Chapter 5 #2
“I do think I earned it, since I won beer pong? I’ve never had a human beer,” I add with excitement.
A big part of why I joined the Nighcloaks is that I hoped to see more of the human realm, yet this is truly my first unsupervised visit and I’m going to make the most of it.
I’m especially excited for a guide like Nate to enjoy the trip with.
Nate opens two bottles with a metal device, then hands me one.
“You really are committed to this whole—” He gestures at me with an appreciative smile.
“Are you supposed to be someone from a specific book? I don’t think I read that one…
but I want to,” he adds before resting his lips on the mouth of the bottle in a way so adorable I want to dive in and claim them myself.
I can’t wait to slide my fingers into his black curls while—
Getting ahead of myself.
“Why? Do you like books? What kind?” I ask and take a swig of the surprisingly bitter drink. I can’t decide yet if I like it.
Nate pulls on my arm to guide me out of the garage where the duel took place. The way he doesn’t avoid touch makes me hopeful for tonight.
The moon is so small in comparison to the one in the Nightmare Realm, but the night is made so bright by all the lights I can barely see any stars in the sky.
They’re in windows, in big lamps in the streets, many people carry glowing devices, and the vehicles I passed on the way here also emit their own lights.
I am yet to see the sun I’ve heard so much about, but how much brighter than this can it get?
It’s quite chilly, which is likely why most of the humans don’t sit around in front of the building, but I know the cloak will keep Nate warm, so I follow him into the shadowed yard behind the house.
Many different items are scattered within sight—flimsy furniture that has been knocked over, balls, and something that looks like a griddle for cooking, but Nate leads me toward a rather ugly bench swing with no decoration.
Then again, simple design seems to be a feature of this realm.
“Oh, I like all books,” he says, glancing at me before once again hiding his face in the collar of the cloak.
“But most of all those set in worlds that are more magical than this one. Stories that allow me to leave this reality behind and dream, you know? Where love is real, and people get to be selfless,” he says as if that’s an impossible dream.
Before I can answer, he sits on the bench and hugs the bottle to his chest.
I take another swig of the beer. The taste is growing on me.
Maybe. I lean on the chain the swing is held by and stroke Nate’s hair, getting a buzz of excitement from sampling its wavy texture.
I wish I could sense it on my face when I wake up tomorrow, as well as the morning after that.
It’s a confusing feeling, because I’ve never attached to anyone this easily.
But I have saved him, and the thought of not knowing where he is and how he’s doing instantly fills me with dread.
“You’re even more precious than I thought. What kind of issue could that fiend have possibly had with you?”
He rolls his eyes behind the square frames of his glasses. I know humans have much worse eyesight than us elves, so he might not even know how clearly I can see his expression. “He’s yet another frog I kissed. I’m really starting to think I give them too many chances.”
I laugh. “I got dared to kiss a frog once when I was still a kid. I fell into a stupor for three days. Fortunately, the royal medics revived me. I learned my lesson. Hopefully this was yours. What did he do?”
Nate exhales, leaning into my touch. This time, his gaze doesn’t avoid mine, and he has all of my attention.
“He came with me to rescue the puppies, but when we were discovered, he just ran, leaving me behind. That’s how I—” He stalls and clears his throat.
“Sorry, I managed to escape in the end but had such strange dreams after. In any case, turns out he’s already hot for some other guy and didn’t even have the decency to break up with me first. I suppose I should have seen it coming, but as always, I made excuses for him. ”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing, but on the other hand, this wouldn’t be the first coward I’ve encountered. “So what I’m hearing is that he is the reason you died.” I let out a huff of frustration. “While you were saving the little dog, he ran away?”
Nate gives a surprised laugh and touches the place on his chest that last night bled so profusely. “I could have died, yes. I don’t really have good taste in guys, but Richie definitely takes the cake as the worst of my boyfriends to date.”
I scoot down in front of Nate and grab his hand while looking into his eyes, because I need him to understand what I’m about to say, and that requires all his attention.
“Nate. He left you for dead. That’s abhorrent.
His humiliation? The vomiting? That is not enough.
In my realm, everyone has the Right to Revenge, and you have most definitely earned it.
I will assist you. How shall we exact our revenge? ”