Music recommendation: You're Gloating by Carlos Rafael Rivera on Spotify
Lyra let out a foggy breath out of sheer boredom. The couple have been riding for hours without sharing a single word. The small chirps of passing birds and the horse snorting were the only noises she could hear. She assumed she could ignore his silent behavior, but the awkwardness stifled her. She was accustomed to socializing with people, and after befriending Viktor, she missed the interaction. It was her way of coping with her trauma. Lyra bit her lip out of habit.
Leo didn't mind the silence. His red eyes remained focused on the path ahead. Lyra would fidget occasionally, and his gaze would shift to her. He wouldn't breathe a word, but the shift of her butt pressing against him stiffened him. He would take measured breaths to reign his emotions. It didn't help she was very distracting. By the Creator and all that is holy, he wished they would arrive at their destination soon.
The day transitioned in different arrays of hues to dusk as maroon, orange, and violet colors painted the sky. Leo steered his horse to the riverbank with a clearing among the trees. The snow was scarce, and there were patches of grass scattered. The river, thankfully, wasn't frozen over. The territory of Eden was located further south, and the temperature was warmer than Evrax's northern climate.
Leo disembarked and helped Lyra by lifting her off like she weighed nothing, holding her by the waist. Lyra held Leo's shoulders to stabilize her landing and couldn't help feeling the firmness of his muscles. He was hard as stone as she gripped them firmly. She gulped as she recalled how he held her in these muscular arms, especially when he embraced her that night. Her cheeks burned like a ripe tomato, and she released him when he let her go as she was on her feet.
However, Lyra slightly staggered from the momentum of riding since that morning, and her legs were aching in discomfort. She subconsciously gripped his arm and grimaced, needing his assistance again—she cursed inwardly.
"Sorry," she mumbled as she lowered her head.
Leo shrugged her hand off and unloaded supplies to make camp. He tossed a bed roll to her, which she caught clumsily before it fell through her grasp. She glared daggers at his back—How rude!
Leo walked past Lyra and began to set up their sleeping area. He tossed pebbles and leaves with his feet and collected some firewood and dry twigs to start a fire. After a few moments, the fire roared to life, and Lyra sat beside it, enjoying its warmth. She tried to help, but Leo looked at her suspiciously. Lyra became frustrated and wanted to argue about his attitude.
Having enough of his distant behavior, she voiced, "Are you going to be like this for the remainder of the trip?"
He grabbed the pack that held some rations and didn't bother responding.
Lyra's brow twitched, and she sighed in annoyance, "How long until we make it to Eden's borders? I just about had it with this silent treatment—hmmph!
Leo stuffed a loaf of bread in her mouth to silence her squabble. He looked at her with indifference and deadpanned,
"…You talk too much."
'Impertinent ass!' Lyra glowered as she cursed inwardly.
She tore the piece of bread and chewed forcefully; it was stale but fulfilling. Leo shook his head lightly and got up, leaving her where she sat. She watched as his tall figure faded behind the trees. She darted away as she harumphed inwardly. Like she cared what he went off to, it was none of her business.
Lyra found a couple of fruits and stared at the peaceful river that flowed. A couple of splashes from fishes would leap out, and she smiled. She hadn't felt at peace in a while when she would enjoy nature's tranquility—it made her homesick. Her trek in the forest behind the cottage and her little hideaway by the shimmering creek. She sulked at the reminder of having no home to return to. She took a bite from the bread, fluttering her eyes to fight back her tears.
The sun had set, and the moon gleamed as clouds passed. Lyra glanced back at the trees where Leo had left and noticed he had yet to return. He's been gone for a while and was starting to make her worry. She debated whether to search for him or turn in for the night, but his absence made her restless. She reluctantly got up and ventured into the woods to look for him.
"Leo," Lyra called, with curiosity and nervousness.
Thankful for the moonlit night; it was fairly lit with pockets of light that streamed through the trees. Lyra carefully walked along the pathway aligned with the river. As she trekked up an incline, she heard a distant splash ahead of her and ambled her way there.
Lyra placed a hand near a tree and came to find a pool of water with a waterfall streaming across. The water looked inviting with the shimmering reflection of the moon. It was breathtaking.
The sudden swash broke from her daze as she noticed the ripples disturbed the surface. Lyra propped herself against the tree as she stared at the water; her heart raced in anticipation as if it were a creature.
As the surface broke out of the water, flowing white hair flicked back as droplets trailed in a mesmerizing pattern. A heavy sigh escaped past his lips, and Lyra was captivated.
Leo combed through his hair with his fingers as beads of water trailed down the back of his toned torso. Lyra felt breathless at the sight of him, her mouth agape. Droplets clung to the sculpted contours of his body, glistening like liquid diamonds against the canvas of his skin. His long, ivory hair, now slicked back, framed a face chiseled by the gods, and rivulets traced a path down the contours of his defined chest. The play of light danced upon his form, accentuating the divine allure emanating from him.
Lyra widened as she felt self-conscious gawking during his bath. She frantically needed to flee before he noticed her peeping at him. She took a careful step back, holding her breath. Unfortunately, her foot snapped a twig, triggering Leo to turn to the source of the sound.
Damn it!
Lyra was frozen and was caught in the act. She didn't have time to think of the possible next move as the soil beneath her caved, and gravity pulled her under; she gasped.
With a loud splash, Lyra fell into the pool. Frantically swimming up for air, she breathed heavily as her nerves went into shock. She glanced back at the ledge she once stood and winced as she felt her bruised butt from the tumble but was unharmed. She could've been in worse situations and broken a bone from the far drop.
Speaking of worse situations, she felt glaring daggers at the back of her head and gulped in nervousness. Her heart thrummed in her ears as she shivered in the cold water. She held her shoulders as if to give warmth as she slowly turned around.
Leo stood before her. His naked form was submerged underwater from the waist down. Lyra only glimpsed his glorious body from afar, but up close, Lyra was close to fainting. Here, she landed in an awkward predicament.
Leo crossed his arms as he narrowed his gaze on Lyra.
"So…Not only are you stubborn, but a pervert as well," Leo scoffed.
Lyra gaped at him in disbelief, "I am not!"
"I was looking for you and even called your name!" Trying to justify herself.
"You did…" he deadpanned and paused, "Shamelessly."
Lyra flared her lashes as her blood began to boil—he infuriated her, "Self-righteous prick!!" she spat.
"I don't even know why I put up with you and your demands," she chided, not even close to unleashing her frustrations.
Leo was silent, letting her vent at him until the following words passed her lips, and his expression darkened.
A dry laugh escaped her lips as she sarcastically spoke, "I wouldn't be surprised if you and Troy were the same person," her eyes darkened, "…Devious, cruel, and deceitful just like him."
In the blink of an eye, Leo rushed Lyra, flushing her against the slope of a boulder. His right hand clamped her wrists above her head. He was seething with anger. Lyra was exasperated and didn't show a hint of fear. Her lips were pursed in a thin line as she glared back at his crimson orbs in defiance.
He leaned close to her face, "You will regret saying those words." Annunciating every word with a threatening tone.
"Why? What are you going to do to me? It's not the first time I've endured pain," Lyra raised a brow challengingly.
Leo flicked his free hand as he materialized his chains, binding her wrists as they coiled. Snaking down to her thighs, individually locking them in place from the shadows, she was trapped. Lyra struggled but was held back by his impenetrable chest—the man was an unmoving mountain!
"Don't test me, woman," Leo warned darkly.