Chapter 52: Adele - Love in the Dark
She looked past him, toward some invisible horizon only she could see. "I missed home," she said, then hesitated. "And well... I think you both should just stop. Stop trying to save me."
"Stop...trying to save you?" he echoed. "What? What are you talking about?"
Luna, however, took a step back, her body tense. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I’m sorry, Kyllian. I... I... can’t do this. Not to you, not to him, and definitely not to myself."
His mouth opened in protest, but she beat him to it.
"Just stay away from me, okay?" she said quickly, as if the words would burn her if she didn’t let them out fast enough. And with that, she turned and walked away, her back straight, her pace steady, like she was forcing her legs not to give out beneath her.
Kyllian stood there, frozen, like someone had just yanked the earth out from under his feet and replaced it with air. His jaw slackened. "What the fuck is going on?" he muttered to the empty corridor. The walls, as usual, had no answers.
*****
"Mom?" Luna entered the fragrant sitting room where Ravena reclined with a cup of herbal tea in one hand, a magazine brought from the human realm in the other.
"Hey! Luna!" Ravena beamed, instantly putting down her magazine. She sat up straighter. "I would have come to see you sooner, darling, but your father says you needed some time alone. So I am here, distracting myself with tea and some light reading to plan your birthday party."
Luna smiled faintly, but her eyes remained heavy. "Mum... no parties, please. I can’t handle it right now."