Chapter 2 #3
They heard the stream before it came into view.
It curved through a shallow bed lined with smooth rocks, its surface broken by ripples where it passed over submerged stones.
The afternoon’s fading sunlight filtered through gaps in the canopy, scattering shifting patterns across the water.
Ferns and moss crowded the banks, vivid green against the darker tones of wet rock and soil.
He never thought he’d miss the overcast, drizzling mists of Tenebrae so keenly—
“You can morph here,” Salem said.
“It's fresh water,” Aurin noted. “Fine to hydrate me, okay to morph in, but...” He didn't want to sound ungrateful.
Salem grinned at him. “But you're a saltwater creature.”
Aurin blushed. “I am. Though you were right. I needed this too.”
He helped Salem strip out of his borrowed clothes. “I am also a creature of comfort,” Aurin said, peeling off the scratchy hemp shirt. “Never thought I’d miss fine cotton.”
Salem chuckled, only wincing a time or two as he undressed.
Aurin stepped into the water first and held out his hand. “Ready to get in?”
“So ready.”
For a moment, he just stood there, taking in the scene—the quiet movement of the stream, the layered sounds of the forest, the way the sunlight shifted as the trees stirred overhead.
Then he smiled at Aurin, took his hand, and stepped in.
The first contact with water made him suck in a breath.
He waded forward carefully, feeling for stable footing among the stones, until the water reached his knees. The current tugged lightly at him, insistent but not strong. Aurin helped him sit, slowly, slowly, and the way Salem closed his eyes and sighed was reward enough.
Aurin sat next to him. The water caressing his human body was relief and renewal.
The cold spread quickly, cutting through the lingering warmth his body had been holding. He hadn’t realised just how much he’d needed this.... He bent forward, scooped up water, and splashed it over his arms and face, rubbing away sweat and dust.
Then, because he couldn’t help himself, he melted into the water, morphing into his true form. He shook out all his limbs, letting each arm, each sucker, every inch of his skin, drink in the water.
Albeit fresh water, but water nonetheless.
Then he morphed back into human form, sat up in the water, and shook his hair, spraying Salem. He laughed, the sound ricochetting off the water like a skimming stone. His smile made Aurin’s hearts thrum.
“Thank you for suggesting this,” Aurin said.
His eyes danced. “Oh, my beloved, you are welcome.”
Aurin felt a flush all over, the way he always did when Salem looked at him like that, but he pretended not to notice it. “Let me help you get cleaned up.”
For a while, they moved quietly, focused on the simple act of washing.
Aurin rubbed water over Salem’s back and shoulders, careful of his ribs, washing away the dried paste to reveal the skin beneath, covered in the faded bruises and marks that Lusca had left behind. They looked so much better already.
Cern had certainly worked his own magic on healing Salem, that was for sure.
When they were done, Salem eventually leaned back and slowly submerged his body, then dipped his head under completely. When he surfaced, he slicked his hair back, closed his eyes, and sighed up at the sky. “Words cannot adequately convey how good this feels.”
“The water?”
He looked at him then, golden eyes warm and honest. “Yes, but also life. And to be here with you.”
“One near-death experience and you turn into a poet.”
“Ah, yes. But it wasn’t a small near-death experience.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“I’m allowed some romantic frivolities.”
Aurin chuckled. “When you’re fully healed, I’ll be cashing a raincheck on those romantic frivolities. Full advantage, many times.”
Salem groaned out a laugh. “Is that your idea of motivation or torture?”
Aurin winked at him, then let out a sigh as he took in the trees, the way they moved in the wind, as if engaged in a private conversation between lovers. “This forest is...” He wasn't even sure. “‘Different’ isn't the right word. I'm not sure the word ‘magic’ is either.”
Salem chuckled. “Neither is exactly incorrect.”
“So it is magic, huh?”
Aurin could have sat there for an age, watching Salem. Seeing the fading sunlight touch highlights in his jet-black hair. Watching him close his eyes as the water ran rivulets over his tired and aching body. Noticing the way droplets of water clung to his eyelashes like diamonds.
He was so, so beautiful.
Time stretched, marked only by the shifting light and the steady flow of water. Aurin was reluctant to leave, but it was time. “We should get you back,” he said. “So you can rest before the celebration tonight.”
Salem nodded his agreement and began to stand up. Aurin was quick to assist him out of the water, then helped him into his clothes. “The people who live here,” he whispered quietly. He was sure they were being watched or listened to. He couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean anything.
“Yes?” Salem asked. “What about them?”
“Will you tell me what they are? They're not human, are they?”
Salem's smile widened. “Tonight is the celebration of Yule, to mark the beginning of winter. There will be ceremonial dancing and music, and my love, oh, you will see exactly what they are.”