The Luna Sage

Chapter Six: A Gift

I shivered into the cold of the blankets and groaned, my shoulder ached and my leg tingled oddly, but I sat up without yelling.

I looked around the room, remembering where I was.

My hand absently searched the sheets, a frown pulling my lips when I realised I was alone.

I pushed the covers off me and climbed from the bed, a weird feeling compared to my normal of rolling onto a hard floor and being dragged out, or being on hardwood from the train carriage.

I looked around, noticing the pile of bright colours on the beige table in the corner. Unravelling them, I found a turquoise long-sleeve turtle neck and a long flowing brown skirt, underneath were a pair of panties and a strappy thing with two cups.

I hold it up and flip it over in my hand, finally shrugging and putting it beside the rest of the pile. A pair of simple black flats, a note and a small blue box remained.

Curiously, I grabbed the note and flipped it over, words were scrawled across the back and it took me a second to read it.

For you, little one. Wear it and enjoy.

Eagerly I grabbed the blue box and opened it, seeing a glistening golden chain inside, a name written suspended between them.

Miranda.

I ran my fingers over the metal, smiling as I pulled it out and tried my best for a few minutes to put it on.

I started crying when I couldn't.

The door burst open behind me, slamming into the wall and four people piled into the room, stopping at a sudden halt when I turned to them sobbing, holding the necklace.

Adam stood, his hands still outstretched from opening the door and running in. Bev, who peaked over his shoulder, smiled at me.

Two other men stood behind them. They looked almost identical with sandy blonde curls, light hazel eyes and broad shoulders. Neither met my gaze and looked down or away whenever they looked in my direction. They were the men who had guarded my room the other day.

"Miranda," Adam breathed, stepping forward, his arms still wide.

"I can't wear my pretty necklace because I don't know how to put it on." I cried, suddenly feeling incredibly pathetic but fragile enough I didn't care.

Adam smiled softly, stepping forward, stopping inches from my face. His hand eased the necklace out of mine, the heat erupting from his touch.

"Turn around," he whispered. I spun on the tip of my right foot, pulling my hair to the side and smiling, tears forgotten.

"Thank you! It's so pretty." I mumble as his skin brushes my skin, making me shiver. He quickly reaches around to loop the necklace and snaps it into place, his hands run across my shoulders and down my arms. Feeling weak I leaned back into him, his warmth bringing the strength back to my knees but not my breathing.

My eye caught the ropey fabric.

I snatched it and held it up to him, looking back at him.

"What's this?"

Three stifled peals of laughter erupted behind us. I snuck a look around Adam to see the look-alikes and Bev, holding their hands to their lips and trying not to meet Adam's stare.

I waved it at them, brows pulling in anger.

"Why are you laughing?" I demanded. Bev stepped forward, grabbed the fabric and quickly whispered in my ear the contraption called a bra and how men weren't used to seeing women so exposed. Even Wolven men.

My cheeks flooded with colour and I ducked behind Adam, suddenly covering myself.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry!" I squeaked, turning away from him.

His chuckle warmed my heart and I relaxed a bit, quickly dressing with Adam as my shield.

I would have asked him to turn around, but he'd already seen so much when I forced him to stay with me, I felt bad asking him due to my shyness now.

When I looked back up after fixing my necklace to hang outside the collar, I found Adam had turned around anyway, giving me privacy.

I touched his shoulder and he turned, his eyes instantly scanning me and a small smile tugged.

"You look lovely." He whispered, leaning in to plant a kiss gently on my forehead, his fingers trapping my chin in place.

The warmth spread to my limbs, easing all my pain and tension. I grinned childishly.

"Sir." A voice broke through, clearing their throats after.

Adam released me. I had to bite back a whimper and turned to the voice that disturbed us.

"Johnathan," he acknowledged the blonde on the left. Looking around Adam, I noticed the difference between the look-alikes.

The one on the left, Johnathan, was slightly taller and his eyes a darker shade of green than hazel. The other had a tattoo that peaked from under the collar of his navy blue shirt and wrapped around his neck. He also sported more scars on closer inspection of the skin that was exposed.

Figuratively closer inspection, my hands reached up to snag the fabric on the back of Adam's soft grey sweater. It hugged him tightly I was scared I'd stretch it further but couldn't release my grip. I stayed behind him, peering out from his shoulder.

"Take Second Scouts to the east wing and relieve the Fourth. Valik," he turns to the other blonde with the tattoos. "Relieve Kaleb and the others from guard duty and make sure they eat and rest."

The men both nodded, clearly happy with their orders. Both looked at me and bowed slightly, confusing me and they smiled.

They spun on their heels and by the time I blinked, they were gone and Bev had peaked around Adam, bending to my level to smile at me with glittering eyes.

I squeaked at how close she got so quickly.

Her hair tumbled down and shook as she enchanted the room with her laughter.

"Come on, sweetpea. Let's get some grub."