SURVIVE (THRIVE: Book Two)

Chapter 73- An Early Morning

The morning's heat is intense as the sunlight pierces through the windows, the beams piercing me in the eye, causing me to wake up. With a groan, I roll over and drape my arm over my eyes. It's too early and I feel like I barely slept, and after everything that happened yesterday, I still feel like I need to rest. Although, I feel as though I should take some of the blame for being up later than I probably should have been. Uncovering one of my eyes, I glance over at Magnus, squinting to see through the bright light from the windows. He is still asleep, lying on his stomach with his face buried in the pillow. I chuckle to myself as I gaze at him, he's been such an unexpected comfort through all of this. I've always been an independent person, but when I'm with him, I feel something inside myself I didn't know was there before. He's been so supportive of me, and I feel like he's learned so much about my life since we met, but I want to know more about him. He's told me about his childhood, how things have been living with his mom, and how much he loves the smell of the ocean but hates being covered in sand. Even before he knew who I was, he saw something in me, and for the life of me, I don't know what. But considering everything being with me has put him through, I feel like I don't deserve his love.

"You're staring," Magnus utters quietly, smiling with his eyes still shut. Startled, my heart skips a beat.

"Okay? So what?" I ask sarcastically, lightly smacking his arm. As he opens his eyes, he rolls onto his back and sits up, running his fingers through his hair.

"Nothing, it's just cute." he smiles, gazing at me as I tilt my head to look up at him "What were you thinking about?" he asks curiously. I scrunch my face for a moment as I think about it.

"Honestly," I say exhaustedly "We're always talking about me, what were you up to yesterday?" I ask, and at first, he seems to think I'm being sarcastic.

"Well," he begins, looking up as he recalls everything "I went to class and worked on my group project with Aria and Alex, and then I came to visit you. When I got here I talked with Nadia and Nixi for over an hour because they said you and Desire were downstairs doing something important, which naturally made me nervous. After that, I got to sneak around the palace and sequentially watch you evolve into whatever all this is." he explains nonchalantly, looking at me to see if I'm satisfied by his answer.

"Ah," I mutter, taking it all in "So, group project, huh? Which generation did you guys get assigned?" I ask eagerly. As he's about to answer, he hesitates, seeming confused.

"How do you even know what it's about?" he asks skeptically.

"I get curious, okay?" I state defensively "So, which is it?"

"Um, Derek and Freya." he states, "Kinda weird considering they're your parents."

"Not to mention that their rule was over my entire lifespan that time around." I say, surprised by his answer "That was the last time I was alive before now." I explain.

"God, that's so creepy to think about." he states, scratching his forehead "We literally have to chronicle every important event that happened during that time period."

"Well, nothing too important I suppose. A-LOT of rebirths, four deaths including mine, and their rule ended when my mother and I got sick and died from some wave of the flu that caused people to throw up blood. It phased out quickly and didn't spread, thank god, but it was too late for me. I think I was twenty-eight or so." I explain, trying to think back to that time "My grandmother Nadia had had her awakening a few years prior and took over running things until Roxie and Tyler stepped up, and here we are now. Kinda crazy how things timed out with mine and my parents ages being so similar, but crazier things have happened." I shrug. Realizing I have been rambling, I look back at Magnus and he seems to be at a loss for words.

"Why... why is it that you sound completely unphased by all of that?" he asks worriedly, not breaking eye contact.

"Oh, trust me, dying beside my mom still haunts me to this day, but when you have as much history as we do, you have to try as hard as you can to not be consumed by the hardships of the past," I explain reassuringly. He doesn't seem convinced, but I have a feeling nothing I say is going to change that fact right now.

"If that's the case," he says as he leans over, brushing my hair back and gently touching my forehead "Do you want to talk about the present?" he asks curiously.

"What do you mean?" I ask nervously, slowly pushing myself up and leaning against the headboard.

"Breeze, you were unconscious for quite a while last night, and before you came to," he begins, climbing in front of me and taking both of my hands, turning them over to reveal my palms "All of this suddenly happened. I know you were being vague about it, but what happened while you were gone? You made it sound like you chose this, but how?"

"That part of me that's been sealed up all this time had her own voice, and unlike the monster that Gael was, she gave me a choice of whether I wanted to accept what she had to offer." I explain, looking down at the symbols on my hands "I got to see what I could be if I embraced my fears instead of hiding from them, and knew I would have regretted it if I chose not to. Now I feel... real. It's odd, I don't know how to explain it."

"Like something was missing?" he asks, squeezing my hands and letting them go.

"Yea," I say, slowly nodding my head "I don't feel trapped anymore, I feel like I'm more in control of my mind now." I smile hopefully, and Magnus leans in to kiss me.

"I'm proud of you." he smiles warmly "I know your family has mixed thoughts about this, but you need to hold your ground. This is your life, your body, and your mind; don't you forget that," he explains, and I nod in agreement.

"I won't." I smile, tilting my head forward and watching my hair drape over my chest "I've never had long hair like this before." I state, gazing at it thoughtfully.

"I'm guessing the half-blonde-black color thing is a first too then?" he asks sarcastically, running his fingers through it.

"That would be an accurate statement, yes." I laugh, tucking my hair behind my ears "Well, I have a feeling it's going to be another long day. What should we do now?" I ask exhaustedly, not looking forward to what's coming.

"We should probably get dressed and head downstairs, I'm guessing now that Marissa seems to be on your side everyone is going to want to make a plan to draw the others out to get Kai back." he explains, but glances at my chest, slowly tugging on the blanket "But it is only the crack of dawn, I don't think anyone will be expecting us this early." he winks as he tugs the blanket off, exposing my bare chest.

"Well, they do know how exhausted I was last night," I smile, climbing over him "I think we should just go back to sleep, it's probably for the best."

"As you wish," he grins, grabbing my waist. I lean down and kiss his neck, lightly biting it until I feel him flinch beneath me. Feeling eager, I do it again, feeling him jolt as he clutches onto me harder.

"I'm sorry, was that too much?" I ask sarcastically. He didn't need to say a word, the firm smack I felt on my ass was enough to answer my question, but all that did was spur me on more. Before I had the chance to try anything, he seemed to have plans of his own. Taking control, he ran his hands through my hair, gripping the back and pulling it while guiding my hips into place on him. My senses are on fire the longer we go and I forget to breathe as he moves roughly, and as I press my chest into his I start to roll my hips. Just as I feel I can't bear it anymore, something happens and I feel exhilarated, unable to hold myself up as I bury my face into his chest. His heart is pounding and I can feel the sweat from our bodies as our skin touches, and everything is tingling.

"Did you just...?" he asks, breathing heavily.

"Mhm," I can barely utter as I try to focus "Did you?"

"Yea," he states, leaning his head back over the edge of the bed "Fucking hell,"

"So..." I say as I roll off of him to the side, catching my breath "we should really sleep in longer, huh?"