The House of Grey- Volume 4 (45 page)

If Taris was startled
,
she
did not
show it
.
H
er body was ferociously limp as he set her on
her
feet
.
S
o limp that he thought for the briefest of moments that she might crash back to the ground. 
After a few long seconds, s
he reanimated
,
strength coming back to
her
limbs. They gathered their
belongings
in silence
,
as talking to one another
felt
disrespectful somehow. This unnatural silence continued for most of the return trip. Taris did not even ask for help as she struggled up the steep
footpath
of the ravine. Monson offered her his hand but she either ignored
it
or just did not
notice.
S
he
did not even
take it after she stumbled on the muddy
pathway
. They forged their way along the path back towards the concealed chest on the edge of the southern campus
.
R
eplacing the items
,
they continued to maneuver back towards
T
he Barracks and their beds.
The a
wkward tension that had
accompanied them on their return trip
forc
ed
Monson to consider
,
to focus on his failure. The overwhelming intensity that traveled hand
-
in
-
hand with that tension lessened to some degree
as he walked,
but not much. They
walked to
the threshold of the Atrium and Monson knew he could not leave it like this.

“Thank you Taris
,
” he said in a quiet voice
.
“
T
onight was really amazing.”

Taris gave him a gentle smile
,
simply studying his
face
.

“
Can
I ask you a question
?
” Her voice reflected
her resolve
.

“I don’t see why not,” answered Monson
,
a little uneasy. He hoped she did not start crying again.

“No
..
.
” Taris
’
voice and expression reflected an intens
ity and
sever
ity
. No trace of a smile could be found on her lips and
no hint
of the playful ban
t
er that he had become so use
d to
was evident in her tone
. Taris was serious, very serious.

“I want you to answer something for me and I want you
to
be totally honest. Can you do that?”

Monson watched her as she waited for his answer.

“Yes, you may ask whatever question you wish and I will do my best to answer you with the
utmost
honesty.”

“Good
.
”
H
er eyes never left his face. She exhaled deeply
and
wasting no time said
,
“
I
s all fair in love and war?”

Monson’s eyebrow soared so high that he was in danger of having it caught on something. He gaped at her.

“Well
,
Monson Grey
?
” Her voice broke
.
“They say that you are wise and practical
,
so answer my question
.
I
s all fair in love and war?”

Monson turned his back to her and pondered her question. He could feel her gaze on
him
. It made his hair
s
prickle
. Why ask such a question? What
wa
s the point? Monson
had
hoped that he would grow to understand Taris
at some point in their courtship… relationship…whatever it was they had
. Possibly see things the way she did, know
a bit more about
what she was thinking and feeling. How wrong he was.  His own inconsistencies
had
sabotaged that plan
;
the plan to know and understand Taris Green
.
A
nd now he was like a fish out of water
,
drowning in a foreign habitat created of his own inability to adapt
to new surroundings
. He
sighed,
and upon doing so
,
saw a strange exotic flower a few feet from where they were standing. Monson formed his answer.

“Yes
,
and I don’t know
.
” He picked the flower then sidled back towards Taris. “The answer to the first part of your question is yes, I do think that all is fair in
true
love because something like that comes along so rarely we should do everything in our power to hold onto it. I will reserve judgment on the second part of your question
;
I hope that I will never have to answer it.”  He pushed back a stra
nd
of her hair and placed the flower smoothly behind her ear.

Neither
Taris
’
face
nor
countenance change
d
as he touched her
,
causing Monson to wonder if he
had gone
too far
– been too bold
. Relief
followed
as he continued to look at her and felt the warmth of her face.
He
saw
a flicker of a smile in
the expanse of her green eyes. In that instant
,
Monson knew that Taris agreed with him.

“Goodnight Taris
,
”
he
said. He
bent
over and kissed her on the cheek
,
smiling as he did. Monson Grey turned on his heel and headed back to
his
room.

Thanks for reading! Join Monson and the crew in
The House of Grey: Volume 5
.

Tell your friends, your teachers, your family members,

and
your hair stylist
-
this is one you won’t want to miss.

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