Page 47 of Kissed By the Sun
Chapter
Twenty-Two
Senara
For some reasonI’d thought the light coming in the window had been sunlight, but it wasn’t. It was moonlight. Unless we’d just been so busy that it had changed from sunlight to moonlight while we were strengthening our bond. A small smile spread over my face at the thought and I almost lowered my head to hide it from Thorne, but I felt the same smile echo back through our bond, so I didn’t bother.
We hadn’t made it more than a few steps into the woods that lay beyond the patio when I knew what Thorn wanted to show me. The stars, and the bright, full moon.
It was as though the moon goddess was there in the grove with us. “It always felt special when I could see the moon in the daytime, like I was getting a glimpse at something I shouldn’t,” I murmured. “Seeing it at night though? That was always my true joy. Watching it shine exactly the way it was supposed to, surrounded by stars? It was comforting to me, and the fact that I knew Wyn could look out at the same sky and see the same moon and stars, helped when I felt completely alone.”
Thorn looked at me out of the corner of his eye and I knew that my words probably didn’t surprise him given the fact that I was marked by the moon goddess herself.
Suddenly, the air around us began to shimmer with an otherworldly glow. Tiny motes of silvery light danced between the trees, swirling in mesmerizing patterns. I gasped as I realized they were miniature moons, each no larger than a firefly, but radiating with celestial energy.
Thorn gently took my hand, his touch sending a spark of magic coursing through my veins. "Watch," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear as he moved to stand behind me, his body pressed against mine and his hands looped around my waist.
It felt so natural, so right. How had we ever thought about trying to change this?
As if Thorn’s words had been the trigger, the forest floor began to ripple like water. Ghostly blue flowers erupted from the earth, their petals unfurling to reveal centers that glowed like starlight. The trees around us seemed to come alive, their bark shifting and swirling with luminescent patterns that pulsed in time with my heartbeat.
I felt a tugging sensation deep within my chest, and looked down to see the abnormal skin on my shoulder glowing softly, the only place that didn’t was the mark that Thorn had just left. Whatever magic was within me was truly free now. It flowed through me like a cold drink on a hot day, soothing everything, making me feel more like myself than I had in a long time.
As the magic surged through me, I felt a profound connection to the enchanted forest around us. The tiny moons danced closer, their light caressing my skin like a gentle breeze. I reached out, and to my amazement, one of the celestial orbs alighted on my fingertip, its glow seeming to sink into my skin, adding to the magic that was already within me.
Thorn's arms tightened around me, and I could feel his own magic intertwining with mine. "This is the true nature of your gift," he murmured, his voice filled with awe and reverence. "You're not just marked by the moon goddess. You're a conduit for her power in this world."
As if in response to his words, the glowing flowers at our feet began to sway, their petals reaching towards us like supplicants before a queen. The forest seemed to bow, branches bending inward to create a natural cathedral around us.
As he spoke, I felt a surge of energy within me, as if the very essence of moonlight was flowing through my veins. The mark on my shoulder pulsed with a warm, comforting heat. I realized then that this was more than just a blessing–it was a responsibility, a destiny I was only starting to understand.
I turned in Thorn's arms, my eyes meeting his. In the ethereal light, I could see flecks of silver in his irises, mirroring the celestial dance around us, whether it was just the reflection of the magic around us or his eyes had actually changed due to our deepened connection I wasn’t sure yet, and only time would tell.
"I never understood," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "All this time, I thought the mark was a burden, but it's... it's beautiful."
Thorn cupped my face in his hands, his touch infinitely tender. "You're beautiful," he said softly. "And now you can see what I've always seen in you."
As our lips met, the forest erupted in a symphony of light and magic. The tiny moons swirled around us in a dizzying waltz, and I felt as though we were floating among the stars themselves. In that moment, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever darkness we might face, we would face it together–bound by love, magic, and the eternal light of the celestials. When we broke apart the moon above seemed to winkat us, as if sharing a secret. Thorn leaned in to kiss me, again as though he couldn’t resist. I was truly starting to understand what the goddess had meant when she said I’d find my sun.
This time when he pulled back he said, “We should probably go and find High Lord Echo before he gets too impatient. He did command me to bring you to him as soon as you woke up, so you better look sleepy when we get there,” Thorn teased. “Oh I should probably warn you, the elves have a thing, each leader, no matter their age, gets imbued with the memories of the previous leaders. High Lord Echo might look young, and he probably is physically, but there’s an ancient wisdom within him not that he’s the High Lord as well. It can be a little…disconcerting.”
I wasn’t sure what to make of Thorn’s words so I just nodded as we made our way back to the room. We dressed in clothes that had apparently been bestowed on us by the High Lord, and proceeded to the throne room. My dress was flowy and made me feel fancy, the gray and purple suiting my hair and complexion perfectly. Thorn wore more traditional elven garb apparently, a long green tunic with a mixture of leaves embroidered all over it in intricate patterns, which barely fit his broad shoulders.
As we approached the ornate doors of the throne room, my heart raced with anticipation. I tried to school my features into a sleepy expression, as Thorn had suggested, but it was difficult to contain the exhilaration coursing through my veins. The guards stationed at the entrance bowed deeply as we passed, their eyes widening slightly at the sight of us, or maybe it was just me. Thorn almost looked like he could fit in at the elven court, but I stuck out like a sore thumb.
The throne room was a marvel of elven architecture, its vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate murals depicting ancient battles and celestial events. At the back of the room was the same throne I remembered, but the person occupying it couldn’t have been more different even if they were related.
The High Lord’s piercing gaze fell upon us as we approached, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. There was power in those eyes, ancient and unfathomable, which didn’t match the young man it looked out of. As we drew closer, I noticed a slight furrow in his brow, as if he sensed something different about us.
"Welcome, Senara. I trust you've rested well?" The High Lord asked, looking more like a kid than I’d expected.
I bowed my head respectfully, trying to maintain the illusion of having just woken. "Yes, my lord. Thank you for your hospitality."
His eyes narrowed slightly, flicking between Thorn and me. "Curious," he murmured, almost to himself. Then, louder, "I sense a change in you both. The goddess has blessed you, hasn't she?"
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. Thorn's hand found mine, squeezing gently in reassurance.
"My lord," Thorn began, his voice steady, "we have indeed been touched by the goddess's grace this night as Senara took in some fresh air upon awakening. But we are here now, as you requested, ready to discuss the challenges that lie ahead."
