Chapter Thirteen

“I’ll keep you safe,” I say.

“I know you will,” she smiles.

I suspect she knows everything, though I’m trying to hide it.

The first moment I met Katia, I knew I was in trouble.

She's beautiful, of course. Stunning. But there's something more about her.

Her soul speaks to me. It looks into my soul. It touches me.

I feel her.

And she feels me.

So, I try to keep my distance as we talk. Yet I can't help but be fascinated by her.

"A butterfly," she says, as it lands on her finger. Even after all she's been through, she looks at it with such delight. As if the world is innocent and beautiful. I want to see the world through her eyes.

"I've never seen a butterfly this color," she says, smiling at the silver stars against its dark blue wings. "So, it can't be a regular butterfly. Maybe it's a magical butterfly."

"It's a fairy," I say, surprised that something so playful has come from my mouth. “Magic.”

I smile at her, and she smiles back.

“Here,” she says, holding her finger up