Despite having been the first to return to bed, Tissaia still couldn't sleep. Her unfinished conversation with Azael was still overshadowing Kaius's revelation which should've been her highest priority. But all she could hear was Azael's words echoing over and over again.

    "I can't be with you because I will only bring you pain and death. I would rather break your heart and lose it forever than hear it stop beating."

    Her heart tightened at the recollection. There wasn't a doubt in her mind what the words had meant. His mother. He still blamed himself for his mother's death, and he was too afraid of the same thing happening to her to take the chance of being with her.

    It explained why he was always trying to push her away. Always driving a wedge between them, then acting as though he regretted it. Maybe he couldn't admit it, but he did want to be with her. It...it wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault that they weren't married. She hadn't done anything wrong. Her father was wrong about her, and she was wrong about herself.

    "You are beautiful, Tissaia. By the goddesses, you're so beautiful that sometimes it hurts to look at you, to have you right there, right in front of me, and know that I can't have you. I can't touch you. Kiss your lips. Caress your hair. Give you every pleasure that I know how to, and learn each one you can dream up."

    Tissaia pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes shut, but the images were already there. She opened her eyes immediately. That would not be good to dwell on tonight. A part of her was still angry, after all. Still hurting. But...she understood something at least. And maybe if she told him that, she could persuade him to help her understand a little more. She certainly hoped so. The last thing they needed was to fight again. It clearly only brought them both pain.

    She stiffened when hay rustled and soft footsteps crossed the floor. Two of her companions were still soundly breathing, already asleep again, but this one... Azael dropped to the floor near her head and sat with his back against the hay bale. She gazed at the back of his sandy brown head, studying the pattern of waves and curls that had a few stray pieces of hay clinging to them.

    "You're fidgeting a lot," he murmured. "I assumed our conversation was still bothering you."

    "It is."

    "Are you still angry?"

    Tissaia breathed a faint sigh and his head shifted, until she could barely see the broken ridge of his nose past his shoulder. "Yes. There's been so much between us that has hurt me. I imagine you can say the same."

    "I can, but I know that it's chiefly my fault. You only lashed out at me because I treated you poorly first."

    Tissaia bit her lip, selecting her next words carefully. "It hurts when you feel safe enough with someone to tell them that you want to give them everything, and feel that they want that too, but then to still have them push you away. I...I so rarely feel safe, and you..."

    Her breath faltered, making her next words come out as less than a whisper. "You have felt safe to me in every regard but my heart, and I've never been able to remove it from your grasp."

    Azael twisted to meet her gaze, his own shining with firelight and emotion. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

    "I think I understand a little more now, at least. You still blame yourself for what happened to your mother, and you don't want that to happen to me." His throat bobbed as he looked away once more. "None of that was your fault. She left because your father never treated her as she deserved, not because of you, and her death was an accident."

    "What if I don't treat you as you deserve? That's all I've done so far."

    "It's not too late to change that."

    Tissaia broke off her next thought as someone shifted in their sleep. Kahari, judging by the quiet sound that passed from her lips. Neither of them said anything for several minutes, until they were certain the female was still asleep. Then, Tissaia stretched an arm across Azael's shoulder and curled the tips of her fingers beneath his chin, drawing his eyes to hers. He shifted his position so he could meet her gaze fully.

    "I don't believe you could ever be responsible for my death," Tissaia murmured. "I wouldn't feel safe with you otherwise. And while I understand a little bit better, there are still things you need to explain. But, I will wait until you're ready to, and not push these matters anymore. I will stop trying to come close to you if you promise me one thing."

    "What?" He replied.

    "Stop pushing me away." She searched his pale gaze for a moment, waiting for his answer. Half expecting to be rejected again anyway. Her voice almost shook when she added, "And try to let me behind those stone walls of yours. I'm tired of being crushed."

    "That's two things," Azael pointed out. Tissaia swallowed hard, and her breath caught as his rough palm met her cheek. Warmth filled her limbs and her chest constricted until she had to remind herself to breathe once more. "But I'll agree, if you do something for me too."

    "What?" Her own fingers trailed across his jaw and a muscle feathered beneath them.

    "Let me through your fire. I'm tired of being scorched."

    They held each other's gazes, fingers lightly caressing the other's skin, and the unevenness of their breaths close to matching. Azael tipped his head towards her until a few locks of his hair mixed with hers. He was close enough for her to see the thin scar on the right side of his chin. And his lips, with their perfect heart shaped arch, almost seemed to taunt her with their proximity. But perhaps he was testing her. She had promised not to try to come closer to him.

    "Deal," Tissaia agreed.

    Azael rose, but his head remained bent over her. Her heart faltered once more as his mouth skimmed her temple when he echoed the word. "Deal." He pulled away and returned to his own bed, leaving her flush with a sudden chill that had absolutely nothing to do with the draft from the storm outside. 

•༻☽☾༺•

    The storm had lessened into a light drizzle come morning and thick fog curled in between the grassy hills, like clouds of dust beneath a horse's hooves. Azael had finished saddling his and Tissaia's mounts and were leading them out of the barn when laughter reached his ears. He smiled at the sight that greeted him.

    Tissaia and Kahari were chasing the young Human girls around the yard in a game of tag while their mother, Marta, watched from the doorway of the house. Her son was having fun too, perched high atop Vael's furry shoulders as he lumbered around in his bear form. Azael half turned as another set of quiet laughter came from close by.

    Talarion's dark hair was frizzing out of its braid today, but it still couldn't compare to Kaius's unruly mop, and the former was currently picking at it while the latter tried to swat his hands away. "You're making it worse," Kaius huffed. "It's because of the humidity."

    "The hay isn't," Talarion teased. "That's because you wouldn't leave your head where I put it." Azael's eyes widened and he barely smothered a snort of amusement. "Tissaia looks happy," the male remarked soon after. The female had allowed herself to be caught by the Human girls and was currently laying on the ground laughing while they gripped her hands and tried to pull her to her feet.

    "You know..." Kaius drawled, a hint of mischief lacing the words, "she was asking me if we planned on adopting a child any time soon."

    "Please," his mate scoffed. "You're not ready to be a mother yet."

    "I think I'd make a great mother, thank you." Azael couldn't swallow his laugh and both males looked at him. A hint of red tinged Kaius's face while Talarion just smirked.
   
    "Eavesdropping much?" The male scolded.

    "Not intentionally," Azael replied. "But while you're on the subject, I agree with Kaius. He'd make an excellent mother. It's you I'd be worried about."

    Talarion folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head. "And why's that?"

    "You seem like the type that would be secretly afraid of children."

    Kaius burst out laughing. "He is! Especially babies. They terrify him." The male doubled over, his laughter growing. "Tell him why, Talarion."

    The male grimaced. "They're just so small and fragile."

    "And squishy," Kaius cackled. "I specifically remember you telling me that you don't like how soft and squishy they are."

    "All right. Fine," Talarion grumbled. "Yes, I don't like how soft they are. They don't feel sturdy enough. Like they'll just melt out of my hands or something." Kaius was still cackling and Talarion jabbed a palm to his temple and pushed him away, rolling his eyes.

    "What's so funny?" Tissaia called, having recovered herself and broken away from her game. Her entire backside was wet from the grass, although Azael swiftly averted his eyes from the area.

    "Talarion not liking babies," he answered.

    She laughed once more. "Give him a few years. He'll grow to like them if it means he gets to watch Kaius fawn over them."

    Talarion's frown deepened and he pointed his middle finger at his sister, who blew him a kiss in return. They all straightened as Vael and Kahari approached. "I suppose we'll all see each other again tomorrow," Vael said. "I need to leave for the village now if I'm going to make it back before dark, and you two," his gaze shifted to Azael and Tissaia, "should head out so you can cover plenty of distance before it rains again."

    "Marta said there should be a traveler's hut around where you plan on stopping," Kahari added. "You'll have some shelter tonight if you can find it."

    Azael gave a grateful nod. "We'll keep an eye out for it and meet you all there tomorrow. If there's any sign of Lochren warriors or bandits, Tissaia will ride back to warn you while I lead them off." He glanced at her before she could protest and tacked on, "You're lighter and your horse will be able to carry you faster, and if it's Lochren warriors, we don't want them recognizing you." Tissaia only nodded.

    "Good luck. I'll be back as soon as I can," Vael assured them, then turned to go. Kahari hurried after him and caught his arm. Azael couldn't make out what words passed between them, but their meaning was clear enough when the male lightly touched his forehead to hers. He pulled away and mounted Kahari's horse, who had been waiting close by. With a parting wave to the rest of them, the male set off.

    Azael faced the rest of the group in time to see Tissaia release Kaius from a hug and wrap her brother in one next. For a moment, the Twins' dark heads blended together so that he almost couldn't tell which belonged to which. Then Talarion released her, and his dark gaze met Azael's with a pointed look.

    He blinked his understanding while Tissaia joined him. She pulled herself onto her horse and when Azael was certain she was situated, he mounted his own. They set off, waving to the Human family as they passed the front doors of the house, and continued into the foggy expanse.

    Tissaia's gaze shifted to him. "Where's Orilight?" She asked suddenly.

    Azael stiffened, the absence of the blade's weight pulling at his side. "Where it belongs," he answered vaguely. Out of his and his father's possession. Tissaia didn't press him further and they rode on.