Winds of Fire [ACOTAR]

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

She wasn't sure if she was dreaming. But if she was, she was dreaming of him. Time didn't exist anymore, she could have been sleeping for centuries and she wouldn't have known. Her clock had been replaced by each steady beat of her heart, each pulse that raced through her veins as she explored a new world. It was brighter here, full of colours that had once been dull. In the centre of it all, like a ball of sunlight purifying the world, stood Orion. They were connected, a physical red string pulling them to one another over the distance. As she reached him, his hand slipping into her's, she felt a jolt rush through her, something pulling her elsewhere. She could still feel the warmth of Orion's palm as the world she was seeing slowly melted around her, colours draining back to grey as she awoke.

Eyes fluttering, Prim was greeted with the familiarity of her room in the River Estate. The curtains were drawn, a glow passing through them that filled the room with subtle light. There was a weight at her side, and as Prim turned her head, she saw someone laying there, sleeping with their head against the duvet. Prim immediately recognised the mass of jet black hair, reaching forward and ruffling Orion's hair gently as he slept. 

"Primrose?" He mumbled, lifting his head and blinking at her. She kept her hand in his hair, running her fingers through his locks and stroking them gently.

"Hi." She whispered, her voice thick with sleep.

Orion launched forward, wrapping his arms around Prim's shoulders, his face pressing into her neck. "I was so worried!" He cried, "You've been out for two days!"

Prim found herself chuckling, wrapping her arms around Orion in return and rubbing his back, "I'm here now. I'm okay."

His scent was intoxicating as she breathed him in. She wondered if he knew what she knew. Knew what she probably always knew but had pushed back for so long. Part of her didn't want him to know, wanted him to be able to move through the rest of his life without a weight tying him down. He deserved freedom to choose who he wanted, and she would understand if, after everything, that person wasn't her. But, she also wondered, if that without the bond she still would have felt the same way. The feeling that told her to never let Orion go, told her that she lived and breathed with him, one and the same. If he were to die, a part of her would die too. And, ultimately, she would be willing to die along with him if it meant being together in the afterlife.

Orion pulled away, slipping effortlessly from her arms and returning to the seat beside the bed, "How do you feel?"

Prim took a moment to remember everything that had happened. Everything she went through with Eris that led her to this bed in the first place. The clothes she wore beneath the covers were fresh and clean, her hair brushed out around her face and her skin feeling silky.

"Hungry," she said, a small smile on her lips. Her bare arms held no sign of bruises, her throat wasn't sore and her head was no longer pounding.

"I'll get you something to eat in a moment," he said, taking Prim's hand in his and rubbing the back of her palm with his thumb, "I just... I need to ask you something first."

His face had paled slightly, dread settling in her stomach. Prim stilled, bobbing her head gently, "Sure, what is it?"

Orion swallowed, not looking directly at Prim as he asked, "Eris, he... He didn't, you know... He didn't hurt you did he? He didn't... touch you?"

Prim's shivered at the thought of it, of what could have happened, what Eris could have done and probably would have done eventually. Pulling her hand from Orion's, Prim reached forward to cup his cheek, tilting his face so he looked at her, those blue eyes even more beautiful than she remembered. "No," she told him, moving her thumb gently over his cheekbone, "There is only one person I would ever let touch me..."

Eyes widening, Orion leaned forward in his chair, Prim meeting him halfway. Their faces were inches from one another's, Prim's hand moving to grip his hair. Tilting her head and letting her eyes close, lashes brushing her cheeks, Prim let out a gentle gasp as Orion's lips pressed against hers. His hands were in the sheets, keeping his balance as he leant further into the kiss, his lips far rougher than Prim had ever imagined. Her hand tightened in his hair, a fist gripping strands between her fingers. Their noses slotted together perfectly, lips overlapping as they moved as one.

"Primrose," Orion whispered, pulling away slowly. Prim dropped her hand from his hair, opening her eyes to see the flushed redness of his cheeks as he sat back in the chair. Did he hate it? Did he regret kissing her?

"Orion I-" Prim started, unable to finish as a high-pitched squeal sounded from the door. Whipping their heads around, Prim and Orion watched as Nova rushed into the room, grinning from ear to ear as she reached the bed.

"Prim, you're awake!" She beamed, climbing up onto the bed and cuddling up beside her. Wrapping an arm around Nova's shoulder, Prim leaned into the younger girl, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"Did you miss me?" She teased, her smile dropping slightly as Orion stood from the chair, moving nonchalantly toward the door.

Nova nodded, closing her eyes as she rested her head on Prim's chest, "I missed you so much!"

Prim let out a contentful sigh, she would never get bored of having people who cared for her so much. Orion reached the door, his hand resting on the handle, and the only thing Prim could think of was that she didn't want him to go, didn't want him to leave.

"I'm going to get you something to eat, Primrose." was all he said as he slid through the exit and out into the hallway. Prim felt him leave, felt in it in her stomach, in the way her chest tightened. 

"Orion really missed you," Nova whispered, "I heard him crying the night you got taken... It was really sad."

Looking down at the tattoo and ring on her finger, Prim felt her lips curl slightly, a smile stretching as she thought of him. Thought of his lips on hers, running her fingertip over the ghost of them. She wanted to be able to miss more of him, wanted to learn every inch of him to miss when he was away.

"I really missed him too."