23. Love

23

Love

Alistair

W hen Sierra shows us to separate rooms, it occurs to me how unusual it is for people to occupy the same room during a sleepover. Nonetheless, I wait for an hour to ensure everyone has fallen asleep before opening the door to the bedroom I was shown to. As I attempt to step, I notice the floorboards beneath my feet creak under my weight, so I hover just above until I reach the door to the room Morgana is sleeping in. I'm still worried she's hurt from the events of yesterday and this morning. I should have stopped myself. Humans can't handle being with demons. That's why there are stories about the themes that incubus are, and if only humans knew that the feature was something that many demons had to deal with. I don't want Morgana to feel alone, nor do I want her to fear me. I want to knock on the door and reassure her, but I'll happily just be near her.

The surface behind me disappears swiftly, and my head hits the floorboards promptly.

"Alistair," she whispers, "what are you doing?"

I begin with no excuse ready. "I saw a rat?"

"And what? You were hungry?" She giggles at me – actually giggles . The truth is, her actions earlier today and yesterday could have been purely physical, and it's just my imagination that her personality is changing. Can a soul really change, though?

"What's going on?" Sierra's voice pops out from the room she's in across the hall.

"Mind your business," Morgana sighs, sending Sierra right back into her room and closing the door promptly. I suppose that answers the question of whether or not Morgana has changed. She's going through the motions, but it's not like she responded when I told her I was in love with her. "Anyway, I didn't hurt you just then, did I?" she asks, her voice softening as she stands in the threshold, looking at me with curiosity in her eyes. I suppose, I could be wrong.

"No, my lady, I'm alright."

"Back to that already?" I blink at her a few times.

"What do you mean?"

"I prefer it when you use my name. I like hearing it in your voice, all that deep and smooth. That half-cocky British accent you have doesn't hurt either."

"A habit I picked up from my father."

"I'll try to break the habit then, Morgana." She smiles at my response.

"What are you doing awake?"

"I was coming to see you."

"Is everything okay? What do you need?" She doesn't answer me with words but instead lets herself fall forward, wrapping her arms around me. A sensation of relief washes over me as I hold her back. Even if she doesn't love me, I know some part of her cares deeply for me. That's all I ever hope for.