Chapter 71: Twenty Kisses, Not Enough
Seraphina's Point of View
Seraphina didn't know the exact moment her body started to ache without asking.
It wasn't a sharp pain, nothing dramatic. Just a hum. A quiet tug behind her ribs and in the backs of her legs, like her bones were whispering: rest, please, just a little.
But she wouldn't. Couldn't.
Because Eva still smiled. Eva still climbed into her arms like a princess coming home from war. Eva still believed her lap was a throne and that kisses could solve the world's ills.
So Seraphina rose. Day after day. With less sleep, more bruises, tighter muscles.
And Eva's name printed across her soul like a liturgy.
*****
That evening, she finished her training half an hour late. Her hands were scraped raw from the last round of knife drills, and her back ached from sparring with a tutor who took pleasure in knocking the wind out of her.
She showered quickly—cold water, to dull the swelling—and wrapped her hands in fresh gauze.
Eva was already home. She would've returned from her little garden lesson with Vivienne. Probably painted. Possibly had too much sugar.
Seraphina was late. Again.
She clenched her jaw and reached for her boots, biting back the guilt that rose in waves.
She missed her.
She missed her more than she could say.
*****
Down the hall, Vivienne sat in her reading chair, fingers loosely curled around a porcelain teacup.
Eva was curled on the couch, legs swinging gently, her sketchbook abandoned beside her. Her curls were a little wild today—Seraphina would brush them later—and her cheeks were full from a second serving of sponge cake.
"You're quiet today, little moon," Vivienne said, sipping gently.
Eva huffed, full of drama. "Ina's busy again."
Vivienne raised a brow. "She is training, isn't she?"
"Yes," Eva said, crossing her arms. "And school. And being a protector. And becoming strong."
She sniffled slightly, not from sadness—but from effort. Holding it together was hard for her, especially when she missed someone.
Vivienne leaned forward slightly, brushing a curl from Eva's face. "That's all true. But I think she'll come see you before bed."
Eva brightened just a little. "Maybe she'll give me twenty kisses to make up for it."
"Twenty!" Vivienne laughed. "That's quite a lot. You must really love her cheeks."
Eva blinked. "…Cheeks?"
"Well, where else would someone get twenty kisses?"
Eva went quiet.
Her little mouth pressed into a firm line. Her eyes darted briefly to the doorway—as if she sensed something.
Because Seraphina was there.
Frozen.
Just around the corner, heart stuttering like a trapped bird.
Her face turned red.
Because she had definitely heard.
Vivienne's laughter continued. "Or perhaps you want ten for each cheek? Oh, Eva—don't look so mysterious. You're making me suspicious."
"I didn't say where," Eva muttered. "It's my number."
"Oh, I see. A secret code of kisses." Vivienne chuckled. "Well, if Ina finds out, I'm sure she'll—"
"I know she'll," Eva said confidently, sliding off the couch. "Because she loves me."
And just like that, she padded barefoot past the couch, past the soft rugs, and straight into Seraphina's arms.
*****
Their room was quiet. Dim. The curtains drawn, the fire soft and flickering.
Seraphina still hadn't spoken. She was trying to calm her blush. Trying to breathe.
Eva looked up with all the seriousness in the world. "You heard?"
"Yes."
"My number?"
"Yes."
"Are you embarrassed?"
Seraphina nodded slowly. "A little."
Eva giggled and wrapped her arms around her waist. "That's okay. I still love you."
Seraphina knelt, brushing her thumb along Eva's cheek. "You've been waiting for me."
Eva nodded. "I was a little sad. But it's okay. You're here now."
She sat herself down in Seraphina's lap like it was the most natural thing in the world, like the day couldn't end without her body pressed safely to the girl who had become her entire sky.
And Seraphina—exhausted, aching, but alive—breathed in the lavender and honey scent of Eva's hair and kissed the top of her head.
*****
"Ina?"
"Yes?"
"Will you make up for being late?"
Seraphina chuckled softly. "Is this where I owe you twenty kisses?"
Eva nodded with supreme dignity. "Yes. And I'm counting."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. Everywhere. Cheeks. Nose. Ears. Neck. Eyelids. Forehead. Hands. And lips."
Seraphina swallowed.
She hesitated. Just a beat. But Eva noticed.
"It's okay," she said, curling closer. "You can save that one for last."
And something broke softly inside Seraphina—something warm, something fragile.
So she gathered Eva in both arms and began.
One kiss. Cheek.
Two kisses. Other cheek.
Three. Forehead.
Four. Eyelid.
Five. Brows.
Six. Nose.
Seven, eight. Ears, each side.
Nine, ten, eleven—down her jaw, her chin, her temple.
"Ina—!" Eva giggled, squirming as Seraphina kissed her again and again, little spots she hadn't thought to count.
Twelve, thirteen. Neck.
Fourteen. Collarbone.
Fifteen. Shoulder.
Sixteen. Her palm.
Seventeen. Her other hand.
Eighteen. Her cheek again.
Nineteen. The tip of her nose.
Then Seraphina paused, lips ghosting above Eva's face, heart drumming against the weight of her restraint.
Eva smiled. A quiet, sleepy kind of smile. Then whispered—"You forgot my lips."
Seraphina's breath caught.
She pulled back.
But Eva's arms wrapped around her neck, gently anchoring her. "Just once," she murmured. "So I can sleep well."
And Seraphina, with trembling hands, cupped Eva's cheek—
And kissed her lips.
Soft. Pure. Sacred.
Not a rush.
Not a fire.
Just an eternal hush, pressed into a kiss that asked for nothing and gave everything.
*****
After, Eva yawned and curled against her. "Now I can sleep."
Seraphina held her.
So close.
Heart cracked open. Soul stretched beyond her years.
"I'll give you twenty more tomorrow," she whispered into her hair.
Eva smiled sleepily. "That's good. But I think… I might need thirty soon."
Seraphina laughed softly, burying her nose in the crook of her neck.
"You can have as many as you want," she said. "Forever."