Page 70 of Ties of Starlight

Her nightmares about drowning had eased some after the Heava Dance, but they hadn’t truly gone away.

Nyrunn held his hand out. “I'm not pushing you in. Besides, it's part of the ceremony.”

She didn’t take it. “Doesn't mean I enjoy being near it if I don't have to be.”

“That's why we're here.” He gestured for her to come closer. “I know I can't erase everything that's happened to you in your past lives, but I'd like to make this one more bearable. Therefore, let's do what we can so you have fewer nightmares about drowning.”

He passed her the bowl and took his shoes off, rolling his trousers up and dipping his feet in.

She kept her feet out of the water as she sat next to him on the root, popping more berries in her mouth.

“I don't see how sitting next to water will help.”

“Well…” Nyrunn tilted his head, his annoyingly pretty dark purple and blue hair catching the moonlight. “That's not the only reason we're out here.”

Idonea looked up from the bowl she was unabashedly hogging. “What's the other?”

“How about just enjoying the beautiful view?” Nyrunn said, looking right at her.

She narrowed her eyes. “You are up to something. And I'm going to figure it out.”

He laughed. “Can't you just enjoy the moment?”

“No.”

He scoffed as he looked back out at the water. “I suppose you have already seen all of this a thousand times before.”

She shook her head, looking around, this time actually taking note of the night sky above them and the stars reflecting in the water. She looked at the Star Lilies on the banks, little stars glowing on their petals. “I've never been here before. I don't leave the camp.”

Nyrunn sat up straighter, eyes widening. “You've made this journey seven times now and you never once looked around?”

She shrugged, turning back to him. “Just never interested me.”

“And now?”

His eyes were burning into hers so intently it was both incredibly hard and easy to pull her gaze away. A breeze cut through the trees, rustling the branches and the dark green leaves. Nyrunn’s leg shifted, sending ripples through the water, sending the stars into rolling waves.

Had this really been here this whole time and she’d never once come across it?

She looked back up at the sky, the moon hanging as a few clouds slowly rolled by. “It is beautiful.”

He grinned, sending more ripples through the water as Idonea finished the last asterberry.

“What if instead of giving up on something when it's not perfect, we take it as it is and focus on making it better?”

She reached down, pulling her shoes off before dragging her feet through the water, watching the ripples as herthroat tightened. She whispered, “I suppose imperfection doesn't mean inadequate.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Nyrunn took a deep breath and said, “Are you brave enough to go in tonight?”

Idonea threw the bowl at him with no real malice and he easily caught it. “So that was your plan the whole time!”

“I only said I wouldn’t push you in. Right now, I’m asking if you want to come in.” Nyrunn set the bowl to the side and pushed off into the stream. The water only came up to his waist as he waded a few steps farther into it.

“Do you really think me getting into this stream is going to make me forget about being drowned?”

“I didn’t say that. I just…” Nyrunn sighed. “I’m just trying to help. That’s all.”

And then Idonea was in the water. She immediately started shivering as the frigid water came up to her ribs as she waded out towards Nyrunn, who was gaping at her as she did so.

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