Daughter of Wine

Leo

I'm not sure what time it is when I wake up, but the ship is quiet. There's only the steady hum of the engine room, and the usual creaks that accompany a wooden ship.

I look down at Calli, who is asleep beside me in my makeshift bed on the floor. Asleep, she looks almost angelic. Her brows aren't furrowed in worry, her shoulders aren't tense. She lets out a small, gentle snore, pushing herself closer to me.

I feel super guilty.

She has no idea what I'm planning. Would she still have wanted to sleep with me, to be with me, if she knew the truth? Probably not. She'd probably slap me again like she did in Malta, and storm out of the engine room. I mean, I'm being a pretty awful boyfriend. I'm planning to die, and bring myself back to life, only to disappear and rescue another girl who fell in love with me and kissed me.

Calli had asked how she can help me save Calypso. Sure, I'd love to fly to the island with her by my side, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to.

Calypso's island can only found by men, first of all, and they're always alone. I don't want to risk my chances by bringing Calli along. Besides, I don't know how she'll react to seeing Calypso, or seeing where I spent a week with the beautiful immortal farmer-girl. I don't want to risk her getting upset and turning Calypso into a dolphin.

So, I'll keep my secret, and fix it when I get back. That's the best thing I can think to do.

Instead, I set myself to commit every detail of her face to memory. The curve of her lower lip, the small smile that constantly exists in the corner of her mouth. The light freckles splashed across her nose and cheeks that definitely were not there before. Her eyelashes, long and dark. The arch of her eyebrows. I run my fingers through her hair. It's a dark, chocolatey brown, but near the ends, hidden in her waves, is a streak of gray from when she held up the sky.

I run my fingers through her hair again. Her ears are small and dainty, with three little hoops in each one. Where her hair is growing in, it looks darker, almost black, as if the sun has been lightening it as it grows out all her life.

Her skin is soft and smooth. Last night, I learned that it's her hair that smells like jasmine, and her skin that smells like honeysuckle. In the bathroom, she has jasmine-scented shampoo and conditioner, but there's a jar of cream that smells like honeysuckle. It must be hers.

I hear footsteps upstairs, and a moment later, the bathroom door squeaks. I hear another pair of footsteps wander to the mess hall. The rest of the crew is waking up.

I hate to wake her, but she needs to get dressed before someone comes down looking for us.

"Hey." I shake her gently. "Wake up."

She frowns in her sleep, brushing my arm away and rolling over.

"Calli." I try again. "It's G-Day."

She sits up with a start, a panicked look in her eyes.

"Oh, gods." She shudders. "It's today."

"Yes ma'am." I wrap my arm around her shoulders. "Good morning, by the way."

She relaxes a bit and smiles at me. "Good morning." She gives me a kiss. "Sorry, just stressed."

Looking at her awake, my heart flutters involuntarily in my chest. She's always been beautiful, but after seeing her last night, seeing all of her, it's like I'm looking at Aphrodite herself. I can't imagine I'm much to look at, but her eyes glimmer when they meet mine. I wish I could see myself the way she sees me.

"Makes sense." I manage. "We need to get dressed."