Page 9 of The Cerulean Sister
"I missed you."His voice in my head feels warm.
I innocently bring his knuckles up to my lips, pressing short kisses on the back of his hand until he captures my chin and slowly runs his thumb across my bottom lip. I watch his eyes trail along with the motion he traces on my mouth.
"I have thought of nothing else today, Priestess."
Through our tether, he sends images of kissing me, the sensation he feels with my lips on him, kissing and nipping at his neck.
"It was a productive day of council meetings then?" I tease.
His smile makes me melt. I love when it only reaches one side, like he is trying to hide it.
"Better than expected," he says, swiping his thumb one last time around my lips.
"Oh? Good news?"
He nods.
I widen my eyes, letting him know I am anxiously waiting. He seems so happy, I can only assume what he is going tosay. I don't want to tell him that even if they have found the people who attacked the factory, the stabilizers are fixed, and the abducted woman is now sitting at home comfortably, I still won't be completely at ease.
My true fear was for something else. I thought Cosima was coming for me, and even though that wasn't true, my nerves all but demand proof that I am not in danger. But how do I prove to my body it is safe when my fear has so convincingly shown it otherwise?
"The stabilizers have been repaired," he finally announces.
"That's wonderful. Just broken then?"
"No evidence of tampering, but that doesn't mean they malfunctioned on their own," he clarifies.
His statement is a tad disheartening. First Son attacking somewhere in the distance is one thing. Sabotaging the infrastructure of the capital without any trace of evidence is another.
"More technicians have been sent to further investigate. The factory attack has been dealt with as well. Security will remain heightened, but you can move around comfortably now."
"Oh," I say too meekly and then clear my throat.
"You are safe." He takes my hand again, holding it like something to be cherished. "In all ways."
I give him a slanted look, knowing both his perceptive nature and our tether's strength have revealed I am not fully calmed by the news.
"That is an unfair advantage, Commander." I clear my throat because now that we are on the topic of my safety, I can't stop myself and I hate it. "Have there been any more messages from Cosima?"
"I had to update them on the attacks. Materials were stolen and likely being transported back to the birthlands on Cosima.I also checked if new messages came from the temple," he confesses.
"And?" I know it's part of 99's job to listen to any transmissions between worlds and update them on the matters involving First Son, but hearing that he also assumed there would be more messages from the temple starts a cramping anxiety in my stomach.
"The same as all the others. A repeated recording."
I chew my lip.
"The words are empty. I will take you to the beacon room now if you want to hear them yourself," he says with such tender protection in his voice.
But I can feel my eyes go a little wide at the thought of going to the place where Viathan houses their beacon, where they receive messages. Frith's is in a field, Cosima's in a tall tower that mimics the ones built for the temple bells. I can't even picture what the Viathan version of a beacon room would be.
"They are the same as the ones you read to me before?"
"Word for word, Priestess."
"Then no, I have no reason to listen."
"I am happy to stay here and help you work, or I can take you to the capital’s temple," he rattles off quickly, sounding determined to brighten my mood.
