Page 16 of Sins of the Stone

Ursulette

Ursulette couldn’t sleep, not when flashes of death assaulted her subconscious. A spark would ignite whenever she closed her eyes and display destruction across her darkened vision. Even though her lids were heavy and sore, shutting them brought more distress. Her hands were folded over her stomach. No longer did she want to cry. It would hurt too much and was taking a toll on her body and mind.

She was sick of tossing and turning on the scraggly couch. It was simply not comfortable. She feared nothing would be—until she imagined someone holding her, muttering hushed comforts in her ear, and running their hands through her hair. Much to her embarrassment, the only being she considered doing that with was Ramuz.

And he’s a gargoyle.

There was no denying the crush he had. Small, unnecessary—but appreciated—compliments, gentle touches, and a gaze that lingered far too long. There were other things, too, like gathering things he thought she would like and little comforts while she was upset. She noticed many other nuances, but there was no denying it.

The worst part was that she wasn’t wholly opposed to it. His kind words ignited something in her. Something she wasn’t quite at peace with—yet. Maybe that was why she never meshed with the people in her village, because the gods had meant her for someone else—someone less human. Even though they always found her strange, he never treated her like that. Not once.

She couldn’t fight the growing affection she had for him. Besides all the little things he did and his tender personality, he was truly a stunning sight. Breathtaking, sculpted, natural, powerful beauty. It felt strange to call such a creature beautiful, but that was the only word that came to mind.

Shaking her head, she hoped to send the idea away. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if she was caught associating with a gargoyle, let alone cuddling with one. Not that anything would happen, but she was anxious enough that the idea dissuaded her even if she would’ve usually not cared.

All she could imagine was a rope being pulled taut around her neck as she choked on her sin, and that image was enough to make her wary. She was sure something as innocent as an embrace would earn her a dangle on the snare. Not that anyone knew she was here.

If there was anyone left.

Ursulette placed her hand over her face and felt sweat coating her skin. She couldn’t tell if it was panic, fear, or something not as dark. All she knew was that her cheeks were rosy, thinking about the stony monster snoozing away in the other room. Or was he? Normally, she could hear the occasional snore, but not tonight. That meant he was more than likely awake.

Ugh, he’s traumatized as well, and too proud to admit it, she thought.

A creeping guilt filled her stomach, making her nauseous. She thought of his comment about seeing his fair share of torment in his life and how he compounded that while retrieving a book for her—a stupid book.

It was a sweet gesture, but not worth it. Not when they were both more than likely lying awake, plagued by what they had seen, because she requested to return to the scene of a slaughter. He could’ve said no, but he didn’t. It only made her feel worse.

That was beside the fact that she was potentially crushing on a monster. However, her guilt motivated her more than the fear of someone discovering them. The odds were slim to none; she was just overthinking. If they were going to be losing sleep, they may as well be losing sleep together.

Her heart fluttered as she went to the bedroom. The floor creaked beneath her feet, surely alerting Ramuz to her presence. Reaching the threshold onlymade her emotions increase as she saw him with his hands behind his head, staring off into nothingness. She hated how much she could relate to his empty gaze.

“Hey, Ramuz,” she said softly. He snapped to attention, sitting up quickly. She couldn’t help but notice how his vacant stare was replaced with a sparkle once she walked in.

“Ursulette,” he breathed. Her cheeks flushed with his excitement as her gaze fell shyly. It would never be an easy conversation. She would have just to take the plunge and figure out the rest later.

Her legs felt strangely wobbly, her head filling with an uncomfortable pressure as anxiety took root in her core. Whether it was the consequences, the trauma, or the idea itself, she wasn’t sure. Before the emotion could immobilize her, she sat on the edge of the bed.

“Are you alright?” His inquiry almost made her eye twitch. The answer wasno,but she dared not say it. It would be like backhanding him. Or maybe she didn’t want to make him worry.

“I can’t sleep.” Being indirect wasn’t the best option, but that was what came out. She was too drained to come up with a better answer. Ever so slowly, he inched closer until they were an arm’s length away. Her blush deepened, remembering how comforting it was to be in his arms at the village.

“Me too.” His voice was sad yet gentle, giving her a strange chill. It was like his smooth tone crawled its way down her spine, each syllable digging into her core with spiny legs. She was sure her shudder was visible.

In an instant, her mouth dried up, the sights from earlier being replaced with scenes from novels she had read that she couldn’t get out of her mind.Now was not the time to think about that. Not now, perhaps, never.

“I can’t stop thinking,” she muttered, her grip tightening. She couldn’t stop mulling over many things—some traumatic, some quite pleasant. The pounding in her head from the unending tears was coming back more aggressively now, matching the drum beat in her heart. She only wished someone could suck all of her emotions out so she wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed.

“I know what you mean,” he said. She wondered if his inability to sleepwas truly due to what they had witnessed or if it was something else—mainly his affection towards her. She would think it was cute if she were in a better mood. The lack of sleep and cloud of misery in her mind was manipulating her feelings. “What would make you feel better?”

Her hands dropped from her groggy face. Truly, she knew but didn’t want to admit it. All she wanted was to feel him curled around her, lulling her to sleep with his gentle hands and soothing voice. She shrugged, still not wanting to own up to her feelings. Playing hard to get was never something she did, but today had been overwhelming. Besides, it was hard to cope with the idea that she was a human fond of a gargoyle.

“Do you… want to sleep in here?” he asked. Ursulette nibbled her lip, almost scared that she wanted to confirm. Finally, after a hint of silence, she choked out the word.

“Yes.”

Their eyes met, and she saw a hint of a smile on his face. As soon as it was there, it faded. Taking a breath, she crawled further on the bed, snuggling beneath the blanket. Her aching eyes would appreciate the rest. Ramuz shifted beside her until she felt his weight leave the bed.

“Where are you going?” she questioned, hoping he wasn’t leaving. Even though she hesitated before, she was so close to getting what she wanted. She didn’t want to mess it up now.

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