章 48: SOARING TO A NEW HEIGHT
This novel is exclusive to Web Novel, if you find it posted other than this website please contact me through the chapter comments. Thank you.
The hour was past one am when Rose jumped from her bedroom window. She scurried across the lawn to the edge of the forest, dressed in her nightgown. Every time she snuck out, it seemed like she was in her nightclothes.
Rose had seen herds of deer every morning gather on the property to lick dew from the sparse grass. She locked her mind on the forest creatures and found a small doe. When the doe walked out of the woods toward Rose, she reached out and patted her spotted coat.
She knew her heart rate was like the small deer. Rose leaned her forehead onto the deer's forelock and telepathically told her to sleep on the periphery of the land. Then she slid the necklace over her head and around the deer's neck. Rose was hoping this would fool Dante into thinking she was still at Dragonwood sleeping.
Wandering into the forest, it grew darker than Rose expected, and she realized she was desperately lost.
"I have to get back before dawn," Rose muttered in annoyance.
The last thing she needed was for Dante to find her missing again. Rose was terrified he would lock her in a deep dungeon somewhere and throw out the keys.
She perceived she was not alone in the woods. Rose stopped moving and heard a rustling sound above the trees. A silver feather drifted slowly to the ground in front of her. Rose craned her neck to see where it came from, and then she spotted him in all his glorious magnificence.
It was Christopher Thorn, whose silvery-white feathered wings spread wide behind him.
He stood on the branch of an old oak tree, leaning on the truck with one leg bent and his foot propped up on the tree behind him. The Lord had an arrogant presence as he looked down at Rose. Christopher knew she was disoriented and did not know where she was going.
"You kept me waiting long enough. Where have you been, love?" He asked with a gratified smirk on his face.
Rose smiled back at Christopher in relief. She was elated that he had found her. Lord Thorn felt a pang in his chest when he saw her beaming at him. He thought his heart might stop.
"There's my lovely Rose. You should really smile for me more often. Are you ready to go to my greenhouse?"
Christopher stepped off the branch and gracefully glided to the forest floor, landing lightly in front of Rose. She stared up at Christopher and nodded her head.
"Use your words, love. It's a bad habit not to answer someone when they ask a question." Christopher tenderly admonished. "I want to hear your voice."
"S-Sorry, I'm r-ready. My father s-says the s-same thing." Rose stammered, and her teeth chattered as she apologized to The Lord for her bad manners.
Christopher could see Rose shivering, his brows knitted, seeing her body quiver.
"Are you cold, little lark? Come here; I will warm you up."
Rose nodded and stepped closer.
Christopher sighed; he sensed Rose was very timid, and not speaking was customary for her. He would not press the issue this evening. It was enough that she had met him to talk.
The Lord took her petite hand and pulled her to his body. Rose saw the feathered wings unfurl, and he wrapped them around her tiny frame to cover her. Christopher's temperature was hotter than a human's. She felt comfort in his display of affection for her. Rose nuzzled her face into The Lord's chest and placed her right hand over his heart. She could feel it beating fast and fierce, like a hummingbird's wings.
Rose inhaled Christopher's scent and could smell the muted fragrance of musk and white flowers. This was heaven for her. She wanted to sleep embraced like this forever in Lord Thorn's loving arms.
Rose had fallen quick and hard for Dante's foe.
Christopher didn't want to move. He enjoyed Rose snuggled into his body, but this was not a safe place.
"Love, we must get out of these woods and back to my estate. This is still Dante's property, and it won't end well if he catches us. It's too dangerous to stay here." He looked down at her frail form and kissed the top of her head while scanning the forest for movement.
"It will be cold when we return to my home, but it won't last long."
"Wait!" Rose reluctantly pulled herself from Christopher's warmth and ran to where she was standing before she saw him. Rose bent down and gingerly picked up the feather that had fallen from Christopher's wings. It was a gift meant for her, and she refused to leave it behind.
"It's my lucky feather. I can't depart without it." She held the feather deftly between her fingers, twirling it around.
It amused Christopher that the feather meant so much to Rose.
"Oh really, is that so?" She nodded once again in response. Christopher shook his head at her and snickered. "Is that all? Are you ready now?" He asked Rose.
"Yes, we may go now." Christopher walked over and picked up Rose. He cradled her in his arms like a small child, and this time, he did what he had wanted to do earlier in the evening.
The Lord placed his hand on the side of Rose's cheek, and she pushed her face into his palm and kissed it. His eyes went wide from her affection. He felt giddy inside. Christopher was thrilled Rose had accepted his adoration and didn't push him away. He thought how precious she was for showing tenderness to him.
Christopher pushed off the ground, his wings beating hard as they ascended above the tree line. The air was crisp and cool. Rose could see the lights of the Thorn Estate in the distance. As The Lord had said, reaching his mansion from the forest only took moments. The wind played through Rose's locks of chestnut hair and whipped it around her face. She could hear the breeze rushing through her ears.
Rose peered up into Christopher's face. He was so dashing, and she wondered what he saw in her. Rose felt she could never be likened to this ravishing creature carrying her through the sky. But she didn't care. Rose would take whatever he would give her.
"What is it? Is something wrong?" Christopher asked, looking back at her.
"Nothing is wrong. I wanted to know whether we could go higher." Rose beamed in anticipation of The Lord's answer.
"Your wish is granted, my lady," Christopher hovered in mid-air and then looked straight up at the sky. "Do you want to touch the clouds?" He questioned the exquisite girl who he held carefully in his embrace.
"YES!" Rose exclaimed. "I want to touch that one," pointing above their heads. Adrenaline rushed through her body, and her heart pounded wildly at the thought of flying among the heavens.
"If you say so," The Lord spread his wings wide and flapped them harder against the night wind, soaring higher right into the cloud bank. He saw Rose had the look of a curious child about her. She exhibited no fear and completely trusted him.
"I wish to dance on top of these clouds with you," said Rose.
"Wrap your hands around my neck, love. I'll hold you while we waltz in the mist together."
Rose clasped her hands tight around Christopher's neck. He encircled his hands about her waist to support her delicate frame. His wings fluttered lightly in the air, keeping them suspended in place.
"Put your feet on top of mine." He instructed, and Rose did as The Lord said. He spun her around in a circle. Christopher waltzed his lovely Rose through the quiet night air on the cloud tops, and she giggled in delight.
Lord Thorn surveyed her long hair flowing out behind her as she threw her head back. The blush pink of her cheeks darkened, and her lips turned bright ruby red from her excitement. Aphrodite paled compared to his beautiful Scarlette Rose. She had the aura of a goddess.
"Thank you for the dance, my dear, but it is time to depart." Rose's body shivered, and Christopher could feel it; she got too cold.
Rose closed her eyes and pecked Christopher softly on his cheek. "It was a pleasure, milord. Thank you for the most exhilarating moment of my life."
All The Lord could hear was his heart hammering like a drum in his chest. He was beguiled by this girl.
Christopher descended with Rose back to the ground in his garden. She trembled from the cold and excitement of floating in the clouds with an angel, but Rose was glad to have her feet planted securely back on Terra firma.
She caught sight of Christopher's feathered wings. The silvery sheen illuminated the dark. Rose watched as he shook out his feathers. The wings folded and disappeared behind his back.
"How do you do that?" she asked with wonderment.
"It's hard to describe except to say it's like breathing. You never think about it. Your body just does it for you. Does that make sense?" asked Christopher.
"It makes perfect sense. My gifts would be the same. I can't tell you how they work. I just make them work." Rose crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her upper arms. She was freezing.
-- 贈り物
が届きました 
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット