There were still pools of tears in her eyes, and her nose was swollen and reddened when she sniffed charmingly with it.

Wet brown curls stuck to her back and shoulders in a chaotic manner as she tried to brush it off her face.

- This is not something that I want to experience from time to time. - she replied, still coughing. - But thanks for reminding me, you’re too kind to me.

- Your sarcasm will not save your life if you go into trouble. - he came closer and put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back slightly to his chest. – Why did you agree to this idiotic plan?

- Ivrim has lived more than twice as long as you, and if it weren’t for his wisdom, the Elven people wouldn’t have lasted so long with one ruler. Don’t you think so? – under his hot palms, peace spread on her shoulders. - You can’t expect others to lay down their lives instead of yours. Everyone wants to live. And if you take into account that the fight may be unequal, then this is a clear way to make the right decision and retreat. We can’t blame them forever for that act, because it’s partly your fault.

- If they had provided their help in time, they would not have had to be afraid of me, Temi. - Raphael explained. – I know that they fenced themselves off from my madness, but if they could protect you, could prevent such an outcome, none of this would have happened.

- If... if... - she shrugged and shrugged off his hands, turning to face him. – We can’t know what the "if" would be. What has already happened is what we live with. No need to live in the past.

- It’s hard to imagine how to do it. - Raphael said quietly and calmly.

- You let me go, but you keep remembering that day. Is it not living in the past? - Artemis prodded him with her question.

- I never let you go. Fuck... - he swore angrily again. – I lived the agony day after day, every single day, when you were not with me. And you say I let you go? 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

- You can try to deceive yourself, but I know it’s true. - She touched his stubbly cheek with her hand, feeling a heartache and a desire to hug him. – I missed you very much. I love you so much that my selfishness is tearing me to pieces. I want to be with you and at the same time I understand that it will make you unhappy. What should I do, Raphael? How do I live with this? I don’t want to die, I don’t want to go back into the recesses of Thea’s subconscious.

She began to cry bitterly, huddled in a ball on his chest, her hands on his shoulders. His warmth was pleasant, soothing, something she needed so badly.

Such close physical contact was akin to a dream for her, it was hard to believe that once they were close to each other, and now they feel stiffness touching each other’s naked body, it was as if they were strangers to each other, as if this was their first meeting.

- It would be too cruel to want to possess her body just to stay with you forever. – she wouldn’t let up, sobbing even harder and her crying smoothly turned into hysteria.

Raphael gently stroked her hair, her back, pressed her to him so hard that he could only take away at least some of her suffering for himself. The situation in which they found themselves was not just difficult to do, it was hopeless. Whatever choice they make, it will not bring them absolute happiness.

Raphael thought about her words. Did he want her to completely absorb Thea’s consciousness? Would he be able to accept it calmly?

He was happy to hold her in his arms again, to feel her living warmth, the softness of her skin, her fragrance, he did not want it to end ever. But Thea...

His eyelids closed heavily when he remembered his blond girl, obstinate, flighty and so gentle. He missed her just as much.

But the worm of doubt continued to gnaw at him from the inside, forcing him to think about whether it was because too much time had passed after Artemis’s death, or maybe it was the Artemis artifact itself that Thea had absorbed? Perhaps it was because of him that from the very first day he felt a strange attraction, inexplicably strong.

Raphael recalled his first days with the princess, his anger that she attracted him despite the fact that she was the daughter of his enemy. He tried to find an excuse for this, a reason, but instead he plunged into the abyss of falling in love more and more.

So it’s all the fault of the artifact? So his love for Princess Riliya was contrived and imposed? No matter how much he wanted to believe it, but so far all his thoughts were reduced only to this conclusion and it irritated him even more. He resisted this realization, did not want to accept it. But could he check it somehow?

He pushed Artemis away from his chest and lifted her chin with his fingertips, peering into her tearful eyes before devouring her plump lips with greedy hunger.

Goosebumps rumbled nervously in Artemis’s stomach, squeezing her muscles in a spasm as Raphael parted her lips with his tongue, penetrating inside aggressively and with taste.

Like everything Raphael did, this act was an extreme surprise, for which it was impossible to prepare. She felt the heat on her reddened cheeks as his soft tongue rubbed against her tongue, palate, lips. It was as if he was looking for something.

And she allowed him to kiss her wildly, hotly, greedily, to the point of frenzy, to the trembling in her knees, to the bent toes. She missed him too much to push him away now, despite the pain Thea might be feeling right now.