When Sarah woke, she felt calm and collected. She didn’t remember if she had a nightmare or not, but she didn’t care. For the first time ever since she woke from her deep slumber, she felt relaxed and well-rested instead of disoriented and exhausted.
Sarah wondered how this was possible. How the heck it could be possible that she was feeling better when she had no idea how to fix her problems.
That’s when she felt something firm but cushiony bend with her weight. It curved around her side, thighs, and back, and her head was cradled in something silky and soft.
She opened her eyes to find herself resting sideways in the arm chair in the mysterious room she fell asleep in.
And... she was in Malaki’s lap...
A bolt of fear rushed through her and she tried to stand but Malaki caught her waist.
“Don’t get up, Gem, please,” his soft voice whispered. It was a calm whisper, no hint of exhaustion in his tone. So he probably had been awake for a while.
Sarah started writhing in his hold, trying to break free, but Malaki wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, gently caressing her hair to calm her down.
After a couple seconds passed, all embarassment, fear, and any other thing vanished, and Sarah found herself relaxing in his hold.
“I am very sorry for scaring you, Gem,” Malaki uttered sincerely.
Sarah turned her head into his neck, fully relaxed, heart beating slow, and blood calm and warm.
“Mal,” Sarah whispered in exhaustion, “how do you know The Gifted Realm?”
“I’ve been a magical being my entire life.” He didn’t hesitate responding, so maybe the death of his family wasn’t because they were forced into this realm. “I was born in this world just as you, Gem.”
“What race are you, Mal?” Sarah wondered, eagar for his response.
“That, my gem, is a story for another time. Now you must eat something big to help you gain your strength back.”
A part of Sarah was boiling at the cliff-hanger Malaki left her on, but she managed a small nod.
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