The Sympathizer

Chapter 19

I feel jittery for some reason. My nerves are on edge, body light like I'm floating. The medical team have been keeping a close eye on me after my near death experience but I don't think it has anything to do with that.

I turn around in bed, the sheets pooling around me and hear a groan from my side.

"You've stolen the blanket again," Lazarus murmurs in a voice thick with sleep. My heart skips, body coming alive at the sound of him, even though we were up the whole night, our hands never seeming to get enough of each other.

"Thought you said you didn't need one," I recall him telling me exactly that on the first night back after Cixin. It's been three nights since and I've spent them all here.

Our days have been a whirlwind of investigations and debriefings but our nights are spent in each others arms. I can think of nothing more perfect. This is the life I have always wanted.

Lazarus turns to look at me. He blinks a few times and the turquoise in his eyes are all I can see when he smiles. His golden white hair is spooled around his head in a mess, I feel like dragging my hands through every strand.

"I'm going to need my blanket back." He says in a low voice.

I shake my head, the ghost of a smile playing on my lips and squeal when he grabs me, blanket and sheets and all, dragging my body to his. He kisses my cheek and then my neck before making his way to my lips.

It feels like we've never kissed before. Every time is like the first. Full of desperation, hunger and want. But today we have a war council meeting with the generals and commanders, we can't afford to be late.

Competition is stiff. The three of us are constantly being voted for and against by the army and public. This week the first spot went to Lucian since he has been here, manning the grounds mostly while Lazarus and I were away.

Next week will be a different result judging by the way I was received after we got back. Our army was already alerted about the bombing and rebel attacks. I never thought I would stand a chance without Lazarus's or Lucian's backing.

But this time it feels different. The army has never looked at me with such profound respect. Even though Lazarus was by my side, it was clear who they congratulated. My mind goes to the writings on the walls of that cave on Cixin.

The female Plutonian who will run the universe.

Could that be me one day?

Lazarus kisses the side of my head and I lean in to his touch. I don't understand how someone can smell so good in the morning but he defies all laws. Physically, he is utter perfection.

"We should get ready," I tell him reluctantly. His lips are swollen from all the kissing. I figure mine must be as well.

"Indeed." He agrees, not before kissing me again. "I have a surprise for you, Luna. For everyone."

"Don't I deserve to know first?" I say and that jittery feeling is back again. The nerve endings firing up like I just drank an entire cup of that coffee Lucian likes.

Lazarus smiles knowingly, he gives me that same smile every time I ask him about this supposed surprise. He doesn't know I've looked through my fathers files. He doesn't know that I'm aware of his multiple visits to Earth.

Since the Sympathizers haven't been able to gather much else, I can only guess that this has something to do with his presentation today. I can only hope that it will be something good.

We go our separate ways after breakfast. I have a quick meeting with my squad members and Nana, a calligrapher and linguist I employed to decipher the messages on the wall. She started off with some difficulty but thankfully has made some progress today.