Chapter 29 - Julie

I wake up slowly, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. My thoughts feel foggy, and I don"t know where I am at first. But as I blink my eyes open, the warmth of Kaius's embrace grounds me. He's sitting beside me with his arms around me, his eyes filled with a mix of concern and relief.

"Hey," he says softly, offering me a small smile as the morning light highlights the yellows in his hazel eyes.

"Hey," I reply, my voice weak. "What happened?"

"You"re safe," he reassures me, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Eclipse sent a team after you last night. They ended up trying here first, and the team was able to intercept the rest of them out by Merl's and your parents. Luckily you caught it quick enough, we seem to have at least stopped them for now. Cyrus has a call into the council to take official action against them."

"Oh God, they destroyed some exhibits I worked on yesterday," I say, heartbroken, "They shattered the old vases that were from the founding families."

"I'm less worried about the vases," Kaius sighs, "I'm just glad the guys got here in time. They were faster than me."

Relief floods through me, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice trembling. "I know you were right; I just wanted to do this on my own."

"Hey, no. You don't apologize for someone attacking you. You did nothing wrong. It should be safe enough for you to do this on your own. It is supposed to be," Kaius says quietly. I can see that he's deep in his thoughts about the fact that it happened.

"If I don't get to apologize for being attacked, you don't get to sit there stewing in guilt for it happening either."

"I'm not—"

"Liar," I tease as I turn and brush a light kiss against his lips. His hand runs along my jaw, and I sigh into his lips. I will never tire of the electric feeling his hands leave behind. I pull back a little and look down at his lap with a frown.

"Are you wearing my towel?"

He looks down at the hot pink towel in question, and a sly grin pulls at his lips.

"Why yes I am, Ma'am. Do you want it back?"

"Oh no, you hang onto it for a minute," I laugh, not feeling up for what will happen if he loses the towel. My body feels like a truck has hit me. The memories of the night before are flashing in my mind. There are more than a few bruises that'll be showing up on my body.

I flex my hand. It's sore from trying to punch the dragon that attacked me. It felt like punching a brick wall. Kaius looks at my hand, inspecting it closely with a frown. He leans over and grabs a small ice pack off the side table, placing it against my knuckles.

"So, there's one other thing I may need to apologize for," Kaius says with a half-shrug, "I may have yelled at your mom last night. She tried to stop me on my way here."

My mom. The thought of her hits me suddenly, and I reach for my phone on the bedside table. There's an entire chain of texts waiting for me, and I scroll through them, my heart tightening a little.

I feel a mix of emotions as I read through the texts, the words blurring in my vision. "She's really worried," I say, showing the messages to Kaius. "What did you say to her?"

"Mainly that you were in danger, and I had to go. I think she was probably more surprised that I told her to shut up. I think deep down she cares for you; she just doesn't know how to do it without meddling yet."

"You told her to shut up?"

"I may have said ‘respectfully, shut up', but yeah, something along those lines."

"Oh God," I laugh, "I would pay money to see the look on her face."

"It was a bit like the look on your face when I dumped you in a snowdrift," Kaius laughs.

"Wow, I see how it is," I say with an exaggerated sigh, "Let a guy come to your rescue and he thinks he's got jokes."

"Jokes aside, I think you should talk to her. Tell her like you told me about what you want to do here and why it's important to you," Kaius replies, squeezing my hand gently. "Show her that same strength, your commitment. No one could be anything other than impressed by it."

"Maybe, but I'm not sure she'll ever really see eye to eye on it with me. In her mind, if it wasn't her plan all along, it's the wrong plan."

Kaius nods, his expression thoughtful.

"She might have her ways, but she cares for you. And I think she's capable of trying to see things from your perspective. It just may take time."

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of everything hanging heavy in the air. I finally look up at Kaius, searching his face.

"What happened after I blacked out?" I ask.

His expression darkens, and he takes a deep breath.

"They were tearing up the area downstairs. One of them tried to look up here. I am assuming they were looking for the key. By the time I made it, the guys had already stepped in."

"Thank you," I say again, my voice barely above a whisper.

He pulls me into his arms, holding me close. I lean my head against his chest, snuggling in.

"I don't know how much good I did. It was mostly the team. I don't think I've ever been so angry," he admits, his voice trembling. "I thought I'd lost you for a minute there."

"I'm okay," I whisper, more to reassure myself than him. He pulls back, his eyes searching mine.

"I never want to feel that way again," he breathes. "I realized how much you mean to me, Julie. I'm falling in love with you."

His words hit me like a wave, and I feel my breath catch in my throat. "Kaius," I begin, but he cuts me off.

"Let me finish," he whispers. "I know you want to be independent, and I respect that. But I am just asking you to consider staying at Cyrus and Lena's for a while, just until we're sure there's no more danger. You don't even have to stay with me if you don't want to. Just somewhere closer so that you aren't so exposed and alone down here."

I bite my lip, torn between the need to protect myself and the desire to keep my independence.

"I don't want to give up this new freedom," I admit, my voice trembling. "But I'm scared."

Kaius takes my hand in his, his gaze steady as he looks down at me.

"I know how important the whole journey is for you. But you don't have to give it up, Julie. I don't want to decide your path; I just want to come along for the ride."

His words bring a smile to my lips, and I feel the fear slowly melting away.

"I'm just so scared that I'm going to fall into that space of being defined by a relationship again," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to let my guard down."

"It's okay to be scared," Kaius says softly. "But you don't have to face it alone. I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere."

I take a deep breath. The pressure of trying to make something of myself independently, my own expectations, and the fear that I'm going to let myself down is weighing on me.

"I've been so miserable, trying to keep you at a distance," I admit, my voice breaking. "But I'm falling for you too, Kaius, and I don't want to be apart."

His smile is gentle as he pulls me into his arms, holding me close.

"You don't have to be," he whispers. "I'm wherever you want me to be."

We stay like that for a while. The silence is comforting as we hold each other. I can feel the weight of my fears slowly lifting, and the warmth of Kaius's arms around my body anchors me. Eventually, I pull back, looking up at him with a smile. That he understands me enough to know this is what I need hits on a deep level.

"Thank you," I mumble.

"For what?" he asks, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"For being there for me," I reply, my voice steady. "For not pushing, but just trying to understand."

He smiles, brushing a tear from my cheek. I lean into his touch, feeling his warmth and the safety of his arms around me. The weight of the past few days still lingers in my chest, but his presence gives me a sense of security I haven't felt in a long time.

"I don't want to lose this," I breathe, my voice breaking the silence.

Kaius tightens his embrace, holding me close.

"You won't," he says firmly. "Being smart and choosing your safety doesn't take away from what you're building."

"I know," I reply, resting my head on his chest. "I'm just scared. I'm scared of losing myself, of losing this newfound freedom."

He pulls back slightly, meeting my gaze. I look up, searching his eyes and taking in those light, hazel pools.

"You won't lose yourself, Julie. You're strong and independent, and that's what makes you who you are. No one can take that from you."

"But what if I can't handle it?" I ask, my voice trembling. "What if I can't handle the pressure?"

"You can handle it," Kaius says confidently. "You've already proven that you can. And I'll be there to support you every step of the way."

I let out a shaky breath, feeling the tension slowly leave my body.

"Thanks," I say softly.

"You don't have to thank me," he replies, his voice filled with warmth. "I'm just being honest."

I smile, leaning into his embrace once more. The fear is still there, but it's overshadowed by the love and support I feel from Kaius. No one has ever felt this consistent and reliable in my life this way.

"I love you," I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. Kaius's eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, I worry I've said too much. But then he smiles, his eyes filled with warmth.

"I love you too, Julie."

My heart swells with emotion, and I can't help but smile. I'm so scared to let my guard down, to let someone in, but with Kaius, it feels right. It feels like home.

"I don't want to be apart," I say, my voice steady. "Not anymore."

"We won't be," he promises, his voice filled with conviction. "We'll figure this out together."

I nod, feeling the weight of my fears slowly lift. I know there will be challenges ahead, but with Kaius by my side, I feel like I can face anything.

We sit together, wrapped in each other's arms, the silence comfortable and reassuring. The world outside may be uncertain, but at this moment, I feel a sense of peace. I feel like I've found my home.