Page 55 of Realms of Shadow and Sun

Grayden followed soon after, his release accompanied by a strangled cry that echoed through the room. For several heartbeats, he held her there against the wall, both of them trembling and breathless.

Finally, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed, his trousers still tangled around his ankles. He laid her gently on the soft mattress before stepping out of the remainder of his clothing.

“Now that we got that first one out of the way,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye as he joined her on the bed, “I can take my time with you.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Selenia leaned over Sion's sleeping form, her eyes tracing the contours of his face in the flickering firelight. She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, ensuring his breathing was even and deep. Relief washed over her as she confirmed he was finally asleep. For hours, she had waited, knowing the exhaustion that weighed heavily upon him but understanding his reluctance to succumb to it.

Throughout their journey, Sion had taken his duty as her protector with unwavering seriousness. His vigilance was admirable, but after long days of travel and several sleepless nights, even his iron will had finally given way to the insistent pull of slumber.

With careful movements, Selenia extricated herself from the warmth of the campfire. She crept away silently, her steps measured and deliberate to avoid waking Sion. The Twilight Kingdom's forest stretched out before her, a maze of shadows and muted colors. Every tree, every bush seemed to blend into the next, making navigation a challenge. Still, Selenia pressed on, convinced she was retracing their earlier path to the pond where they had stopped before.

Dry nettles crunched softly beneath her feet, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness of the forest. A startled bird took flight, its wings cutting through the dusky air with a whisper of feathers. The sudden movement caused Selenia to start, her injured arm throbbing in protest as she instinctively cradled it closer to her body.

The pain in her arm was a constant companion, dulled only slightly by the poppy plants Sion had managed to find. Those precious flowers were scarce, and Selenia rationed them carefully, steeping just enough in her morning tea to take the edge off the worst of the pain. She knew Sion worried about her injury, his concern evident in the scowl he often wore and the gentle way he tended to her. But for Selenia, the physical pain paled in comparison to the guilt that gnawed at her heart.

As she walked deeper into the forest, doubt began to creep in. Had she misjudged their location? The repetitive nature of the Twilight Kingdom's landscape made it all too easy to lose one's way. She had convinced Sion to seek out this pond for the horses, but now she questioned whether it was the right one. What if she had led them astray?

Just as panic began to set in, a familiar scent assaulted her nostrils. The unmistakable odor of decay and rotting flesh filled the air, causing Selenia to whirl around, her heart pounding.

“I told you we would meet again, Selenia Snowden.” The Murcurial's voice slithered through the air, sending chills down Selenia's spine. The ethereal being circled her, its body now wrapped in the cloak it had taken from Selenia during their previous encounter. “Did you bring me an offering?”

Selenia swallowed hard, fighting to keep her voice steady. “How do you know what I'm here for?”

The Murcurial's hollow laugh echoed in the clearing. “I know everything, Selenia Snowden. The Fates whisper in my ear. When I was a babe, it drove me mad. But now I listen and enjoy the things I hear.”

Hope and desperation warred within Selenia. “So can you do it? Can you help me?” The plea in her voice was unmistakable.

“You know I require payment.” The Murcurial's hollow eyes gleamed beneath the hood of the cloak, pinning Selenia with her gaze.

With trembling fingers, Selenia undid the bow beneath her chin and removed the hat she had purchased in the Sun Realm. It was a beautiful piece, adorned with delicate embroidery and tiny, shimmering beads.

The Murcurial's bony fingers emerged from beneath the cloak, snatching the hat away with surprising speed. “Your payment is satisfactory,” she declared, resuming her unsettling circling of Selenia.

“Then do it,” Selenia demanded, her voice cracking with emotion. “Make me forget. Make me forget he ever existed.”

The Murcurial paused, her head tilting to one side as if listening to some unheard voice. “That I cannot do. Once in the memory, always in the memory. But...I can do something else.”

“What?” Selenia cried, desperation clawing at her insides. She needed to forget his death, to erase the memory of betrayal she felt when Sion's lips had touched hers.

“I cannot tell you before it is done,” the Murcurial replied, her voice taking on an almost sing-song quality. “It will be painful at first. But in the end, you will be happier than you've ever been.”

Selenia closed her eyes, bracing herself. “Just do it.”

The smell of decay intensified as the Murcurial drew closer. Selenia flinched as rotten fingers touched her forehead, fighting the urge to recoil. A current of electricity surged through her body, quickly followed by an intense, chilling cold. She shivered violently, certain she would never feel warm again.

Just as the cold reached the very tips of her fingers and toes, warmth began to bloom within her. It started as a small spark in her core, rapidly growing into an inferno that raged through her bloodstream. The heat surged through every part of her, culminating in an explosion of pain behind her eyes. For a terrifying moment, everything went black.

When Selenia opened her eyes, the Murcurial was gone. Before she could call out, demanding to know what had been done to her, her heart constricted painfully in her chest.

An overwhelming, all-consuming surge of desire coursed through her, causing her eyes to widen and her lips to part in a silent gasp. She panted, struggling to reconcile the intense feelings flooding her body with the thoughts racing through her mind. The need, the drive to find him was unlike anything she had ever experienced, even with Jurel.

She still mourned Jurel, grieving for what might have been. But this...this was different. This was a soul-crushing, all-encompassing realization that the rest of her life belonged to another. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a truth that had always been there, hidden just beneath the surface.

Without conscious thought, Selenia began to run. She tore through the forest, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm in her chest, her mind filled with images she couldn't quite grasp. How could she have been so blind? How had she not realized it before?

In her haste, her skirt caught on a low-hanging branch. She barely noticed, continuing to push forward even as the fabric tore, leaving a strip of cloth fluttering behind her like a banner.

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