"You have a mission that isn't on the bulletin board," Rana announced, her eyes shimmering with a peculiar light. "Come inside."
Dayesh and the others followed her into the briefing room. The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and lingering magic.
"Three days from now, a noble family will arrive. They need bodyguards for their local tours and diplomatic meetings with the officials here. It's straightforward, you'll be their shadows for one week."
The three men remained silent, their stoic expressions a sign of acceptance. To Rana, the mission was already "taken."
"Be back here in three days," she concluded.
Sapphire arrived at the crack of dawn. The world was still hushed, draped in the grey velvet of the early morning. Exhausted, she practically collapsed onto her bed the moment she reached her room.
A soft rhythmic knocking pulled her back from the edge of sleep.
"I missed you," Ghoth whispered as he slipped inside.
"Come here," she murmured, reaching out.
He pulled her into a tight embrace, clinging to her like a child reunited with a mother after a long, lonely journey. Sapphire could feel the frantic beating of his heart against her chest, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor.
"How are you?" she asked softly, brushing a stray hair from his forehead.
"I'm alright. We have a mission in three days."
"Stay safe," she whispered. She took his face in her hands, searching his eyes before pressing a brief, lingering kiss to his lips. "You really are the handsomest man I've ever seen."
A shy, boyish smile broke across Ghoth's face. In that moment, the fierce warrior was gone, replaced by someone who simply craved to be loved. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.
"Go back to your room," Sapphire urged gently. "Someone might see you leaving."
Ghoth nodded reluctantly. He wanted to say the words "I love you", but they caught in his throat. With one last longing look, he slipped out into the hallway.
Sapphire fell back onto her pillows, the phantom warmth of his touch still lingering on her skin as sleep finally claimed her.
By noon, the house was buzzing. Sapphire resumed her duties, her mind wandering even as her hands moved. She ran into Rosarie and Khafa, sharing quick pleasantries, but Dayesh was nowhere to be found. Part of her felt a sharp relief. The tension between them was a weight she wasn't ready to carry.
As night fell, Sapphire retreated to her usual spot with a cigarette and a cup of coffee. Ghoth appeared like a shadow, settling beside her. They talked about nothing and everything, the mundane details of their lives weaving a bridge between them. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he draped an arm around her, pulling her close.
The peace was shattered when Dayesh approached. His gaze was cold, sharp enough to cut through the dark. Ghoth immediately stiffened, dropping his arm from Sapphire's shoulder as if burned.
"Why the look? We're just sitting here," Sapphire challenged, though her heart quickened.
"It's nothing," Dayesh replied, his voice low and dangerous. "Is there something going on between you two?"
"Nothing! Why do you think that? I'm just leaning on him," she lied, the words feeling like ash in her mouth.
Without another word, Dayesh turned on his heel and disappeared into the house.
"What is his problem?" Sapphire whispered to herself.
Dayesh knew. He had seen the way Ghoth's hand lingered on her arm, the way their eyes sought each other out in crowded rooms. The suspicion gnawed at him, a silent storm brewing in his chest.
Sapphire noticed the slight tremor in Ghoth's hands. He was nervous, the weight of Dayesh's earlier warning to "stay away from her", pressing down on him.
"Don't mind him," Sapphire said, leaning in to press a soft kiss to the side of his neck.
Ghoth closed his eyes. "To hell with it." he thought. The fear of Dayesh was nothing compared to the ache of being apart from her.
"Let's go to sleep, I'm sleepy," Sapphire suggested.
"Wait, Saph... there's something..."
"Hmm? What does my baby want?" she teased.
"I need you," he said, his voice thick with sudden intensity.
"Okay, but where?"
"Follow me. We'll pretend to go to our separate rooms first. Meet me at the edge of the property in ten minutes. I can't use the Warp here, they'll feel the energy shift."
Ten minutes later, Sapphire found him waiting in the shadows beyond the fence. She looped her arm through his, her heart dancing with the thrill of their shared secret.
"Is this far enough?" she asked after a while.
"A little further."
"Fine by me. The night is long, anyway."
When they were well beyond the reach of Dayesh's senses, Ghoth prepared to cast. "Close your eyes before we enter," Sapphire reminded him, a playful glint in her eyes.
"This is a first for me," she giggled as the world began to blur. "We should do this more often."
Ghoth smiled. Even without a formal title or a public declaration, the quiet intimacy of having her all to himself was enough.
When Sapphire opened her eyes, they were standing in a pristine, well-appointed bedroom.
"Is this your room? Wait, why am I asking? Of course it is," she said, looking around.
"Yes."
"I'm going to wash up first," she said, spotting a bathroom.
"Go ahead."
As the water ran, Sapphire looked around the bathroom. Everything was meticulously organized, possessing an elegance that felt almost royal. "Is Ghoth from a wealthy family?" she wondered. Even in these reincarnation worlds, class structures seem as rigid as they are on modern world. She knew he was from another world, a being capable of shifting forms. But in this quiet, private space, he just felt like the man who held her.
When she emerged, Ghoth had laid out fresh clothes for her. As he took his turn in the shower, Sapphire explored the room, feeling the lingering trace of his manliness in the air.