Chapter 15: If Only for Today
695 Words
The little boy waved until the trees hid him from sight.
Only then did Selene allow herself to breathe.
The clearing fell silent once more.
She looked down at the crushed moonflower resting in her palm.
Its petals were bruised.
Its stem bent.
Yet somehow...
It was the most beautiful thing she had ever owned.
She smiled.
A real one.
Small.
Quiet.
Unseen.
"So..."
A familiar voice drifted through the trees.
"...you smile when you think no one's looking."
The smile vanished.
Selene turned.
Lucian stepped from between two ancient pines.
His clothes were still damp from yesterday's rain.
Mud clung to his boots.
There were dark circles beneath his eyes.
He looked exhausted.
She had never been happier to see anyone.
Which was exactly why she took a step back.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know."
"You followed me."
"I did."
She lowered her gaze.
"I told you not to."
"I know."
His answers were so calm they were almost unfair.
The forest settled around them.
Neither moved.
Neither seemed willing to break the fragile peace that had somehow survived everything else.
Lucian's eyes drifted toward the cloak around her shoulders.
"You still have it."
Selene instinctively held it closed.
"I meant to return it."
"You've had two days."
"...I know."
"I don't think that's forgetting."
Despite herself...
A tiny laugh escaped her.
She quickly covered her mouth.
Lucian smiled.
"There you are."
Her cheeks warmed.
"What?"
"I was wondering when I'd hear that again."
The warmth disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"Lucian..."
Her voice became serious.
"You have to stop following me."
"No."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
"No."
She shook her head.
"You saw what happened at the temple."
"I did."
"You bled."
"I did."
"You could die."
He nodded once.
"I could."
The certainty of his answer stole the next words from her.
He wasn't pretending.
He wasn't denying the danger.
He had simply accepted it.
She turned away.
"I can't do this."
"I know."
"If you know..."
Her voice cracked.
"...then why are you making this harder?"
Lucian looked at her for a long moment.
Then he answered with complete honesty.
"Because walking away from you is harder."
Silence.
The wind carried neither answer nor comfort.
Only truth.
Tears gathered in Selene's eyes.
"Please..."
She whispered.
"Don't make me choose between you and your life."
Lucian's expression softened.
He took one careful step forward.
Only one.
Close enough that she could see the concern in his eyes.
Far enough that she could leave if she wished.
"I'm not asking you to choose."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I'm asking you to let me."
She looked at him, confused.
"Let you what?"
"Choose."
She stared.
"You deserve that much."
The words broke something inside her.
Not because they were loud.
Because no one had ever said them before.
All her life...
Other people had decided who she was.
What she deserved.
Where she belonged.
Lucian was offering her something no one else ever had.
A choice that belonged to both of them.
Neither of them spoke again.
There was nothing left to argue.
The curse still existed.
The danger was still real.
None of it had changed.
Yet somehow...
Everything had.
A cool breeze drifted through the clearing.
Selene shivered.
Lucian instinctively reached for the clasp of his cloak.
His fingers stopped halfway.
She was already wearing it.
Their eyes met.
For one perfect, ridiculous moment...
They both laughed.
Softly.
The sound disappeared into the trees like a secret the forest promised to keep.
The silver thread between them shimmered.
Not brighter.
Not stronger.
Simply...
Warmer.
Selene looked down at the moonflower in her hand.
Then, without thinking, she tucked it safely inside Lucian's cloak.
As though it belonged there.
As though she did too.
Neither of them noticed.
Far beyond the clearing...
Hidden behind ancient stone...
A second hairline c***k quietly spread across one of the seven forgotten seals.
The world had felt it.
Even if they had not.
For the first time since the curse awakened...
Neither Selene nor Lucian was afraid.
And somewhere high above the forest, the Moon watched in perfect silence.
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