Page 79 of Leveling

He nodded, rustling his unshaven cheek in her hair. “Yeah. Of course. You died alone, all by yourself. I see that now.”

She raised her head by degrees and gave him a small sad smile. “I did accomplish that one thing.”

He said, “You did, you saved me. I didn’t die, but see, now I’ve come to find you—to save you.”

She cast her eyes down and nodded. “To save me,” she repeated. “I don’t know if I’m still here.”

Using the tips of the fingers on his right hand he raised her chin to look into her eyes. “I came to find you, because you aren’t dead, Luna, you aren’t, you’re flesh and blood and ocean-goddess and you’re alive and you found me and now I’ve found you, it means something all this finding. It means something big. You know?” He didn’t wait for an answer, “What’s your family name?”

“Saturniidae.”

“You aren’t dead, Luna Saturniidae, you are alive and I love you and I need you to stay alive, to stop letting go.”

Tears streamed down her face. “But I’m so scared and I don’t know how to face it anymore. Living.”

“I know, I’m scared too, but you’re alive. Stop letting go because you’re breaking our hearts and there’s been too much of that lately. Please don’t. Please come home with me,” he searched her face, “please.”

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