After everyone had some time in the courtyard, Cerno had Twyn and Ilyana take Leena into their home for the evening. Remembering Sheja never wanted to see the inside of the hospital again, he had his guards assist to move Sheja's body up to the manor, laying her down on the bed in her own room instead of the morgue. He stood at the foot of the bed, arms folded across his chest as he kept watching her, trying to force himself to believe she was just sleeping. His eyes burned and his chest was still filled with pain as she laid motionless in front of him.
"Come sit down, Cer," Rose spoke softly as she walked into the room, reaching out and taking his arm. She noticed he still hadn't changed out of his suit and only now realized the dried blood on his hands and crusted in various places on the dark fabric.
"I can't," he said. "Not yet."
"She's not going anywhere tonight," she admitted. "We'll start plans for her burial at sun up, and once the Healers have fully examined her body and release her, we can let her sleep peacefully."
Cerno trembled, his body steadily filling with anger as it had done many times this evening. "Rose, I built Saorsa to protect her because of people like our parents...and this fucking city is what killed her," he growled lowly, turning away and pacing across the room. "How do I not allow myself to beg Leena to burn it to ashes?" he asked, slamming his hand into the dresser. The bookshelf next to it rocked enough that a small dark object fell from a shelf onto the floor. He picked it up, realizing it was the small black vial he had given Sheja on their birthday. And while the contents had long since been discarded, the vial was still ice cold.
"You don't mean that, Cer," Rose said, sounding hurt. "The people of this city didn't kill your sister. They still need this city just as much as Sheja needed it when she came looking for it."
"Sorry, you're right." He set the vial down on top of the dresser.
"I know I am, and you're just angry. We all are. And it's okay to be angry right now as long as you dispose of it properly."
"This is my fault though, Rose. If I hadn't built Saorsa, Yaya wouldn't have come here and she would still be alive."
"You built a beautiful city that this world needed, Cer. And you know for a fact Sheja would fight you on what you just said, you know her take on fate. According to her belief, this would have happened whether she was here, Sundres, or the middle of a rain forest. By her belief in fate, you could have locked her in a vault four-hundred feet below your feet and she still would have died tonight."
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out and taking Sheja's cold hand in his again, her fingers having stiffened. He swallowed hard to try push the knot in his throat back down into the pit of his stomach, even though it was already escaping from his eyes again.
"I don't wish this feeling on anyone, Rosie," he said as he sobbed. "I can feel the knife he plunged into her chest, and I feel like someone is trying to rip my chest into two pieces. But I also feel hollow, I feel like my heart isn't beating."
"Because it's broken. It broke when hers did," she said softly. She walked over to him and took his arm again, pulling him to his feet. He didn't resist. "Let's go downstairs, let's let Sheja sleep."
As Rose pulled Cerno towards the family room after coming down the stairs, there was a knock on the front door. After getting Cerno sat down, she opened it to see Twyn standing alone.
"What are you doing up here? You should be with Leena," Rosalie said.
"She's cried herself to sleep and I needed a moment away from her pain," he answered, walking in and sitting down across from Cerno. He leaned over and held his head in his hands. "I called Lydia to check on her. She was quietly assessing Leena as she slept to make sure her stress wasn't harming the babies. She'll continue to monitor her for the next few days."
"Is there a risk that she could miscarry this late?" Cerno asked, unknowing.
"Not exactly, but the stress can be physically passed on to them, or her body could go into an early labor, which Lydia is seeing warning signs tonight. Lydia says she could give birth now, but with how early they would be, their chance of survival would be far less. She's praying to get at least four more weeks before they demand their grand entrance, said that would be ideal for both the babies and Leena."
"Sounds like we'll need to keep her on bed rest then," Rose said softly. "I can have a room arranged upstairs for her."
"No, I'd rather her stay with me," Twyn replied quickly. Maybe too quickly.
Cerno shifted uncomfortably in his chair, sliding his hand over his eyes again and pressing his fingertips into his temples. "Because of me?" he asked, pained. He suddenly wished he and Shej shared less resemblance than they did.
"...yes," Twyn answered quietly. "But also because she's my sister and I can take care of her myself. And Ily can control some of her mood."
"That's fair," he said softly.
"Did Maddie come up with any information tonight?" Twyn asked finally.
"Yes," Cerno said sullenly. "She was killed by the Shadow Madeleine saw when she looked back on Salashai's life. And it's my own damn fault that he was in the city to begin with."
"Cer, we've been over this," Rose started again.
"But Rose, this is my fault. I finally realized why we had an unregistered Shadow in our city," he paused, looking out the window at the twinkling lights below. Rose sat down across the room, crossing her legs and sitting quietly. "I built it into the wall for it to let Angevin bloodline and accompanying travelers through the gates without question. I wanted there to be no possibility of Sheja being turned away if she showed up here."
"So that's why they didn't get stopped? The guard thought Shej was you, and the wall didn't stop Leena because she was with an Angevin," Twyn thought out loud.
"Correct," Cerno replied. "If the wall had stopped my sister, we all know she wouldn't have registered herself as a Taboo, and then neither of them would have come into the city. They would have left."
"What about me? And Ily, and Arwen? How did we get in without registering?"
"I registered you from everything Leena told me about you. Ilyana and Arwen, I had them registered just after our return from Sundres."
"So then, what does this have to do with the Shadow and Seer if you two were the only surviving Angevins? Do you think they slid in together one of the times Shej passed through?"
"No."
"Then how?"
"They got in because I thought we were the only two surviving Angevins," he said solemnly, looking up at Twyn.
Twyn looked mortified. "So the Shadow is an Angevin?"
"It's worse than that," Cerno said as he dropped his head again.
"How do you mean?"
"He's not just a Shadow. He's a Fluid, and a powerful one at that."
"You sound like you know who he is," Twyn said, a spark of anger filling his eyes.
"I do. I also know he's why Salashai looked like Leena tonight. He was right there with us when we stopped her. Once he was out of range, it's why she lost her appearance."
"So who killed Shej?"
Cerno was silent for a moment. He looked in pain again as he grabbed at his chest.
"Who killed her, Cer?"
"Jhonnis Angevin...my father..."
"Wait. Your dead father?" Twyn got to his feet, looking down at Cerno. Cerno tilted his head just high enough for their eyes to meet. "The one Sheja killed when you guys were just children?"
"Someone must have used a forbidden magic on him, unless he didn't really die in the fire. I won't know which until he's been apprehended."
"If someone used a forbidden magic on him to bring him back, wouldn't they have brought your mother back though too?"
"I know my mother's dead because in her sights, Madeleine heard 'this is for Sayla' and claimed killing Yaya was an act of retribution. And no one would have dared use a forbidden magic on her anyway...she was shunned just as bad as any Taboo simply because she gave birth to one."
"So your father killed Shej because he always hated her, and then even more reason because she killed your mother?"
"Undoubtedly. And knowing what I know now about that night 15 years ago, if that quack had completed his job but hadn't broken my sister, my father would have most likely had her killed anyway. We both inherited many of his abilities but Yaya harnessed them so quickly and always found ways to make them her own. Our father feared she would surpass me to try become the heir herself. Worse, he feared Yaya would surpass him."
"Why didn't she fight him? I know she had to be powerful enough to fight him."
"Because just like in that fight with Salashai, they had the jump on her. He surprised her, she didn't have a chance to fight."
"So how do we find him?" Twyn growled. "And how slowly do we kill him?"
Cerno stood and looked out the window again. His voice shook as he spoke words he didn't want to say, not wanting the words to be true and feeling like saying them out loud made the whole thing official. "He will no doubt attend Sheja's funeral. He'll show up to make sure she's lowered six feet into the ground."
Even to Twyn, the words felt like a punch to the center of his chest.
"I've also locked down the gates. No one comes in or out until he's caught, not even myself," Cerno said softly. "The city is stocked up enough to last months without any outside trades or goods. I won't rest and I won't back down until my sister's death has been given justice. Additionally, after the funeral, I will be tearing down my manor and rebuilding. I want nothing to remind me of Ralnsah or my parents."
"And what of Shej's memory in this place?"
"That memory was a hell for her, and I wish I would have accepted that much sooner."
Leena? a voice called softly.
She stirred, looking around.
Leena, I'm right here...
"Where?" she asked.
I'm okay. We're going to be okay.
"Sheja, is that you? Where are you?"
I'm here. Live for me. You have to keep your end of the promise. Can you do that?
"Why? You didn't keep yours," she said, starting to cry.
I haven't left you, I'm right here.
"Where? I can't see you. I need you, Sheja," she pleaded, searching the darkness.
Right here. Do you feel me?
A pair of warm hands gently shook her.
"Sheja, I need you," Leena said as she tried to reach for the touch but couldn't.
"Leena?" a voice called softly.
Live for me, Leena.
"Leena darlin', wake up."
"Sheja?"
"No honey, just little ole me," Lydia said. "You started crying in your sleep."
Leena quickly sat up and wiped her face. "I'm sorry," she said with a whimper, trying to wipe her tears away faster than they came.
"Don't be darlin', I know you're in pain," she said, squeezing one of Leena's hands. "Dry your eyes, child. There is too much life to live and you can't see it with all that blockin' your view," she said with a smile and wink.
Even in heartbreak, Lydia made her feel a little more at ease.
"What are you doing here?" Leena asked softly, wrapping her fingers around Lydia's hand as it held hers.
"Checkin' on your littles. Everyone is worried about you," she replied. "They are just fine for right now, but you need to keep yourself healthy too. Your body is fightin' something fierce and if you're not careful..."
Leena wrapped her arms around her bump, looking at Lydia in pain at the thought of something happening to her babies, especially with her current loss.
"Now, with that said, you rest here and enjoy these cookies," she instructed as she pulled a small baggie out of her medical bag. "Chocolate chip. Enjoy them. One for you and one for your husband. I have another patient to attend to and I will be back right after, okay?"
"Lydia, my husband was murdered tonight," she suddenly broke the news as she looked down at the cookies. "He's not here for him to have one."
"Honey, did you not hear me? I said enjoy those cookies. One for you, and one for your husband," she repeated more sternly before standing. "I don't care how poor of an appetite you have right now, I want to see that they're gone when I return. And I'll be able to tell if you ate them or tossed them."
She looked up at Lydia, confused since it was obvious that she knew about Shej but yet she kept advising to share with him. She laid back and stared at the ceiling, holding the cookies on her chest as Lydia left. After a few moments, she took one of the cookies and per Lydia's orders, she started to nibble on it. She sighed as it was the best cookie she had ever tasted and it made her heart break again. She so badly wanted to share the other with Shej.
The front door of the manor opened and Cerno, Rosalie, and Twyn all jumped to their feet in sudden defense, not expecting any other Guardians or visitors to barge in.
"It's just little ole me," Lydia said as she let herself in, closing the door behind herself.
Cerno stared at her for a moment. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"My job," she said with the brightest of smiles.
"Are the babies in any danger?" he asked, trying to figure out why else she would be in his living room.
Lydia quirked a brow. "So I see you know after all," she said with a chuckle. "Leena and the babies are just fine for now. I set her up with some home-baked chocolate chip cookies and she'll be right as rain in the mornin'."
"I wish it were that easy," Twyn said sorrowfully.
"Who is the professional? You? Or me?" she smirked at him.
Twyn looked taken aback at her snap back and it almost pissed him off.
"Now, you two boys get off your sad horses and follow me," she demanded. "Miss Rose, you may come too if you wish, but I must ask you to keep a distance unless otherwise asked." Lydia turned and head up the stairs.
Twyn looked at Cerno who shrugged.
"Wait, Lydia, where are you going?" Cerno asked sternly, finally noticing Lydia heading up to the second floor. "I must ask that you not trespass in my home, especially tonight."
"My trespass is warranted, young man," she called back toward him, not stopping.
Cerno and Twyn both climbed the stairs three at a time to catch up to her. Cerno growled seeing her approach Sheja's room. He flung himself in front of the door, stopping her. "I asked that you not trespass. Respects are to be paid tonight."
"Do you want your sister back, or not?" Lydia asked him flatly, folding her arms across her chest. She was definitely shorter and pudgier when stood face to face with the tall and slender leader of Saorsa. Far beneath him in a hierarchy she did not even belong in, she definitely threw him off his pedestal with her question.
"Of course I want my sister back, but that's impossible to ask for!" he snapped, the pain apparent in his voice.
"Is it, Mr. Angevin?"
"She's not in a coma Lydia, she's dead. Or did you not get that announcement?" he growled, tired of games. He wasn't about to let anyone in to disturb his sister's body, no matter how good her question had sounded.
"Tone, young man!" Lydia barked at him. Cerno instantly looked like a small, scolded child as he leaned back against the door. "Those babies told me everything and, well, I just might not have registered myself appropriately at your gates, Sir. So, pardon my deception, but I have a job to do."
"You wouldn't have been able to get through my walls if your registration didn't match your source," he advised, holding himself back up straight again.
"Yes, but when I registered as a Healing Life Giver because I deliver babies and keep mother's from dying in complications, the walls accepted exactly that. I save miscarriages when I can, just like I did for Leena when I was passin' through the hospital and heard the Healers. Mr. Angevin, because the term Resurrection is typically frowned upon, especially by people who think zombies are a real thing, I don't market my abilities to save life like that."
"Leena had lost them?" Cerno said, another pang ripping through his chest.
"No, but her body was taking that turn," Lydia admitted.
"So you can bring my best friend back to life then too?" Twyn asked hopefully, walking up and taking Lydia's hand.
Her sweetness returned almost instantly as she smiled up at him. "Not by myself, no. That's why you two are here." She turned back to Cerno, her strictness lashing at him again. "Now, are you gonna move, or what?" She started stepping toward him and he instantly jumped out of the way.
Rose chuckled.
"What's so funny? You're the head of my security and you just let her barge in," he scolded.
Rose laughed harder, unmoved by his tone with her as Lydia was no threat. "She just verbally set you—you of all people—on your ass." She put her hands on his shoulders and turned him, giving him a push into Sheja's room behind Twyn and Lydia.
"Mr. Angevin, please lie with Sheja on the bed. Lie on your back and hold her hand," she started to instruct as she walked over and laid her hand over Sheja's wound. "Tsk, such a painful death. Poor child," she said softly, sadness in her voice.
Cerno frowned at her words as he took off his shoes and laid down as instructed. He wrapped his fingers around Sheja's hand, his heart breaking again as her fingers were like ice and didn't react to his touch. He felt the pain sear in his chest once more and clenched his eyes shut as he waited for the wave of grief to pass again.
"Twyndis my love, you are a Healer, yes?"
"I only just realized I was a couple years ago, yes," he answered. "I'm not that great in practice but yeah, I can somewhat heal sources."
"You don't need to be practiced to be good, dear," she smiled. "You just need to believe you can do what I tell you you can. Can you do that?"
"Sure," he said, completely and unequivocally unsure.
"You don't sound sure," Cerno groaned, saying the doubt out loud.
"No shit, I'm not!" he whispered harshly.
"Twyn, you do have the ability to do this. And I would normally have no issue doing this by my lonesome, but because Shej and Cerno are twins, both sources need to be healed simultaneously."
"My source?" Cerno asked.
"Mm hmm," she nodded. She looked in Shej's eyes and sighed softly before closing them again, seeing no sign of Sheja's soul. "This will be tiring, and that's also why I needed both of you. Mr. Angevin, I ask that you help me heal Sheja's source while I heal her wounds and retrieve her soul. This will be so very difficult for you to focus on, but it is imperative that you must."
"Why do you say it will be so difficult?" Cerno asked, slightly nervous to hear the answer.
"Because of the severed connection between you and your twin," Rose spoke up from across the room.
"Brava, madam," Lydia said. "She is correct. As your connection tries to heal itself, it's going to be just as agonizing as it was the moment you felt it sever, if not worse."
Cerno laid his head back on the pillow and sighed. "I would gladly live a thousand of those moments if it meant Sheja lived."
Twyn reached down and held Cerno's other hand with his as he watched a tear roll down the side of Cerno's cheek and absorb into the fabric of the pillow.
"Good, you'll wanna hold on to that sentiment," Lydia said. "Twyn, are you ready? Focus on healin' the hollowness Mr. Angevin feels, that's the broken part of his source. This will take quite a few moments but it will feel much, much longer...so please try endure, my dears."
Twyn nodded as he looked Cerno straight in the eyes. His heart hurt as the spitting image of his best friend stared back up at him and gave a smile and nod. He closed his eyes and laid his hands down on Cerno's chest, his hands slowly beginning to glow green before shifting to gold.
Lydia laid her hands upon Sheja's body, her own hands glowing purple and the glow slowly spreading through Sheja's whole body. She whispered words under her breath, keeping her words steadily flowing as Cerno quickly started to show signs of discomfort and it was clear how rapidly it was increasing.
"Stay with us, Cer," Twyn pleaded softly, pushing down on his chest to try stop some of his wriggling.
Cerno's hand tightened around Sheja's as his heels pressed into the bed. He let out an agonizing cry as his free hand clamped down on top of Twyn's. "Sheja...please..." he groaned loudly before another cry escaped him.
"Cer..." Rose whimpered softly, covering her mouth as she watched him writhe in pain, tears filling her eyes. Everyone had already cried so much today, she didn't know how it was possible to create any more.
"Rose, hold his feet," Twyn called for her as Cerno's body arched in pain. "Cerno, keep your focus on Shej!" he reminded as he pressed firmly against his chest again. Rose came quickly to assist. "Focus!"
"I'm trying!" he growled through gritted teeth. Cerno's breathing was labored as sounds of pain continued to roll from him, his body rigid as it fought against the torment.
Sheja's half of the bed remained unmoved as Cerno writhed. He let out one last cry, tears streaking his cheeks and Twyn winced as Cerno's nails raked across the back of his hand. Suddenly, Cerno's pain vanished as quick as it came and he turned onto his side as Lydia closed her ritual. He laid there panting and coughing for a few moments, trying to collect himself again.
Twyn collapsed to one knee, leaning over onto the bed. He too was panting heavily and Rose stepped close to check on both of them.
Lydia stood up straight. She looked in Sheja's eyes again before closing them once more, no sigh escaping her this time. She checked the wound site and smiled seeing just a slight glimmer of silver where there was once a gaping hole.
"Is she...is she okay?" Cerno asked, tiredly sitting up and leaning over to his sister. Her skin was still cold and pale, and her chest still didn't rise and fall with life.
"Her soul needs rest after the long journey it just took," Lydia said softly. "But I also have one more task for you men. I know you are tired, but you must accomplish this. Tonight."
"Anything," Twyn said. "I would exhaust every ounce of my source to bring Sheja back."
Lydia chuckled sweetly. "Go make love."
"What?" Twyn asked, confused. "How does sex help Sheja?"
"Love does not mean just sex, my dear," Lydia laughed. "Because of how connected you both are with Sheja, you need to heal yourselves after such a traumatic night, too. I've found the best way to do that is to shut out the world and focus on your partner. Be slow, romantic, cry out any sorrows if you need to. And yes, sex if it seems fit...but make love happen. Remember how love feels."
Cerno looked over at Rosalie. He slowly got to his feet and stepped up to her, pulling her into his arms as he looked back at Sheja and Lydia. "And if we do that, Sheja will live?"
"Like never before," Lydia said warmly, smiling.
"Then what the hell are you two still doing in my house?" Cerno asked, his stern tone returning. "Get out, I have love to make with my fiancé."
Rose and Twyn laughed and the air of the room felt lighter.
"Come on, let's let Sheja rest," Lydia repeated, chuckling at Cerno's enthusiasm.
Twyn stood up and looked over at Shej one more time. While Lydia had succeeded in raising their hopes, Sheja still looked unchanged and it set a small seed of doubt in his heart. "Lydia, I want to thank you for everything you've done here tonight."
"Same," Cerno said softly even though the same seed had planted in his own heart. "If my sister breathes again, you will truly be our holiday miracle, Lydia, and you'll have forever earned your family a place within ours."
"That is such an honor, Mr. Angevin," the woman blushed and smiled her sweet smile as she spoke. "Now, if I want to be able to accept such a great gift as that, then both you men have some work to do."
"Before I leave, may I have one moment alone with Shej? Please?" Twyn asked.
"I can allow that," Cerno said softly. All three of them stepped into the hall and shut the door, allowing Twyn his moment.
Twyn sat down on the edge of the bed next to Shej. He took her hand in his and carefully pulled it up to his mouth, kissing her fingers softly. "You have to return, do you hear me? You promised my sister you wouldn't leave." A tear rolled down his cheek. "You have to wake up. For Leena and the babies. For Cerno. For me. Please, Shej," he cried quietly as he pulled her up into his arms and gently hugged her. She was still cold and motionless, her body feeling heavier to hold especially as rigor had barely started to set in. He kissed the top of her head as he rocked her slowly in his embrace. "I love you, Shej. Please wake with the morning sun...please let us see the shine of your eyes again," he whispered to her as he carefully laid her back down, brushing her hair away from her face and making sure she looked comfortable.
The three looked up at Twyn as he rejoined them.
"What about Leena?" Twyn asked as he stepped into the hallway. "Who will heal her tonight?"
"Shej will of course," Lydia answered, turning and heading down the hallway, leading the way to the front door.
"Oh god, how I hope you're right," he said, softly.
"It's natural for you to doubt me, my dear," she said as she started down the steps. "You've always known death to be permanent."
"Well, at least I did until I saw Salashai tonight. I saw her dead, lifeless body the first night she tried to kill Sheja and I didn't know what to think seeing her tonight."
"The girl with the blue eyes?" Lydia asked with a bit of surprise in her tone.
"You know who she is?" Cerno asked in surprise, him and Rose stopping at the railing on the second floor.
"I do. Her and I were from the same village I spent most of my time in. She couldn't hide the fact that she was a Taboo, her eyes were so full of magic. I can't imagine her trying to kill anyone though, she was such a sweet girl."
"Yeah, well tell that to Sheja if she wakes up," Twyn said.
"Doubt looks very ugly on you, son," Lydia spat. "Especially doubt against me."
"Sorry," he said, looking down at the ground. "I just have to see her awake for my heart to believe it. I mean no disrespect against you."
"I guess I can accept that as an apology," Lydia chuckled.
Twyn and Lydia said their good nights and left together. They talked a bit more about Salashai and the town they came from as they walked down the path, heading toward his house. As they stepped inside, all was quiet within the home.
"It sounds like everyone is asleep," Twyn said quietly. "Would you like to check on Leena one more time tonight, or would you like to come back in the morning?"
"I'm already here, darlin', I might as well give her a peek right now."
Twyn slowly opened the bedroom door and saw Leena sound asleep, half a cookie in her hand.
"So what was with the cookies?" Twyn asked.
"Love," Lydia chuckled. "It doesn't matter if she eats one and saves one in belief that the spirit of her loved one will enjoy it, or if she eats both herself. She would think of how much she would love to be sharing it with her loved one. That love she feels, unbeknownst to her, is healing her."
Twyn felt his heart soar a little.
"Speakin' of love, you have your own to attend to," Lydia said, taking Twyn's hand. "Just you and your wife, nothin' else in this world may exist until mornin'. Understood?"
"If Arwen starts cr—"
"I will see to it that he sleeps soundly for tonight. You and your wife only. Do you understand?"
"Yes," he said softly. "Thank you, Lydia."
"I will finish here and let myself out, and I will see you all again in the mornin'."
Twyn left the room and made his way to his own. Opening the bedroom door, he noticed the lights were on and Ilyana laid on top of the blankets, asleep. It was clear she had been waiting for him. He slowly crawled over her and she instinctively rolled onto her back, her hands resting themselves on his sides as he leaned in and kissed her.
"How was your walk?" Ily's sleepy voice asked as Twyn nestled his face into the corner of her neck. She could feel his chest heave as he started to sob. She wrapped her arms around him, bringing her knees up his sides to hold him close, almost to try cocoon him in comfort. "I'm so sorry, baby," she whispered softly in his ear, feeling her own heart break again. She hadn't gotten to know Shej as well as everyone else did, but she knew Shej enough to feel the loss herself.
"I love you, Ilyana," he whispered back to her, sliding his arms under her shoulders and behind her head, holding her tightly. He started to kiss the side of her neck, his tears running down his face and landing on her flesh as he trailed his lips down to her collarbone.
"Twyndis..." she said softly, closing her eyes and taking in his touch.
"Lydia is right...I need you, Ily. I need every ounce of your love," he cried quietly into her chest, his body arching slightly as he let his emotions flow freely. "My heart hurts and you're the only one who can heal me right now. Please..."
She pushed herself up, forcing Twyn to sit up as well. With one leg over his lap as he sits up, she reaches out and slowly takes off his shirt. "Come, lay with me skin to skin. Let me take some of your sorrows," she whispered as she slipped the straps of her top off her shoulders before slipping out of it.
He crawled back over her again once their clothes laid in a pile on the floor, laying between her legs with his head on her chest. He closed his eyes as he listened to her heart beating rhythmically beneath his ear. He let out a soft sigh as her fingertips traced up and down his back slowly, and only then did he realize she was also altering his mood to feel calm.
"You are a Taboo," he chuckled softly through his tears, "and I am damn thankful you're mine."
She chuckled, running her fingers through his hair. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around him as they laid motionless in the silence of their room, the world around them having melted away.