Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77692 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Bo and Vabila were the same way,” Selina tells me. “Also saying they were better at something than the other. They only agreed Halun was the best in being stubborn.”
That has a loud laugh bursting from me. “They were not wrong on that one.”
When I look at Halun, he arches a brow at me.
I shrug. “Well, it’s true.”
“I told the servants to have your rooms prepared,” Nowas says. “I thought you might want to go there first after your trip.”
“You mean, to further prolong you having to answer where my mother and sister are,” Halun points out.
Nowas gives a nod to acknowledge his son is correct. “I will explain everything. I thought it would be best to after … other affairs had been attended to.”
He doesn’t have to look at Selina for me to know he means reuniting her with Zarah.
“We’ll meet everyone at the dining hall,” Halun says while linking his hand with mine.
I wave as Halun leads me away. We walk up a grand staircase, down a hallway with glowing flowers in open windows to a closed door where he stops in front of. When he opens the door, the scent I now know so distinctly as his, breezes out, making me smile as his hand at my lower back urges me to enter.
It is very much him. Dark pillows and blankets, a tall black bed that looks like it was welded right within this room to create the design that connects the poles to the ceiling. A sitting area, small table with two mismatched chairs, one black and clearly belonging here and another with flowers painted on it. I get the sense that someone placed that chair in here for me.
“Only you would have a room this dark on a planet this colorful,” I tease.
He kisses the side of my neck before coming around to face me. “Are you saying you don’t like it?”
I wrap my arms around his neck as his go around my waist. “I like any room I’ll be spending nights in with you.”
“Some.”
“Hmm?”
“Some nights. I also have a home along the side of the mountain, right near the river. It’s up to you where you want to stay.”
“Up to me, huh?”
“I said all the choices were yours,” he reminds me. “You tell me where you want to go, and that’s where we’ll go.”
I look down for a moment before meeting his eyes again and saying, “Here, for now. I get that Zarah will have Selina now, but I know what it was like in the sanitorium, and the bunker, too. I want to make sure she’s settled and okay before being too far from her.”
“I understand. We’ll stay here as long as you want to.”
“But you’ll show me your house?”
“Of course. Oh, there’s lots I’m going to show you Luna.”
He smirks, a look I know all too well entering his eyes. I shake my head while trying to break out of our embrace.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn when he doesn’t let me go. “I know that look in your eye and we have people waiting for us.”
“They can wait. Time isn’t a real strict thing here.”
“Try telling that to a mother waiting with a newborn in her lap.”
That makes him relent.
“Fine, but we better be back here before the sixth moon is above us.”
“I have no idea what they even means, Zawla.”
He was beginning to lean in for a kiss, but he goes still, gaze snapping from my lips to my eyes.
“Say that again.”
“I’ll say it when you get me back here. And then, you can show me what me saying that does to you.”
He groans as he kisses me. “You making me wait will only make it worse for you.”
I laugh as he backs away. “When have I ever not liked your worst?”
As we walk to the hall, a Hallan comes to Halun to let him know that Zarah was brought off the ship to one of the sitting rooms.
“Do you think it would be okay for me to be there?” I ask. “When they reunite? I don’t want to intrude, but I feel like I want to be there to support Zarah, just in case …”
“I think she would want you there.”
“I’d leave once I know everything is okay, of course.”
He stops us. “You and Zarah went through something unspeakable together. And for Selina, since my brother said nothing about this, she’s not expected to meet her mother today. I’m sure they can both use your support.”
I nod. “Thank you.”
“As for me,” he says as we begin walking again. “I’m going to take this opportunity to spend some time with Fate. Knowing my brother, he’s going to want to be there with Selina, too, and meet his mate’s mother for the first time, so I’ll take care of Fate.”
“Do you watch babies much?” I tease.