembling violently under his steady gaze, as I bury myself into his chest. I hear his heart, beating unusually fast.

He circles his hands around my head.

"You had me worried, love."

"You're a mess." He whispers, and I feel him brush the tip of my nose with a fingertip. "Are you alright?"

I nod into the darkness. But now that he's here, somehow it feels much safer. His presence itself is such a huge comfort that I forget where I am.

"Now that you're here." I mumble.

"How did you find me?"

There's a silence. But then his arms tighten around my body, and I get the sense that he's avoiding the question as he presses a kiss on my forehead.

"I'll tell you when we're bathing. Let's get you out of here first."

"Okay."

Then I realize what he'd just said.

What?

When we're bathing?

________________________________

JUNGKOOK

"And were you out of your mind, when you made the decision to go down there?"

I wince at the question. She gives me a fleeting look as she moves around her room, shifting her robe off her shoulders. Her blue eyes seem to glow, even now.

I'd never get used to her eyes. They were like two cold seas, iced over like the Arctic.

"I..."