Page 4 of A Dance of Water

Finally, she could make out a shape in the inviting depths of the forest.

A male with strong shoulders and dark hair.

"Bastian?" she called. "I thought…" Luella did not know what she thought.

She took a step closer, retracing her path as she walked nearer to the tree line, eyes narrowing as she attempted to make out the shape of him. Something churned uneasily in her gut, even as her mind desperately tried to place this stranger as Bastian, turning his shape into the familiar one she knew the vampire to have, pretending the curls of hair were silky black.

The male stumbled out of the embrace of the tree limbs, a stagger to his gait and a half-emptied bottle of wine held loosely in a hand.

It was not Bastian.

Her eyes grew wide, and her limbs locked up in fear.NotBastian.The vampire had not brought her here with his Mind magic. So then, where was she? And how did she get here?

Luella watched as the male’s features came into focus, slowly, then all at once as he drew closer.

Dark hair—similar to the vampires, in a way, with silky tendrils that fell about his forehead, free and rumpled. This stranger had pale skin, as well. But that was where the similarities ended. His skin was free of the swirling tattoos she knew adorned Bastian’s skin, and this male’s pallor was not the sickly, near-deathly shade of a vampire, just a normal sort of paleness.

She could not make out his face clearly as his head was turned away from her. He did not give any sign that he noticed her where she stood, frozen, at the tree line, the rippling water of the lake behind her like a beacon as it reflected the glow of the sun.

A particularly harsh gust of wind blew throughout the lands, making her white hair whip around her in a maelstrom of movement as she remained still—not composed, but a nervous, anticipatory stillness. As though she feared any movement whatsoever would disrupt the fragile state of waiting she had found herself thrust into.

She took a shaky breath, held it, and then the male turned his head toward her.

Luella quivered like the leaves that rattled in the wind as he looked right at her. Piercing green eyes. Something about them was so familiar to her, like a dream that remained just out of reach. She could not quite put her finger on where she had seen that exact shade of green before… but she knew she had.

She waited for him to speak, her own lips parting with a question lingering at the tip of her tongue, but she held it back, scared.

His head shifted, eyes not falling on where she stood as he took in the lake. His features were regal, almost. He was beautiful. Pale skin, with cheeks flushed into a rosy, happy glow. His brows were dark, the ends winged, and his mouth split into a joyous smile, a masculine laugh falling from his lips.

She did not understand.

Did he not see her?

The male turned his head, his ruffled black hair catching in thewind as he did so. Her head shook slightly as she watched him, a sense of familiarity giving her pause.

"Enora!" the male yelled, the last letters of the name rising with glee as he called for what Luella assumed to be the source of that feminine, lilting laugh she had heard piercing the forest.

A giggle resounded in response, leaves crunching and twigs snapping, before a tall, willowy female stumbled out of the trees, a pale hand pressed against the tree bark as she stopped to catch her breath. Her hair was a deep brown shade and fine, spun like silk as it fell in straight strands down to the middle of her back, cascading over her shoulders and blocking out her face as she bent at the waist. Her breathing was labored, punctuated by the occasional giddy laugh.

"Caliban!" she nearly wheezed. "I told you… to wait for me." Her words were interrupted with laughter, and Luella felt herself grow green with envy at the sight of such unfettered joy. What must it be like to carry yourself so free, to be so uncaring?

The male, Caliban, turned back to the lake, that open and beautiful smile still on his lips. His eyes held secrets, the kind that reminded Luella of sneaking about in the night with a lover.

She grew sad at the sight. Even while a part of her stayed confused by what was transpiring.

"I waited long enough, Enora." Caliban laughed. It was a musical sound, accompanied by the female’s own laughter. A pale hand raised as he pushed his dark hair off his forehead, sweeping it back. The action revealed pointed ears, and Luella stifled a gasp.

He was a fae!

Enora left the tree line, her breathing still loud with exhilaration. She came to stand beside Caliban. She was taller, her shoulders were lithe, and her posture was perfect. Her brown eyes peered up at Caliban with open adoration.

Lovers.

He stared down at her, his expression so soft that Luella felt her eyes burn with the promise of jealous tears; what must it be like to have someone look at you with such care?

She blinked?—

And was assaulted by the feeling of a call, tugging and tugging on her soul. Hands carding over her cheeks, the soft scent of warm, richsugar. Amber eyes that held so much fondness, but she wanted to rage at his lies.

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