Heart of Stone (Part III)

III. Chapter 22 | Part 3 - Aubree

Instrumental song: "Rimani (Stay)" by Mattia Cupelli

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"I... hate... you... so... much," Aubree panted before collapsing onto a bed of wildflowers. "Ow." They didn't cushion her fall as much as she'd hoped.

Rolling over onto her back, she thought her lungs were going to explode. Her legs felt like jello. It was high school gym class all over again and she hated every moment of it.

Stone bent down over her, concern pulling on his brows.

It must have taken them half an hour to jog out there.

"I thought you said this place was close?" she whined.

"It is close. It only takes us two or three minutes to run out here."

She stared up at him. This time, he did have two heads.

Closing her eyes, she filled her lungs and exhaled slowly, repeating it several times before opening her eyes again.

"I hate you guys."

Stone sat down next to her and pulled her up onto his lap. He brushed away the strands of hair that escaped her ponytail and stuck to her sweat-soaked face. The summer afternoon heat was killing her and Stone had barely broken a sweat.

"I can't believe you guys enjoy this," she grumbled.

"I can't believe you don't."

She scowled and looked up at him. He was smirking down at her, enjoying her tortured state.

"I'm all hot and sweaty and gross," she complained, pushing away from him.

He may not be covered in sweat like her, but his skin was still warm and being pressed up against him wasn't helping to cool her down.

"It's okay. You still smell better than humans did during the Middle Ages, back when they only bathed once or twice a year."

Aubree grimaced. "Ew, don't remind me how gross my ancestors were."

He chuckled and pulled her back against his chest and nuzzled her hair despite her efforts to wiggle free.

After a minute of struggling, she gave up and relaxed, too tired to care anymore.

Looking around the meadow, she couldn't guess how big it was, but it was easily three times as big as a football field. A glassy pond with a couple of ducks in it shimmered a few yards away and the little grassy hill Gavin had mentioned earlier was just beyond it. Squinting into the sunlight, she shielded her eyes with her hand and looked across the pond at the dark brown figure perched near the top of the hill.

"Is that Gwen?"

Stone followed her gaze and nodded. "I would have thought she'd be done, but with her barriers up all the time, I can't reach her to find out."

"We can wait. Has she noticed us yet?"

Stone inhaled and exhaled, closing his eyes and listening to the silence around them. "No, I don't think so. The wind is blowing her scent toward us."

A poke in her mind and Gwen said, [I see you guys. I'll just be a few more minutes.]

[No rush,] Aubree replied. [I'm still trying to catch my breath.]

Stone began picking the wildflowers around them and braiding them into a wreath that he placed on her head.

Aubree grinned and shook her head.