Flames And Starlight

Chapter 36

Her laugh made those butterflies in my stomach come back. It didn't matter how long we were together, my heart still skipped it's beat at the littlest things.

The way she mocked me and changed her voices to be dramatic as possible made me roll with laughter to the point that tears stung my eyes. It hurt my ribs to be laughing so hard but it was worth it.

I couldn't believe how comfortable and at peace I felt. There was nothing sexual about sitting in this bathtub with Lyria sitting right next to me. For some reason that surprised me. For a girl like Maylea, everything was sexualized and physical. She only ever saw me as a body, and a challenge. To be able to walk around and brag that she fucked the future High Lord.

It was so different with Lyria. Here I was completely naked and yet there was no rush to do anything about it. Instead, she twirled her fingers in the air, lifting a steady floating stream of water to wet my hair. Next, she lathered shampoo in her hands and ran her fingers through my dark hair. I closed my eyes as she massaged the soap into my scalp. She hummed a little song I had never heard before as she lifted water once again this time to rinse.

She went back to where she had been sitting, leaning against the rim propped on her elbows. She didn't examine my body like she could have. Any other girl would have taken full advantage of the situation but not her.  Instead, she only looked at me. And by me I mean my eyes because it was only recently that I realized that's where she found herself.

She wasn't here for me for selfish reasons or to get anything out of it. She didn't wash my hair because she hoped to receive something physical in return. No. She did that because she wanted to take care of me. Even when she cleaned my wings, she did it because she knew I couldn't and didn't want me to try and face that pain alone. Though she joked about it and teased, I know she did it because a part of her truly cares for me.

It reminded me of how my parents act together. Selfless and caring. They take care of each other for no other reason but that they wanted to. I had never really had someone like that. Of course my family would always be there for me but I meant I've never had anyone besides them. No one besides my family would have even thought to wash my hair and wings as I sat injured in the bathtub.

No one but her. And Lyria.... she was incredible. Powerful. That girl could not only move mountains, but she could split them in two if she dared.

She was the strongest woman I had ever met. And I had been raised around many strong women to compare to but Lyria was incredible. She shifted Illyrian wings and carried us both up that mountain.

She didn't abandon me. She didn't run for safety when I told her to. She used that amazing and bottomless well of power to get us both out of there. She saved me. I was now convinced there was not a single thing she couldn't do. It was breathtaking really. Watching her show a new set of powers and skills, that mind of hers the most impressive.

I remember that one night. By now it felt like ages ago but I guess it wasn't actually too long ago. She showed me just a sampling of her powers. Lifting us to float in the air, sending ice daggers into the tree, and summoning a handful of fire to dance in the air. And that wasn't even the start of her bottomless well of powers.

There had been hints of that hidden depth of powers but I had been too caught up in my own mind that I hadn't noticed it. Looking back at the memory it's obvious but at the time I hadn't realized.

The storm that started. The thunder that shook the mountain. The lightning that lit up the night sky like it was the middle of the day. The rain that poured down so violently that it seemed to threaten to flood the land up to the top of the mountains. The wind that had both sent my bedroom door shattering and swirled around the room like a tornado. It was all her. All that raw and bottomless power.