The morning had come. I found myself in Sky's arms. It felt warm and safe. Waking up to see his face was like stepping into a dream — his soft rose-colored lips, pale skin, and silver hair barely letting his eyes be seen. Yet, the light in his blue eyes couldn't be hidden. He stared at me, and I couldn't look away. I must have looked like a poor child watching a show for the first time — amazed and grateful.
I had never been held like this by a man before. My father used to hug me when I was little, but as I grew up, our bond weakened. I regret that deeply, and I often envied others for the closeness they shared with their fathers.
My mother used to kiss and hug me too, but a mother's love feels different. When a man holds a woman, she feels protected — as if wrapped in an iron shield.
Romantically, I had never been in a real relationship. I was hugged once by a boy I had a crush on. I was blinded by my hunger for affection and missed all the signs showing how wrong he was for me. Thank God he wasn't interested in me, and eventually, our paths parted.
I know how easily emotions can cloud my reason. I won't let that happen with Sky.
He looked at me with a teasing smile. "Are you done staring at me, Master?"
"I told you to call me by my name," I replied.
Something about that seemed to stir him deeply. Through the bond that tied our hearts together, I could feel his excitement — his heartbeat quickened, like a child receiving a birthday gift.
He whispered, almost reverently, "Vita."
Silence fell between us. It was so complete it felt as if the whole world had vanished, leaving only the two of us suspended in that moment.
After a while, he broke the stillness. "Vita... what does your name mean?"
I met his gaze, unwilling to play along with his sudden curiosity. Riven could appear at any moment, and for once, I had the chance not to be the open book he could read so easily. I needed to find something — a way to trade with Sky.
"What do you want?" I asked. "And what will you offer in return?"
He stepped back, looking upset — more disappointed than angry.
"Vita…" he said my name slowly, as if he wanted to keep repeating it, like saying it again and again could make it his, like owning my name meant owning me.
"I can be your sword, and I can be your shield," he said. "I am a vessel. My body has carried many ancient weapons over the last century."
He paused. I could feel the sorrow rising inside him — memories he didn't want to remember.
Then he went on, his voice low and strained. "If you die, I'll die. If you're in pain, I'll feel it too. I can't sense all your emotions — only your pain and your fear. I can feel every dark emotion that comes from you — envy, hate, anger… and I'll bear them for you."
Sky kept stopping, taking long silences, as if every word cost him something. It was as though speaking drained him, and between each sentence he took the kind of deep, desperate breath a drowning man takes before sinking again.
I, on the other hand, felt strangely relieved. He couldn't know what I was thinking. He couldn't see through me.
But then a question struck me — how did he know that what I told him yesterday about naming him, and the story of the sky, was true?
He looked up and, for the first time, smiled. It was a sad smile, but beautiful. "Don't worry, Vita. The bond isn't reversible. You won't feel what I feel. Even if I die, you won't feel a thing."
I froze. Then what was this that I felt right now? Because I did feel something — faint, unclear, but real. I could feel traces of Sky's emotions inside me, the quiet things hidden deep within his hear.
I could sense the feelings in his heart — not clearly, but enough to believe his words. Faint, yet powerful enough to make me sympathize with him. And that, to me, was a shock. It meant I wouldn't be able to keep my relationship with Sky neutral, even if I tried.
His personality would start shaping mine. I'm twenty-three, and I know I'm still growing — my mind, my emotions, nothing about me is stable yet. It wasn't long ago that I wished to die, and now I'm doing everything I can to live.
I still don't know who I am, or who I want to become. I'm surrounded by danger, and the last thing I need is another lost soul's heart tearing me apart.
The sword and shield Sky offered came at a cost far heavier than I could bear. But do I really have the luxury to reject it? Sky is the only thing keeping me from falling into complete dependence on Riven — who's already gone, proving how unreliable he is. He's the reason I'm in this situation to begin with. And the fact that Riven was upset when I named Sky means that Sky might actually hold some leverage over him. I knew then: getting rid of Sky wasn't an option.
I kept my expression firm, pretending everything he said was perfectly normal. "So… what's in it for you?" I asked.
He looked genuinely confused, as if the question itself didn't make sense. "I am your slave. I get nothing."
I didn't know what to feel — upset, sad, disgusted maybe. Hearing his answer forced me to face the brutal truth of this world again. I couldn't imagine what it meant to live as a slave — to endure the cruelty of those who turned your life into hell, and still get nothing in return.
I looked into his eyes and said, as naturally as I could, "Here's your first command: make me breakfast."
While waiting, I kept thinking about what I could possibly give him. I didn't want to give him freedom — I'm not that good of a person, and I don't intend to be. I didn't want to give him comfort — I don't have that myself. I just wanted to give him something… human.
He returned quickly, carrying some fish. We ate together in silence. Then I said, "Sky, from now on, you'll have two days each week to decide what we do. During those days, the schedule is yours to set. You won't go anywhere alone — I can't be left unprotected. Whatever you choose, I'll be there."
Before I could finish, my heart began pounding violently. The pain was sharp — unbearable. I couldn't breathe. Sky rushed toward me, worried, but I knew the pain wasn't physical. What I'd just said had triggered something complicated inside him. I blacked out.
When I opened my eyes, I was in a white space.
And before me stood a man — older, taller, stronger than Sky, yet unmistakably him.
"Hello, Master," he said.