Mind Playin Tricks on Me

[Thalia]

He internalised the words, and she waited patiently while he did. Nimeda was unselfconscious under the study of his gaze. When the world began to swirl and rearrange, she did not interfere. Instead her grey eyes swept the new monochrome landscape with interest, though she chose not to feel the sharp bite of cold. Her palms opened to the distraction of snow as it gusted like powdered diamonds, prompting a small and careless smile, and when her attention returned Malik was already fading. Fascination drew her closer. 

She was pleased he had not had to die, though death was not always a bad thing, and it grieved her far less than the idea of keeping him chained and raging. Her fingers itched to run down the length of Marcus’s arms as though to check for new seams to their merging, but found diversion in the profound peace of his expression. It stirred something old and forgotten in her, blossoming a brilliant smile. That soon spilled into laughter, though not unkindly. She padded close enough to stretch on tiptoe and press a kiss to his cheek, followed by the playful assertion, “It’s time to wake up.”

Then she nudged him gently back into his Waking body.