Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 781(@200wpm)___ 625(@250wpm)___ 521(@300wpm)
“Not really. It’s just not so common to see in my world. And maybe that’s wrong. We’re very removed from death until it comes. It’s strange to consider. We live much shorter lives than you, so you’d think we’d be more at ease with the concept of dying. A lot of things are different where I’m from.”
I latch on to every word from his mouth and rise to my feet before pulling him down one of the paths winding through the artificial landscape. “In what way?” I ask as I step over a stream leading to another part of the garden. I then turn and offer him my hand. I am certain he can cross on his own, but I enjoy offering him my services too much to resist this opportunity.
He doesn’t hesitate for long, and I love how he puts more trust in me with every passing hour. Making him understand I mean no harm will be a journey, but I’m willing to take it if my prize is his love.
“Even the way you treat me in front of others. You tell everyone how much I mean to you, you intend to marry me, and you touch me in public. In my world, this kind of thing is often forbidden between two men. In some countries by law, in others it’s just frowned upon. And sure, there’s also places where such things are acceptable, but my experience, in my stupid little town, is being disliked for being openly into men. And sometimes ‘disliked’ is a euphemism for ‘hated’.”
I’m stunned and pull him close, kissing the side of his head as he stiffens, only to melt into my arms as if he were made of butter. “What? Why? That makes no sense. Why only between two men?” I want to unfasten his thick vest just so I can offer him more comfort and feel his skin.
“Between women as well. It’s hard to explain without all the context of my world. There’s religion, there’s the matter of sexism, but I think the fact that only male-female couples can produce children is one of the major reasons for the prejudice against people like us. What you need to know is that a lot of people find it shameful, unnatural, or even disgusting. But I feel what I feel. I can’t change that about myself. I don’t want to.” Luke’s arms slide under my cape, and I’m at a loss. Why would he want to return to such a hateful world?
The question comes out of my mouth on its own. Maybe I should have bitten my tongue, but the truth is that I do want to know.
“It’s where I belong,” Luke tells me. But when he rests his head on my shoulder, it’s as if he’s trying to let me know he’d like to stay at my side. “Your realm is… a beautiful, if dangerous, fantasy, but I do have to face reality. I’m strong and stubborn. I can handle whatever life throws at me,” he says as if he needs to convince me. He’s not going to. In fact, I am now confident I can make him change his mind about our future. He just needs to understand that the life I can offer him is a far cry from all the difficulties of his world.
I can take away the pain causing the strain in his voice and make him mine. “Do you want children?”
Luke pulls away enough to look into my eyes. His face pales. “Huh? Please don’t tell me I can get pregnant here.”
I chuckle and give his cheek a playful pinch. “Don’t be silly. You don’t have the right organs to sustain a child inside your body. But we could… use a potion so someone can carry our baby instead,” I say, and while I have not thought this far into the future, or even about my own legacy, right now my head is full of vague images featuring a baby with eyes as green as Luke’s.
I could teach them to be the best shadow wielder to ever carry the Nightweed name, but they’d be as sweet as Luke.
His eyes widen, and he seems to be considering what I’ve said. I hope the outcome is in my favor and gives him another reason to stay when he has to make the choice. “Oh. Oh… I haven’t really considered that. Most men I’ve been with weren’t exactly family material. A lot of them wouldn’t even acknowledge me in the street. And I’d need to have enough money. I’m guessing a prince definitely wants children?” he asks with a little smile and strokes my cheek in a tender gesture that has me leaning into his touch like a pet. But no one will see us here.
I can’t wait to get my hands on his naked body again, but I also want this. He sees me. He wants to know me. And with every new fact he shares about himself, I want to learn more. Just today, I found out that he paints and that he likes the clothes I offer him.