Page 46 of When the Moon Met the Sun

The weight of the plants slowly slinked off of the lower half of my body, returning to the ground where they sprouted from. The shadows dispersed, and I felt them dissipate like smoke as they became absorbed by the shadows around us, of trees and brush.

The last thing I couldn’t seem to let go of was the vibrant, blue fire coming out of my hands.

I opened my eyes, tears having ceased, and stared at the fire. I realized it wasn’t hurting me, though I could feel the heat radiating off of it.

“Imagine blowing out a candle. Envision the flames getting smaller, then turning to smoke,” Robyn said gently, still staring at my eyes. I could feel the panic trying to bubble its way back into my chest, and instinctively I looked back up into his eyes, trying to hold onto the calm he was giving me.

He offered a small smile, one full of reassurance.

I took a deep breath, and did exactly as he said. I closed my eyes, envisioning the flames growing smaller and smaller, as if losing their source of oxygen. I imagined the flame on every single finger slowly going out, one by one, the larger flames sitting in my palms going out last.

I opened my eyes as soon as I felt the last flames subside, and watched as the smoke from my flames disappeared into the air around us.

I met Robyn’s eyes and was shocked to find him smiling, dimple and all.

I tried to smile back, but the amount of energy I just exerted was too much on my body. I felt my aching muscles start to shake, and soon I couldn’t hold myself up anymore.

I fell all over again.

Except this time, Robyn caught me, cradling me against his chest. Oddly enough, his heart was pounding just as fast as mine had been just moments ago.

He stood swiftly and started walking in what I assumed was the direction of the cabin. That was when I realized he’d been speaking.

“—but you have to train. You need to be able to control your zirilium, so things like this don’t happen.” He sighed. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” he said quietly, and I could feel his disappointment.

I coughed, then nodded. “I’ll train. I promise,” I said, though my mouth suddenly was dry and it came out more like a croak than words.

My vision started to darken, and I murmured a quiet, “I’m sorry,” before I allowed the darkness to take me.

ChapterSixteen

When sleep finally released its hold on me, I found that I was much warmer than usual.

Forcing my eyes open, I looked up to see Robyn cradling me against his chest, being held in his lap. It was as though he never let me go after he picked me up—like he’d been holding me this entire time.

I shifted my eyes over to look out the window—the sun was beginning to set now—and realized we were in Robyn’s room, on his bed, his back against the headboard. I recognized the small space from when I peeked in, searching for him early this morning. It had a bed in the center of the room, two windows in the corner, a door leading to a washroom, a wardrobe, and a small table and chairs, but that was it. Nothing that screamed royalty, let aloneking. It struck me as odd, how modest he was as a ruler.

Without thinking, I moved my head closer to him, soaking in his warmth. I heard him take a sharp breath, and finally he looked down at me, our eyes meeting.

The relief I felt coming from him was instant, the moment our eyes locked.

I offered him a small smile, and he returnedit with one of his own.

“Hi,” I said quietly, feeling slightly sheepish.

“Hey,” he murmured in response.

He seemed to notice our position suddenly, and made to set me down and move away. I quickly reached out and placed my hand on his chest, causing him to pause.

“Stay?” I asked softly, shifting my gaze to meet his eyes again.

I could feel the surprise radiating from him like the warmth his body emitted. He searched my eyes, probably wondering if this was some kind of trick. But I held his gaze, letting him search all he wanted.

A heartbeat later, he relaxed against me. He nodded, then pulled me closer to him, our bodies flushed with one another. I noticed a small smile playing on his lips.

We stayed like that for a few moments, simply enjoying each other’s presence. I rested my head against his chest, relishing in his warmth and his scent—magnolia blossoms and fresh spring rain.

“Aviva?” Robyn called my name softly. I realized in that moment just how much I enjoyed the way my name sounded on his tongue.

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