章 47: Home - Part 2

"Better?" he queried, his voice as small as a whisper but also as soothing as rain on a summer night. His big, strong arms wrapped around me securely, protecting me from many unwanted emotions and unpleasant memories.

My breath was slowly coming back to normal, not the shallow and rapid ones. My body had stopped shaking, and my heart had slowed its ferocious beatings.

"Better," I said, closing my eyes to listen to his steady heartbeats. He didn't say another word, but his silence spoke for itself. It was peaceful in a way that I could feel at home and knew that no matter what happened, he would always be there for me.

"I was... reminded of the water they gave me," I mumbled. The more I explained, the more panicked I became, "It was poisonous and it—"

"I know," he broke off the hug, his palms cupping my cheeks. "You don't need to explain. It's okay."