Page 28 of Forbidden! Exorcist Roommate
I was confused as to why he was confused.
“Don’t you, when you’re in a hotel?” I asked, my voice nearly shrill with bewilderment.
“No? I’ve never stayed in a hotel.” His mouth scrunched up likeIwas the one acting weird. “I’ve been in cheap motels, but rummaging through the drawers was the last thing on my mind.”
“Okay, well, I’m sorry,” I said, flushing. “I didn’t mean to invade your privacy, but I feel like you brought it upon yourself when you forced me to sleep in your bedroom.”
Sagitta let out a heavy sigh, as if a new layer of fatigue was crushing him. “It’s fine. Is it comfortable, at least?”
I didn’t expect that question. The warmth tinging my cheeks grew hotter.
“Yeah, I guess,” I mumbled.
“Good. You should go back to sleep. Your body needs rest.”
“I can’t.”
His tired eyes told me that was a problem. I was starting to feel like a petulant child under the care of a weary caretaker.
“What will make you go to sleep?” he asked listlessly.
When I had trouble sleeping, I watched Demetrius swim around for a while. The tranquility of his underwater paradise always calmed me down. I remembered the many outdoor ponds I’d seen in the courtyards.
“Do you have any pond fish?” I asked. “It sounds weird, but I find them soothing to watch.”
As if a switch was flicked, Sagitta’s expression changed. He looked excited and boyish, but only for a second before he composed himself.
“You want to see pond fish?” he asked.
“Yeah, if there are any.”
He was quiet for a few seconds. “Come with me.”
“Um... I thought I was under room-arrest.”
“It’s only for five minutes, and you’re under my supervision. Come on. Unless you’d rather stay here.”
I leapt out of the room and fell in beside him.
Sagitta strode out to one of the outdoor courtyards. Although the temple stood in the middle of the city, the bustle and noise felt so far away. It was oddly peaceful here.
I recognized the courtyard with the manicured shrubs and waterfall installation. Small solar-powered lights along the ground lit our path. It wasn’t the first pond I’d seen, but my time here at the temple had been too chaotic to investigate. But now, Sagitta kneeled in front of the pond and nodded for me to join him.
As I crouched beside Sagitta, his beauty caught my eye. The moonlight bounced off his blue-black hair, casting it in a pale sheen that glowed like a halo. I only allowed myself a couple seconds of staring before forcing myself to gaze into the pond instead.
The surface was carpeted with lush floating plants: water lettuce, red-roots, frogbit... Some of them were even flowering.
Wordlessly, Sagitta brushed his hand against the plants to expose more of the water’s surface. Even in the dim light, I noticed the water’s rich amber tinge. A burst of excitement unfurled within my chest.
“Tannins?” I asked.
Sagitta nodded. “Lotus pods and almond leaves to lower the pH.”
My heart beat faster, lurching like a revved engine. I couldn’t believe he’d just said those words.
“Does anything else live in here?” I asked, almost tripping over my tongue.
He smirked like he had a surprise for me. “Why don’t you take a closer look?”
