13. Karn

13

KARN

I spot Nova trying to sneak another cookie from the kitchen counter while Luna creates a diversion by floating her stuffed rono in front of my face. These two are getting too clever for their own good.

But my mind keeps drifting to last night's kiss with Mira, to the way she melted against me before pulling away. It's hard to focus on anything else when I barely slept, caught between the need to taste her again and the desire to squash the fear I saw written all over her face.

I knew better than going that far.

This morning, she won't meet my eyes. Keeps her distance, busying herself with breakfast preparations. The kitchen feels colder without her usual warmth.

"Uncle Karn, look!" Luna waves the rono closer to my face. "He's dancing!"

I catch the rono mid-air. "Nice try, little troublemaker. Nova, put that cookie back."

Nova freezes, hand in the jar. Her violet eyes, so much like mine, go wide with feigned innocence. "Sharing is nice?"

"Not before breakfast." I scoop her up, cookie jar and all. Behind me, Mira slips out of the kitchen without a word. My chest tightens.

I quickly gather some breads, jams, and fruits, managing to coax the twins into eating a little. I clean them up and dress them with no signs of Mira. I'm sure she's waiting for me to call out that I'm headed down since I'm typically gone by now, but I'm lingering.

This distance between us is fucking killing me.

"Down to the shop today, you two." I set Nova on her feet next to her sister. "Got some special projects that need my favorite assistants."

Luna bounces in her seat. "Can we make sparkles again?"

"No sparkles." The last time they 'helped' with enchanted metal, we were finding glitter in the forge for weeks. "But you can sort the pieces by size."

I catch Mira's scent as she pauses in the doorway of the twins' room. The urge to pull her close, to taste her lips again, hits me like a hammer strike. But her rigid shoulders and downcast eyes tell me to keep my distance.

"Time to go, troublemakers." I hoist a twin under each arm, their giggles echoing through the room. "Mira, take some time for yourself today. We'll be in the shop if you need anything."

She gives a slight nod, still not looking at me as she walks away. Fuck, this hurts worse than any forge burn. But I won't push her. Can't risk frightening her away when just having her near feels like finding a piece of myself I never knew was missing.

The twins shout goodbye as we head downstairs, already plotting their next mischief. At least their chaos might distract me from thoughts of soft lips and the lingering sweet taste of her.

I set up the twins at their usual spot - a low table covered in scratches and scorch marks from previous "helping" sessions. Dumping out a box of scrap metal pieces, I arrange them by size to give the girls an example.

"Big ones here, tiny ones there. Like a puzzle." I ruffle Nova's curls. She's already laser-focused on organizing, while Luna's more interested in making the pieces dance across the table.

"Luna, no floating."

"But they want to fly!" She pouts, copper curls bouncing as she waves her hands.

At my workbench, I pull out the delicate silver chain I worked on the day before for Mira's bracelet. The metal practically hums under my fingers, ready for enchantment. Each protection rune needs to be perfect - no room for error when it comes to keeping her safe.

I hear giggling behind me. Never a good sign.

"What are you making?" Nova appears at my elbow, standing on tiptoes to peek at my work.

"Something special for Mira." I carefully etch the first rune, channeling protective magic through my tools. The silver glows faintly purple.

"Pretty!" Luna abandons her sorting to join us. "Can we help? Please?"

"This needs to be-" Before I can finish, both girls press their hands to the bracelet. Light flares, bright enough to make me squint. When it fades, the previously elegant silver chain is now covered in swirling patterns of pink and gold.

"We made it prettier!" Luna claps.

Nova nods seriously. "More protection. Like hugs!"

I examine their handiwork. The twins' magic has woven itself through mine, creating something unexpected but... perfect. Just like Mira. The protection runes are still there, but now they pulse with warmth and light.

"This is-" I freeze as I turn to look at the girls. "Look what you did to my workbench." I gesture at the glitter explosion around us, trying to sound stern but failing. They beam up at me, covered in sparkles again despite my best efforts to avoid it.

"Uncle Karn, the sparkles are dancing!" Luna's declaration makes me turn just in time to see another explosion of glitter erupt from the metal shavings across the room. The twins' combined magic sends iridescent clouds spiraling toward the ceiling beams.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "That's not what sorting means."

Nova at least has the decency to look sheepish. "They were lonely."

Footsteps on the stairs draw my attention. Mira appears, green eyes widening at the disaster zone my workshop has become.

"I heard an…explosion." She takes in the scene, a smile tugging at her lips despite her earlier awkwardness. "Ah. Glitter again."

My heart stutters at the sight of her. She's tied her dark hair back with a ribbon, exposing the elegant curve of her neck. The morning light catches on her beautiful features, making her look like a goddess in her own right.

I'm too seconds away from breaking. I want her so much it hurts, but instead, I turn away.

"Sorry about the mess." I grab a broom, trying not to stare. "These two decided the metal shavings needed more... personality."

"Pretty!" Luna waves her hands, sending another shower of sparkles raining down.

Mira grabs a cloth and starts wiping down the workbench. "Can your magic not get rid of glitter?"

I make the mistake of looking up. "Nothing seems to, I'm afraid." I answer, watching the graceful movement of her hands, remembering how they felt tangled in my shirt last night. The broom handle creaks in my grip.

"We helped with Mira's present!" Nova announces proudly.

Mira's eyes meet mine for the first time today, curiosity replacing her earlier hesitation. "Present?"

"Thanks for ruining the surprise, little star." I ruffle Nova's hair, earning a giggle.

"Uncle Karn's turning red!" Luna points at my face with delight.

"Am not." I focus on sweeping, painfully aware of Mira's presence as she moves around the workshop. The scent from her soap mingles with metal and magic, making it hard to concentrate.

She reaches past me for another cloth, her arm brushing mine. The contact sends a jolt down my spine. The broom clatters to the floor, and I curse under my breath.

"Language," Mira reminds me softly, a hint of playfulness in her tone. When I look up, the smile in her eyes makes my chest tight.

The twins take advantage of our distraction to create another sparkle explosion, filling the air between us with swirling lights.

The glitter settles around us like fairy dust, coating every surface in the workshop. Mira's hair sparkles with it, making her look otherworldly in the morning light. My fingers itch to brush the shimmering specks from her cheek.

"Uncle Karn, Mira needs sparkles too!" Luna waves her hands again, but I catch her wrist gently.

"I think we've had enough magical accidents for one morning." I grab a clean cloth and hold it out to Mira. Our fingers brush as she takes it, sending that same jolt through my system.

"Thank you." Her voice is soft, but she doesn't pull away as quickly as before. Progress.

Nova tugs at my pants leg. "Can we show Mira the present now? Please?"

"It's not done." I try not to look at the bracelet from my workbench, now glowing with the twins' added magic.

Mira shakes her head. "You don't have to ma-"

"I want to." My eyes drop to her mouth for just a second. "It's just not ready yet."

Her teeth drag over her bottom lip, and I can't think straight anymore. I swallow hard, trying to think of anything that will not give me an erection in front of the two year olds.

But fuck, all I can think of is her body pressed against mine, her hands in my hair. And how much I want her, how I can't push her but I can't stand to be away from her anymore, either.

"I'm going to take these two upstairs," Mira says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I clear my throat and nod, dropping my eyes to the floor. "I'll be upstairs in a bit."

I don't manage to get anything else done besides chastising myself for all the thoughts of Mira that I can't seem to shake.