Third person's POV
Tabitha tossed and turned, haunted by the harrowing image of Derek ensnared by snakes.
Anyone else would have been petrified, but Derek had endured it all—blind and at the mercy of unseen horrors.
Fear of the unknown often surpasses the fear of what we can see.
She sat up and saw Derek's massive frame curled into a shivering ball. "Is he... trembling?" she wondered.
An odd sense of protectiveness welled up in her, akin to the feeling of a loyal dog being abandoned.
Derek was poisoned, blind, and alone—his only anchor was her.
"Hey, you..."
Derek's back was to her, his shoulders quivering. "Tabitha, I'm sorry for disturbing you. You don't have to mind me. Sleep well," he muttered, his voice trembling.
"You're being deliberately difficult," she said, exasperated. "Lack of rest won't aid your recovery."
Tabitha said, "What do you want exactly?"
Derek's muffled voice came through, "Um... if you could stay with me while I sleep, I might not be so scared."
No way.
Had Derek been replaced by someone else?
Was this the same man she knew before? His persona seemed to have crumbled.
But persona meant nothing compared to his wife. If his wife was about to leave, what need was there for dignity?
Before Tabitha could respond, Derek quickly added, "Sorry, that was out of line. Pretend I didn't say it. Go back to sleep. I'll be fine alone."
Tabitha knew Derek was partly feigning, but the facts remained——he was poisoned, blind, and alone.
She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Finally, she relented, grabbing her bedding and laying it beside him. "I'm here. You can sleep now," she said.
"Thank you," Derek whispered.
Before long, as Tabitha was dozing off, the man beside her spoke again, "Don't come closer."
Tabitha opened her eyes and asked, "What's wrong?"
In the next moment, someone crawled into her bed, and a man wrapped his arm around her waist, his body trembling slightly.
Before Tabitha could react, Derek said, "Tabitha, there are snakes, so many snakes."
This statement doused Tabitha's irritation. She spoke patiently, "It's over. You're safe now."
"But I can't forget the feeling of them crawling on me. Tabitha, could you hold me while I sleep? If you do, I'll only think of you."
Tabitha was speechless for a moment. "Are you doing this on purpose?" she asked.
Derek feigned innocence. "Tabitha, I'm scared."
Though skeptical, Tabitha knew she wouldn't get any rest if he kept this up. She edged closer, looped an arm around his waist, and placed her hand on his back. "Is this okay?" she asked.
"Yes," Derek replied.
Definitely yes!
Tabitha, too exhausted to argue further, mumbled, "Go to sleep," and turned to rest.
Familiarity in his embrace brought an inexplicable sense of security.
Sensing Tabitha's breathing even out, Derek couldn't help but smile broadly.
Afraid of snakes?
He who not feared death itself would hardly be fazed by such creatures.
From start to finish, this had all been a meticulously planned scheme.
He'd wagered that Jasper would lose patience first and make a move.
Derek had primed Spike in advance, creating opportunities for Jasper.
Given his heightened alertness, it was unlikely he'd rush out on merely hearing a recording.
His loud calls for Tabitha in the yard were a calculated move to rouse her and signal her absence.
As for the bracelet, it seemed to be a gift from the Moon Goddess herself.
When Hedwig had presented it to him, she'd written the word for "poison" in his palm.
Recalling Rolf's mention of Hedwig's affinity with creatures and the venomous environment of the village, it was clear the bracelet served as protection against toxins, including snake venom.
Derek's actions, though seemingly frantic, were guided by Spike's voice as he determined his position relative to Tabitha.
Even his final leap into the snake pit was timed to ensure Tabitha witnessed it.
He gambled his life for a future with her.
Whether he'd win remained uncertain, but for now, he hadn't lost. This move had driven Jasper away and drawn Tabitha into his arms.
Derek's face softened with affection. Tabitha, he could wait.
They had all the time in the world.
That night, Derek couldn't sleep.
He had waited too long to hold Tabitha again.
Though he couldn't see her, he cherished the moment, his heart brimming with affection.
Tabitha slept soundly until morning.
Upon waking to Derek's hollow gaze, she gasped. "You didn't sleep all night?" she asked.
Derek's voice was hoarse. "The snakes... and you held me so tightly, I couldn't sleep."
Tabitha glanced down to see herself clinging to him like a limpet.
Blushing, she pushed him away. "I didn't mean to," she said.