I hate going through this when we just found...," his voice trailed off.
"Found what?"
"Each other," he finished, half-smiling.

I was all too aware of his hands resting on my lower back, their imprints like sweet flames that seemed to go through the thin fabric of my dress and onto my skin.

The last thing I heard before falling asleep was, "Everything is okay now."
No matter how much I wanted to believe Stellan, I knew he was terribly wrong.

They were a deep emerald green, the exact same color as mine, and they glowed with an intensity I had never witnessed before. A slash of silver crossed each one, the sun's reflection making them sparkle like dancing crystals. The emerald irises appeared to be swirling in circles, creating the illusion that his eyes were never-ending. Flecks of darker emerald clustered around each pupil made my breath catch in my throat. Suddenly, my disheartened mood vanished, almost as if I had never felt sadness before. Something about these eyes held me in place, as if I had found a balance, blanketing me in a cocoon of comfort, free of worries and concerns.

Ah, Zora, you are so naive," the fire fairy said with a hearty chuckle. "You have no idea what happened to them, do you? You have no clue as to what happened to your parents.

I'm sorry I ruined your homecoming."
He kissed me once more and then shook his head. "The only thing that could ruin this is not being with you.