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CHAPTER EIGHT
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"Who is he!" Jereth yelled at Caliko, throwing her across the room.
Caliko sobbed. She had found him, he was still alive. But not for long if she didn't soothe Jereth. "My brother!"
"Your brother? You never mentioned a brother." Jereth sat down at his desk and looked at Caliko, who sat on the floor, trying to stop her crying.
"Why do you think I wanted the Gaians left alone? I have a brother and a sister. Please don't harm him!" She wiped the tears from her face and stood up.
"Natalie didn't have any brothers or sisters."
"I am not Natalie, I will play Natalie and be everything that Natalie would have been, if only you keep my brother and sister safe!" She walked towards him, and leaned on the desk. "I promise to you, I will stay here forever and be your Sorceress if only you keep them safe and let me see my brother."
Jereth looked at her and thought. "Fine. I will keep my promise to keep the Gaian's safe. I will never break that. And you may see your brother, if you do swear to stay in Tryst."
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He stood there in the doorway quietly staring at her.
She could hardly recognize him. His hair had grown and he was bruised and dirty.
She had to do it know, while she had a chance. This may be their only chance. She stood up on the bed and ran across the silken sheets, leaping into his arms and quickly finding his lips with hers.
Lynx held her against him and took a moment to respond to her kisses as he stopped and merely enjoyed her being against him.
Caliko set her feet on the ground and Lynx started to speak, she put her hand against his mouth and grabbed his hand with the other. She pulled him towards the bed and pushed gently, making him sit. She wrapped his head in her arms, resting his head on her chest. She kissed his hair and breathed in, taking in his scent underneath all the dirt and grime.
Lynx put his arms around her waist and rubbed her back, his hands rubbing against the thin silk dress.
Caliko felt her chest become wet as tears poured from Lynx's eyes. Caliko let go of him and lifted his head up to hers. She looked down at him and smiled, wiping away his tears before kissing him again.
This time Lynx did not hesitate, but rather kissed her back. All the months apart and the last argument between them seemed to melt away and they were finally one with one another. He pulled at the ribbon ties on Caliko's dress and watched as it fell from her shoulders, leaving her bare from the waist up. He grabbed her again; too afraid she was only a ghost standing before him and buried his face against her neck.
Caliko moved him away and lifted Lynx's shirt over his head, revealing more cuts and bruises. She heard herself whimper and the tears sliding down her cheeks as Lynx stood up and then lifted Caliko into his arms and laid her on the bed beneath him.
He untied the last ribbon and opened the dress.
Caliko made move to cover herself from him and then stopped. She sat up and reached her hands out to help Lynx out of his pants. Lynx backed away and kicked off his ragged shoes before looking at Caliko sitting, naked, on the bed before him. He gasped for air, this was a dream, his life had been too cruel for this to be real.
He put his hands to his head and fell to his knees crying.
Caliko stood and came to him, kneeling down beside him and rubbing his back. "Shh…shhh." She soothed before lifting his head and looking into his eyes for a moment, showing him that she was in fact there.
Lynx grabbed her around the waist and kissed her.
Caliko kissed him back and unbuttoned his pants and helped him slide them off. Lynx gently laid her down the bare floor.
He looked down at her, confirming this is what she really wanted. Caliko smiled and nodded her head before pulling him to her.
On the floor of Tryst, in midst of all the chaos and death that surrounded them, Lynx and Caliko were finally safe and at home.
