In the days that followed, Ghaia and Selena danced around each other, their encounter by the hearth hanging heavy between them like an unspoken promise. Yet, it was Selena who first broke the silence, her knock at Ghaia's door late one evening feather-light yet weighted with intent. Ghaia, heart pounding, let her in, her body already yearning for the healer's touch.
Selena stepped inside, her cloak dark shadows concealing her face until she was close enough for Ghaia to see the smoldering fire in her eyes. "I can't stop thinking about you, Ghaia," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper, yet resonating like a thunderclap in the quiet room. "I need to know if what we started was real, or just a fleeting moment of madness."
Ghaia's response was a kiss, wild and hungry, demanding and giving all at once. She poured her desperation into it, her fear, her loneliness, her denied desire. Selena met her fervor, their bodies pressing together, their hands exploring one another as if trying to memorize every line, every curve.
They stumbled towards Ghaia's bedroom, their lips locked, their breaths ragged. Selena's hands found the laces on Ghaia's dress, undoing them with practiced ease, while Ghaia struggled with the ties on Selena's tunic, her fingersumbling in her haste. They fell onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and whispered apologies, their clothes discarded in a trail leading from the door.
Selena paused, her eyes searching Ghaia's face, her thumb rubbing gentle circles on Ghaia's hip. "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice tender, her gaze filled with an emotion Ghaia dared not name. Ghaia nodded, her heart swelling with a joy that was bittersweet, tainted by her loyalty to Kian yet undeniable in its intensity.
Their bodies moving in sync, they explored each other, their touches soft yet insistent, their kisses deep and claiming. Selena's mouth found Ghaia's breast, her tongue teasing the nipple into a hard peak, while her hand dipped lower, seeking the heat between Ghaia's thighs. Ghaia gasped, her back arching, her fingers delving into Selena's hair, holding her close, guiding her touch.
Selena's fingers slipped inside Ghaia, her thumb rubbing circles on her clit, her mouth continuing to lavish attention on her breasts. Ghaia's hips moved in rhythm with Selena's hand, her breath coming in short gasps, her body coiling tight with nearing release. Suddenly, Selena's finger curled, hitting that spot deep inside, and Ghaia came undone, her cry of pleasure echoing through the silent cottage.
Afterwards, they lay entwined, their bodies slick with sweat, their hearts beating as one. Selena traced patterns on Ghaia's back, her touch soothing yet setting Ghaia's nerves alight all over again. "I should go," Selena murmured, her voice heavy with reluctance. "But I don't want to."
Ghaia clutched her tighter, her voice barely audible, "Stay. Just... stay."
Selena did, her body spooning against Ghaia's, her arm wrapped protectively around her. Yet, as sleep claimed them, Ghaia's dreams were anything but peaceful. Images of Kian and Selena danced in her mind, their faces blurring, their forms melding, leaving her disoriented and confused.
The next morning, Ghaia woke to find Selena gone, a crumpled note on the pillow beside her. 'I had to go. I'll explain later. - S.' Ghaia's heart sank, her spirits plummeting from the high of last night. She الشعب notamment, the loneliness that had been her constant companion since Kian's departure threatening to swallow her whole.
Days turned into weeks, and Ghaia found herself caught in a web of guilt and longing. She missed Kian terribly, her love for him unwavering yet complicated by her feelings for Selena. She found herself reaching for the locket around her neck, her thumb brushing over Kian's image, wondering if he'd understand, if he'd forgive her.
Meanwhile, Selena became a ghost, visiting only under the cover of darkness, their encounters filled with feverish passion and haunting silences. Ghaia wanted to ask her about her past, about her mysterious arrival in Thellia, but the words stuck in her throat, fearing what she might uncover.
One night, as they lay entwined, their bodies sated, Selena spoke, her voice heavy with memories. "I wasn't always a healer, Ghaia," she began, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on Ghaia's skin. "I was a spy, working for the resistance against the Shadowlings' tyranny. I saw things... did things... that haunt me still."
Ghaia turned to face her, her eyes searching Selena's face, seeing the shadows lurking there. "Why did you stop?" she asked, her voice soft, non-judgmental.
Selena's laugh was bitter. "I didn't. I just changed nations. Thellia is the farthest place from my past, where I hoped to start anew. But the past has a way of catching up."
Ghaia's heart ached for Selena, her strength, her pain, her secret life. She realized then that she loved Selena, with all her complexity, all her shadows. Yet, she also realized the danger they were courting, the web they were weaving around themselves, threads that could unravel at the slightest tug.
"Selena," she whispered, her voice heavy with unshed tears, "we're playing with fire. And I fear we're both going to get burned."