Chapter 392: Suspended In Moonlight

[Music recommendation: Austin Farwell - My Universe]

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There were very few times in Aliana’s life when she had been completely swept away by the sheer wonder of nature.

The first had been when Gavriel transported her to Arvia, where a breathtaking waterfall cascaded into a deep canyon, the very ground where he had first manifested in the realm of the living.

She had believed nothing could ever surpass that memory.

After all, it was a place hidden far from human civilization, a place no human could reach, perched as it was atop treacherous, razor-sharp heights. She had only managed to witness its beauty because of her husband’s extraordinary powers.

Yet where she stood right now was an experience on an entirely different level.

The sheer thrill of standing on a tiny, isolated island in the middle of a restless sea at night, bathed in the faint glow of moonlight and encircled by endless waters, was utterly surreal.

After their heartfelt confession, the couple had spent some time resting before the evening slipped into night. After enjoying tea with the cake they had baked earlier, Gavriel had suggested taking her out, when the heavy rains had finally paused.

Although thick clouds still blanketed much of the sky, they parted in places, allowing glimpses of moonlight to spill across the dark waters.

Curiosity, as always, won Aliana over, and she had no reason to refuse.

So Gavriel simply drew her towards him until her back rested against his chest. One hand came up to cover her eyes, while his other arm secured itself around her waist. Aliana felt the dark pulse of his powers hum around her, and in the next heartbeat, she found herself standing in the middle of nowhere, greeted by the crisp, salty bite of the ocean wind.

Even saying she was awestruck would have been an understatement.

"This... this is unreal..." Aliana whispered in awe as she watched the waves crash against the tiny island they were standing on. Or rather, she could say that Gavriel was the one standing while she was simply being held securely in his arms, ensuring she did not end up taking an unplanned midnight dive into the sea.

Leaning close to her ear, Gavriel asked softly, "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Aliana repeated, letting out a disbelieving chuckle as she shook her head.

"Once again... you have managed to take my breath away, Gav."

She turned her head to look up at him, taking in his gorgeous face illuminated by the gentle moonlight. With his dark hair whipping in the sea breeze, she truly wondered if she was caught in a beautiful dream.

Gavriel felt the same wonder watching the bright sparkle return to her light grey eyes, which pulled him in like the center of his gravity. A genuine smile touched his lips, bringing out his elusive dimples that sent her heart soaring.

"How did you even spot this tiny place in the middle of the sea?" she asked, still amazed.

"I noticed it when we were flying over earlier," Gavriel replied, raising a hand to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I had a feeling you would enjoy experiencing it."

She gently held his wrist. "I can’t believe you spotted something so small from so high above." Her eyes softened. "You’re incredible."

"Do I get a reward?" he murmured, his voice dropping low.

Aliana’s eyes widened slightly before a soft laugh escaped her.

Drawn together like magnets, they leaned in close.

But just as their lips were inches apart, a sudden splash showered them in fine droplets of water. Aliana gasped in surprise before turning just in time to catch the tail end of a large fish plunging back beneath the dark waves.

"What was that?" Aliana exclaimed, her grip tightening on his arms. "Was it a shark?"

Gavriel glanced down at the water. "Do you want to find out?"

Aliana’s head snapped toward him. "You mean you want to dive in?"

He chuckled softly before leaning in to press an affectionate kiss against her cheek. "Look ahead, baby," he murmured, resting his chin on her shoulder as his hold on her waist tightened. "Here it comes."

Aliana looked forward, just in time to see an enormous sea creature leap out of the water directly before them. But right as the massive creature reached a certain height of its jump, something extraordinary occurred.

Before Aliana’s very eyes, the waves froze mid-motion. The droplets of seawater suspended around the creature hung motionless in the air, glimmering like tiny jewels beneath the moonlight. Even the wind that had been whipping through their hair fell silent, as though the entire world had stopped breathing.

Utterly speechless, she stared in shock at the giant creature suspended in time before her.

As the realization slowly dawned on her, slowly she turned to look at Gavriel, whose eyes were glowing a brilliant, blood-red.

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Gavriel, however, seemed entirely unbothered. When his crimson gaze finally met hers, he simply said, "It’s a whale."

Aliana blinked at him. "What...?"

Her expression remained shell-shocked as she struggled to make sense of what had just happened.

Gavriel tilted his head, a look of slight confusion touching his features. "Did you not want to know what kind of creature it was?"

Aliana stared at him as though he had grown two heads. Slowly, she shook her head, struggling to find the words.

"You... you just..." She paused, looking from his glowing red eyes to the enormous whale hanging motionless in the air. "You just stopped time, and you’re telling me about the whale?"

Gavriel paused, appearing to process her shock before offering an earnest explanation. "I can only hold it for a brief window now, perhaps a couple of minutes..."

He broke eye contact, looking almost embarrassed as he added softly, "When I possessed my full strength, I could sustain it far longer."

Aliana was rendered speechless once more. Amazed that he was focused on explaining the technical limits of his ability rather than realising she was utterly astonished by his godlike power display.

Then a thought struck her.

’Wait a minute... Is he actually embarrassed that he can only freeze time for a couple of minutes?’ She could clearly see a flicker of disappointment in his crimson eyes.

Unable to hold herself back, she cupped his cheek and kissed him passionately before drawing away to caress his face with tender affection.

"My silly Devil..." she murmured. "The fact that you can do something so incredible is magnificent in itself, yet here you are..."

She shook her head, glancing back at the whale suspended above the water. "Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would witness something so magical, and I owe this experience entirely to you."