"Hera…," I stuttered, my face flaming red from embarrassment.
Hera laughed at the expression on my face as I turned to look at Charles, who had a stern look on his face.
"See you later, Nessy," he called as he transformed back to his Gulon form.
"Nessy," Charles called.
"Charles, we're not… It's not what it seems," I tried to explain, but the words that I needed seemed lost.
"Of course, it has nothing to do with me. Let's go," Charles grabbed me around the waist and leapt forward, gently pushing his feet off the ground and starting to ascend to the sky.
I snuggled closer to Charles as he held me tightly in his arms. I lay my head against his shoulder and my arms clasped tightly around his neck. Charles turned his head to look at me with a tenderness that I had missed back at the hillside with Hera.
"Charles, there is nothing between Hera and me. I need you to know that," I whispered as we passed the town on our way to the safe house.
