Chapter 65: Tasting Ruby Before Leaving [ 18]
The full moon poured its light, flooding Kaiser’s bedroom through the tall windows. He slept lightly, as always. Lately, the slightest noise was enough to tear him from his dreams.
A discreet rustle of fabric, then the whisper of bare feet on the parquet pulled him from his drowsiness.
He opened his eyes.
Ruby stood in the middle of the room. She wore a simple white linen nightgown, so thin that the light passed through it, outlining the curves of her body. Her black hair, tousled from the pillow, frad her face. Her small cow-like horns, barely protruding, rose above her head. In the dimness, her eyes glead with worry.
She advanced slowly, arms crossed over her chest as if holding her breath. Her bare feet seed to hesitate on the wooden floorboards.
"You’re leaving," she murmured, her voice so low it almost blended with the silence of the night. "You’re leaving without telling
anything, is that it?"
Kaiser propped himself up on one elbow. His mid-length silver hair slid over his shoulder. He watched her for a long mont, the ti it took for his pupils to adjust to the brightness.
"You knew, Ruby," he finally replied.
She lowered her head. A strand of black hair fell over her forehead, partially hiding her gaze.
"I knew, yes... But I wanted to hear it from you. From your mouth." She looked up, and Kaiser saw a moist gleam in her eyes that had not yet turned to tears. "It’s true, then? You’re going to disappear for months? Maybe even longer?"
Without answering imdiately, Kaiser pushed back the covers and stood. Bare-chested. He walked toward her, and the difference in height beca evident: he towered over her by almost two heads.
"I have to settle so matters," he declared, stopping in front of her.
Ruby pressed her lips together, a gesture betraying her inner struggle.
"And , I stay here? Waiting like a... like a fool, counting the days without knowing if you’re dead or alive?"
A silence settled, heavy with everything left unsaid. Then Kaiser reached out. The tips of his fingers brushed Ruby’s cheek, a light touch.
"Waiting isn’t an obligation," he said at last. "If you wish, you can co."
She blinked, as if she hadn’t understood properly.
"You... you’re serious? It’s the truth? Not just words to comfort
in the mont?"
A shadow of weariness, or perhaps pity, crossed Kaiser’s face. "I’m not joking. If your choice is to walk by my side, I won’t push you away. It’s your decision."
Ruby remained still, arms still folded over herself. The seconds ticked by. Then she slowly shook her head, a movent filled with sadness and clarity.
"No, I would beco a burden. I would slow you down, you and those traveling with you." Her voice grew firr, despite a slight tremor she couldn’t suppress. "I won’t do that. Not to you."
She then took a step forward, reducing the distance between them to almost nothing. Her gaze plunged into his, seeking a promise beyond words.
"But I have one condition. Just one."
"Tell ."
"Promise
you’ll co back." The words burst out, carrying all her fear and all her hope. "No matter how long it takes. No matter what you have to go through."
Kaiser didn’t look away. As an answer, he simply leaned down. His hand slid behind her nape, gently drawing her to him. Then he kissed her, slowly.
His lips, slightly chapped from the wind, joined hers, soft and plump, in a deep kiss. Kaiser’s hand, already on Ruby’s soft, pale cheek, slid into her black, silky, slightly tousled hair. His other arm firmly encircled her slim waist, pressing her against his bare chest.
"Mmmh..." Ruby let out, a slight muffled moan. Her own arms, at first hesitant, unfolded to knot behind his neck. Her slender, pale fingers clung to his shoulders, almost digging in.
Kaiser’s tongue t hers. She surrendered, tasting the fluids on his lips. Her own white linen nightgown suddenly seed too thick an obstacle. The hand at her waist slowly moved up, tracing a path along her spine through the fabric, then down to settle firmly on the curve of her hip, pulling her even closer.
"Hnn... You’re so..." she murmured, the sentence lost as he pressed her against him. She felt all the muscular tension in his pelvis against hers, through the thin layers of fabric.
He broke the kiss to kiss the angular line of her jaw, then the pale, sensitive skin of her neck. His lips were warm.
"Ah... Ah..." Ruby let out a trembling, high-pitched breath, her disheveled head thrown back, exposing more of her throat. "Kaiser...
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