Chapter 280 | Mira’s Kiss…

Chapter 280: 280 | Mira’s Kiss...

Lyra made a face at him before disappearing into the bedroom. Selene glanced at him a bit of reluctance on her face before she followed after her and Dexter turned to Mira. "You should bath first."

Mira nodded, and he wheeled her toward the bathroom.

The familiar routine should have settled him. He placed clean nightclothes on the dry shelf, spread a towel within reach, and tested the water with his wrist.

Mira watched him from beside the tub, her necklace resting against the dress.

Dexter reached toward the clasp, then paused. "May I?"

Her eyes lifted to his as she raised an eyebrow. "You’ve been helping me bathe for months."

"I meant the necklace."

"Oh..."

She was slightly embarrassed but she lowered her chin slightly, giving him room.

His fingers brushed the warm skin at the back of her neck as he unfastened it, and Mira went unusually still. He set the necklace carefully beside her clothes, then helped her out of the dress and lowered her into the bath.

For a while, neither spoke as Dexter washed the festival dust from her arms and shoulders, then worked shampoo gently through her red hair.

Usually, Mira had at least three complaints ready before he finished the first rinse.

Tonight, she simply closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth.

When she turned slightly toward him, he found himself looking at her face longer than necessary.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"You looked happy today."

Mira looked down at the water. "I won most of the games."

"That must have been it."

She flicked a little water at his wrist with her right hand, making Dexter chuckled, but she didn’t say anything else.

After a moment, her gaze suddenly went to his shoulder and ti Dexter surprise, she asked.

"Does it still hurt?"

His hand stopped and the sound of water dripping became suddenly loud.

Dexter sighed and he admittted. "Just a little," he admitted.

Mira’s jaw tightened. Dexter had alredy taken her pain and not just hers alone, he had taken Selene and Lyra’s pain too. Now he somehow managed to get himself injured, it made Mira furious and extremely distressed. "You getting injured really irks me. If it were up to me, I’d lock you up at home with me."

Dexter looked at her and saw she was serious.

He nodded slowly, and Mira looked at the sleeve covering his bandages. "Will you tell me what happened?"

"I wasn’t planning on hiding it from your girls forever. But tommorow, I will tell you three what had happen."

She studied him for several seconds, then her right hand closed lightly around his wrist.

"Alright. I know you’re trying to protect us but we’ve grown stronger compared to months ago. Don’t look down on us."

Dexter covered her fingers with his free hand. "All right."

She released him first and looked away. "There had better not be a next time."

That drew a small laugh from him. "I’ll do my best."

He finished bathing her without rushing. When she was ready, he helped her out, dried her carefully, and settled her in the wheelchair. She pushed her right arm into the sleeve of her nightdress herself while he helped with the other, then watched him fasten the buttons.

Mira glanced down at his hands.

Dexter looked up, and they held each other’s gaze for a moment before both nearly smiled.

He combed the damp ends of her hair, placed the towel around her shoulders, and checked that her feet rested comfortably on the supports.

"There."

He gathered the damp towels and set them aside. Then smiled as he spoke.

"Good night, Mira."

He had barely turned when she spoke. "Wait."

Dexter looked back. Mira had moved the wheelchair a little closer, her right hand resting on the armrest, and she seemed suddenly interested in the floor between them.

"Something wrong?"

"No." She took a breath, then lifted her face. "Thank you for today."

The words were quiet and unguarded, and Dexter’s expression softened. "Mira, you don’t have to—"

Crimson light suddenly appeared beside her chair.

He stopped.

Her spectral arms formed, but instead of reaching for a towel or the wheelchair handles, they lowered toward her legs. The mana shifted, stretching into a finer shape as it followed the line of her thighs and knees.

The glowing forms seemed to sink into the outline of her legs, leaving a thin crimson sheen over the skin. Her feet lifted from the footrests and settled on the floor.

"Mira?"

Her fingers tightened around the armrest. "Don’t distract me."

She leaned forward, and Dexter moved immediately, hands ready to catch her. But she was already rising, the spectral limbs supporting and guiding her own as her knees slowly straightened and she stood up!

On her two feet.

Dexter forgot everything as his eyes dropped to the mana holding her steady.

Her legs hadn’t suddenly healed, he could see the effort in her face and the slight tremor at her knees she was actually proficient enough to merge the spectral arm with her legs!

He couldn’t imagine how much pain and practice she went through for this.

"You’ve been practicing," he whispered.

"Dexter..."

He looked up and Mira leaned forward, her right hand catching his sleeve for balance, and before his mind could catch up with the movement, her lips touched his cheek.

Soft, warm and electric.

Dexter went completely still as heat spread from that small point of contact, moving across his face until even his ears felt hot.

He could feel her breath near his skin, and for one bewildered second, he couldn’t remember what he was supposed to do with his hands.

Mira’s face was almost as red as her hair. She stayed close just long enough to whisper beside his ear. "If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you."

Then she drew back.

Dexter stared at her as his mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Mira looked briefly satisfied with that result.

Then the light around her knees flickered, and he caught her elbow as she lowered herself carefully into the wheelchair.