Bad Moon Rising | Book 4

1: Promises

Art: Hobnob by Stephanie Cost

The thick dawn light coated their room in hues of gold. Anything with the slightest shimmer shined like diamonds under the light, this included the Yin and Yang necklace which laid on the table beside their bed.

A tan hand scooped up the piece of jewelry. It stretched across an equally tanned neck as the hands attempted to fasten it into place.

"I'm sorry I have to go," Kida sighed, her fingers still fumbling with the clasp. "But there are people I've left behind who need my attention now that the war is over."

The soft ruffle of sheets falling on the ground told her that her boyfriend had stood up from the bed behind her. In seconds, she felt his presence against her back. His hands replaced hers to secure the necklace.

His fingers soon disappeared against the nape of her neck but she felt pressure on her shoulders as he turned her body to look at him. As soon as they were face-to-face, he cupped her cheeks in his hands. A smile smoothed across her face and she closed her eyes, closing off her other senses to solely concentrate on his warm, rough touch.

Zuko smiled at the sight, brushing his thumb gently around the outline of her bottom lip. He meant to tease her but he ended up teasing himself as well. "Should I be worried about whom you're going to see, old boyfriends perhaps?"

She looked up at him once again, still smiling as she rolled her eyes and reached up to take his hands in hers. "An unsettling percentage of my ex's are dead," she said through a smile and a joking tone, but he noticed as her eyes darkened.

She kept a hold on one of his hands as she turned her body back towards her luggage, finally allowing her smile to drop but keeping her happy tone. "I think you should be more worried about what that means for you than if I'm going to go see the few still around."

He took a step closer and gripped the hand that was still in his as he wrapped his and her arms around her body, pulling her back to his chest. A titter of laughter came out of her mouth at the sudden movement. He leaned down to rest his chin on her shoulder and mumble in her ear. "I think that just means the universe believes it's stupid to let you go. Do you really think we should be ignoring the universe's warnings?"

She smiled again but didn't hold his hand as tightly as he held hers. A sigh fell out of her mouth and the smile became loose as her thoughts wandered. "I'm not sure how I'm going to face her. I got her brother killed."

Zuko's smile finally fell with hers, but he dug his chin deeper into the crook of her neck and pulled her in even tighter for comfort. "It wasn't your fault."

"Zuko, we've been over this. Don't lie to make me feel better," she urged.

"I'm not lying," he insisted. "It wasn't your fault, it was my sister's."

"Either way, Takumi asked me to take care of his sister. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but for a while, I'm going to have to put her needs first."