Not giving much to the shadow she had imagined during the time of day, Penny stayed back to talk to Sylvia about how to dodge and attack as she had seen her chase Damien around the meadow with the knife. Thinking about it had a certain comical ring to it, thought Penny to herself as she got back to the room after exchanging some good words with Sylvia after the time of dinner. Happy to have a company of her own kind background made her happy. 

Witches were hunted everywhere but Valeria was where she felt happy like she was one some kind of a break before they would get back to their lives in Bonelake. Reaching for the door, she turned the k.n.o.b to see Damien who had taken a shower and was drying his hair with a towel in his hand. And though he was doing it, Penny could feel his gaze on her as she closed the door with a small click. 

Turning carefully, she made her way inside the room wondering if she should take a shower with all the sweating during the time of noon. 

"Would you want me to make some notes?" she asked him, trying to make a conversation as he was quiet. 

"For the moon signs?" he asked from where he was. As Damien couldn't read the book, it was only right to write it down so that he could later supervise what had to be given to the magistrate for writing.

"Yes," she replied, noticing the b.u.t.tons of his s.h.i.+rt that were left open except for two or three from the bottom of his s.h.i.+rt she found it hard to concentrate on what he was saying, wondering if her own voice came out to be shaky out of nervousness. 

Going to the cupboard, she picked the fresh and dried towel to catch sight of the little bag that was in there. She could feel her heart thud just by looking at it. It was the nightdress which Damien had brought for her yesterday. Her eyes scanned the cupboard to find another nightdress that she had been wearing last night that was washed and placed there. She had borrowed the nightdress from Sylvia. 

What was she supposed to pick? Her hand went to reach for the white nightgown which she had worn yesterday but deep down she wanted to pick the new one. While she stood there with her back facing Damien who was done rubbing his wet hair and letting the rest dry by itself, she suddenly heard his voice that was right behind her. 

"We can do it together," he said, standing and towering over her height where he could see her hand had clutched onto the white gown, "You can read out the book and I can listen to it. The book doesn't have to be accurate as it will be a false doc.u.ment which we are spreading out to avoid from anyone knowing it."

"Okay," her answer came out like a squeak at the closeness right now. 

She reminded herself that it was Damien and not some stranger she was in here with but that was the problem wasn't it. It was because it was Damien who was standing behind her so closely without making any sarcastic remarks and instead seriously replying to her answers. She wasn't used to this serious person not with her at least which was now making her heart pump faster in her chest. 

"What are you standing there trying to be part of the furniture in the room," there, master Damien was back yet it didn't feel the same. The room was warm and she could already feel a sheen of sweat forming remembering her words on how he was going to punish her. 

If it was before, she would have a.s.sumed it to be another round of weeds being pulled where she would get him to do it along with her but she knew this wasn't the time to pull weeds. It was something that made every inch of her body aware of the person in this room now. 

His voice dropped an octave down and she heard him say,

"It is good to see that you haven't forgotten about your punishment but should we let it go for once?" he asked the question as if in thought.

Penny's heart sank in disappointment hearing him say it right beside her ear. Why did he say that? Did he have a change of heart suddenly or was it because he had lost interest because deep down even she knew that some part of her came from her mother. But her eyes were back to normal, then what was it? Her anxiousness only piqued up, and Damien did nothing to calm it down. He instead let her thoughts spiral out, wanting to know how she felt and if she was ready for what he had been holding back all these months. 

"Unless you plan to wear what we bought yesterday," his words were tempting, a whisper of untold promise that held behind his words which ran a s.h.i.+ver down her spine. 

She heard him move away, walking away from her where she felt her shoulders that had been tense slightly relax. Closing her eyes, she tried calming her errant nerves. 

He had given her choice. A choice to choose on if she was ready and willing to take this relations.h.i.+p they had built to something more than what it was now. To move it where she had never stepped into, it was unknown territory for her, making her wonder if Damien had the experience the way he exuded confidence, but that did everything in utter confidence that could leave a person speechless. 

Her hand had loosened on the material of the white dress. Not going back to clutch and pull it away with her. Turning around she saw Damien who had his back this time, standing at the table drinking a gla.s.s of water. Her hand moved, picking up the nightgown she dashed to the bathroom which had a door, unlike Damien's room which was covered by a curtain to separate itself from the room.