CHAPTER 553: THAT HUG THAT STARTED EVERYTHING ...

In the past few days since her mistress had returned safely, Suzie had been ecstatic, but deep down she was unsettled about something that she could not come to a consensus. She could understand why she was so bothered by the little fact that there was no news about Murray.

As she stood quietly in the arched corridor just beyond the kids’ playroom, arms folded loosely, her mind drifted off absentmindedly as she observed the kids.

Just why am I like this? He’s a monster, especially, when it comes to training. Every time we spar, it feels like I’m signing up for punishment—voluntarily. I should be scared of him. I should be relieved he’s gone. So why...’

Suzie’s thoughts trailed into frustration, temporarily forgetting where she was. She was usually like this in the comfort of her room after retiring for the day and out of prying eyes, but the thoughts were getting out of hand, and she could no longer keep a lid on them.

’...Just why am I hung up on the notion that he is not here? ’Why do I keep glancing at doors, hoping he’ll walk through one? Why do I keep checking the time like he’s just late and not... vanished into thin air?’

She sighed,

’Besides, I can’t keep pestering Miss Shelby about it. It’s already weird.’

Suzie let out a tiny, strangled sound and clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Get it together, girl," she hissed at herself, thumping her lips with her fingers a few times in mild penance. "You’re talking nonsense." Then continued, now muttering to herself. She whipped her head to check her surroundings, her twin pigtails bouncing behind from this act, like a confused cat. Then she paused.

"or .. is it like out of sight, missing a lot...? That doesn’t even make sense!"

A long, dramatic sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the nearest wall absentmindedly. Her eyes darted around suspiciously as she lowered her voice to a whisper,

"Wait—can I even call him a man?" she muttered under her breath. "He’s a Fae for stars’ sake. A whole sparkly, arrogant, no-nonsense one at that!"

Then she shook her head yet again,

"What do I mean, ’miss’? How can I miss that man? Wait! Can he even be considered a man, considering what he is? Is that phrase correct, though?"

She wondered, turning and looking around, making sure no mind-reading person was within the vicinity.

’You know deep in your heart that he is, right?’

She smiled to herself,

’I don’t even know the answer to this myself.’

She sighed again, softer this time.

"...Maybe I’m doomed."

In the room, Gabriel had caught Suzie’s movements and was watching her curiously, wondering what she was about.

Suzie was so engrossed in her self-dialogue that it was the tingles down her spine that brought her back to her surroundings.

She noted how unusually quiet the hallway was. Even Alicia, passing a few doors down from her, had escaped her usually keen eyes.

Then, she froze as she made out his figure. First, she doubted her eyes, but within the few seconds that she became sure, she could not control her limbs.

There, standing casually by a window, was he.

Her breath caught audibly in her throat, all thoughts flying out of her head.

Him. Murray!

He had been gone for months without a trace. Both he and the mistress had been presumed dead, but with the mistress back, Suzie had held the hope that he would be okay and standing there in the flesh was he.

But here he was.

Same effortless stance. That annoyingly calm expression. Except this time, his eyes were... different. Sharper. Deeper. Like they held too much. Suzie could not explain, but she knew that he had gone through something major and came back alive.

Before she could stop herself, she dropped her clasped hands and ran.

He stood silently, watching her, only to find her crashing into his chest with the force of months of confusion, worry, and longing. She wrapped her arms around him, tight. Too tight for two people who were just "co-workers."

Even she realized that.

But she couldn’t let go. Her arms and body were not heeding her silent command

"I thought ...." she began, her voice muffled in his coat, "I thought you were ...."

He didn’t answer, and she finally looked up.

Murray’s eyes shifted, gleaming faintly. But Suzie was not afraid, for she knew what he was.

Then, with a flicker of a smirk and a whisper of something that Suzie did not make out,

the hallway blurred in a blink. Lights stretched into lines. Air folded. Her arms clutched him tighter as the world seemed to bend.

Then ....

They were gone.

Gabriel’s eyes twinkled in excitement,

"Sam, Ingrid!!!!! Did you see that?"

Ingrid’s eyes had been trained on the scene as well at a point in time. She just raised one eyebrow and then went back to her book. Her indifference caught everyone by surprise. The girl had a way of making the most meaningful thing seem mundane.

Samantha, on the other hand, just smiled and shrugged, going back to her task.

The three other people in the room, Mike, and the maids, looked around, wondering what Gabriel was referring to, but they saw nothing.

on in indifference and just raises a brow!

On the other side, a shimmer of light and pressure reverberated around, and the two reappeared.

Rows upon rows of grapevines rustled gently in the early evening breeze, the sky painted in rich hues of amethyst and gold amidst the darkening skies. The scent of earth and ripening fruit wrapped around them like a soft veil.

Suzie stumbled slightly as they landed, still clinging to him, but for support this time. She was becoming aware of what she had done, and at least, her body was beginning to listen to her then.

’What the hell did I just do?!’ She wondered but missed Murray’s upturned lips at that.

He gently steadied her, then placed his hands on her shoulders and held her at arm’s length. His touch lingered a second too long—as if he too wasn’t quite ready to let go. But Suzie was too embarrassed at her actions to notice.

He looked into her face, searching, hesitant. There was so much he could say. So much he wanted to. But the words tangled in his throat. After the welcome, Murray was then certain.

"You’ve changed," he finally murmured. "You’re not as afraid, and you’ve become...."

He was unsure, but lacked the words to explain,

She shook her head, breath still unsteady from the sudden shift. Her pigtails whipped lightly in the wind.

"After Aliya, afraid is no more a word in my dictionary," she said softly as a small, rueful smile tugged at her lips.

"I – I’m glad that you’re back. I – I was worried.... but I know what I feel." She stepped closer, looking up into his eyes as a wave of bravery washed over her. It usually takes a life-and-death situation for anyone to face their feelings, and that was what had happened for Suzie.

In that moment, the dilemma and subconscious questions all made sense. She knew the why! She knew she wanted, and Suzie was not afraid. It all felt too sudden in her mind, but she convinced herself that without life, all hope would have been lost, so with a second chance, she was not going to let it go!

"I didn’t expect this ... I didn’t expect you .... but I’m done pretending."

He swallowed hard, his expression unreadable. Suzie had forgotten one thing in her quest that evening. Murray could read her mind, and she did not need to say any words for him to understand her.

"And if I told you," he began, voice low, "that this may not be over? That there are consequences for being close to me? You know what I am Suzie .... That things could get dangerous—"

"Then I’d tell you," she interrupted, "that life without you felt dangerous too. Dangerous to my sanity."

He blinked. Taken off guard. Who would have thought that Suzie could and would say such words? The two had grown closer in their morning trainings, but had never crossed any lines, so this confession was too sudden for both. But none shied away.

She smiled more fully now, cheeky but vulnerable.

"Besides," she added, tilting her head, "you already whisked me away without warning. That was a very boyfriend thing to do."

His lips twitched. "I don’t do boyfriends."

She leaned in, eyes dancing.

"Then maybe it’s time you learned. You know what you have done this evening more than I do..."

At that thought, Murray blinked guiltily, knowing that he had not gone to report to the masters yet. Neither Ian nor Shelby had seen him since his return, but he had only wanted to take a peek at the bubbly head maid. What he had not anticipated was her welcome, which had thrown his last bit of rationality out of the window.

The air between them changed .... charged, magnetic.

And this time, it was he who closed the gap. He leaned in, brushing his lips against Suzie’s. They both sighed at the thrill of the kiss and her eyes flattered close. This was more than she had ever thought would happen between them.

Suzie hooked her hands around his neck, leaning in for more, and Murray obliged. He latched onto her mouth hungrily.

*********

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