14. The Island of Lyria

Neem

I collapse back into the bed with a sigh and Aden’s body covers mine. This is my favourite position, his weight pressing down on me with him still inside me. He holds me tight as always, inhaling my scent deep. This is home.

“You know, I was at the beach yesterday and as I watched those waters I saw a fish, one I’ve never seen before. It bobbed to the surface and looked at me and I felt like it was saying hi. I just know it Aden, that there are others that share the waters with us.”

“Yes. The fishes.”

“No.” I smack him. “I mean other wolves on the outside.”

He rises up on his elbow and looks down at me.

“What is it?”

He pulls out and sits on the edge of the bed and I sit up.

“Aden.”

“We talked about this Neem. You promised me you would stop talking about The Outside. Just thinking about the damn Outside is a capital offense, punishable by death. It is ‘treason’. Is that not enough to get such damning thoughts from your mind?”

“But why?” I ask, exasperated. “Why is it treason t