7. Another Form of

Naia woke in the middle of the night from Solaris climbing into her bed.

A gust of sweet lemongrass swarmed her nostrils. She popped her eyes open to his bare arms caging around her. His chest lowered to meet hers.

After a century, Solaris had grown into a man, lean and corded with muscles from his years of training. Naia could barely seize her arm up from his weight, let alone shove him off.

Panic sprouted viciously, pushing her heart into her throat. She could not move."Solaris, get off me this once!"

A look of warning crossed over his features as his eyes flashed to the front of the room.

Naia registered the silhouette of Mira's most trusted attendant in the shadows, and her fright turned into rage and crawled up her neck into her skull.The situation was agonizingly clear then—whatever was going on was not Solaris's doing, but Mira's.

Raksa stood with his hands bound behind his back. "I apologize for the intrusion, My Lady."

Naia took inventory of the number of blades sheathed down his legs. He was a middle god of war. As a child, Naia often found the attendant flinging his precious knives in practice. A glinting blade in the sunlight slicing through the air and into the bellies of flitting fish in the sky.

Naia returned her gaze back to Solaris. "What is the reason for interrupting my sleep?"

Raksa gave a small scoff. Sleep wasn't obligatory for deities, but Naia found solace in it. "Lady Mira's orders were for me to escort Lord Solaris to your bedchamber. She has ordered you to lie with him."

Fear burned in her veins.

Naia searched Solaris's face for answers, her heartbeat pulsating in her fingertips wrapped around his forearms.

Would he do what was demanded of him?

The tension left Solaris's face as he exchanged a look with Naia, assuring her she had no reason to be afraid.

Her body gave way to relief, and she relaxed into the mattress.

Raksa continued to watch them. He would report every detail to Mira.

Naia slipped into an act, hardening her tone as she commanded,"Leave us now. I have no intention of putting on a show for you."

"Lady Mira has ordered me to remain?—"

"I assure you the deed will be done," Solaris said, using his lord voice—strong and authoritative. "You heard Lady Naia. Now leave us."

"Forgive me, but that is not my order, Lord Solaris."

"Very well then," Solaris sighed. "If you must remain, do so outside. I would prefer to make love to Lady Naia without her being distraught by your presence. Afterwards, I will provide you with proof. Does this satisfy your order?"

Raksa held Solaris's gaze for a long moment.

Solaris remained unblinking, embers of his power crackling in the air as a warning.

"I suppose it will suffice," Raksa said. "After all, you have no reason to disobey orders given by the High Goddess of the Sea or the High Goddess of Lightning."

Crafty bastard. To remind Solaris of the demands given to them by their mothers.

Throughout the years, Naia had learned one thing about her future betrothed. He always did what his mother specifically asked of him. If she said jump, he jumped. If she said to marry the High Goddess of the Sea's daughter, he would. All without question. Undoubtedly, it was the most frustrating quality of his.

Solaris gave a stiff nod to Raksa in response.

He excused himself and left.

Naia mentally braced herself for the worst-case scenario. Her eyes jumped over to her bedside table, seeking something to grab and defend herself with if necessary. If only she had taken a plate of biscuits before bed, she could have used it to smack him with.

Naia laid as stiff as a board, her arms tucked against the sides of her ribcage, waiting to see what Solaris's next move would be now they were alone.

He collapsed beside her. The mattress dipped under his weight.He stretched his arms up and tucked his palms underneath his head.

"No need to worry, love," he said, his posh accent curling off his tongue. "I have no intention of forcing myself on you."

She released the breath clamped in her diaphragm.

Rolling her head on the pillow to look at him, she thought aloud. "Why would they?—"

"Our mothers have come to believe that if we have a child, it will break their curse."

Naia's expression fell. "Like a loophole?"

"Precisely. They do not wish to wait until our eight-hundredth year."

Naia refused to bring a child into the world for nothing more than using them as a tool. She would not subject her own child to what Mira had subjected onto her.

"Absurd." Naia scowled, pushing her hair off her shoulders. "I would never do such a thing."

Solaris's shoulders tugged in a half-hearted shrug. "There is no guarantee it will work, but desperation exists in even High Deities—and worst of all, it fills them with hope."

Naia peered up at the skylight, following the reflection of the moonlight piercing through the water shimmer on her crystal wall.

Levina and Mira's impatience didn't bode well for Naia and Solaris. Especially if they disobeyed their command. Naia, a lesser goddess, was little threat to them. Even Solaris, a middle god, could not stand against their wrath.

Solaris lightly flicked the center of her forehead. "You're thinking too much, love."

She rubbed the spot, frowning."What do we do then?"

"We get some sleep."

She chewed on the inside of her cheek, recalling Solaris's promise of proof.

Letting her head roll sideways to look at him, Naia rested her hands on her stomach. "What is the proof you promised Raksa?"

Solaris studied her face, unsure if she was serious.

Naia blinked at him, waiting.

His mouth opened and then closed.

"What is it?" she pressed.

He sat up. Ran a hand through his hair and averted his eyes from her. "I said that with the assumption you are a virgin."

Naia sat up as well, nodding, unbothered by the topic. "You are correct."

Her bluntness evoked wide eyes and a slightly parted mouth from him.

"What?" She laughed softly. "I am."

Naia saw no reason to get all squeamish about stating a fact.

Solaris said nothing.

"For gods' sake, Solaris, would you tell me what you are implying?—"

"Virgins bleed after their first time, Naia."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh."

She was aware, but hadn't thought of it.

After experiencing her first menstruation, Naia studied everything from women's health to sexuality for a deeper understanding of the way her body operated. She could recall reading the facts of a woman losing their virginity, what to expect, and the pain one may feel.

She stared at the side of Solaris's profile, noticing the way he purposefully avoided her gaze.

"Are you a virgin?" she asked him.

He scratched at his nape, turning his head in the opposite direction of her. "Yes—I am."

It was refreshing to see him fidgety and uncomfortable for once when he was regularly confident with his words.

Naia bit her lip back to hide her grin.

"I was thinking we could cut your hand or something and let you bleed on the sheets," he said.

She nudged his arm with her elbow, impressed. "What a brilliant idea."

Solaris nodded once, stiff, still avoiding her. "I am going to remove my clothes. Except for my undergarments. In case Raksa returns, we need to appear convincing."

"Okay," she said.

He stripped from his tunic. Naia watched the muscles on the side of his torso roll beneath his dark skin as he pulled the material over his head.

Solaris was precarious as ever. Though, the formality of what they were doing did nothing to calm the staggering stride of her heart rate as he flung his trousers onto the floor.

She brought her hand up to her chest to steady her pulse.

Pull yourself together.

He was right. They had to look the part in case Raksa eavesdropped on them.

Naia didn't think too hard about what she was doing as she undressed from her nightgown. If she did, she would feel self-conscious about the small roll of her stomach sticking out in the current sitting position she was in.

She expected Solaris's eyes to wander, the way hers were, but he respectfully kept his line of sight directed away from her.

"I am going beneath the blankets," he told her.

She nodded in approval.

His body heat was like a summer gust, warming her skin.

Solaris rested back on his pillow and closed his eyes, his attitude casual—not at all bothered they were half naked and in such proximity to one another. Naia wasn't sure whether to be offended by his lack of interest in her, or to find his respect for her endearing.

Despite their long acquaintance, it was the first time she saw him in an intimate light—his bare chest, the ridges of hard muscles etched down his abdomen, the landscape of his skin, the shade of a walnut. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him, despite being painfully aware of it. Solaris was handsome. Everywhere he ventured to in the kingdom, the eyes of others followed him. He was like the magnificent sunrises that captivated her each morning during her walk on her favorite cove.

"Solaris," she whispered.

He tilted his head a little, his eyes still closed. "Hm?"

"Thank you."

"Anything for you, love."

Her stomach fluttered.

From the moment she learned of their arranged marriage, it hadn't sat well with her being forced to abandon the option of marrying someone of her choice. However, there was comfort in Solaris that Naia hadn't realized until she was dressed down in her underthings in bed with him.

Through the years, Naia had been forced to spend time with Solaris. A stroll through the courtyard, sitting together during feasts. Some days, he'd seek her out on his own. Find her in the library during her studies and interrupt her concentration with conversation. Naia would glare at him, and he would respond by tipping up the book in her hand to read the title.And somewhere along the years, she came to enjoy his company.

She'd gush over all the places she craved to explore. Smiling broadly, shoving a book in his face, raving on about geographical locations in the Mortal Land, places covered in ice and landscapes crowded with dense greenery stretching up into mountains skimming the clouds.

"Yeah, yeah," Solaris would say, trying to downgrade her excitement in assurance. "You're not missing much."

But he always listened to her.

Naia couldn't recall when she began teasing him for his vehement hatred of the ocean, or what convinced her to spill parts of herself to him. Mostly rants about Mira, or the anxiety plaguing her from trying to figure out her title.

Solaris was a light in a dark room; a soft melody amongst a loud crowd; long walks along the river where he would ask her what her favorite foods were;sneaking into the kitchens and stealing freshly baked biscuits; squealing as they ran through the courtyard before the kitchen maids discovered the absence of the pastries; wide smiles and warm eyes; pretty words and the slipping of his fingers between hers.

As he laid beside her, content, without a single need to uphold their mothers' order, the question sat in the forefront of her mind, but she could not bring herself to ask it.

Do you love me?

Some days, she saw sightings of it. A lilting adoration he regarded her with as she rambled about whatever sweet treat she was eating, how he would surprise her with a basket of sourdough loaves when visiting Kaimana, or from the smile consuming his face when she laughed.

For the first time since learning of their arrangement, she dared to fantasize what it would be like to be his wife—adventures in the Mortal Land, food from all over the world, becoming parents together.

If she were to fully give her heart to Solaris, she was certain he would treasure it.

However, she could not deny the shred of hesitation she felt at the thought of doing so.