“Um, that’s great. Thanks.” Conor set to work on the last few branches entrapping the boy.
Grant walked toward me. “Kylie.” He shook his head.
“Is it safe to free him?” Lexie asked.
“He’s young and attacked out of fear. Conor thinks he’s harmless. The boy’s pretty shaken, and terrified of Kylie.” Grant chuckled. “I don’t think he’ll cause any more problems.”
I was terrifying? Somehow I found that flattering and horrible all at the same time. There was a rustling, followed by a flash of boy turning into a dark colored bird flying away.
Conor walked back to us. “Quick thinking, Kylie. Good job.”
“Thanks,” I whispered.
“We need to find a place to camp for the night. We should stay near this trail, but maybe find something a little more secluded. Look for a small clearing,” Conor instructed.
We walked along the path, peering into the wooded area, until Lexie called out she’d found a place. Conor agreed it would work so we all headed in that direction. I plopped onto a tree stump, still a bit wiped out.
Grant slid his hand into mine, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Bloody scrapes covered his knuckles.
I grabbed his other hand, which looked just as bad. He didn’t have a pocketknife like Conor and the abrasions were evidence to that.
“We should wash these off. C’mon, I saw a brook over this way.”
He shrugged and followed.
“Don’t go far,” Conor called after us.
“It’s okay,” Grant called back. “Kylie can protect me if we get into trouble.”
I swatted him.
Conor chuckled in the distance.
“What?” Grant put his hands up.
“You guys are acting like I’m some kind of freak. I don’t even know how it happened. That was a lot of magic, wasn’t it? And why you were staring at me?”
“It was amazing.”
“Not the question.”
“Yes, that was a lot of magic. Kylie, it’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s impressive to see. You did it so fast. The wall grew out of nowhere.”
“Let’s stop talking about it.”
“Okay. Any particular reason why you find talking about your magic uncomfortable? Remember, I was with you when you were getting lessons from the nymphs. I’ve seen you use it before.”
“I know, but lately people have implied too much powerful magic is a bad thing. I don’t want to form any more enemies, give anyone a reason to suspect me of something or take advantage of my abilities. So please, let’s not talk about it now.”
“Okay, we won’t. I’m much more curious as to how you and Lexie freed me tonight.” His smile was playful as we reached the brook and sat on a large stone near the water’s edge.
Grant tested the water then submerged his arm and washed the blood away. He repeated with the other one.
“You’re filthy!” I laughed at his two-toned skin. One half clean, the other half layered in dirt.
“I’m going to have to talk to the management about that dungeon. The amenities were not at all like the pamphlet described.” He shook his head then his mouth tugged into a grin.
“One way to solve that.” I leaned over and pushed him into the water.
He toppled in with a small splash.
“A little warning would’ve been nice. I could have at least taken off my shirt. Now I get to sleep in wet clothes.” He didn’t actually seem mad, though.
“No, you don’t. We figured you might need something new to wear after your stay at the five-star resort, so I had Lexie snag an extra outfit from Conor. I promise I wouldn’t have pushed you in if I didn’t have new clothes for you.”
“Sure,” he said with a chuckle as he splashed me.
Cold droplets sprinkled my arms. “I, on the other hand, don’t have a change of clothes. This is supposed to be a day trip. I didn’t exactly pack a suitcase.”
“Fine. Because I love you I won’t submerge your entire body in cold water.”
I grinned, mostly because he had said he loved me.
“Hang on.” When I returned with my bag and the change of clothes, he stepped out of the water and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I don’t find the humor in this situation.” But the smile on his face said otherwise.
With a quick toss, the bag landed with a thunk near his feet.
“What? Are you scared to come near me? Think I might shake like a dog and get you all wet? That’s Conor remember, not me.” He reached for the bag.
“Good point.”
As I neared, he shook his head and water flew from his hair, splattering me with driblets.
“Hey!”
“Oh sorry, did I get you wet? Here let me make it up to you.”
He wrapped me in a giant soggy hug. Squirming was useless. He only loosened his grip enough for me to put space between his wet clothes and my mostly dry ones. His gaze met mine and I melted into him. He brushed my hair off my face. Tenderness replaced his playfulness. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. Not a day went by I didn’t fall asleep or wake with you on my mind.”
“What about the other fourteen hours of the day?”
“You know what I mean. Smart-ass,” he mumbled.
“I do, because I feel the same way. If I hadn’t been consumed with plans to free you I don’t know how I would have survived each day.”
“Speaking of, how did you do it?” He released me and dug in the bag for dry clothes.
“Well, it’s a long story.”
“I’ve cleared my schedule.” He pulled out the jeans and t-shirt. “I need to change.”
“Oh, sorry.” I faced the trees, glad Grant couldn’t see the flushing in my cheeks.
He chuckled. “You didn’t have to turn around, but I figured I’d at least give you the courtesy of a warning, unlike other people I know.”
My face warmed even more, now probably a deep crimson as I remembered when, under the effects of ambrosia wine, I stripped my dress off in front of Grant. “Yeah, um, we don’t need to talk about that.”
“Why? I think about it all the time.”
The tone of his voice suggested he was smiling. I couldn’t decide if my embarrassment or his memories triggered it, but I still got butterflies.
He zipped his pants.
He was at least partially clothed so I glanced over my shoulder, my curiosity getting the better of me.
He grinned then peeled off his wet shirt. The muscles of his abdomen flexed with the movement.
My stomach dipped and fluttered and it took everything in my power not to rush him.
Still grinning, he tossed the wet shirt onto a tree branch, and slid on the dry one. He approached and turned me to face him. “You know things might have been a lot easier in the past if you had stronger magic.”
“What do you mean?”
He looked down. About a dozen buttercups had bloomed under me. “Your feelings wouldn’t have been so cryptic.”
My cheeks warmed even more. Would I ever be able to control my emotions and magic around him?
“Me? You were the cryptic one,” I said as a distraction.
“I wasn’t trying to be.” He shrugged. “Well, no more of that.”
He leaned down and kissed me. Never wanting to let go, I pressed against his now dry body and wrapped my arms around his neck.
He pulled back. My little garden had tripled in size. I looked up, unable to handle any further embarrassment. “Don’t.”
He put his hands up and tried to hide his smile. “I didn’t say a thing.”
Carefully, I stepped over my flower garden then sat on a log.
Grant followed. “Are you ever going to tell me how you got me out of there?”
I started the story from the beginning with Liam’s theory on the oracle and ended with Orin’s ambrosia-induced stupor.
Grant had stayed quiet through it. “I can’t believe you did all that for me.”
> “Why wouldn’t I?”
“You could have gotten in a whole lot of trouble, or worse.”
“You’re worth it.”
He smiled. “I’m glad you think so, but that’s not true. Nothing is worth putting you in danger.”
“What’s new? My life seems to be one big catastrophe.”
Laughing, he looped his fingers through mine. “While there is some truth in that, I’m still not convinced anything would justify you getting hurt.” His expression turned serious and he looked toward the treetops and the little bit of night sky peeking through. “I’m not kidding, Kylie. I couldn’t live without you. The thought of something happening to you terrifies me.”
“I heard something tonight.” I fiddled with his fingers, not sure how to tell him he could have been killed. “One of the guards told me Alastar planned on executing you. On my wedding day.”
Grant kept his gaze skyward, showing no emotion. “I know.”
“What? Why didn’t you tell Conor? We could have gotten you out of there sooner.”
“I didn’t tell him because I didn’t want anyone risking their life on account of me. Anyway, one of two things would’ve happened. You would stall the wedding, which by the way, was the one I banked on. Or you’d marry, and honestly, Kylie, what would I have to live for then?”
Angry tears flooded my vision. “For me. You’d live for me.”
He looked down and encircled me with his arms. “Don’t be mad. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“I’m not.” Refusing to let my tears escape, I choked. I hated when that happened. Right in the middle of speaking my mind, tears would spring up, making me feel weak and vulnerable.
Though he probably saw right through my stubborn inability to admit my feelings, he didn’t argue. Instead he pulled my head against his chest. His heart beat rhythmically against my cheek as he sheltered me with comfort.
Tears fell. I couldn’t stop them once they started. They poured, monsoon-style. Trying to halt them, I sniffled, but it proved impossible. I’d experienced at least dozen different emotions over the last few hours but only now did I allow myself to actually feel anything.
Without a word, Grant held me until I finished.
Once the water works cleared, he grabbed his damp shirt hanging on a nearby tree limb and handed it to me.
Using his shirt, I wiped my face, confident he wouldn’t want that back.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Promise me you won’t ever stop fighting for us.”
“Is that what you think? Of course I won’t. I shouldn’t have said what I did. Locked up, all alone, you think crazy things, but I promise I won’t ever stop fighting for you. I’ll never give up on us.”
“Okay.” He couldn’t go against his word if he said it aloud
“We should get some rest.”
Though we needed rest, I didn’t want to waste one moment with him on sleep but it had to be done. We needed energy for the next day.
“Do you think Lexie and Conor are wondering where we are?” I asked.
“Nah, if they were worried, they would’ve come looking for us a long time ago. I think we’re good.”
Concentrating on a small area of flat ground, I manipulated the earth until I had produced a plush bed of green grass.
“Nice.” Grant stood, grabbed the bag I’d brought and led me by the hand.
We both sat, and he adjusted my messenger bag into a makeshift pillow. He lay down, pulling me with him. Nestled into the nook of his arm, I rested my face against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his skin through his shirt. He twirled a lock of my dark hair around his fingers while staring at the sky.
Tall trees obscured most of the sky but perfection peeked through. Tiny diamonds of light adorned the cloudless dark canvas. The view took my breath away.
“See that?” He pointed toward the sky. “There’s all this stuff getting in the way, but if you can look past it, it’s perfect. Flawless and beautiful. We’ll get there. One day everything will be perfect for us too.”
“How am I supposed to go back to the castle without you?”
“Hopefully you won’t be there much longer. After we find out what this oracle is all about maybe we’ll have the answer.”
After the sob-fest, my tear ducts should have been incapable of producing more tears, but it started again. I couldn’t come to terms with the knowledge of this being my only night with Grant.
“Kylie?” he whispered, testing my emotions. When I didn’t respond, he tilted my face.
“I’m sorry. You know I’m not like this. It’s a lot to take in right now.”
He scooted his head off the makeshift pillow so we faced one another. “Then don’t think about tomorrow. Just think about right now, you and me. Nothing else matters.” He brushed his lips against mine.
I pushed thoughts of the stupid oracle and the evil Alastar out of my mind and focused on Grant. Only Grant.
His arm went around my waist, closing the gap between us. That slight movement served as the catalyst, igniting sparks between our bodies. The heightened sensation combined with my overwhelming love for him brought me a unified happiness. I’d missed him to the point of helplessness, and now here with him, feeling the static between us, sensing his profound feelings for me seemed more than I could bear.
I slipped my hand from between our bodies and placed my palm on his neck. With my other elbow as leverage, I scooted closer to him and tilted my head, better matching my mouth to his. It wasn’t long before our kisses turned greedy, as if this moment together could make up for all the ones lost and the ones yet to lose.
He eased me onto my back. The cold grass in stark contrast to his warm body pressed into mine. His hand skimmed up my side but he stopped before traveling too high. It remained pressed there for a second, searing the skin that already burned for him. He moved it off my body and into the grass next to my head, though he continued to kiss me.
Pulling back, I searched his face.
His gaze shifted as he said, “Maybe we should get some rest.”
“Is that what you want?”
His gaze lifted and met mine.
A million thoughts ran through my mind, but only one mattered. A decision. One which came without doubt or fear but instead a certainty I would never regret it.
Moonlight cast shadows on his face as he studied me. I cupped his cheek and nodded. He leaned against me, his body a perfect fit.
That night we became the cloudless sky. Free of worry, free of care and free to love.
And we did right there on a bed of grass with only the moon as witness.
And it was perfect.
Chapter 12
The sun had begun to make its appearance when I awoke. Grant smiled.
“Oh my God, please tell me you were not watching me sleep.” I wiped my face, hoping there hadn’t been any drool involved in my deep slumber.
Grant shrugged, a small smile playing around his lips.
I pushed myself to sitting and attempted to smooth my crazy hair, confident I was far from a vision of beauty first thing in the morning. But from the way Grant looked at me, I would’ve thought different.
He guided me back down and stared at me, for what should have been several awkward seconds, but after what I’d experienced with him the night before, it wasn’t.
He kissed my forehead. “Okay, I’m done. You can sit up now.”
“You’re so weird.” I laughed, sitting up.
He stood and helped me. The plush grass had doubled in height and was now sprinkled with wildflowers. To my relief, Grant didn’t say a word.
“We should get back to Lexie and Conor,” he said.
“Yeah.” I grabbed my messenger bag and looped it over my shoulder, unable to wipe the silly grin off my face. If the perfect night I’d spent with Grant had to be my last, it was definitely the way to spend it.
Looking at me, Grant chuckled. With an occasional glance back, which would then make hi
m laugh more, he held my hand as he led me through the forest back to our friends. I clamped my mouth shut to avoid smiling like a love struck idiot as we neared the others.
“Hey, we need to get going.” Conor stared down the rocky path. “We have a good deal of walking to do. Add in this rough terrain, the forest, and, well, whatever else is out there, it could take a while.”
Lexie’s eyes widened. “I’m going to ignore the ‘good deal of walking’ but I cannot ignore ‘whatever else is out there.’ What the hell does that mean?”
Conor answered, “That puka last night wasn’t the only solitary fae living out here.”
“Solitary fae are solitary for a reason. They aren’t very welcoming,” Grant added.
Conor swung his arm around Lexie. “Hey, on a good note, we have Kylie to protect us.”
“Ha ha.” I glared. “I wouldn’t count on some fickle magic as protection.”
“You know, this isn’t fair. You’re a puka, he’s a grant and she’s a faery. I’m defenseless out here.”
“She makes a good point,” Grant said.
“Um, thanks.”
“I meant we need to keep you as protected as possible. Make sure you always stay near one of us.” Grant motioned between him and Conor.
“Hey, if I have to put my life in someone’s hands, I’m putting my money on Kylie.” Lexie grinned.
Wary, I smiled back.
“Thanks, babe,” Conor mumbled.
“I’m kidding.” She patted his chest, looked past him at me and mouthed, No, I’m not.
That got a full out laugh from me.
“What?” Conor looked back then to Lexie. “I got my eyes on you two.”
“I sure as hell hope so.” Lexie swatted his backside. “Now, let’s get moving.”
“Hey, enough with the man handling.”
Grant watched me instead of Conor and Lexie’s comical exchange. A small smile appeared, he shook his head a little then grabbed my hand and urged me along the trail.
Once Lexie and Conor were ahead of us, he leaned closer, his breath warm on my neck. “I love you, Kylie,” he whispered. “More than you’ll ever know.”
A shiver traveled down my arms, along with a thousand tiny sparks.
“I promise I’ll never stop fighting for you, for us. It’s destiny. I’m fated to love you.” His lips pressed into my neck, sending a lightning bolt through me.
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