by Lizzy Ford
“No thanks,” she said. “I’ll probably just take a shuttle ride back to the dorms.”
“Well, if you change your mind, come on back inside.”
“Thanks, Beck.”
He flashed his famous smile and turned away, disappearing into the resort. While she appreciated his words, any affection she felt for him was gone. He’d all but helped humiliate her.
She always ended up alone. Summer gazed at the forest, hurting more than she could remember. The two weeks at the new school had lulled her into believing this time would be different. She’d lowered her guard, begun to accept that she might fit in here. She’d even taken her jewelry box out of her suitcase and set it on the dresser.
I should’ve gone with Decker. Her instincts had told her as much. But even he might’ve seen the video. She wasn’t sure how she’d face him, if so.
Heart aching, Summer sniffed back more tears and walked towards the dock. The forest was alive with night sounds around her, the air even colder next to the lake. She sat on the edge of the dock, hugging her knees in an attempt to keep warm.
“Shouldn’t you be dancing with Beck?”
She squeezed her eyes closed at Decker’s voice. His step was light on the wood of the dock.
“Why are you crying?” The sarcasm left his voice.
“I owe you an apology, Decker.”
“Don’t bother. You made your choice.”
Summer twisted to see him a few feet away. His magick brushed by her, comforting with its dark-heat sensations. She rose, and he turned to leave.
“Decker, I mean it. I made a mistake.”
“I take it something bad happened. I’m not going to be a back-up plan.”
“I don’t want you to be,” she said. “I’m not asking anything of you. Just apologizing.”
He was silent, though he didn’t leave.
“And I hope you didn’t see the video,” she added quietly. “Did you?”
“Yeah.”
More tears rose. Decker’s magick was just out of reach, and she was alone again, cold and alone.
“You’ve been the only person who’s been decent to me. You and Biji. I’ll miss you when they send me away,” she whispered.
“They won’t send you away.”
“They always do.”
He faced her, his features hidden by darkness.
“Would you dance with me, Decker? One last dance?” she ventured, wanting to feel his magick through her again.
“No.”
His rejection crushed her more than Beck’s, more than Dawn’s carefully executed humiliation. Summer’s throat was tight. She nodded in understanding, wishing she could go back to the hallway the day before and accept his offer of taking her to the dance.
Chapter Ten
Decker had never felt like more of a dick than he did standing there, knowing how upset she was. He’d suspected Dawn or someone else was playing a joke. At first, he felt vindicated seeing Summer cry. He was angry at everything, even her, the victim of a horrible joke.
And then he thought of his sweet Summer in pain and was crushed by the idea he was partially responsible for causing it. She looked beautiful, glowing like a flower among rocks. Her tears glimmered in the starlight. He should leave her, walk into the jaws of hell alone, and spare them both what pain might come.
He couldn’t. Right now, she stood before him, offering herself, if he’d take her. Her touch was the only thing that could calm him. He wanted … needed to feel her.
“I want more than one dance, Summer,” he said in a hushed voice. “I can’t explain it.”
Her breath caught. She looked up at him. His words hung in the air between them. He held out his hand. Summer looked at it then at him.
“You want to dance here?” she asked, taking it. “There’s no music.”
Decker swept her into his arms. “We don’t need music.”
They didn’t. Her touch made him shudder, and their bodies synced as they did every time they danced. The music originated from their entwined souls. The blue flames of his magick traveled over her at each point where their bodies touched. Like a switch turning off, the chaos in his mind disappeared. His body relaxed, and he sensed her body yield as well.
“You’re not talking about dancing,” she said.
“No, I’m not,” he replied, heart quickening. He was lost in her dark gaze and soft scent, both girly and earthy. “I’m talking about this, whatever this is. I wasn’t sure you felt it.”
“I do. I just … I’m afraid of what it means.”
“You’ll fear it more when I tell you what I am.”
She tensed but didn’t look away or try to move away. Pressed together, their bodies kept the innate rhythm.
“What?” she asked at last.
Decker drew a breath. Fear trickled through him at the thought of her rejection. He couldn’t live with himself if she walked away. He couldn’t live with himself if he tricked her into being with him, and she found out in two weeks what that really meant. She’d hate him.
“Decker, what?”
“When Beck and I turn eighteen, he becomes the Master of Light, and I become the Master of …”
She stumbled and stopped in place, staring up at him. Her breathing grew fast and erratic, the pulse in her wrist beating like a machine gun against his hand.
“Fire and Night,” she finished in a voice almost too quiet to hear.
He nodded, throat tightening.
Her gaze went to the blue fire traveling up and down her arms. Decker looked at it as well, unable to stop the creep of his magick into her body. It acted as if they were one body, not two, and wouldn’t stay inside him. She said nothing. Decker shifted away and released her, expecting the rejection to follow. The effect she had on him faded without disappearing completely.
“I’m sorry, Summer,” he whispered. “I understand.”
He turned to walk away. The chaos and fury returned to his head. He walked a few steps and was about to run for the darkness of the forest when her cool hand touched his arm. Decker stopped without turning.
“I think you were trying to ask me if I wanted to be with you, even if you are so Dark,” she said, her voice sounding breathless. “You didn’t let me answer, Decker.”
He closed his eyes, bracing himself.
“Yes, Decker. My answer is yes. I don’t even know if that was your question, but that’s my answer.”
He was still a moment, not registering her words. Summer circled him until she stood toe-to-toe with him. He felt her butterfly kiss on his lips and opened his eyes, the truth registering. Her dark eyes were in turmoil, the tears like diamonds on the pale silk of her face. She smiled at him. He released the breath he held and wiped the diamonds from her cheeks.
Decker’s hands moved over her arms and took her hands. He wasn’t sure what to say, if he should listen to his joyful heart or the fear and dread in his stomach. That she accepted him even knowing what he’d become thrilled him.
“This is like a dream,” he said. “Any minute I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone forever.”
“You sound like me,” she said, smile widening. “It’s no dream, Decker. I want to be with you.”
“I swear I’ll protect you from whatever I become,” he whispered.
“Before I came here, no one could accept all of me, because my magick made me so different. I won’t do that to you,” she replied. “When you care about someone, you accept all of them.”
Decker wrapped his arms around her and sighed, touched by the words. He’d seen pain in her gaze when she spoke them and knew what it was like to be reviled for being different. She’d been molded by years of the same treatment. Beneath the shy exterior, she was tough. She’d survived the world alone as a freak among humans.
Maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to be alone after all. Or maybe, this was the last-ditch effort of a desperate fool.
“In two weeks—” he started.
“I don’t care. We feel
right. Let’s just … feel right.” She turned her face up to him. “Okay?”
Decker kissed her and pulled her harder against him. Even her lips gave off bursts of magick that lit his blood on fire. He didn’t deserve her, but he’d do what she said and let himself feel the joy bubbling. They’d take it one day at a time. Suddenly, two weeks seemed much longer, if he could spend every day with the beautiful girl in his arms.
Summer dreamt she was still in his arms. When she woke, the idea she had a boyfriend almost seemed too far-fetched. Tarzan was up and pacing. It was Saturday, which meant no classes. Summer rose and showered, her insides almost shaking with anticipation of seeing Decker again.
She’d slept fully clothed then dressed in the bathroom. It was too dark to ransack her room for the camera spying on her when she got home, but she did it now. Summer swung open the door to her closet and searched the few clothes she had hanging up. She’d put her sandals on the floor of the closet, and there were empty shoeboxes on the top shelf of the closet when she arrived.
Dragging a chair to the closet, she stepped up on it to reach the shoeboxes. The first one she shook was empty. The second contained something in it. Summer opened it to see the small camera. It was a wireless camera with a light glowing red on the top.
She moved to sit on her bed and fiddled with it until the battery compartment opened. The light went out when the batteries fell out.
“Summer, you awake?” Amber’s voice made her look up.
“Yes.”
Amber opened the door, her hair wet and piled on top of her hair. She wore simple jeans and a T-shirt.
“I wanted to talk to you about something really fast, before breakfast,” Amber said.
“Sure,” Summer said, stomach sinking.
“There’s a video circulating with you in it.”
Summer flushed. She hadn’t wanted to think about it. She put the camera and batteries in the shoebox and held it out to Amber.
“I found this in my closet.”
“I didn’t think you’d done it,” Amber said. “The IT guys purged it from the system, but I think it’s too late at this point. But I have to ask, did you email it to everyone?”
“No, Amber.”
“I believe you. Just doing my part here,” Amber said. “Any idea who did?”
Summer shook her head.
“That I don’t believe,” Amber said. “You protecting someone?”
“I don’t want any issues,” Summer said.
“I’ll deal with whoever it is.”
“I’ve heard that too much in my life. It never happens the way it should.”
Amber’s features softened, and she sat on the bed beside Summer. The gentle teacher swept a strand of Summer’s hair behind her ear.
“Do you like it here?” she asked.
“I’ve never been anywhere else I love as much as I do here,” Summer replied. “I keep waiting to wake up and be back in the orphanage.”
“The teachers say you’re a good student, and the kids like you. You’re a natural here.”
“Will I get to stay?” Summer asked, wringing the shirt she wore.
“Yep. We’re sending our weekly progress reports to the orphanage. Your director seems pleased you’ve settled in well here. They’ll start sending you a stipend for books and clothes in a week or so. I think it’s safe to say you’re here to stay, kiddo.”
Summer flung her arms around Amber at the news.
“You’re a good kid,” Amber said, laughing. “You’re on the path to the Light. After your birthday in two weeks, you’ll be an official member of the Light.”
“Thank you, Amber,” Summer said. She felt as if something within her released. The fear she carried with her everywhere, that she’d never find a place where she fit in, disappeared.
For the first time since she was four, she had a home. And a boyfriend. And friends and people who weren’t afraid of what was inside her. Her humiliation about the video faded.
“Now we just need to unlock your magick before your birthday, or you may not have access to it afterwards. Witchlings are strange like that,” Amber said. “Did you talk to our forest friend, Sam?”
Summer nodded as she withdrew. There were tears in her eyes for the second time in two days, but these were tears of happiness.
“Did he give you any advice about opening your magick?”
“Sorta,” Summer said. “He said I have to find what makes it sing.”
“Good. It’s the best that we can explain. Do you have any ideas?”
There was a light tap at her door. Amber released her and crossed to it.
“Hi, Decker. How are you?” she asked cheerfully.
Summer stood nervously.
“Hi, Amber,” Decker replied. “I came to get Summer for breakfast.”
Amber turned and raised an eyebrow at Summer then smiled. She pulled the door open and reached down to pat the fawn.
“We’ll finish this later, Summer. Can you come see me sometime?” she asked.
“Of course,” Summer said.
“Have a good breakfast, guys.” Amber winked. Decker moved out of her way, and she disappeared into the hallway.
Summer stared at Decker, uncertain what to do or say. Red crept up his face, and he rubbed the back of his head before offering her his hand. She took it, unable to help her grin.
“Are you upset?” he asked, touching her cheek.
“Oh, no,” Summer said quickly. She wiped away her tears. “Amber told me I can stay. The orphanage will let me.”
“Why wouldn’t they let you stay?”
“I’ve never stayed anywhere for more than a month or two. My um, magick acts out and I usually end up in trouble.”
“That’s not your fault, though,” he replied.
“I know that now. I wish I’d come here instead of the orphanage to begin with.”
“It happens to all of us. Amber and Matilda try to find our kind as young as possible, so we have time to learn our skills. I can’t believe they missed you.” He glanced down at her, his dark eyes warm.
Summer shrugged. “I was moved around so much, I didn’t even know where I was.”
“You’re here now.” He squeezed her hand, sending a burst of his magick through her. His confidence floored her. “You want to go for a walk after breakfast?”
“Absolutely.”
Her head was swimming with him. She didn’t even notice the startled looks those at the breakfast table gave them when they walked in. She ordered what she’d eaten every day: pancakes, eggs, bacon, and orange juice. Decker ordered an egg white omelet and turkey sausage.
“You sure you should be eating so much? I saw the video.” One of Dawn’s friends giggled as Summer’s food arrived. “You could lose a few pounds.”
She glanced down the table towards the three girls. They were all there, except Dawn. Decker squeezed her thigh just above the knee under the table, and Summer smiled. Even Dawn and the awful video couldn’t keep her down today.
They finished breakfast and left the house, hand-in-hand. They followed the road back toward the bridge Biji had showed her.
“So, what’s your story?” Decker asked. “Were you born in an orphanage?”
“No. My family died in a car accident when I was four. My mother had an aunt, but they couldn’t find her, so I became a ward of the state,” Summer replied. “I spent time in a few foster homes, but my magick kinda made it hard to stay anywhere.”
“No siblings or anything?” He was studying her.
“Just me.”
“I can’t imagine a life like that. Beck drives me crazy, but he’s still there for me when I need him.”
“What about your parents?” she asked.
“My mother is a Dark witchling, my father a Light. They own a couple of companies and travel a lot.” He shrugged. “They’re good people. Gave me and Beck a lot of independence growing up.”
“Must be nice to have a family,” she said somewhat wistfully
. “A real home.”
“I never really thought about it, until you got here. I’ve never met an orphan before.”
“There are a lot of kids without homes. Sometimes I felt lucky I was in the state system and not on the streets. But sometimes, it was just like a prison.”
“What did you do for fun?”
“Not much. I listened to music and just read. What about you?”
“I play all kinds of sports, ski, hike. I made the state championships for swimming. Never been into music too much but I like dancing with you.”
Summer looked up at him to see he was gazing down at her. His direct look made her lower belly warm.
“I really like it,” he added.
“Me, too,” she said. “What is … this?” She held up their joined hands. Blue flames from his magick flickered around them.
“I have no idea,” he admitted. “I knew it the day I met you. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“It’s wonderful.”
“It makes me want to touch you more and more.” He smiled, the first she’d seen, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a hug.
Summer’s whole body sang at his touch, and her blood began to burn for a different reason at his intense look. She ducked her head and hugged him back, breathing in his scent deeply. She even loved that about him! How was it possible to find such a perfect person?
“Why didn’t you go with me to the dance when I first asked, if you felt this?” Decker’s voice held a note of sadness in it.
“Because I don’t understand how Light and Dark can be together when our paths seem so different,” she said. She touched the amulet at his chest. His glowed black with energy.
“You haven’t been listening to those boring lectures. Light and Dark need each other,” he said, humor in his voice. “I scared you?”
“I think so, yes.”
“When I turn eighteen in two weeks, I become the Master of Fire and Night. I’ll take the place of my mother, the Dark Mistress, and will collect the souls of those witchlings who choose Dark.”