Chapter 70: Nokari - Serakai (3)
Nova released a long breath as she stared at Yoa, letting his words wash over her. They usually would have only ever been words, charming and romantic, to sway her heart, but they meant and felt so much more than that. In her world, Nova couldn’t rely on the words of others as their actions always bore themselves to her instead.
But this was Yoa. This wasn’t her world, and yet she felt it deep in her blood, like stardust dancing beneath her skin, woven with all the magic that pulled them together and made her feel, inexplicably, at home.
From the moment they’d met, there had been that undeniable attraction, but it went deeper than that. It was as if some invisible force had been working in the background, threading them together with each step, each breath, until resistance became impossible. When the time had come to return to her world, she’d hesitated. The word home felt foreign when she thought of her apartment—cold, empty and a long way from here. And when she’d finally taken those steps away from Yoa, it had felt wrong. Deeply, instinctively wrong.
Nova couldn’t understand it. But now, as she searched Yoa’s burning gaze, her body eased further into his embrace.
That foreign word Serakai that had graced his lips sounded so right. Even without knowing its meaning, she fell into it with complete and utter trust. And only now did she realise she’d never truly had that in any relationship before.
Serakai. Without needing Yoa to explain, Nova understood to a degree. They didn’t just belong to each other; they had been made for each other. Two halves to make a whole.
Yoa smiled, and it lit up his usually stoic features, making him look so much younger like the weight of everyone’s lives didn’t fall on him. He could see Nova’s acceptance, even if there was lingering confusion thrumming through the slightly dull thread of the bond that had yet to solidify.
That was something that would be rectified. Not today, though. The Nokari bond had just been forced on her, and she’d been through a lot. Now was not the right time.
Nova swallowed and spoke the thoughts swarming her mind. "And what is a Serakai?" She needed it confirmed, the words voiced to solidify it for her. "The eagles acted as though Vulcan committed a grave sin."
A deep-throated growl almost echoed around them in response to Nova’s words.
"He committed a vile sin."