Page 19 of Naga Healer's Mate

“Rest now,” he commanded softly, his golden eyes glowing in the darkness.“Tomorrow will bring its own challenges.”

She felt her eyes growing heavy, lulled by the steady thrum of his heartbeat and the protective circle of his arms.She didn’t feel the need to stay alert, to worry about danger right now.Something deep inside her recognized Nirrn as her safe harbor, her other half—as impossible as that should have seemed.

As sleep claimed her, she realized that maybe she didn’t have to carry her heavy load alone anymore.Maybe, just maybe, she had found someone worth trusting with not just her safety but her heart.

Chapter 11

Nirrn

Nirrnwokefirst,andhis eyes soon adjusted to the dim light of their small room.Islae’s warmth pressed against his chest, her head tucked beneath his chin.He coiled his tail more securely around them both as his fingers traced the curve of her shoulder.He marveled at the softness of her skin compared to his scaled form.

The mate bond pulsated gently between them.A smile spread across his face, remembering what she said last night about how being in his arms felt familiar.His clever mate was beginning to sense the mate bond on her own.But he would tell her she was his mate soon enough.He just needed to wait for the right moment.

She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.When she looked up at him, a genuine smile curved her lips, making his heart flutter in his chest.

“Morning,” she murmured, making no move to pull away from his embrace.

“Did you sleep well?”His voice came out a little rough, still thick with sleep.

“Better than I have in…” She paused, her smile faltering as reality crashed back.“I can’t believe my clinic is really gone.”

Nirrn tightened his hold on her.“The Jorvlen patrols will be searching every district right now, looking for us, since we were spotted somehow escaping through the tunnels yesterday.We need to stay here, at least until their fury dies down.”

She pushed up on one elbow, her hair falling in a curtain around them both.“How long?”

“A few more days, perhaps.”His hand came up to brush her hair back, unable to resist touching her.“Haven is well-hidden.We’re safe here for now.”

“You keep saying we.”Her eyebrow arched.

“Yes, we.”His tail shifted and drew her closer to him.“I’m not leaving you.”

She studied his face, her expression softening.“You really mean that.Don’t you?”

“Every word.”The mate bond pulled at him, urging him to tell her everything.But not now.Instead, he settled for a simple truth.“You matter to me, Islae.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she didn’t look away.“You’re different from any Niri I’ve ever met.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“I’m still deciding.”But her smile returned, warming him from the inside out.

Nirrn’s tail curled lazily around them as he stared at her beautiful smile.“I found something yesterday while exploring Haven.Would you like to see it?”

Her eyes lit up with curiosity.“What kind of something?”

“Let me show you.”He slipped from their shared bed, offering his hand to help her up.

He soon led her through the winding tunnels, his scaled body easily navigating the narrow passages.The mate bond hummed stronger whenever she was close, and he had to concentrate to keep his tail from wrapping around her protectively.

“Just through here.”He pushed aside a heavy wooden door, revealing a hidden garden bathed in ethereal light.

Bioluminescent vines crawled up the carved stone walls, their leaves pulsing with gentle blue-green light.Crystal formations jutted from the ground, refracting the glow throughout the space.Strange flowers bloomed in patches, their petals translucent and delicate.

“This is incredible,” Islae whispered, stepping into the garden.“How is this even possible down here?”

“Haven’s builders were clever.They created these self-sustaining ecosystems throughout the refuge.”Nirrn watched as she approached a cluster of star-shaped flowers, their centers glowing like tiny moons.

Her fingers reached out to touch one of the blossoms, and his breath caught.The way she moved—precise yet gentle, just like when she worked on her patients—stirred something primal in him.Her hands were built for healing, like his, but a grace in her movements made his scales tingle.

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