Page 33 of Willow and the Wraith

As soon as Sooni scampered off, Willow ducked into the small sanitary facility to wash. She almost didn’t recognize herself - her eyes bright, her mouth still pink and swollen. Her nipples were slightly swollen as well, and the smooth silk of her dress sliding over them sent a shiver of desire down her spine. The small lingering ache between her legs was another reminder of the previous night and by the time she was finished dressing her cheeks were flushed.

Where was Wraith she wondered as she hurried to the galley. Was he going to keep avoiding her?

Both Malacar and Sooni were waiting for her and the heat in her cheeks increased when Malacar gave her a speculative look. To her relief, he didn’t comment and they settled into their usual routine. She did her best to keep busy, trying to stop herself from thinking about Wraith.

She spent the morning with Sooni, working on some basic math.

“Now, if you have three apples and I give you two more, how many do you have?” she asked.

“What’s an apple?”

She laughed. “It’s a type of fruit. How many pieces of fruit would you have?”

Sooni’s tongue flicked out as she concentrated.

“Five!” she exclaimed after a moment.

“That’s right.”

Willow smiled at the little girl, running an affectionate hand over the smooth scales covering her scalp, and Sooni beamed. She was a pleasure to teach - eager to learn and responsive to praise.

Disappointingly, but not surprisingly, Wraith didn’t join them for lunch. Sooni went off to play and Willow found Malacar tinkering with an air filtration unit.

“Need a hand?” she offered.

He nodded and gave her a quick smile.

“Could you pass me that hydrospanner?”

He explained what he was doing as he worked, but her usual interest was replaced by worrying about Wraith. She hated to think of him brooding alone in the cockpit. After Malacar finished, she decided to take Wraith a mug of tea, just as she usually did. While she didn’t want to intrude, she wanted him to know that she still… cared.

Her heart raced as she approached the cockpit and she had to take a steadying breath before she entered. She set the mug down in its usual place and turned to leave without looking at him.

As she started to pass him, he reached out and gripped her arm. Her breath caught as she turned back to face him. His long hair was pulled back in its usual tight knot, his face a mask of stoic control. But his eyes… his eyes told a different story.

Emotions swirled in those purple depths - confusion, longing, and something that looked almost like fear. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came out.

Her heart ached for him, but he had to work through this on his own. All she could do was to let him know she was there. She smiled and placed her hand over his where it rested on her arm.

“Why don’t you join us for dinner tonight?” she asked softly, giving his hand a reassuring pat. “We’d love to have you.”

Without waiting for a response, she slipped out of his grasp and left the cockpit, her heart pounding. She hoped he would come, but even if he didn’t, she hoped she’d made it clear that he was welcome.

By the time the evening meal rolled around she was a nervous wreck, her eyes darting to the empty doorway every few seconds. The aroma of the meal she’d prepared filled the air, but her appetite had vanished. Sooni chattered away, oblivious to Willow’s distraction, while Malacar watched her with knowing eyes.

“He’ll come when he’s ready, child,” he said softly, his scaled hand patting hers. “Some hearts take longer to thaw.”

She nodded, forcing a smile. “You’re right, of course. I just-”

The words died on her lips as Wraith appeared in the doorway, and her heart skipped a beat as she tried not to let him see her delight.

He took his seat without a word, his face an unreadable mask. Sooni immediately launched into a story about her day’s adventures, and he listened with his usual patience, offering the occasional nod or word of acknowledgment.

Despite his silence, she caught him watching her several times. Each time, her breath hitched, and she quickly looked away, heat rising to her cheeks.

As they finished eating, Malacar cleared his throat.

“I’m afraid we’re running low on fresh provisions. We can switch to the packaged supplies or…”

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