The sword flashed as a girl hugged him almost immediately, having them both lay on the bed together.
Michael thought she was crying, burying her face in his chest. It has been days since she had transformed into her physical body. He wanted to hold her just as much as she wanted to hold him.
Evelyn was wiping her tears on his shirt.
He stared at the ceiling. "It's almost like danger always finds their way to me, no matter where I go."
She pressed the side of her face on his chest. "I didn't like the way he hit you."
"Yeah, I could feel how angry you were."
"I'm sorry, Michael, I just…the feeling of the bond was taking over, I thought you could win."
Michael sat up. "Yeah, I also thought I could win."
"You almost died, why are you smiling?"
"Because I almost die every time, it's funny to me. And every time, it's always for something I believe in. I wanted to teach that man a lesson because he hurt the waitress."
The word waitress made Evelyn's eye twitch.
"And I almost died on our quest because I wanted us to have some money. I think it's a universal warning that I should learn from my mistakes, right?"
"You're so stupid."
"But Stefan's right, I'm not invincible. Even if your magic can protect me, I still have to get stronger."
"Does getting stronger have you risk your life every time?"
"I think it does, Evelyn."
She groaned, rubbing his swollen cheek. Her fingers pressing on his skin sort of stinged but he didn't really mind it.
"I mean, I have to learn some way. You were okay with Mave beating me up in training, why are you worried now?"
"Because it's different," she moaned. "I don't want to lose you."
Michael smiled back. "I don't want to lose you either."
She leaned forward and kissed him.
Michael felt his worries burning away every second she held against him. It just felt so serene, as if the world was completely dissolving around him. His only focus was the love of his life sitting beside him.
Maybe this was her real magic besides being immune to spells. To transport Michael in this world where he only wanted to embrace her.
Evelyn pulled away. "Are you getting taller?"
Michael blinked. "What—"
She dragged him off the bed and stood even with him, comparing the top of their heads with each other.
Michael just stood still for her.
"You're an inch taller than me," she blurted. "Look!"
He watched her hand repeatedly move over their heads. Michael couldn't tell the difference in their heights but he always thought they were the same when he first met her.
Michael looked at her concerned face. "Is…that a bad thing—"
"Obviously!" she said. "I'm supposed to be taller!"
Michael was more worried if anybody outside could hear another voice in the room.
"Is our bond making you grow or something?"
"I don't think that's how it works."
She stared into his eyes like she was studying him.
Michael thought she was pretty even if she felt shorter. He was just happy that she could be in her body again.
"It's going to feel weird seeing you taller than me, Michael."
"Did you forget humans get taller when we're older?"
Evelyn frowned as she plopped onto the bed. He didn't really understand the frustration of being taller in the relationship. It was actually known for the male to be taller but she was more persistent that standard should be for her.
Michael sat next to her. "I'm sorry that I'm growing."
"That's the point, you're going to keep growing."
"Am I not supposed to?"
"No," she rolled over to him. "You're human. You can age, you can get old, then you shrivel up and die."
"That's…one way to put it."
"I'm immortal, Michael, I can't age like you do. I will stay and look like this for the rest of my life. I don't want to see you get old."
Michael started laughing. He found this whole situation funny. Even if she started punching his shoulder, he thought it was really cute.
"Tell me what's funny!" she demanded as she punched him again. "Are you making fun of me?"
"No, I'm not," he wiped his eyes. "I'm not going to get old that fast, Evelyn, is that what you're talking about?"
She sat back in the bed with her frowning face.
"I'm only fifteen, it's not like I'm going to turn old by next year or something. It's going to take time before you'll see me shrivel up and die."
She pouted her face. "I wouldn't want to see that."
"We still have time, lots of time," Michael laughed. "And I'm going to spend the rest of that with you."
"Only if you promise me something."
He looked into her golden eyes.
"Stay with me, Michael. You're not going to chase after somebody else while you're saying this to me, right?"
"No, of course not, what makes you think that?"
Evelyn still stared at him.
"You're the prettiest girl I have ever seen and the only one that talks to me, really, there's nobody else that I want to be with but you."
"This includes other swords."
Michael totally forgot she was an ego sword. He still nodded his head.
Evelyn sprung forward and hugged him.
He felt her arms tightly wrapping around his body as if he was going to slip away. It even felt like she was imprinting the mark of her arms into his back. Though, it was a desperately warm feeling that he wanted to last forever.
"Don't die, Michael, please…" she said softly in his ear. "Stay alive so I can see you again."
He pulled away. "I'm not going to die, Evelyn."
"How could you say that so easily?"
"Because I'm making sure I'll be alive, just for you."
She smiled with a small giggle. "You're so stupid."
"Well, you're going to be stuck with stupid for a long time."
She leaned in again.
The knob of the door rattled behind them, startling them both. Michael expected the door to open but he recalled him double-checking the lock before he had transformed Evelyn.
"Kid?" the voice shouted on the other side. "Why's your door locked—oh, wait, my bad! Do whatever you want, it's been a long ride."
Evelyn turned to him. "What's he talking about?"
Michael turned to her. "I have no idea."
He grabbed her hand and flashed her back into a sword. He opened the door and headed downstairs to where everyone was waiting for him. Michael wondered when they had a meeting and he wasn't even invited.
"There's been a change of plans," Ellis said. "Instead of enjoying our pleasure in this beautiful home, with thanks to Mrs. Hayes, we're going to group up with all the adventurers."
Michael glanced to the outside. "Is the attack happening now?"
"No, it's not, but it's been almost a week since the first party was sent here. I feel more comfortable when everyone else is on the same page instead of having these, like Mave said, hooligans running around Almore with nothing else to do other than harassing the people."
Michael hardly believed they would listen to someone like Ellis when he was nowhere near half their height.
"Yeah, what a bummer," Stefan yawned. "I was hoping to sleep for the rest of the day."
Ellis strapped on his armor. "Booze hitting you that hard already?"
"I told you I quit drinking."
"Yeah, and I told you that I'd quit this party two years ago. Let's go."
Mrs. Hayes stood at the doorway. "You can let us know if you'd like anything else, young man."
"No, you two are coming with us."
"I beg your pardon?"
"We're going to be here for a while. It isn't like Falden to rush a blatant attack in the open without any scouting work. The adventurers and townspeople should at least get along for the time being."
"I'd hate to say this," she shook her head. "There is absolutely no way that we could get along. Have you seen the things they've done before you and your party came here?"
"No, I haven't, but I assume it's nothing pleasant. That's why we're here, right? To enforce some laws and get the people in order so your town could return back to its former days."
"Would you…really do that?"
Ellis glanced at Mave and Stefan. "We're more than equipped, Mrs. Hayes. Don't worry, you're going to be safe with us."