Page 57 of Emylia

Then, like he realized what he’d done, Maalikai froze, his arms loosening just slightly.

Just above a whisper—“Sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”

“It’s okay,” I said, softer than I intended.

My hands slid over his—not pulling him closer, but not pushing him away either. Just hovering there for a moment, like this held the weight of something that couldn’t be verbalized.

Gods, it felt good to be held in his arms.

But it was getting dark; if we didn’t move quickly, we would get lost in the forest. Disentangling myself from Maalikai’s arms, I made my way through the forest. With each step, my heart grew a little heavier until we reached the edge of the forest.

Time flew by abnormally fast as we rode Jet back to Ophelia. When I saw the path into town, my heart almost stopped.

In the distance, I could hear music and laughter coming from the center of town, where the feast was being held.

Silently, I dismounted, waiting for Maalikai to join me before meandering down the path leading back into Ophelia.

I looked down at my dress. Between the festival, the ride, and hiking through the trees, it needed a good wash.

“It looks better that way,” Maalikai quipped.

“What? Dirty?”

His smile was instant. “Dirty and pulled up so I can see those irresistible legs of yours.”

Scarlet stained my cheeks. “Maalikai…”

Maalikai’s body shadowed my own, his hand skimming my stomach as he reached around me, fingers grazing my ribs before falling to my hips.

Without looking, he untied one of the straps that held up the side of my dress. Air stilled in my lungs as he shifted his weight, his chest pressing against my back as he moved to the other side, letting it also fall gently to the ground.

“But I prefer to keep how fucking Gods-damned sexy they are to myself.”

“What?” I breathed.

"I’m an only child. I never learned how to share," he shrugged.

My breath was shallow, struggling to overcome everything that was him. When he stepped around me, facing me fully, the dark furrow of his brows made me bite my bottom lip, aching for something I wasn’t ready to admit.

This was it.

After this moment, I’d be little more than a fleeting memory. Just some girl he took on a wild adventure. But I wanted to be more than that. I wanted to be more than a memory.

I shuffled my feet in the dirt, trying to come up with something—anything—to make this moment last. Thankfully, I didn’t have to.

"So, what’s the verdict?" Maalikai asked.

My mouth went dry at the weight of the question. "What do you mean?"

"Do you regret coming with me?"

A smile crept across my lips, surprising even me. "No."

"Ah, see? You did have fun. And look there—I even made you smile." He paused. "It was the jellies, wasn’t it?"

"Definitely the jellies." I giggled, unable to hide my amusement. "Or maybe it was watching you get electrified."

His laugh was beautiful and carefree. Maalikai shifted closer, his hand brushing my arm.

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