 
Sweet Oblivion  
(Sweet Series #1)

by Bailey Ardisone

Copyright © 2012 Bailey Ardisone

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

www.BaileyArdisone.com

Cover art created by Bailey Ardisone

All rights reserved.

Editing services provided by Helen Boswell.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting and supporting the hard work of this author.

To all fellow Lord of the Rings fanatics -

May this be your One, your Only, your Precious.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter Forty-Seven

Epilogue

Sweet Escape (Sweet Series #2) Preview  
About the Author

#  Prologue

A single tear snuck down my cheek. I was too scared to move to wipe it from my face so I let it slip down and land on Teddy. His soft fur soaked it up, and I hugged him tighter.

Teddy was my best friend. He was not just a toy, he was my Teddy Bear. We had been through a lot together. He was all I had, I was all he had, and it was my duty to protect him. We protected each other - wasn't that what friends were for?

When I looked into his eyes I could see his love for me, his desire to protect me. He was more than just a stuffed bear, he was Teddy; my Teddy.

I dared not open my eyes for I knew I was surrounded by darkness. But if it was dark, maybe he wouldn't be able to find me. I had crawled to my closet, trying not to make a single sound. I quietly shut the door and scooted back as far as I could. Quickly I tugged my baby blue Care Bears nightgown over my knees, and as I stroked Teddy's fur, I whispered in his ear, "It will be alright, Teddy; don't be afraid." My voice quivered at the end.

I was terrified, but I had to be brave for Teddy. I wouldn't let him see how scared I was.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway near my door made my eyes clench tighter. I prayed that he wouldn't come in the room but would just ignore me and forget I was there.

A loud crash like glass shattering in pieces made me jump. I heard his disturbing laughter, and he mumbled something but I couldn't make out any words from his stumbling slur.

All of a sudden, it went quiet. I opened my eyes against the darkness and hugged Teddy tighter to my chest so that he couldn't see the terror on my face.

The door of my room opened, and thick hard footsteps on my wood floor caused me to tremble. Instantly those footsteps came closer to the closet door. I shut my eyes real tight and pretended that I was not there. I was somewhere else, somewhere warm, safe, far away from there.

The handle turned, and the closet door opened slowly. It felt like hours sitting there, clutching Teddy like it would be my last.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and looked up to see the dark brown eyes of the person who neglected, hated, and emotionally tortured me over a mistake that changed both our lives forever.

But what I saw in his eyes terrified me more than anything had ever in the past. My eyes widened, and I suddenly felt a gut-wrenching terror when I realized that he wasn't looking at me.

He was looking at Teddy.

"NO!" I screamed as I clutched Teddy even tighter.

"Give me that stupid bear," he drunkenly slurred. He ripped Teddy from my arms, and I kicked his shin as hard as I could. I had to save Teddy. He trusted me, only me. I couldn't let the monster take him.

"Stupid little brat," he said as he grabbed my arm tight. He shoved me back in the closet and slammed the door.

I grabbed my arm, which throbbed from being held so tightly. As I landed on the floor, pools of tears huddled in my eyes. I felt so sad and started to tremble.

"Teddy?" I struggled to get out. But Teddy wasn't there. It was just me all alone...again.

As the overwhelming feeling of loss and sorrow came crashing down on me, it was enough to slowly stir my sleeping consciousness awake. I didn't have to open my eyes. I knew I was just having the same nightmare I always had. In fact, instead of opening my eyes from the remembered fear, I closed them tighter and clutched my chest, while I balled my blanket up in my fist, burying my tear-soaked cheeks.

I was awake, it was over, and I waited for the leftover feelings from that traumatizing day that haunted my memories to subside. It was a long time ago. I'd grown since. It was silly for me to still be mourning the loss of that darned teddy bear. But still, every night, I relived that awful day in my dreams and woke up back as that helpless eight-year-old girl on her birthday. Eventually, I came to my senses and realized it had been over nine years since that day; I wasn't that little girl anymore. But even still, it never failed to feel so real.

It was more than just the loss of a simple teddy bear.

Much, much more.

#  Chapter One

~Nari~

Is it bad to skip your first day of school as a senior? If you really think about it, out of all the days one attends school, does the first day of the last year of your high school career really matter? Hadn't I accumulated enough days to be able to skip...one?

Those questions kept rolling around in my head as I sat back and basked in the sun. The ocean in the distance was calm with heavy fog overlaying the small waves.

I reluctantly smiled as I watched rays of sunlight dance upon the cold grey stone slab in front of me. I began twirling my long hair in between my fingers; "dark chocolate"—that's what she used to call it.

It was only September, but there was a slight chill in the air, and I knew I would get cold sitting on the ground, but I didn't care. Nothing would move me from this spot, not on this day.

I grabbed the two strawberry-filled pastries sprinkled with powdered sugar and the two bottles of chocolate milk out of the bakery bag and gingerly set one of each on the grey stone. I smiled as we had breakfast together.

This was our favorite.

Every Monday we would go to Mason's Bakery over on Maine Street and both order the same exact thing—a strawberry pastry and chocolate milk. I knew she wasn't really into the chocolate milk and probably would have preferred coffee, but she always got it because she knew it was my favorite. I loved that about her. I couldn't care less if she didn't drink the milk and got coffee instead. But the fact that she did it for me, made me love her even more.

The clouds in the sky moved to the East, and the rays of light casting on the cold, grey stone were suddenly gone. I kept my eyes glued it and read the familiar letters there—

Elizabeth Jean Miller

Beloved Daughter, Wife and Mother

1972-2002

It has been ten years to the day since she passed away. I was with her that morning. We had just eaten breakfast at Mason's Bakery. It was a beautiful sunny day, and she looked so happy and carefree. She had smiled at me and told me to always remember days like these. That was a day I would never forget. Ten years had passed, and I still lived with the guilt. The guilt of knowing she died...because of me.

She wasn't my biological mother, but she was the only mother I knew, and I loved her as a daughter. I had been fostered with her and her husband since I was a baby. I didn't get along with Ray at all, but she had been my whole life.

Ray had been furious when he saw the word "mother" on the tombstone. It was just supposed to say Beloved Daughter and Wife, but since Elizabeth's mother Jean had paid for it and knew her daughter had loved me, she called it in at the last minute and made the changes. Every time I came here I couldn't help but stare at the word "mother" and wish she were still here.

Being in a cemetery had always bothered me. Death was hard, I got that, but it was only hard for those you left behind. Life was what was really difficult. Everyone here no longer had to suffer, be in pain, relive past mistakes. They were sleeping on, unaware of the problems around them. Death seemed like the easy way out. Life was harder.

I would gladly have given my life in exchange for hers. She deserved better.

I sighed heavily as we ate our breakfast in peace. Hers went untouched, but I devoured mine like I hadn't eaten in weeks. I had always finished before she did. She would usually laugh and make fun of my growing appetite. She would then tuck her long auburn hair behind her ears, and I knew from that gesture she was about to start another life lesson.

"Nari, listen to me," she would always start. Then she would say something profound, and I would promise to store it in the back of my head for a later date.

I had been six years old the day she bought me Teddy. It had been my first day of school, and I came home hurt from being relentlessly teased by the other kids. I had no friends and was scared to go outside, even though that is all I really wanted to do. She came to lie beside me, but I knew something was up when she had a big smile on her face and both hands behind her back.

"Nariella, I have a special friend I want you to meet," she told me. She laughed as she pulled a teddy bear out from behind her back. She put him in my arms and as soon as I looked into his eyes, I knew we would be best friends. I had instantly loved him.

She grinned when she saw how happy I was. I threw my arms around her neck and hugged her close, thanking her a million times and promised to take care of him. We sat on the bed for an hour trying to come up with a good name. I had laughed so hard when she said names like, "Bob, Fred, and Cornelius." I knew they weren't the right ones. Finally she had said, "How about Teddy?" And that was that.

The day Ray took Teddy from me was not only the day he took my best friend, but also the day he took away something I had left of her. I had promised I would take care of Teddy, and I had failed. I hated him for it. The feeling was mutual; he hated me for causing the death of his wife. He would never let that go.

As the morning slipped away and the clouds started to disappear, I grabbed the uneaten pastry and the now warm chocolate milk and finished them off. I would carry on this tradition every year for as long as I could.

A sound disrupted my thoughts as I stood up and slung my bag across my shoulder. I turned around and jumped back as I saw Ray standing not five feet away giving me a look that could kill.

I slowly backed away and hoped I could make it out of there without him making a scene. The closer it got to this day, the worse he became. As much as I would have taken her place underneath that tombstone, I didn't want it to be by his hands.

"What do you think you're doing here?" he asked me quietly.

I reluctantly looked into his cold brown eyes as he suddenly shouted, "You have no right to be here...No right! Do you hear me?"

I looked down at the ground as my whole body stiffened. This was the only place I had wanted to be today. "I loved her too. She was my mother," I whispered gently. I wanted him to know that even though it was my fault, I still loved her. She was everything to me.

"She was not your mother, she wasn't your anything," he said angrily. "You didn't deserve to know her. You're the reason she's six feet underground instead of by my side. You should be ashamed to be here."

I breathed deeply and bit the inside of my cheek as a tear escaped. "I didn't mean to—"

"Don't say another word," he interrupted. "You are worthless. Get out of here now. Do not defile her grave by coming here. She wouldn't want you here."

That last part hit its mark, and I walked away as fast as I could. I didn't want to think that was true. I couldn't bear to think it.

Thankfully, I arrived home before Ray. I didn't want to deal with him again, so I went straight to my room and locked the door behind me. After I tore off my jacket and threw my bag on the floor, I jumped in bed and vowed to sleep the rest of the day, forgetting it ever happened.

After being awoken yet again from the same nightmare I had every night, reliving my eighth birthday from hell, I finally rolled over and opened my eyes to look at the clock. I wondered how much time I had left before my first day of school began. I decided yesterday that skipping wouldn't be such a good idea after all, realizing it meant risking Ray's wrath.

I didn't even know what my schedule was. He somehow lost, or threw away, or who knows maybe set fire to all my papers that the school mailed to me two weeks ago, including my class schedule. I had no doubt in my mind he did it just to spite me.

Upon finding with no surprise that it was only 5:13, I threw my arm over my eyes and bit my lip. Great, this was going to be a long day.

Rydan said his first class started at 8:05 a.m. so I was just going to go by that. Granted, he would be going to a completely different school than me this year and he didn't even start until tomorrow, but I just couldn't seem to bring myself to care if it made me late or not.

School had never really been the highlight of my life, thanks to my ever failing social career. I was apparently a social pariah; a leper, who if you came anywhere near could catch whatever contagion I had, making you just as much an outcast as I was. It wasn't that I was some awful looking troll. I mean, I wouldn't call myself vain, but I at least had enough confidence to say I wasn't ugly.

I was okay with it though. I didn't care that I got made fun of ever since my first day of kindergarten or that I was consistently called a freak. I was determined to not care. It was the only thing I could do in order to get out of bed every morning and march up those stairs into that torture chamber others refer to as school, year after year. It was the start of my senior year. Finally – I was almost done.

And with that thought, I reluctantly slid my legs out from under my covers and over the side of my bed. I would get through this. Without Rydan, it was going to be very difficult. But there was nothing I could do about that. His parents enrolled him in some fancy private school for the musically gifted and so now I had to attend the last year of high school alone.

Since I woke up so early, I ended up getting to the administration office of Port High School just as they were opening for the day. Well, at least I was nowhere near late.

A spry elderly woman with snow-white hair pulled up into her signature bun that I immediately recognized as Ms. Darlene, rushed out of an office behind the large wooden counter. She was all in a tizzy, hands full of papers, and didn't notice me or apparently hear me. She jumped a little, as I finally caught her eye.

"Oh! Nari, you scared me. You're here so early, I wasn't expecting anyone to be there," she breathed, papers now pressed to her heart.

For a moment I wondered if I could have given the poor old woman a heart attack. I made a note in my head to be more careful next time. The last thing I wanted was to be responsible for the death of our long time school administrator. That'd be the cherry on top an already iced cake of my social suicide.

She let out a small laugh before she asked, "Whatcha need, sweetie?" She looked up at me then, a natural smile was already placed on her face, and expectantly waited for my answer.

"Sorry, for um, scaring you. I just need to get my class schedule. I don't have it," I quickly shot out. I couldn't hold back rolling my eyes. It irritated me beyond all belief. I tried not to let it get to me because that is exactly what he wanted. Still, I couldn't help it.

"Sure, just give me a few minutes, okay?" Ms. Darlene didn't even give me time to answer as she set down the papers she was carrying and grabbed a new stack before she hurried back into the office.

I turned around and sat down on the hard chairs that outlined the back wall. I let my eyes roam over the room as I tried to patiently wait. I think you could call me anything but patient, so I had to try my best to distract myself. The room was eerily quiet, almost too quiet, that it hurt my ears. It was too early for kids to be out in the halls making noise.

The room was extremely outdated. The walls were a faded yellow wallpaper of some sort, too old to decipher if there was an actual design there when they were new. Brown wood paneling stretched across the bottom half of the walls, continuing all around before seamlessly blending into the over-large counter that they connected to in the center. I kicked my shoe at the worn-out, dark gray carpet.

Finally, Ms. Darlene walked back in and went straight to her also outdated, dinosaur of a computer that sat on her desk. I listened to her clicking and typing away, then the sound of the printer running just before she stood up. I idly wondered what I would do after I received my schedule. I had way too much time to kill.

"Here you go, sweetie. Try not lose this one now," she said sternly as she set it on the counter and walked back to her desk.

"Thank you," I mumbled, ignoring the reprimand and started reading what my first semester was going to be like as I walked out into the hall.

I was still looking down at my schedule, so instead of turning the corner out into an empty hall like I expected, I found myself running straight into another person, knocking us both onto our behinds.

"Oh my gosh! I am so so sorry!" I gushed as I quickly scrambled to my feet. I reached out to help who I saw was a petite girl with the prettiest dirty blonde just above shoulder length loose curls I had ever seen, and flawless golden tanned skin. She made a just as surprised as I was face.

The sound of barked laughter drew my attention just as I reached for her hand, because it certainly did not come from her.

I quickly turned toward the source of laughter, ready to give them a piece of my mind, while I helped the poor girl up. How dare they laugh at our expense! Who did they think they were?

"Ahhh, thank you so much for providing a great start to my day!" Clearly amused and with a curious accent, the much taller boy than both of us held his arm around his stomach and let his head fall to the side of his shoulder, as if the very idea of myself and this girl falling to our butts gave him complete and utter satisfaction. His reaction shocked me, so although I intended to rebuke him, the words got stuck in my mouth, and I ended up just staring with my mouth hanging open.

"Des! It is so not funny!" the girl shrieked in the same curious accent as the boy. She moved to punch him in his bicep, but he deflected, causing her to try and kick him instead, clearly determined to cause some sort of injury. It didn't work.

"Uhh...yes. Yes, it very much was funny. Hilarious actually," he purred through a grin, waggled his eyebrows at me, and let out another chuckle. I stood there dumbfounded, not entirely sure what to say. My anger had already dissipated though as soon as I realized the girl was trying to hold back a laugh. It immediately made me feel better and I too started laughing.

"I'm Zaylie and this is Desmond," she said through light giggling. She looked at me straight in the eye, and a look of amazement crossed her face. Before I could offer my name in reply, she grabbed my arm with wide eyes. "Your eyes! I bloody love them! I've thought about wearing colored contacts before but couldn't get over the thought of having to stick my fingers in my eyes," she finished sheepishly.

"Thank you, I'm Nari." Fully embarrassed now, I self-consciously looked down at my feet. I didn't actually wear contacts, but everyone always assumed I did once they saw I possessed bright purple eyes. I had no reason to deny a perfect explanation to an otherwise unexplainable anomaly. They could assume whatever made them comfortable.

"Well, Nari, you can push my sister down any time you want—just make sure I'm around so I get to watch," the boy I now knew as Desmond joked. It was clear he was trying to get Zaylie riled up. She snapped her head in his direction, the smile that had once painted her face now turned into a scowl.

"No, definitely not. I feel horrible that just happened, are you sure you're okay?" I tried to sound confident and not like a shy coward I knew I could sometimes be. That was the result of being labeled a social outcast. I wasn't used to interacting with too many people.

"Yes! Yes, of course I'm fine, please don't worry 'bout it. How 'bout you?! Are you okay?!" She truly sounded concerned as she laid a gentle hand on my arm. It felt nice to be treated so kindly. I could already tell I was going to like her. Her brother on the other hand—that might take some more time.

"Oh yeah, I'm good. That was nothing." I played it off like I was much stronger than I looked, feigning confidence. "Um, siblings huh? Do you mind if I ask where you're from? I love your accents!" It was so intriguing. Who didn't love foreign accents?

"Australia, mate! Nice to meet you," Desmond said proudly. He had the same golden skin tanned to perfection and dirty blonde hair as Zaylie; only his was much shorter and with not so prominent curls. It still fell around his head and ears though, reminding me of a surfer dude.

"I'm so jealous. What on earth could make you leave and come here?" I asked seriously, musing on the idea of living in Australia. I'd never been anywhere outside my home of Maine. I was convinced any place would be better than here.

"Our father. We had to relocate because of his job. It will always be home to us, but we're actually excited to be here and try something new." Zaylie smiled as she clutched her notebook to her chest and bounced on her feet. She truly did seem excited.

"Well welcome to Port High! Maybe I'll see you guys around school. Let me know if you have any questions or need a tour guide or something...anything." Hoping not to sound desperate at the chance of making friends, I smiled and nervously pushed my long hair behind my ear as I began walking to who knows where.

"Yeah, thanks!" Zaylie called at the same time Desmond said something sounding like "hooroo" ....................huh?

Hope began to blossom in my chest. Perhaps my year didn't seem so bleak without Rydan if I had them around.

#  Chapter Two

~Naminé~

As boisterous thunder rumbled throughout the land and a torrent of rain pounded away on the soil, millions of sparks of reddish lightning brightened up the night sky. It was our season for tempest storms; a solemn token of the evil that had penetrated the realm and of an oath that had yet to be fulfilled. A constant reminder of the dangerous circumstances we were all in.

The Kingdom of Aselaira was in peril.

Every one of its citizens was vulnerable, defenseless, and hopeless. Havoc and bloodshed permeated the land. The stone walls of Castle Edhel-N'dor, which were once beauteous and majestic, were deteriorating inside and out. There was no one left to see to its upkeep.

Every man, boy, husband, was fielded to the garrison to prepare for warfare. Every woman, girl, wife, set aside to clean, cook, and nurse the injured. As a servant in the castle, one must keep to your duties or stay in your chambers, and above all else slave after the needs of the royal family, especially the King.

I tried not to despair, as this was my everyday life. I was vulnerable, defenseless, but with every ounce of my being I refused to remain hopeless. Even as I was a servant in the castle, I had my special ability; my gift that I kept hidden. With much misery and sorrow, I kept Calen - my Fëa - hidden as well. Together, we used these abilities to find hope.

We used these abilities to find him.

#  Chapter Three

~Nari~

I fingered the tiny pocket watch I wore around my neck on a long chain that fell to the top of my ribs and tried to guess what time I thought it must be by now. More and more students started filing in so it must be...7:45. I opened the baby watch and read 7:50. Oh well, close enough.

I began walking to my locker, head down, and stared at my feet. Always head down. No need freaking anybody out by looking at them.

I made it to my locker unharmed and took off my fall jacket. It just started to turn cool outside, making everyone aware that autumn was just around the corner for us here in Kennebunkport, Maine. Despite it also being the time for school, fall really was my favorite season. No one could argue that the trees in all their glorious color weren't breathtaking, with the crisp cool Atlantic Ocean crashing as the backdrop. It wasn't that I didn't like it here. Actually, I loved it. It was beautiful and a great place to grow up.

What I didn't like though, and what convinced me that anywhere, and I mean anywhere, would be a better place to live, was the fact that I was stuck living with the most horrid person on the planet. Just the mere thought of him made me cringe and unconsciously sigh out loud.

Just then, an arm around my shoulder made me almost jump out of my skin. I could smell it was Rydan as he kissed the top of my head. He always smelled the exact same; almost like smoky burnt leaves and trees, and it was a scent I was sure to have ingrained in my brain for the rest of my life. I loved it. It always calmed my nerves and made me feel safe.

I didn't turn around to look at him. I was too mad that we no longer went to the same school and was fully ready to pout about it for the rest of eternity. Okay, at least for the next year.

He also didn't say anything. He just stood there silent as could be as I finished hanging up my jacket and got everything situated. I finally gathered what I needed for my first class: Literature.

Rydan was my best friend. He wasn't my boyfriend or a love interest in any way. We'd always been only friends and nothing more, and that is exactly how I liked it. It was what I needed. I was so grateful for my one friend that I clung to him like a security blanket. And he let me.

I huffed, making my bangs fly up in the air as I finally turned into Rydan's muscular chest, realizing I needed his calming effect. He reciprocated by hugging me tighter with his one arm, shielding me from the outside world. I was safe here, just like this. I dreaded the next few minutes when he would have to leave me and I would have to walk into that classroom without him. It warmed my heart that he got up early and came all the way here just to see me off on my first day. I listened to his heartbeat and his calm, even breathing one more second before I started complaining.

"I hate this. Your parents ruined my life. Do they realize they ruined my life?! What the heck!" I knew I whined like a child and so when Rydan patted me on the head like one, I felt strangely comforted.

"You know that's not true," he half chuckled, clearly amused with me. I looked up at him then, feeling silly for obviously being the only one upset about this horrible predicament. Why wasn't he as upset about this as I was?

"Ry! You don't understand...being without you for the rest of high school basically sealed my fate of eternal misery," I continued complaining, crossing my arms as I again puffed out air, for dramatic effect of course.

"Nariella...you'll be fine. I promise," he chided with the dip of his chin, which caused his black hair to fall over his eyebrow, again talking to me like I was a small child. When I gave him an evil stare, he retracted his statement.

"Okay, I don't promise, but come on. I know you are strong. You can do this. It won't be that bad, and we'll still hang out every day after school. Alright?" He looked at me sternly with his eyebrows raised, waiting for me to concede.

He was being way too nonchalant about this and it irritated me. I recognized that I was being ridiculous and completely immature, but a little wallowing together like I expected wasn't gonna hurt anybody!

"Whatever," I finally conceded. "Thank you for coming. It was a nice surprise." I tried not to sound so glum because I truly was touched he came here for me, but I couldn't get past the impending doom.

"Yeah, you sound very convincing," he mocked in good humor as I stood on my tippy toes to give him a hug and quick peck on the cheek before heading to first period.

"Nari..." he called after me.

I didn't turn around, but I did turn my head to stick my tongue out at him. I heard him laugh at me as he said, "I'll be waiting for you."

But I already knew that, and he already knew that I knew. I still smiled at the gesture of him saying it though, because it reminded me that I had something to look forward to. I just had to get through this lousy day first.

I continued walking to my first class—Literature—zigzagging in and out of students now bustling the halls making their way to their own classes before the final bell rang. I walked into the room, not looking directly at anyone from out of habit and took an open seat in the back.

"Nari, over here!" a familiar Australian accent came from the corner of the room, and I happily looked up to greet Zaylie back.

Apparently, this was a strange phenomenon that never occurs, because all the students turned their heads in my direction, not even trying to hide their shock over someone talking to me. My heart sunk, but I refused to let it show, so I only made myself grin wider at her and gave a small wave. I could not be happier that she was in my class.

She decided to switch desks, so I watched as she gathered her things and came over to claim a seat near me, making it my turn to be shocked.

"Hi," I greeted excitedly who I hoped was becoming my new friend. "I can't tell you how happy I am that you are in this class!" My smile must have been from ear to ear.

"I know! It's very nice recognizing at least one person's face. My brother has a different class this hour so I was a little bummed I had to be by myself. But now that you're here, good riddance Desmond!" She laughed, making me laugh too, just as our teacher Mr. James walked in and the final bell sounded.

After Algebra II and P.E. came and went uneventful, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief as I sat down at an empty table for lunch. My day was halfway over, and I couldn't have been more grateful. I craned my neck, looking around the cafeteria for Zaylie and Desmond before I even realized I was doing it. I chastised myself for letting my hopes get so high. I had to remember that it was very possible they'd made other friends this morning and shouldn't expect them to choose me to sit with. There were plenty of popular kids to eat with. I wouldn't hold it against them either. I completely understood why—

"G'day, mate," Desmond cut my train of thought off, and I looked up to his smiling face as he sat down across from me. Zaylie then sat down next to me on my left, also smiling.

"Hey guys, how has your first day been so far?" I pretended that it was no big deal that they decided to sit with me, even though I swore I was about to combust any moment from happiness.

"Good," they both said in unison. "Pinch poke you owe me a coke," Zaylie said quickly as she reached over the table and physically pinched and poked her brother. We both laughed at her silliness.

"Good grief, Zales, could you maybe grow up?" Desmond grunted as he rolled his eyes. "Please excuse my sister, for she knows no boundaries." Though he sounded serious, I could see the amusement in his eyes and a slight smirk pulling at his lips.

"So do you think we have any afternoon classes together? I have Chemistry next, then a free period, and then my final class is Art. Are either of you in any of those?" I said with obvious hope tinting my tone.

"I have Chemistry! I'm so glad we'll be together for that one," Zaylie exclaimed as she took a swig from her water bottle. Her curls bounced up and down, making me smile.

"Really? I mean, I'm so glad too." I beamed back at her. This year wasn't actually going to be so bad after all.

"I have that Art class," Desmond added. He reached over and stole a chip off Zaylie's plate, then tipped his head back and tossed it in his mouth. He crunched on it while flashing a wide grin and lifting his eyebrows for one quick second.

"Great!" I replied, completely elated. "Um, so, how come you are both seniors? Who's older?" I asked, feeling very brave for doing so. I wasn't known for being a great conversationalist.

"I'm older!" Desmond yelled. "So she has to follow my orders," he said with a smirk and wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"Please! By only four measly minutes," Zaylie countered, rolling her eyes. "...And 56 seconds. We're twins," she stated dryly as she turned to me.

"Twins?! That is so cool! I don't have any siblings. But I have always thought being a twin would be awesome." I imagined all the fun things we could do together, the closeness we would share, always being there for each other and protecting one another. It sounded great to me. Zaylie didn't seem too thrilled however.

"Mmmhmm...sure, it may seem cool to you on the outside but you don't have to put up with him!" She pointed a finger at Desmond across the table, fully extending her arm dramatically. Desmond only smirked and waggled his eyebrows some more.

"Oh," was all I could say. She was right; I guess I really didn't know what it would be like.

"I'm just messin'. I love the poor bloke," she admitted softly. It made me happy, but I also envied their relationship at the same time. I thought of Rydan and imagined he would be the closest thing I would ever get to a brother. And that was good enough for me.

"I seriously hope I get a good partner in Chemistry," I decided to change the subject. "Last year, one of the senior students had caught his partner on fire," I finished dramatically, opening my eyes wide.

"Ha! What a dag!" Zaylie chimed.

"Ace!" Desmond exclaimed at the same time, rather excitedly...I have to wonder about him.

"I have no idea what you guys are saying," I laughed, but still very much confused. What'd she say? What a...huh?

They both laughed, clearly amused with my blatant American ignorance to Aussie terms.

"I'll explain on our way to Chemistry. Come on, let's go." Zaylie was still laughing, and the upbeat personalities they both seemed to have were catching. I found myself completely over my doom and gloom attitude and looked forward to the rest of my day.

When we got to class, I was surprised to find out we could choose our own partners. Just as I turned her way to ask if she wanted to be partners, she was turning toward me also. She looked at me and laughed as she realized we both had started to do the same thing.

"Are you going to pinch and poke me now til I buy you a coke?" I joked with unreserved friendly affection. I swore with each passing second I spent with her I grew to like her more and more. She smiled, brightening her soft brown eyes.

"That would have been a good idea! But we didn't actually say anything at the same time so I'm going to let you off the hook just this once. I won't go easy on you next time though." She winked at me.

"I'm looking forward to it," I replied sarcastically with a smile and wink of my own. I genuinely did look forward to spending more time with her in the future, even if that meant having to be pinched and poked.

Our teacher Mr. Allen closed the door then and asked us to pull out our textbooks, turn to chapter one and then he was going to inform us of the different experiments we would be conducting this year.

"As long as no one sets anyone on fire, we should be good," said Mr. Allen as the whole class started to laugh. See? That story was still going around.

Zaylie leaned in closer to me and said, "I heard about that bloke. I promise not to set you on fire." We both laughed as we turned to chapter one.

I headed to my sixth period class feeling excited. Art was my one elective this semester and my favorite subject. I loved to draw, paint, sculpt, anything where I could immerse myself. I couldn't wait to see what projects we would be working on this year.

Last year my painting on mythical creatures won first place in an art contest at the Portland Art Festival. I had painted a black dragon that I had once seen in a dream when I was little. I had never been able to get it out of my head since, so when the Mythical Creatures project came up, I thought it would be a great idea to paint the dragon that I had known for so long.

Mr. Isaacson was our teacher, and he was a genius when it came to sculpting. He had won first place in that category at the Portland Art Festival, and his prize work was actually in a glass cabinet at the back of the classroom.

I turned my head around to look and noticed a familiar painting hanging on the wall just above his prized sculpture. I couldn't believe he had my painting. Where did he get that?

"Nari Woodlinn," I heard as the teacher's voice drowned out my thoughts.

"I'm here," I said sheepishly.

All the students started to laugh, and I realized I had no idea why he said my name and why I stupidly said I was here.

"Yes, I can see that you are here. I was telling the class that all the art pieces along the back wall are from past Art Festival winners. Since I am on the school board, I selected a few of them to buy and display them in my class this year. Your painting is among them."

I lowered my head to let my hair cover the blush on my cheeks. Mr. Isaacson continued to name one other student in this particular class that had a piece displayed as well. I imagined everyone turning to look at it, but I was still embarrassed so I kept my head down and vowed to never speak again.

The teacher started explaining all the different molds that we would be dealing with in regards to sculpting, which was to be our first project. He suddenly stopped and pointed to the back of the room. We all turned to look.

"You there," he said as he pointed to a student. "Please refrain from distracting the other students and pay attention. What is your name, son?"

"Aye, mate," said the Australian accent I had already come to recognize from the back. I turned around, trying my darndest to hold back a laugh.

"Name's Desmond," he said as he winked to the girl beside him. She turned back toward the front with a huge smile on her face.

"Yes well, Desmond, as well as everyone else, please make a note of all the items you will need for your first project," he said as he started to write a list down on the chalkboard.

"This needs to be special. I want to see what you all can come up with over the next few weeks. You are to sculpt using the supplies provided, and the object must stem from nature. I have all the items you will need on the table by the window."

An amazing idea formed in my head.

"Put your creative thinking caps on. I want to see great work here," Mr. Isaacson stressed. "This is an elective class, and I know you all are here because you want to be here, so no slacking. This will account for 40% of your grade this first quarter, so make it count."

I was already excited because I knew exactly what I was going to sculpt. In fact, I had been waiting to creatively display my favorite object, and now I finally would get to showcase it. It would be perfect.

#  Chapter Four

~Naminé~

His cerulean eyes gazed back with bewilderment. I recognized the questions that were written in his regal stare. What was he doing here? Why did I call him? Was this a dream?

This moment was surreal; I had finally gotten through to him. Hope and joy spread through my entire body like standing close to a hot fire on a cold day. He would save us. He would come back and save us.

After forty-two nights trying to get through, I had succeeded. We had succeeded. I could feel Calen's strength reinforcing our connection. Without each other, none of this was possible. I was dependent on her strength, for she was an extension of my very being. Together we could mold our energies as one. For now, we had to remain physically apart, which would greatly hinder our abilities, but faint as it was, I could still feel her strength linked with mine.

All those days and endless nights of practicing finally paid off. We both were struggling, so I didn't know how long this would last.

I had a specific directive to convey to him. It was imperative that he heeded every word, for this was our only avenue of communication. Opening my mouth, I started to tell him what he needed to know. I tried to convey a sense of urgency as I told him the plan. As I spoke, he began to slowly shake his head. When I noticed his eyebrows furrowing together and a questioning look upon his face, I realized I was speaking but no words were coming out. My mouth moved as if to speak, but I heard nothing, not a sound. I started to shout, loud and then louder, but again, not a thing could be heard. I did not understand. This was horrendous. All this work and he couldn't hear me?

I tried to pull more power from Calen, but she was giving me all she had. It started to get painful for the both of us.

Suddenly he started to walk toward me. However, if he got too close I would lose our connection and this would be for loss. I couldn't risk losing him now. I vigorously shook my head and put up both my hands to signal halt. He immediately stopped, and I could see him sigh. He raked his hands through his hair and looked at me. He pointed two fingers at his eyes and then closed them. Opening his eyes, he repeated the gesture two more times, then pointed to his mouth as if speaking.

Confused, I tried to understand his hand motions. What was he alluding to? Close my eyes and speak? How...? Yes! Close my eyes and speak to him through images. Was that not what dreams were, images speaking to us through our minds?

I closed my eyes and cleared my head. Ever so slowly, I let the images come to mind. I couldn't speak words, but I could pass images onto him, giving him this message of hope, and hopefully...a sense of urgency.

A quaint town sat quietly on an eastern coast. Streets long and damp from moisture clung to the morning air. A lighthouse in white stone sat next to a small cottage with broken windowpanes, but with a well-manicured lawn, overlooking crashing waves against staggered cliffs jetting out of the ocean. Huge, beautiful trees, large oaks and a giant Weeping Willow hanging over a crisp cool pond surrounded by birches. The Weeping Willow-

I jerked back as suddenly the image snapped from my mind. Our time was running out. I had to tell him it was imperative, absolutely vital that he....

As I opened my eyes, I realized the horror.

He was gone.

I looked around, but he was nowhere in sight. As I felt a slight pain in the left side of my head I knew that I was waking up. I did not know how much he received. I hoped with all my might that the images got through to him. They had to.

He was our only hope.

#  Chapter Five

~Nari~

I had music blaring from my iPod as I walked home from school. It had been a pretty good day, making me incredibly hopeful for the rest of the school year. Suddenly, a flash of bright blue passed. I looked over to find a pickup truck barreling down then screeching to a stop right next to me. It was so loud I could hear it through my music. I pulled out my headphones and turned to see a smiling Zaylie hanging out the window. Speak of the devil!

"Hey hey, need a ride?" she asked as the driver continued to inch forward alongside as I walked.

"That would have been awesome! But I actually live right around the corner, so I'm good. But thanks for the offer," I replied and leaned forward to give a small wave to Desmond who was driving. He jerked his head up and smirked in response.

"Must be nice to live so close to school! Or not. Depends on how you look at it I suppose." She gave me a huge grin.

"Well, since I foresee no car at my disposal in the near future, it's definitely a good thing," I laughed. "I pretty much have to walk everywhere."

"If you ever need a ride, just let us know!" she replied with a smile that lit up her eyes.

"Thanks! I will." I smiled back.

"See you tomorrow!" she barely got out as Desmond squealed the tires and took off in a hurry shouting, "See ya!"

It made me laugh, already feeling us becoming good friends and making my day that much brighter.

But it was very short-lived when my stomach suddenly tightened into a deep knot as I came around the curve and saw a blue Toyota sitting in the driveway; his blue Toyota. I clenched my teeth and wondered what Ray was doing home. He shouldn't be here. It was Wednesday, and he always worked late on Wednesdays. He was never here before 8 p.m., and I had enough time to clean the house and make sure it wasn't a mess before he got home.

I shuddered to think what my evening was going to be like now. I had planned to stop home, quickly grab my cell phone that I had stupidly left on my dresser this morning, and head to my favorite place. What was I going to do now? No way would he let me leave when I just got home from school.

The sound of the front door slamming shut interrupted my thoughts. I saw him walking down the sidewalk heading toward his car. I jumped behind the nearest tree, hoping he didn't see me. I heard the car start and a couple seconds later it backed out of the driveway and drove down the street heading the opposite way.

I let out a huge gasp of air. That was close; too close. A couple seconds later and I would have met him face-to-face at the front door. Yuck. I tried to avoid him at all costs, rarely even uttering his name. Thankfully I was able to take care of myself, so I really didn't need him for anything.

As soon as I opened the door, I cringed from the awful stench of alcohol. This was my usual reaction when entering the front door, but this was worse. Like he had just drunk something before he left. How did he even keep his job? It always amazed me—and not in a good way—the amount of liquor this guy could drink yet still manage to function and go to work every day. Who would want to be around someone like that? I felt sorry for his coworkers.

I dropped my head in my hand, wishing he would man up and quit acting like a college frat boy. I didn't want to deal with this right now. Every second spent here meant less time spent with Rydan. Maybe I could just leave it and get to it later...

On the other hand, if I didn't clean up the huge mess he had obviously just made, and he somehow came home before me again, he would be extremely angry tonight. As much as I wanted to get out of there, I didn't want to deal with that either, and it was not worth taking that risk.

I looked to the familiar corner of the living room and sure enough, I saw it. A newly broken bottle of...what was it this time? Jack. Jack Daniels was his favorite. I closed out an eerie feeling creeping up on me because I knew that when he found Jack, it wasn't a good sign. It was his go-to when something went bad.

Why he liked to throw empty bottles against the wall and watch them shatter into thousands of pieces was beyond me, but it was an unspoken agreement that I would clean it up.

My theory was the only reason he did it was to punish me since the first time he did it was the day after his wife died. He would always find as many ways as he could to make me suffer. If I didn't clean up the mess, then it would give him an excuse to punish me in other ways, which usually ended with bruises.

I tried not to dwell on it. Soon, very soon, I would be out of here, and he could no longer push me around.

After I quickly cleaned the mess, dumping the glass in the trash, I ran to my room to grab my cell phone and headed out the door.

Finally.

I smiled and bit my bottom lip as I stood on this hill for the billionth time and stared out at the beautiful scene before me.

My best friend—Rydan—was in the exact same position he was in when I first met him seven years ago and humming that exact oh-so-familiar tune I had come to love, just like back then. There he was, lying under our Weeping Willow tree. Our secret escape.

As I made my way down toward him, just knowing I was on my way to see him gave me comfort and lifted my spirits. He was the only one I could truly talk to, the only person who was ever there for me, and the only person I could actually trust. I didn't have any siblings or family that I could call my own, and although I'd like to think of Teddy as being a friend, he was just a stuffed bear. So yeah, he didn't exactly count. I had never been close to anyone other than my mom and Rydan. He was my family now. He was my rock. I didn't know what I would do without him.

As I walked up to Rydan, I couldn't help smirking as I lightly kicked him in his side. I knew he heard me coming, but he always chose to ignore my presence at first until I pestered him, making him finally avert his constant daydreaming and look me in the eyes. As always, he hummed his tune but stopped to quickly reach out and grab my ankle before I could make contact again.

Once he slowly lifted his other arm from covering his face, he reluctantly turned his head and bore his silver eyes into mine.

"Are you ever going to finish that piece? I would like to hear the end product at least some time before I shrivel up and die of old age," I joked, referring to the melody he was humming. From the beginning, he'd always say it was still a work in progress.

"You can't rush these things. Sometimes it takes experiencing just the right encounter or moment in order to birth a masterpiece," he drawled. "It's not ready because I'm still waiting for that moment."

Turning back, he let go of my ankle and closed his eyes as he resumed his previous position with his arm over his face and continued to hum.

I zipped up my sweater halfway and got down to lie beside him. I stared up at the ever moving, rustling branches in the wind of the grand and beautiful tree that I loved so much. This was my favorite place in the whole world. If I could somehow stop time and capture this perfect scene before me, I would give anything to do so. The branches were full of leaves and extremely long, almost touching the ground, giving the appearance of a secret forest room that we were enclosed in, just for us.

Beyond us was a serene pond that almost seemed to glow in the sun, surrounded by tall birches and other magnificent trees. I was pretty sure this place could be described as heaven during autumn when all the leaves changed to different colors.

I glanced at Rydan and saw he hadn't moved. He was lying right under a branch that looked like it covered him like a loving arm and wanted to embrace him. His left knee was up, and his right arm covered his eyes. As I lay there beside him and studied him, it reminded me of the time we first met. It felt so safe and comfortable while lying there; I couldn't help closing my eyes, and I began to drift away with Rydan's entrancing humming vibrating next to my ear, lulling me to sleep. As I was thinking about the day we first met, my dreams took me back there as soon as I fell asleep.

Back to the day that gave me hope.

I had been ten years old. Instead of going straight home from school, I took a different route. There was no path, but after about halfway in a cluster of trees, you could see weeping willows far in the distance up the hill. I had always loved those. When I first heard the name, my first thought was why was it weeping? It sounded sad. I decided to go find one.

It seemed to take a while to get there, but I was awestruck by the beauty surrounding me. It seemed like a picture, like a painting, like a dream.

There was a small pond over to my left nestled in front of a forest of trees. But it was the Weeping Willow that was breathtaking as it hung over the pond. The branches just touched the surface of the water, creating small ripples that got larger and larger.

As I got closer, I saw a boy lying under the branches. He had his arm over his eyes, and I didn't think he heard me approach. I felt a twinge of anger that he had found this place first and I couldn't be alone. The branches swayed in the wind as I watched the boy who looked my age.

I didn't want to destroy his peace, so I thought about turning toward home when he suddenly moved. I held my breath, thinking maybe he heard me, but as he settled back to his original position, I slowly exhaled and decided to walk closer. Maybe he would share this little bit of peace with me. I longed for someone to talk to. It had been a while since I'd had a friend.

There was no leaving it now. I was drawn to this place, I was drawn to this beauty, and I suddenly realized, I was drawn to this boy.

"Hey, I'm Nari. I don't mean to bother you, but can I sit here too?" I asked the boy lying on his back in the grass. He was humming such a pretty tune. I had never it heard before, and I wondered what it was.

Without looking up or moving, he said, "I didn't ask you what your name was."

"I know, but I don't have anyone else to talk to. I lost my only friend a few years ago, and I really don't want to be home right now," I told him, referring to Teddy. "I really want to stay here."

"Do what you want. I don't care that much either way," he said softly. There was gentleness to his voice that kept me from feeling afraid or awkward. I sat down next to him and pulled my thin dress over my knees. It felt safe here, sitting next to this stranger. It was nice and comforting, even as we sat in silence.

We stayed like that for a long time. The boy continued to hum ever so lightly, and I stared out in front of me, smiling at the beautiful white swan and her babies splashing and playing in the water of the mirrored pond.

The breeze blew through my hair and the long slender branches of the enormous Weeping Willow tree, just softly agitating the surface of the water, setting off small waves of rings each time they fell back down into place after the wind had blown.

After some time, I realized it was dusk, and my chest tightened at the thought of having to go back home. At that same moment, the boy's hum caught, and he slightly stiffened. I looked over at him, but he immediately resumed humming. Did he notice my sudden reaction?

I needed to learn to hide my feelings better. But I dreaded going to Ray's house—I didn't want this moment to end. I had to force myself to stand up, with the glimmer of hope and anxiousness to come back tomorrow. Any place was better than at that scary house, sure, but there was just something about the atmosphere here. It was special. And calming. I felt happier, like this was where I belonged. Like it was home.

I wondered if this boy would be here again. There was something calming about his presence, too. Perhaps it wasn't just this spot but this mysterious boy that made it feel so special. Oh no...what if he thought I was intruding? He might not want to come back if he thought I'd be here from now on. He probably wanted to keep this amazing secret hiding place to himself.

I looked down and sighed, realizing there was nothing I could do about it either way. It wouldn't be anything new. I was used to kids avoiding me. I tried to push those thoughts aside as I started walking away.

I turned back to look at the boy one last time, just in case I'd never see him again, and then I began my walk back home.

A few steps later, I heard him say, "My name is Rydan. See you tomorrow."

With a grin and without even turning around, I ran back to the house, forgetting my fears and dread that awaited me, only thinking that I couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.

I awoke to Rydan's voice and pressure on my shoulder as he squeezed it. "Yo, sleepyhead, the sun is setting. You should get home before it gets dark."

"Yeah, because that would be scarier than actually being home," I said sarcastically and groggily while sitting up. He knew the last place I wanted to be was home. With him. I'd rather be anywhere else in the world. But Rydan was right. I needed to get home before fueling another drunken, angry outburst. I had already cleaned up one mess today; I didn't need to do it again.

"You know if I could, I'd take you away from there. One day we'll both be getting out of here, trust me," he said while gazing his bright silver eyes intently into mine. I believed him at that moment. And I trusted him. But as he said that, I noticed a hint of some other emotion. I couldn't quite catch what it was before he quickly went back to his usual expressionless demeanor. Rydan was always so hard to read – constantly guarded, rarely showing emotion. I knew there was a lot more deep inside him, just waiting to break free, if he ever let it.

"What's wrong?" I asked, even though I knew he wouldn't tell me.

"What do you mean?" He raised one eyebrow at me, like I was crazy. Hmmm...shocker. I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Forget it." I sighed, deciding it was best not to get in a debate when I was already running late.

"Okay," he replied skeptically. Again, like I was the crazy one.

While rubbing my eyes, I forced myself to get up. "Hey, where do you think we'd go?" His statement piqued my curiosity, so I just had to ask. "I mean, if we could get away from here right now, where would we go?" I felt I needed to clarify my question.

"Anywhere you'd want," he answered softly.

"Japan?" He loved Anime and Manga; what better place than its home country?

"If you want," he laughed.

"Wait, New Zealand!" I could literally list every and any country on this planet and I would be the happiest person alive to go there.

"Sure. Or we could check out all the states here, like drive cross-country, that sort of thing. Then after we've seen all that there is to offer from our home country, we can visit others." Was he mocking me? I couldn't tell...I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Right. But you know, that's actually not a bad idea...we could make an informed decision on where to stay that way. Great idea!" I exclaimed with joy, realizing that I didn't care if he was messing with me or not. It completely made sense!

He only smiled, and I took it as my cue to get going.

"See you later, Ry," I murmured, hating that I had to leave and tried hard to produce at least a small smile. I turned around and unwillingly walked back to my ever not-so glamorous life.

#  Chapter Six

~Naminé~

I struggled to stay asleep. I had to push through. Please...not again! This couldn't be happening. Just one more moment, and I would have it.

But I didn't.

I tried again and again, every single night for the past nine to reach him once more. Calen and I worked tirelessly through the night, pushing our strength and might to the test and using every ounce of energy we could muster to open the communication again. It was of no use. I was not even close to reaching him. Whatever means we had before was gone...lost. I had no idea how much I succeeded or if I failed. The not knowing if I made it through to him that one and only night would haunt me. He was our only hope, and I was the only means through which he could return.

I could feel a sense of warmth coming from Calen. She was trying to comfort me. We were both disheartened, and we ached to simply be near each other.

What if it didn't work? What if he didn't come?

Finally, I opened my resisting eyes to sunlight illuminating through the lancet in my small chamber. I put my fingers up to my eyes as I felt tears streaming down my face. But I refused to give up. I just needed time. I had to persist...endure...persevere. It was the only way. No matter how hard I struggled or labored, I had to keep trying.

I wiped the tears quickly off my face, determined to stay steadfast in my mission. People were counting on me. He was counting on me. I wouldn't quit. I couldn't afford to fail.

I hastily got up from my pallet as I received a rap on my door. I opened to find a thick towering knight blasting his menacing dark eyes into mine, and I straight away flinched. I looked away to anywhere but those menacing eyes. He violently grabbed my arm and pushed me outside the door. I stumbled down the stairs and firmly landed on my hands and knees. I understood I was not swift enough when he grabbed my long blonde hair and yanked me to my feet. I attempted to dwell in silence and not utter a sound, as I knew this would only fuel his attacks.

He still had a hold of my long hair as I stumbled to keep up with him. As we finally reached the kitchens, he solidly hauled me through the door and heaved me to the floor. I instinctively reached up to grab my aching head as he pounded the door shut behind him.

I looked up into the helpless tormented eyes of my mother. I saw a single tear escaping down her cheek. Instantaneously, the motherly demeanor was gone. I was no longer looking into the eyes of one who was afraid for my safety just moments before, but now into the eyes of the head cook, the one I had to explain my belated arrival to my duties.

#  Chapter Seven

~Nari~

I should have known.

When I woke to loud crashing the next morning, I should have known that it meant Ray was not only home, but also very angry at something.

I began to pull my comforter over my head to escape when there was a lull in the screaming and crashing, and suddenly everything went quiet. I had to get ready for school or I was going to be late. Hoping that the silence meant Ray had just left, I lay there for a few seconds more just to make sure.

Okay...here I go.

Quickly, I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I put my back against it and took a deep breath.

Just when I was about to take a step forward, I heard those dreaded footsteps walk up the hallway and stop outside the bathroom. I just about jumped out of my skin when Ray started banging on the door as if his life depended on it. There was no reason anyone had to pound like that unless it was an emergency—a life or death situation. Of course, with Ray, just losing the remote control would count as an emergency.

"Get out here now!" shouted the dark voice on the other side of the door.

Instantly, it sent my heart hammering hard in my chest, just about as hard as Ray had pounded on the door. I blinked back a tear and tried to compose myself.

I quickly did a mental scan to check if there was anything I had missed on my chore list yesterday. Did I forget to do something? I went over the list in my head, but all I could remember was being satisfied that the house was spic-and-span before I left. I couldn't have forgotten something.

I should have stayed in my bed and pretended to be asleep. I should have gotten up earlier and left before he got up. I should have escaped through the window as soon as I heard the crashing.

"I said now!" the angry voice continued as I tried to muster up the courage to open the door.

I put my fingers on the knob and slowly opened it, wincing as his hand grabbed the door and shoved it all the way open. I didn't, no I couldn't meet his eyes, so I just looked down at the floor as Ray reached in and grabbed my arm, practically dragging me to the living room.

He didn't let go of me while he shook his other hand toward the front entrance. I could already feel I was going to have a bruise where his fingers were digging into my skin.

"They were here last night!" he screamed as if I wasn't right beside him. "I put them on the table, and now they are gone! I am late; I need to get to work!" He suddenly slammed his gaze into mine and looked at me questioningly, like I knew what the heck he was talking about.

"Wh...What are you talking about?"

"My keys, stupid, look for them, now!" He pushed me aside and started tearing through the couch.

I instinctively held my arm and tried to massage out the hurt from where he grabbed me. I knew that I had to find his keys or my bruises would get worse. I didn't want to find out how much worse. My heart skipped a beat at the realization, and I suddenly went frantic looking for the lost keys.

Not even two minutes later, I sighed with huge relief as I found them on the floor behind the table. They must have fallen off at some point. I had to wonder how he wasn't able to find them there—wouldn't that be the obvious place to look? I shook my head, as he was in the kitchen looking through the cabinets, because yeah — that's where his keys would be. I rolled my eyes, put them on the table, and said, "Found them. They fell on the floor." I quickly made my way back to the bathroom.

I heard him grab his keys and slam the front door as he walked out. I had been holding my breath and let it out as I listened to his car leave the driveway.

I put my hand over my heart, trying to calm myself down. It felt like it was beating a million beats a minute. I closed my eyes, took deep breaths, and slowly exhaled before starting to get ready for school.

The feeling I got when I approached the school about thirty minutes later was pretty much the same as yesterday—dismal. As I opened my locker, I took my jacket off and hung it on the hook. I pulled down the long sleeves of my black sweater, making sure no bruises from this morning were showing. I gently rubbed my arm and winced as it hurt to the touch.

As I tried to rid my mind of him, I closed my locker with way more force then I intended. Suddenly, an arm was around my shoulders for the second day in a row, and a familiar voice flittered into my ears. Unfortunately, it wasn't Rydan this time. I heard a rumor Liam Pierce had returned, but up until now completely forgot. Sigh. Here we go again.

"Ahhh, Nari. Long time no see. Did you miss me?" said the guy who had been practically stalking me since I met him.

I pushed his arm off, saying, "Oh yes, I lie awake every night, hoping and wishing for your speedy return. What are you doing here anyway?" I already knew, but felt like asking him myself.

"I knew it. You want me," he replied, winking.

Rolling my eyes and sighing, I crossed my arms and waited for a serious answer. I was in no mood for his fawning over me.

"Alright, alright, crabby pants, take a chill pill will you?" he said while holding his hands up and smirking. "We moved back this summer. All joking aside, I really did miss you, Nari." He gently reached out to put a hand on my arm—the one that was bruised—but I flinched and pulled away.

A look of hurt crossed his face, but he quickly recovered.

Feeling guilty, I replied, "Thanks, Liam. That's really nice. I'm sorry I'm being such a jerk. I've just had a bad morning." Looking down, I kicked my foot against the floor. This was so embarrassing. "I ...well...it's nice to see you too." I looked up and forced a smile. I didn't want anyone to hate me. I should have been nice. I was nice. I sighed again out loud, hoping I didn't offend him too badly.

"You can make it up to me. Go out with me tonight."

Oh yeah, that was right. This was why I wasn't always nice to him. He wouldn't take no for an answer. All through eighth grade, he wouldn't leave me alone, always trying to get me to go out with him. He was literally the only person besides Rydan that would talk to me, but it felt more like teasing than anything. It was never in a way that made me want to be friends with him, and I didn't trust he had good intentions either. I was just waiting for it to be a trick so he and all his friends could laugh at me some more. Thankfully, he moved right before the school year ended, giving me some peace from his constant not-so-subtle "invitations," but rumor had it that his family returned. I knew this moment was going to come...

"Liam—" but before I could finish, he cut me off.

"Nari, come on. Stop saying no. Just give in already! You know you want to," he said again with that side smirk and golden brown hair falling over his eyes. I could see that his appearance had changed a lot since last time I saw him. He was not bad looking; he was actually attractive – he grew muscles. Big ones. But...no. I was against boys. I swore off all men a long time ago when I was little. To me, none of them could be trusted.

"I'm really sorry, and I really do appreciate the offer. I just...can't," I said to him.

"Why?"

"Hey, girl!" Zaylie chimed in then. Saved by the Blonde!

"Oh, Zaylie, hey..." Thank goodness...I wanted to say out loud, but held back. It wasn't easy.

"Who's this bloke?" she said.

"Zaylie, this is Liam. Liam, meet Zaylie. She's new here."

"Why do you talk funny?" he said with his eyebrows pulled together.

"Liam!" I screeched, smacking his arm.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied, spinning on her heel and pulling me along with her, leaving Liam to stand there alone.

"Zaylie, you have no idea how much you saved me back there," I breathed as we walked together to Literature class. I could get used to this. I hoped it became a routine. It was...nice.

She chuckled and said, "No prob, babe. What is it with him? He looked...smitten with you."

"Ugh, please don't say that. He has been trying to get me to go out with him since the eighth grade. And I don't trust him for one second."

"That bad, huh?" she said as she tightened her blue and green scarf around her neck. It matched perfectly with her outfit of jeans and a green-laced blouse.

Desperately wanting to change the subject, I touched her scarf. "That is really beautiful. I love the colors."

She smiled warmly. "Thanks. My mum got it for me as a surprise this past weekend."

"Awww, that's nice. What was the occasion?" I asked her.

She looked at me with a strange expression on her face. "No occasion. Just because she wanted to."

I looked down at the floor as we continued walking. I forgot what it felt like to have a mother that loved you. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of sadness and longing for Elizabeth, but I was also happy that Zaylie had a mother who loved her.

Later during Chemistry, I hadn't noticed I sighed out loud as Zaylie looked my way and whispered, "Are you okay?"

Just then, Mr. Allen told us to read page thirty-four in our textbooks and perform the outlined lab experiment.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." I smiled. "It's just been a long day."

"Yeah, I hear ya. I can't wait for school to get out and get some kip."

"Um...what's a kip?" I asked as I opened to chapter two and started going over the directions for the experiment.

"It's like a short nap," she replied with a yawn. "I'm bushed. Was up late last night; couldn't put down the latest Goodkind book I just bought," she said, laughing.

"Terry Goodkind? The Sword of Truth series?" I asked.

"Yes! Have you read that? I love that series. I saved up to buy all thirteen books, and then just this past weekend I bought the next installment. I'm stoked!"

"That's amazing. I don't know anyone else who has read that series. It's one of my favorites! I was going to go rent the newest one, but I haven't gotten to it yet." I grabbed the vials that we needed and started implementing the experiment.

"I'd be happy to lend you my copy when I'm done reading. I'll probably have it done in the next few days." She was smiling so sweetly. "I'd love to talk about the series with you, too. Des doesn't understand my obsession for fantasy books, and it would be great to discuss with a fellow reader."

"That would be great; I would actually really love that." I was honestly surprised. I smiled back sweetly and felt relaxed sitting next to her. Zaylie was so nice. We got along great so far, and every time I was around her I could feel us getting closer and closer.

When Friday finally came, Mr. Allen gave us another experiment to perform, and we continued our conversation on The Sword of Truth series while we worked on the lab assignment.

"Zedd is my absolute fav!" said Zaylie. "That old man makes me laugh my socks off."

"Yes, he's the best. He is so...peculiar, yet you can't help but laugh. He truly makes the story...memorable," I said as we both laughed.

"My brother Des and I are going to Saucers after school today to grab a bite to eat, if you want to join us. Our mum and dad will be gone till late, so we're going to grab dinner ourselves, and we'd love your company."

"I'd love that," I told her, and I truly meant it.

"Ace! Meet you at your locker after school," she said as the bell rang.

Once the time came, I thought they wouldn't show and was surprised when Zaylie and Desmond walked up to me at my locker after school.

"G'day, mate!" said Desmond as he put an arm around my shoulder. What was it with boys thinking my shoulders were their personal armrests? "I hear you're joining us for some grub."

I laughed as I nodded and said, "Yeah, I wouldn't want to miss it." Zaylie rolled her eyes at her brother, and the three of us walked out the door.

We walked to Saucers, all the while listening to Desmond talk about how horrible it was to sit next to a snobby girl in most of his classes. He went on and on about how this girl and her friends wouldn't shut up about what color lipstick they were going to wear that night. I laughed inside, knowing exactly who he was talking about—the infamous Sabrina Holloway. I knew how horrible sitting next to her was from past years.

"How long has your family been in Maine?" I asked as we sat down at a table.

"We been here for 'bout a month now," Zaylie explained. "Before that we were in Massachusetts for about three years, then our dad got stationed here. Hopefully we'll be here all school year."

Their accents intrigued me, and I had to know why it seemed heavier sometimes. "How long has it been since you've been back to Australia? Sometimes your accents are lighter."

"Yeah, we grew up in Oz, about hundred miles from Sydney, town called Newcastle," Zaylie clarified. "We left when we were about eleven, when our dad got stationed to different parts of the U.S. We haven't been back since."

She looked at Desmond and continued, "We pretty much lost our thick accents and Aussie slang over the past few years, but every now and then a word slips out."

Desmond was looking at the jukebox. "That gizmo over there work?"

"Yeah, it has oldie classics," I answered as he got up to look.

Zaylie leaned in toward me and whispered, "We got teased a lot in school when we first came to America because of our accents. Des got bitter over it at first, but now he likes to purposely use Aussie words to confuse people. He thinks it's funny." I had to laugh as she rolled her eyes at Desmond again.

"I have to admit, I'm confused over some of the things he says, but I love to hear your Australian accent. I can't believe you actually got teased for it. That's cruel," I said as I shook my head. Kids could be so mean. I knew from experience.

"We got over it, no worries."

I smiled at her, and Desmond started playing an Elvis Presley song. We sat at the table, eating, talking, laughing, and me feeling completely ecstatic.

I jerked at the sound of my Pop-Tarts jumping out of the toaster. I had been thoroughly engrossed in what was on the television. That little blue penguin was so darn cute. Okay, I was seventeen and still watched Saturday morning cartoons, I couldn't help it. It was the only time I actually got to watch TV. I never got to watch cartoons when I was a kid if Ray was home. Now was my chance.

I was extremely blessed to have Saturdays to myself, since Ray worked six days a week. I think he chose to, just so he didn't have to be around me, which was more than fine by me. Plus, last I heard he was trying to save up for a new car.

I grabbed my strawberry Pop-Tarts and sat on the couch to finish my cartoons, wrapping up snugly in my über soft navy blue and turquoise blanket. I loved moments like this.

Later, I decided to go back to my bedroom and resumed working on my sculpture. It was starting to look great, and I couldn't wait to see it finished. Mr. Isaacson taught us a trick that would help and already it was looking great.

After about an hour of sculpting, my stomach grumbled. I sent a text to Rydan to see if he wanted to do lunch at his favorite diner and added 'my treat.' A few seconds later, he replied with a one eyed raised emoticon and a 'k' - that was Rydan for you. I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door. I stepped outside and stretched as far as I could. The sunny day with a slight chill in the air felt great after being inside all morning.

I sat in our usual spot—the booth in the far back corner that faced the jukebox and waited for Rydan. He was completely into anything musical, so he loved to sit near it and play the oldies. I had many wonderful memories of us sitting in this booth—Rydan putting in his money, playing Frank Sinatra.

I walked over and put money in, choosing That's Life.

"Great song," I heard Rydan's deep timbered voice behind me. I turned around and smiled as he slid into the booth, sitting in his usual spot. He ran his fingers through his dark black hair as his eyes found mine and gave me a perplexed look.

"You're smiling," he said as he picked up the menu, even though he didn't need to look at it; he ordered the same thing every time.

"I guess I'm in a good mood," I said, my big smile forcing to stay in place.

He slanted his eyes like he was trying to figure out a great mystery and said, "Something happen today, or is it just the pleasure of my company that has you in a fine mood?"

I ignored his jab. "I made friends at school. They're really great. We actually ate here together yesterday and everything," I explained, barely able to believe that it could be true myself. I still held my smile as I looked up into his dark silver eyes.

"Does this mean your eternal misery has been cut short?" he asked dramatically, feigning shock.

"Oh no, I mean, I'm still miserable without you of course," I expressed nonchalantly, not wanting him to think for one second I didn't need him anymore. "But now instead of eternal misery, it's more like tolerable misery. If that's even possible." It sounded more like an oxymoron. I looked up to see his silver eyes looking intently into mine.

"If that means you're happy, I am happy, Nari." He looked slightly confused.

Feeling satisfied, I pulled out my sketchbook and began drawing. I usually found a napkin or a receipt or anything paper and doodled some random object. I couldn't help it – it just came out. It was like a song that got stuck in your head. The picture would just play over and over again in my mind until I got it out.

The waitress came to our table, and Rydan ordered, "The roasted vegetable sandwich with a side of French fries," we both said at the same time. I knew this because it was what he got every single time we came here. I smiled and asked for a turkey club with no tomato and French fries.

"You do know they cook other food here besides vegetable sandwiches. In fact, there's a whole menu full of food choices," I joked without looking up from my sketch.

"Why look at anything else when you know what you want," he said plainly while getting up to put more money in the jukebox.

I shook my head and had to wonder about Rydan sometimes. I wish I could just get into that thick head of his and get a glimpse of what he was thinking. He had such a hard exterior; I thought I would have broken in by now after seven years of friendship. Even though he had shared a few things with me, I knew he kept things hidden deep within. I still didn't know much about his past, but I knew it haunted him. Every once in a while, he would let his guard down and I got a sense of what he was feeling by the expressions on his face. But it was like he realized he gave me this small glimpse and immediately closed himself again, like he didn't want me to see his insecurities. Didn't he know we all had them? I would have understood if he would just talk to me about it.

Although I did remember having the same feelings before I told him about Ray. It took me a while to tell him about my situation at home and my foster parent, especially about what happened to my mom.

I didn't want to talk about it. It was too painful. I was looking for an escape. I had finally found it with Rydan and our spot under the Weeping Willow. I didn't want to darken it with thoughts or feelings of him and what happened.

For a while, I had acted as if nothing was wrong. If Rydan asked why I didn't want to go home, I would just say because I liked it at our spot. He would try to get me to talk about it, but I wouldn't. Not at my special place with my new friend.

The years I had gotten to know Rydan, I noticed he was very quiet, laidback, yet very intellectual. Actually, he was more than that. He was extremely intelligent and good at almost anything he did. He could play just about any musical instrument known to man and play it beautifully like he had been playing for years.

It was the passion that he put into it. It came from the very deepest part of his soul. He could make you feel that with every note he played. It was magical. I had never met anyone like him before.

One night about five years ago, we were beside the pond. I was lying beside the Weeping Willow tree playing with the swaying branches. Rydan had been strumming his guitar that he had just bought that morning. He spent forever tuning the strings so that they were just right. He started to play Name by the Goo Goo Dolls and it was such a beautiful song, but it always made me sad. He had been getting to the chorus where it said:

"And now we're grown up orphans

That never knew their names

We don't belong to no one, that's a shame.

You could hide beside me, maybe for awhile.

And I won't tell no one your name"

The sad melody continued, but the next part of the song was where he got me...

"Scars are souvenirs you never lose," he barely whispered. "The past is never far."

The thought of the past made me wince, and I shut my eyes as a tear strolled down my cheek. Suddenly, he stopped playing, and as I opened my eyes, his met mine.

"What is it, Nari? I can't take this anymore. Something is wrong. Please just tell me. I can see that you're hurting. You're safe with me, and I'll protect you," he pleaded.

I started to cry and felt ashamed for letting him see me this way. What he did next totally shocked me. He put down his guitar, came and knelt down before me, and as he pulled me up to meet him, he wrapped his arms around me, giving me a gentle hug.

I almost forgot what a hug felt like. I was still stunned by his gesture when he grabbed my arms and put them around his warm body. I let go of my fear and fiercely hugged him back. It felt good to be in his arms, and there we were in the middle of the day, sitting under the Weeping Willow tree, basking in each other's embrace.

It seemed like hours went by, but after what must have only been a few seconds, he slightly pulled away to look in my eyes as he said, "I'm here for you, Nariella, you can trust me." The sincerity of his words struck me deep.

I sat there looking into his eyes, his dark silver eyes that were intently staring me down, willing me to tell him everything, willing me to trust him. I was scared to let anybody in.

But Rydan was my best friend. A sudden realization hit me like a ton of bricks. If I wanted him to trust me, I had to trust him. That was what friends were for. I was scared, but I was even more terrified of being alone. I didn't want to be alone anymore.

His eyes never left mine as I contemplated telling him the truth. Then he let me see his concern and the trust in his eyes, and I suddenly knew that he wouldn't leave me. I nodded my head and slowly started to tell him everything I had ever wanted to tell him, as much as I could handle emotionally without breaking.

The sound of the waitress putting our food on the table pulled me out of my reverie as I continued to aimlessly draw.

"Penny for your thoughts," Rydan inquired softly. He was shaking way too much salt onto his fries. He gave me a discerning look, like he knew I had been reliving the past. He had told me once before he could always tell because it showed on my face. I didn't know what look I had that gave me away, but I smiled back at him.

"Sadness," he suddenly said.

"What?" I asked back.

"It's a look of sadness on your face that I see when you're thinking of the past. I see the look often; believe me, it's ingrained in my brain," he murmured while widening his eyes.

"How did you know that's what I was thinking?"

"Again, your expression always gives you away."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I was thinking back on the day I first told you about Ray and Elizabeth," I explained with a half smile.

"Ah," was the only response I got at first. He suddenly got an awkward look on his face. "I remember," he said. "So that's why you drew my acoustic guitar just now then."

I looked up at him and then back to my drawing. He was right...I didn't even realize I was drawing his guitar.

"Thank you for trusting me, by the way," he whispered.

I smiled at him and caught his gaze. "Well, it's been five years and you're still here, so I guess you were right."

He grabbed his sandwich and took a bite.

"I've never regretted it, you know," I said to him, watching him eat.

He raised his eyebrow in question and took another bite.

"Trusting you," I replied seriously. "That first day we met, the first time I told you about Ray and what happened, and over the years I've always been able to trust you, Rydan. You're my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you." I smiled and picked up my turkey club and put it in my mouth before any more feelings started to come out. I didn't know where that came from, it just felt right to say it to him out loud.

He mumbled something about girls and their feelings and shoved half his plate of fries in his mouth.

I shook my head. Girls and their feelings? Ha! Guys and their lack of feelings, I wanted to say back, but I kept filling my mouth with food so that no words would slip out. I was not surprised at his dismissal of my words. I rolled my eyes at him, and we continued eating our lunch in silence.

"You better finish that. The animal didn't die just so you could waste it and get thrown in the trash," he scolded me when we were done eating.

"Ry! You make me wanna be a vegetarian when you say stuff like that!"

He just looked at me from the corner of his eye. I stuffed my last bite in my mouth, feeling guilty. Rydan had always been a vegetarian as far as I knew, but sometimes I got this feeling that it was more than that. Of course he'd never told me why, but I could tell he was very passionate about it.

Rydan didn't let me pay in the end, even though I tried to argue with him. He was way too good to me. I didn't have much money left in my savings, which resembled a tiny piggy bank more than an actual savings account, so his gesture meant more to me than he probably even realized. Or, maybe he did realize.

As he headed outside toward where he parked his motorcycle, I started to follow him, knowing he would give me a ride home. I opened my mouth to say something when he suddenly turned around, locking his silver eyes with mine. His intensity stopped me in my tracks, like his eyes were reaching for my soul.

"I trust you too, Nari. With my life. I wouldn't be who I am today without you. You're very special to me; I thought you should know that," he confessed seriously.

We stood there staring at each other for another few seconds, and before I could think of anything to say, he had already turned around.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride home," he stated plainly. I had the urge to say "duh" but stopped myself, savoring the rare intimate moment.

Five minutes later, we were pulling into my driveway. I hopped off the back of his bike and handed him the helmet he always brought with for me when he knew he was going to see me. He never wore one himself though.

"Meet you at the Willow later?" I asked him. He gave me a crooked smile.

"As always," he replied as he pulled away.

I walked in the house and went straight to working on my sculpture again. I didn't have much time left before it was due, and I wanted it to be perfect.

Time flew by fast, and suddenly I realized Ray would be home in twenty minutes. Ugh...I didn't want to be home when he got here. If I was gone before he got home, then fine—he couldn't do anything about it. But if I was still here when he walked in, then he always found some excuse for me to stay, refusing to let me leave. No way was I staying for that.

I quickly washed up, grabbed my sweatshirt, and headed to my favorite place in the whole world.

As I walked to our usual spot under the giant Weeping Willow tree, I couldn't help but think back on what Rydan said to me earlier as we left the diner. He must have known I needed to hear those words. I knew what we had was special and that he knew it too, but it still felt good to hear it coming from his mouth. It wasn't love that bound us together. We weren't in love. Those feelings never crossed my mind. But we had a deep attachment to each other. It was a beautiful thing, our friendship. I wouldn't want it any other way.

I reached the hill and my feet abruptly stopped upon hearing a beautiful but slightly melancholy sound. It was so transfixing, as if singing to my very soul. As my emotions began to stir within me with each note, I ran down the hill to where I knew without a doubt the melody was coming from. This was Rydan playing music.

As I got closer and closer to our Weeping Willow tree, I saw standing at the edge of the pond with long branches almost seeming to sway in time with the melody was Rydan playing a violin.

Seeing him there, standing beside the Weeping Willow, he looked totally different from when I saw him earlier in the day. He was wearing his usual black jeans that hung loosely around his waist and a dark t-shirt under a grey sweatshirt with the sleeves pushed up exposing his lean but muscular forearms. His black hair that reflected red when the sun touched it was tousled, as if he had just jumped out of bed and came straight here and started playing, not even caring to look in the mirror before leaving.

On his right wrist lay loosely his braided black and metallic bracelet and his one silver band around his left middle finger. Around his neck was a silver chain, its contents tucked under his shirt, but I knew what it was. I had never seen Rydan without any of those items on him. He was beautiful—like a dark angel.

I slowly walked up to him, not wanting to disturb his reverie, but he regarded me through slit eyelids, just barely his silver irises peeking out to let me know he noticed I was there. He then lightly shut them again, never skipping a beat.

I pulled the hood of my sweatshirt over my head as I sat down at his feet. Taking in each and every note, it was as if words were being awoken inside of me just bubbling to get out. I began to sing, matching lyrics to his emotions that were spilling out through his music.

When the song ended, he slowly opened his eyes, his intense gaze locked onto mine while lowering down his arms holding the violin and its bow. In that moment, a small smile played at the corner of his lips and his eyes were wide, like liquid mercury, burning with wild passion from the melody. He blinked, and just as suddenly, as if coming out of a trance, his eyes crept back to their usual guarded state, but he couldn't seem to keep his slight smile from fading away.

#  Chapter Eight

~Naminé~

My outlook on life was once dismal, clouded with gloom. I had grown up a servant as had my father and mother. My mother Deasar worked in the kitchens, slaving over the other servants as they hastily struggled to keep up with the demands of the kitchen and the preparation of food for the royal family. My father Roche was head of the stables; he looked after the horses and the few griffins that were housed there. My brother, who was only two cycles behind me at fifteen, had been sent to the garrison and was to be thrown into combat. I was tortured with misery over Cathar's welfare. I missed him greatly, for we had been good companions growing up. I feared for his safety; he was far too young to learn the pains of war.

The only reason I savored any ounce of hope in this dreary life was because of Calen and our gift. She was my Fëa, and we were bonded forever. Although we were struggling with that bond, being apart as often as we were and not having the time and practice we needed for our bond to solidify, we still had each other. We would get better with practice, but it taxed a great toll on our mind, body, and soul to do what we were trying to accomplish. Huge amounts of energy we would expend, and it seemed to be wasted. Despite the hindrance, I knew we must press through it. No matter what it took, I must reach him again.

Not every person of my kind was born with a gift. We were called Maite'Ona, and each one was born with a Fëa essence who would one day meet with their Fëa and bond for eternity. Any who were Maite'Ona were used by the King in efforts to prevail in the war. I would not allow myself or Calen to be used that way, and thus I held my gift in secrecy. Calen had to remain hidden in the forests, and we could meet only sparsely. She had the whole Tiuka Forest to fly around free, and how I longed to be free with her.

One day.

One day we would have the chance to be together.

Cycles ago, I would have bad dreams that the King had found out and sentenced me to hang for not revealing it to him. The fate of Calen haunted me tremendously, and I shuddered at the thought of what would happen if anyone found out about her. I remembered waking up screaming, and then I would vow to myself that no one would ever find out.

It wasn't until one day I met the person who changed everything and gave me determination. He knew of my gift and brilliantly conspired a plan, giving me real purpose. I had a mission. I would carry it out at all costs.

#  Chapter Nine

~Nari~

Finally! I didn't think school would ever end. And it was only Monday...great. I stayed up way too late last night working on my sculpture. Once I got into it, time completely flew by. I didn't realize what time it was until I finally looked up and saw that the clock read 3:02 a.m. Needless to say, I had a hard time staying awake in class. I groggily made my way out of the school and cut onto the grass, heading for home.

"Nari! Wait up!" a male voice called behind me. I closed my eyes and slowly stopped. What did he want now?

"Can I walk you home?" Liam said to me as he caught up. I didn't feel like arguing.

"Sure, why not..." I replied.

"Sweet! I was expecting a fight from you."

"Let's just say you caught me at a weak moment." I yawned.

"Watch it, chum!" I heard Zaylie say just after colliding with Liam. I guess he wasn't watching where he was going. Her outburst made me laugh.

"Speak for yourself, Blondie! Now beat it," Liam mumbled.

"Excuse me? What did you say to me?" Zaylie replied. I swore a fight was about to break out.

"Guys, guys! Calm the heck down! Jeez..." I huffed. They both stared each other down like a Doberman and a Chihuahua in attack mode. That image alone sent me spiraling into fits of laughter—I couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.

"Nari! This isn't funny!" they both said at the same time, sending me back to another fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I pleaded through tears and choked breaths. I wiped at my eyes and tried to sober up. "I'm sorry, guys. I guess I get slap happy from lack of sleep."

They both looked at me, then at each other, and then immediately out at anything else to avoid meeting gazes a second time. I had to look away too, otherwise I might've lost it again. Just then, Desmond walked up.

"Yo, yo, Nari! This your boyfriend?" Desmond asked.

I practically choked on my own spit at his question and squeaked out, "NO!" He held his hands up as if surrendering with a playful smirk.

"Come on, let's go. We'll give you a ride today," he said, his awesome Australian accent marking the words. From the corner of my eye I saw a very disappointed frown immediately appear on Liam's face. But...how could I resist?

As soon as I walked in the door, Ray came around the corner from his bedroom. I cringed, waiting for the yelling to begin. Without even looking at me, he mumbled, "Make yourself useful. Take care of this for me." He then handed me a few twenty-dollar bills and a grocery list before heading toward the couch.

Make yourself useful? Was he serious? I did everything around this house; I was the only useful one around here. I took it, relieved that he wasn't angry at least, and headed back out the door again.

I had to walk of course, and with evening falling there was a moist chill in the air, so I put on my sweatshirt, turned on my iPod, and listened to music as I headed toward the store. I had to hurry and get this over with. My art project was due soon, and I had a few finishing touches to work on tonight.

I thought back to this past weekend and all the fun memories I was beginning to create. Especially on Saturday watching Rydan play the violin. It was simply magical. He had such a way with music. After I started singing lyrics to his melody, we sat down and just enjoyed each other's company in silence. He had played another song for me on the violin, but then drove me home, quietly dropping me off at the corner so Ray wouldn't hear his bike.

As I walked into the local grocery store, I grabbed a basket and started to look at the items on my list: milk, butter, cheese, rat poison.

Wait, rat poison? What was that doing on the list? I hoped it was because we had a rodent problem and not an unwanted female teenager problem. I sarcastically made a mental note that it wouldn't hurt to check my food from now on. I shook my head and found it anyway. Twenty minutes later, I had found all the items on my list and headed for the checkout counter.

As I walked out of the store, I stopped in my tracks upon seeing this lone figure leaning against the wall outside. He was wearing dark jeans and a dark fitted long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, exposing his perfect lightly tanned skin. His shirt hugged his muscles just right, accentuating he was tall and slender. A shadow fell just over his face so I couldn't quite see it, and his black hair was gently layered over his eyes, but it looked like he was giving death stares to a map.

He could have been the devil, or maybe an angel, I wasn't sure. But one thing I did know was he took my breath away. Something about him screamed dangerous yet extremely alluring, leaving me completely mesmerized. My eyes fell to his neck, marked by the strangest tattoo I had ever seen. I thought it was a tattoo anyway. It was really hard to tell through the shadows and distance I was standing from, but it looked to be a mixture of ink and...scars? It was small and sat right in the middle of the left side of his neck.

I quickly turned on my heel before he noticed me gawking at him, feeling like a complete idiot for standing there as long as I did trying to make out his tattoo...thing. Whatever it was. Either way, I tried to catch the breath that I somehow lost just from his presence. I had no idea what was wrong with me; apparently I'd gone crazy.

Crap, crap, crap. My clock said what time? Oh crap! I was so going to be late for school, and I really needed to get there early to drop off my sculpture. The two weeks we had to complete our projects flew by in a flash, and now that the day was here, my stupid alarm didn't go off. I let out a loud groan showing my irritation—today of all days.

I jumped out of bed, literally ran to the bathroom, and quickly hopped in the shower. I barely felt the hot water as it reached my skin, and in less than two minutes I was done in record time.

I speed-dried my hair—if that was even possible—not caring if it looked terrible. I realized when my stomach grumbled that I didn't have time for breakfast. I'd be starving by lunch, but it'd have to do.

Hurriedly, I grabbed my jeans and threw on the nearest top. I took a quick glance in the mirror, and my eyes widened as I realized I put on the same shirt I had worn to school on Friday. I remembered because of the quarter-size stain on the light blue shirt. Mustard from my hot dog had squirted out the backside, and much to my dismay had Liam laughing at me all day because of it.

I shrugged it off and tore through my dresser drawer, trying to find something. Didn't everything match blue jeans? I was finally satisfied in a purple cotton V-neck shirt.

I grabbed my jacket and took a deep breath, trying to remind myself that I had to go slow with my sculpture. It was very fragile, and I didn't even want to think about anything happening to it.

As I slung my backpack over my shoulder, I heard a familiar tune notifying me that I received a text message. I grabbed my art project in one hand, very carefully, and my cell phone in the other. I flipped the phone open and read the message as I walked out my bedroom door.

'Don't drop your sculpture. Be careful. Good luck today.'

I smiled at Rydan's words, and as I flipped my phone closed just about to go through the front door, Ray stumbled out of the kitchen.

What the...? I was afraid he would see the cell phone that I wasn't supposed to have, so I quickly put it in my coat pocket and grabbed my sculpture with two hands. Rydan had gotten me the cell phone and was paying for it as well, but we didn't want Ray to know that.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked me like it was two in the morning and I was sneaking out of the house.

It took me a while to find my voice. I was shocked that he was home. He should've been at work already. "School," was all I replied.

He looked at me like I had grown an extra head and began to shake his back and forth, as if trying to clear his thoughts. He clutched his head with both hands and moaned. I didn't want to stand there a second more, so I moved for the door when suddenly he walked toward me and tried to grab my arm.

With the combination of me flinching away and him swaying, he started to fall at me. To protect not the falling drunk but my sculpture, I tried to step out of the way and grabbed onto the nearest object to steady myself, which happened to be the table beside the door. The falling drunk slammed against the door and managed to hurl his arm at my back, causing me to lose balance. At the same time, I watched a new bottle of unopened Jack go crashing toward the floor.

My eyes widened in horror as the scene seemed to be playing in slow motion. Not only was I trying to save my sculpture, which I grasped tightly in my hands, but I was also aware that a stumbling, hungover Ray who was already furious, as I could hear him screaming obscenities, was about to become infinitely more furious. I watched the bottle of Jack hit the floor and burst open. I cringed, wondering where my next bruise would be.

Time suddenly caught up and no longer moved in slow motion. I readied myself and gently put my art piece on the table to get out of harm's way—a.k.a Ray's way.

"I..." I honestly didn't know what to say. I didn't think "I'm sorry" was going to cut it. I had just broken his new bottle of Jack, and the fact that he was still screaming words I would never repeat, I knew it was going to be a while before I made it to school.

I backed up until I hit the couch when his awful gaze locked with mine, making my stomach instantly sick. I felt like throwing up.

His angry eyes still locked with mine, he began to walk toward me. I tried with all my might to keep my emotions inside and not let it show how scared I was. That always made it worse.

He abruptly stopped, closed his eyes, and used one hand to cover his face. He took his thumb and index finger and very roughly pinched the top of his nose. He took a loud deep breath as his body started to sway back and forth. He suddenly lunged at me, but as I quickly darted out of the way, he ended up hitting the couch. He grabbed the back with both hands and started to shout, "Clean it up!"

When I hadn't moved fast enough he roared with enough force for the whole town to hear, "Now!"

I ran to the kitchen and collapsed against the counter. I took a deep breath to stall the tears that threatened to escape. Hold yourself together, Nari. I took another deep breath as I searched for a rag, ran it under water, and grabbed another dry towel and the mop.

Ray was lying on the sofa when I made my way back, and I only hoped that he would stay there and not take punishment out on me. I really didn't want to show up at school with a black eye and try to explain it.

I cleaned up the mess as quickly as I could. I tried not to make a single sound in case I alerted him to my presence. I grabbed the dirty towel and the one filled with glass and took it back to the kitchen before finally putting the mop away in a rush. I washed my hands of the stench of whiskey and just about jumped out of my skin when I heard him yell, "Take out the garbage too, you sorry piece of crap!"

I closed my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart. I tied the garbage bag up and carried it to the front door. I couldn't get out of there soon enough.

"And you will, yes you will pay me back for that bottle you broke, you stupid worthless—"

I stopped listening after that and quickly got out of there. I grabbed my project and tried very hard not to slam the door behind me, as much as I wanted to. I threw the garbage in the can and stormed down the driveway. When I reached the end, I came to a stop and tried to remember to breathe like a normal person.

I held my emotions in check and put my jacket hood on since it was chilly out. I tucked my sculpture in one arm and clung to it like it was my lifeline. I didn't care about time or school anymore, so I took my time walking, trying to forget everything that happened. Once seeing that I was already two minutes late for school, I finally decided to kick into high gear and speed up a little, running as fast as I could. Whether I was running to school or running from him, either way...story of my life.

I tried to race down the street, but I had a hard time keeping my backpack in check while holding my sculpture steady. My day had started out bad, but the only thing that kept me together was the fact that I had to get my project to class.

As I ran toward the next corner, still tightly holding the sculpture, I steered it around so that I didn't drop it. I was almost there. I carefully went to pull out my cell to check the time just once more.

And suddenly, my nightmare came true as I slammed into a hard body followed by the sound of loud shattering of broken clay on concrete.

"Bloody h—You alright, love?" a clipped English accented voice rang in my ears, but I could barely register what was being said. The shock I experienced while staring at my broken sculpture was enough to give anyone a stroke. I immediately had fallen to my knees the moment my sculpture had started descending.

"M...m...my art project, it's...completely ruined!" I tried to speak, but could barely get the words out. I put both hands on my head and closed my eyes, trying desperately to shake away my tears. I really didn't want to start crying in front of a stranger. "I can't believe this! I've been working on it for two weeks. It was incredibly special to me!"

As I began to pick up the broken pieces of my sculpture, I looked up into the guy's eyes and realized I was yelling at him. Keep it together, Nari. I desperately tried to hold back tears that had been threatening to surface all morning.

"Look, I am really sorry. Is there anything I can do?" He sounded sincere, but I was just too upset to care at the moment. And what was with all the foreign people with accents in Kennebunkport all of a sudden?

"Please, just get out of my way; I'm really late for school." I caught a glimpse of his beautiful blue eyes as I said this, but I was too angry to really notice something like that right then. I didn't have time for this. I walked away and headed toward the school. I needed to get to a secluded place, and fast.

As I came upon the entrance of school, I threw my sculpture into a nearby trashcan. I couldn't turn in a broken sculpture. I took a second and stared down at my once beautiful tree....ruined. My eyes started feeling heavy and my chest hurt deeply. I needed some time before I went into school. I didn't want to face anyone feeling like this.

I began to walk around the building toward the back. I saw to my left about twenty feet away was a little alcove where the red brick structure jets out, then in, and then back out again, creating a little indent about three feet wide and five feet deep. I entered the little alcove, threw my backpack against the wall, and clutched the red bricks facing the building. Slowly, I turned around and slid my body to the ground.

As I had done so many times in the past, I conformed my body to its usual pose. I lifted my legs up toward my chest, wrapping my arms around them, and lay my chin on my knees. I felt like I physically had to hold myself together.

I then began to lose control. It started when a single tear slid down my cheek, and the next thing I knew, I was sobbing uncontrollably, letting out everything I had tried to hold in earlier.

I cried about everything. My sculpture, my morning, my childhood, my life; everything came tumbling back to mind as I cried freely and unrestrained. I didn't usually cry. I was used to dealing with my dreary life. However, once I started crying about one thing, I would cry about everything. It would build up inside me for so long that once I let loose, it was hard to stop.

I sat there for about ten minutes, letting it all pour out of me. I was glad I was alone; I would be horrified if anyone saw me like this. I slowly lifted my head and looked at my surroundings. Last night I had been so content. I had finished my sculpture. Rydan had loved it; I had sent him a picture, and he even described it as one of my best pieces.

And now it was gone, totally ruined. How did this happen?

I should have been paying more attention. I had been so worked up over my run-in with Ray, I just wasn't thinking. I should have taken my time. I would have been super late for class, but my sculpture wouldn't be broken in pieces, and I would be sitting in Literature class right now.

Literature! Oh, crap!

I slowly unwrapped and made myself get up, letting the building rest against my back. My chest hurt. I tried to breathe deeply, and I realized my face probably looked a mess. I hesitantly walked into the school, going straight for the restroom to clean up.

I sat in my usual spot toward the back of Lit class that had been left empty for me since I always sat there. I looked over at Zaylie and gave her a smile, hoping she wouldn't ask me why I was late. I tried to pay attention to what Mr. James was saying—something about monsters and how they're portrayed. I actually had no idea what he was talking about.

The class went by fast, and as the bell rang, I realized I pretty much missed everything that was said. I thought I heard something about homework, but I didn't catch it. I let out a long sigh; I'd just ask Zaylie about it later.

As soon as the bell rang, I saw her make her way over to me and knew what was coming. I didn't want to talk about it, but I was actually glad that she would probably care enough to ask me anyway.

"Everything okay?" she asked with worry written on her face.

I smiled at her genuineness. "Yeah, it was just a really bad morning." I grabbed my books, and we both walked out. She gave me a silent one-armed hug and offered kind words about how she hoped my day got better before heading to her next class.

I felt like a zombie as I sat down in Algebra. The scene I desperately tried not to think about kept replaying in my mind without my consent.

I could not focus on a single word my teacher was saying, as I once again watched my treasured sculpture plunge toward the unforgiving concrete through my mind's eye. I covered my ears instinctively, still hearing the shattering of clay ringing loudly.

I jerked my head up at the sudden realization of something significant. That guy—the British guy I ran into—he was the same guy who stood outside the store the other night. I knew he was the same because of the exact strange tattoo on the left side of his neck. I didn't know why, but suddenly my cheeks burned at the memory of him. He was gorgeous.

I swore it felt like this day turned into weeks. Would it ever end? During lunch, I grabbed my salad and went to sit outside. It was a bit chilly, but I wanted to be alone, and it was nice to get some fresh air. I found a spot in the sun and sat down to eat. I wanted to call Rydan just to hear his voice, but decided I didn't want to bother him.

During my free period, I put my head down to rest and ended up falling asleep, awaking a few minutes before the bell would ring. I decided to go to Art class early and talk with Mr. Isaacson.

The room was empty, so I walked in to wait. I collected my thoughts on what I wanted to say to him. I noticed along the wall was a table that held all the other student's sculptures. I sighed, realizing mine wouldn't be among them.

I started to look at what was there. Gavin, a kid I had gone to school with for years, had sculpted a bee. It was a very simple concept, but it was detailed. Another kid named Marvin sculpted a...what was that? A flower? Well, I thought it was a flower—although I couldn't really be sure. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on.

I moved my eyes along the sculptures, and suddenly my eyes stopped on one in particular. My whole body froze and it felt hard to breathe. I walked closer to the table and sure enough, sitting there was my weeping willow tree.

#  Chapter Ten

My weeping willow tree...not my ruined in the trash weeping willow tree—my beautiful perfect not in pieces weeping willow tree. How did this get here? What in the world was going on? And not only that, but how was it in perfect shape? A few hours ago it had been broken in pieces and thrown in the trash. How did it get from the trashcan to sitting on the table in the art room?

I was so stunned that I jumped when Mr. Isaacson entered just as the bell rang. "Good afternoon, Ms. Woodlinn," he said as he sat at his desk. I must've still had the stunned look on my face, because he looked up, raised his eyebrow and said, "Everything okay, Nari?"

"Um...yeah...yes...everything's fine," I stammered out. I couldn't believe it. I had a whole speech prepared, but now that my sculpture was somehow here in one piece...I...didn't know what to do. I found my seat and tried to wipe the look off my face.

What just happened? Did someone find and fix my sculpture? But...that was impossible. It had taken me two weeks to get it just right. The only other person who knew about it was Ms. Darlene, but surely she couldn't have fixed it. Well, Ms. Darlene and the guy I ran into. Unless...no. No, I wouldn't even let myself think it. There was no way he could have fixed it.

The other students started coming in and filling their seats, but I barely noticed. My mind was plagued with thoughts on how and why my sculpture was sitting there in perfect condition. I guessed it could've been anybody really; it was just sitting there outside the school. But again, how? And why? Those two questions kept bouncing around my head.

And of course, beautiful blue eyes belonging to that guy kept flashing in my mind as I sat mystified trying to come up with some explanation that made sense.

It seemed only a few seconds went by when the bell rang. Mr. Isaacson told us he was going to examine our sculptures over the next few days and that we would get our grades on Friday.

I had sat stunned the entire class. I kept glancing over at the table to see if my sculpture was really there. Sure enough, it was there every time I looked. The last time I had glanced over, I accidentally locked eyes with Ivan who was also in my Literature class. He gave me a look like, what are you looking at, freak? Then he stuck out his tongue.

Real mature. I didn't want to turn his way again, so needless to say I never looked at my sculpture again either. Besides, after about the sixth time I had seen it, I was pretty darn sure my sculpture really was there.

"You're lookin' a little pale there, Sheila. Everything alright?" Desmond asked as he walked by my desk. I still hadn't found the ability to move from this spot. I glanced around, wondering who Sheila was.

"Are you talking to me?" I was the only one left sitting there.

"Who else would I be talking to?" He laughed, raising his eyebrows and looking around the room.

"Oh, um, my name is Nari, not Sheila," I answered, feeling a little awkward. I didn't want to make him feel bad for forgetting my name.

"Oh yeah, I know that. Sometimes Sheila just comes out, sorry. It's our female equivalent to mate." Now he was the one who looked awkward.

"Ha! I guess I have a lot to learn, huh?" I finally stood up, shaking my head. I swore I learned something new every time I was around Zaylie or Desmond.

"But you're okay then? You're not going to like, faint on me or anything are you?" He looked at me like I was a terrified animal ready to bite.

"I'm fine, really. Just having an absolute crazy day is all. But thanks. I really appreciate it." Maybe bizarre was a better description—or downright disturbing.

"Cool. Later, Sheila." He winked with a huge grin as he walked away.

"Later," I laughed, feeling a little better already. But only a tiny bit. I gathered my things and made my way out of the room.

I was so thankful school was finally over. I needed to get out of there. I didn't think I had ever felt so desperate to meet up with Rydan at the Willow. I needed his calming effect—my nerves felt like they had been on permanent "fry" mode lately.

Whoa...I shivered as I stepped outside into the frigid air. It was getting colder. I hurriedly put my sweatshirt on and headed toward my retreat.

I had no idea how I'd explain what happened earlier to Rydan. How did I explain a miracle I didn't even understand myself? He would think I was nuts, bonkers, a freak.

I got to the Weeping Willow but was disappointed because Rydan wasn't there yet. He always beat me there and was waiting for me.

Just as I sat down, Rydan came walking out of the forest of birches behind the pond, and instant relief washed over me.

"Hey," I said to him. "At first I thought you weren't here. What were you doing in the woods?"

"Looking for something," he answered in a saddened, hushed tone, but he immediately put a smile on his face and said, "I have a surprise for you."

I wondered what he had been searching for, but his smile and a thought of a present perked me up. "A surprise! For me?" I asked excitedly. "What is it?" I was too impatient.

He pulled something out of his back pocket as he told me to close my eyes and hold out my hands. I instantly complied with a big smile on my face. This was why I needed Rydan. He could always surprise me and cheer me up when I was down, and he didn't even realize he was doing it. Or even that I had needed it. I was already in a better mood.

"No peeking," he said as I felt him put something in my hands. After a few seconds of silence, he chuckled. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."

I opened my eyes and looked down. Sitting in my hands was a small digital camera. It was so little it would fit perfectly in my pocket.

"You always said you wanted to take pictures of this spot. The pond, the tree; now you can," he said as he sat down beside it looking at me.

"Ry, it's wonderful! I love it! It's so...me!" I laughed and met his gaze. It really was me—small and purple, almost the same color as my eyes. I gave him a huge smile as I turned the camera on and aimed to take a picture of him.

He instantly put his hands in front of his face.

"Come on, Ry. I want you in my first picture...please." I stuck out my lower lip to pout.

He rolled his eyes but uncovered his face. "Just the first one."

I smiled and took the first photo of my best friend sitting next to the most magical place in the world, completely forgetting about my depressing and mysterious day.

I walked into Literature class feeling much better than I did yesterday, all thanks to my best friend. I ended up going crazy with my new camera and took way too many pictures, filling up the SD card in only a few hours. I then spent the night going through them and deleting what I could to make room, but it was very difficult deciding what to keep and what to delete.

I could feel a huge grin on my face from the memory, but as I approached my usual desk in the back, it quickly disappeared. I had no idea what look took the grin's place, believing it must be something similar to a deer caught in headlights or the look a child has from just coming face-to-face with a ghost. Regardless, I had no doubt whatever it was perfectly demonstrated the word "shocked."

There, in my seat not to mention, was the sexiest guy I had ever seen. Oh, and by the way, as if my life couldn't get any crazier, it was the boy I ran across twice within the last week.

It faintly registered to me that I was staring, but what captured me and kept me firm in one spot is that he was staring right back.

I reluctantly pulled my eyes away from his, realizing I could have seriously drown in their exquisite ocean-blue color that seemed to want to pull me under, to quickly take the rest of him in. He leaned all the way back in his chair—no, my chair—wearing dark jeans and a plain white undershirt with his right leg stretched out.

I unconsciously walked toward him. He had his right hand in his pocket and his black hair was in a layered mess, resembling a rock star, with just a few strands falling over his eyes. I glanced at his tattoo for just a second before meeting his gaze again.

But now that I was there, standing in front of him, my mind went blank. I wanted to tell him to get out of my seat, but just looking at him was making me nervous.

"It's you again. Hello," he said in a velvety English accent.

I could feel my mouth gaping open like a fish, but no words came out. Pull it together would you?!

"H-h-hi. Hello," I spat out, but barely. "You're in my seat."

"Oh, am I? I'm sorry," he said with a grin.

"Yes, so, could you maybe move?" I didn't know why I was being so rude; I was just frustrated that I couldn't figure out this strange mystery that all of a sudden plagued my life.

"But I like this desk. I can see why you chose it. You get to sit back here and observe the whole room, taking in everything that is discussed 'bout literature and it's right by the windows. Please, can I stay?" he said to me while batting his eyelashes. "With a cherry on top?" Each word was perfectly clipped. Why were accents so darn sexy?

His entire presence and foreign charm completely caught me off guard. I easily conceded to him. "Okay," was all I could say. I slowly walked to the last empty desk in the room and just as slowly sat down. I was being completely ridiculous, I knew that. But why did he—

Hold on—why was he staring at me? Why was I looking at him?! I quickly looked to the front of the room, my cheeks burning.

What in the world was he doing here? My sculpture—could he have fixed it? Would he have?! I had to resist the urge to glance at him again. I couldn't picture him fixing it for me...Why would he do that? I unconsciously looked at him—crap! What was wrong with me? Keep your eyes straight in front of you, Nari! You could do this! Ignore the stupid guy!

But in that short—torturously way too short—second that I got to look at him, something odd stuck out in my mind. He was effortlessly balancing a Sharpie on the tip of his left index finger, looking very bored. Too bored. Hmph.

I refused to succumb to the charms of a man just because they spoke in an alluring accent and looked completely devilish. And hot. That would be the last time I ever let myself fall prey to his cunning tricks.

....I hoped.

As the novelty of surprise wore off, and the longer I sat listening to Mr. James go on and on about whatever, I couldn't shake this eerie feeling that started creeping up my spine. For whatever reason, the new guy was beginning to freak me out. I had a strange alarming sensation in my gut, as if telling me he was dangerous. But all of it was nothing compared to what I felt out in the hallway after class ended.

I slowly stood up to gather my things, hoping that everyone, and I mean everyone, would leave so I could get to my next class without speaking to anyone. Or at least one particular person.

But as soon as I walked out the door he was there next to me, making me almost jump to the roof like a cat with my hair standing on end. He looked amused and wore a very adorable smirk. He backed me up against the lockers, pinning me with only his aqua eyes, and as he leaned down, both hands in his pockets, I stood there trapped by my own wonder at what was about to happen. But all he did was lean into the left side of my hair and take a long inhale of breath through his nose, like he was smelling me.

"Mmmm," was all he moaned before he gracefully skipped backward like a mountain lion and walked away, leaving me completely and utterly freaked. What the heck was that? That had to be the creepiest thing I had ever experienced.

And hottest.

But I refused to acknowledge that part.

I began to dread going to any more classes, afraid he would be there. It all came to nothing though, because it turned out that I didn't end up seeing him again the entire rest of the day. Thank the lord! Something was finally going my way.

The next day, I was too scared to walk into Literature. I stood there at the door, hand over my heart, trying to calm down my nerves. I didn't know what it was, but something about that guy had me frightened. I asked Zaylie and Desmond about him, but none of them saw him. Zaylie didn't even remember seeing him in class yesterday. That right there had me reeling, expecting to see him anywhere I turned and being the only one who did. If I was starting to see ghosts, someone please just kill me now.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the classroom. I was overcome by a feeling of relief and giddiness upon discovering that my favorite seat was empty and he was nowhere to be seen. I practically ran to it and sat down. I turned to Zaylie to say hi.

"Boy am I glad to be able to sit next to you again." I was practically ecstatic and had no intention of hiding it.

"Oh, me too. It's so weird that I don't remember who was sitting here yesterday. I know there was a person, but I guess my mind took absolutely no notice of him. Either way, I'm glad you're here now." She beamed at me.

"Let's just hope it stays this way. If whoever he is goes to this school now and is in our class, I'm afraid we'll be seeing a lot more of him. And if he tries to take this seat, I am ready to fight him to the death! Or, at least, until one of us gives in," I finished with a brave smile.

I wasn't exactly sure if that was true or not. I didn't want to be intimidated by him and especially didn't want to be afraid of him. I was hoping that yesterday was a fluke and I'd quickly learn that there was nothing to be afraid of. He was just a boy. A very hot, 100% gorgeous boy mind you, with kinky tendencies and complete lack of acceptable social behavior. But that was beside the point.

"Wanna hang out this weekend?" I asked Zaylie, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Yes! I have been dying to show you this new series I've read. Well, it's not 'new,' it's a couple years old, but it's new to me. You'll totally love it! I think it might be my all-time favorite so far!"

"Really? That sounds great! So you think it will be okay if I came over to your house?" I sure hoped it was okay, because there was no way I'd bring her to my place. I didn't want to emotionally scar the poor girl after just becoming friends with her.

"Of course! I'm positive my parents will be cool with it. I can text you later so you know for sure though. I can even pick you up." She grinned, making me grin back.

"Awesome," I practically squealed just as the bell rang and Mr. James closed the door to get class started.

A week came and went and not once did I see...whatever his name was. Every day I walked into Literature I expected him to be at my desk, ready to argue or beg and plead if I had to, over my seat. My fear of him was slowly, very slowly, dissipating, but it was for some reason being replaced by disappointment with each passing day I didn't encounter him. Which was actually more terrifying for me. I couldn't understand my fascination with this mysterious boy, and it really started to irritate me.

How could I uphold the promise I made to myself when I was six if all I could think about was this dumb guy that looked to be the very definition of danger?

Thankfully, Zaylie and I took a much needed girl's day over the last weekend, and that actually kept my mind off things. I spent the day at her house and experienced what it was like for the first time to have a friend that was a girl. We talked for hours and hours about so many different books. She showed me all of her favorites and gave perfect descriptions that would make any person want to read them all.

Then we had dinner with her parents and Desmond, which was very rare for me to actually sit down to a nice dinner. I've only had dinner with Rydan's family a few times, which was nice but didn't happen often. Zaylie and Desmond's parents were hilarious, making me realize full well where Desmond gets his goofy sense of humor, and the homemade food was a luxury for me.

Later, Zaylie taught me how to braid my hair and color my nails. She also showed me the best tips for putting on makeup, which was something I desperately needed since I had no clue. I didn't even own makeup, since I didn't exactly have the money to spend on stuff like that, not including the fact I had no mother to teach me how to use it. Zaylie let me pick out a few items that I could keep for myself, and I promised her I would use them.

By the end of the day, I felt completely done-up and pretty. I of course made sure to take as many pictures as I could with my new little camera. It made me think of Rydan and how thankful I was, since I wouldn't have been able to capture those moments if it wasn't for him.

I decided then that I was going to somehow give him a gift in return. Something I could create myself. Painting was my specialty - it was what I was always drawn to do - so I was leaning more toward that. I just didn't know what the painting should be yet.

Desmond walked in one time, wondering what all the laughing and giggling was about. Once he saw the hairbrushes, twenty different bottles of nail color sprawled across the bed, and piles of makeup, he quickly did a complete 180 and went back the other way. It only caused more laughing from us girls.

The best part was, not once did I think of the dark, handsome, kinda scary stranger. For just that one day, I no longer felt seventeen. Instead, it was like we were thirteen again and just experiencing what it was like to be a teenager. It was one of the best days I ever had.

Zaylie and her mom both insisted her and I had a slumber party, so I ended up spending the night—another first for me—and woke up feeling completely refreshed and new. It was like I could finally understand what it felt like to wake up without a grouchy old man yelling at me all the time. I didn't have to worry if he was about to storm in and scream at me for doing something wrong or to hurry up and clean up a mess he just made or finish the laundry.

It was an amazing feeling, and I wished I never had to go back.

But alas, when I did go back home later that night, I spent the evening catching up on as much reading as I could. Zaylie insisted I borrow several more series that she claimed I just had to give a try and was expecting a full report on what I thought of them after I was finished.

One thing was for certain.

I loved my new friends.

#  Chapter Eleven

~Naminé~

Prisoner number 5287 was located deep in the dungeon. Down a long corridor, past fifty-two prison cells, all filled with ones considered an enemy of the King. They were all his own people, but he condemned them traitors. Some were actual criminals, given a trial and convicted of their crimes. But there were many who never got a trial, never got a say, not even named on the prisoner logs, and forgotten in the dark abyss of the prison.

Down the corridor, three flights of stairs, and through a warded iron gate held a small cage like cell that housed the oldest prisoner here. Prisoner number 5287.

I didn't know his name.

I didn't know his crime.

But he gave me hope.

#  Chapter Twelve

~Nari~

I really began to wonder how that boy could attend school for just one day and seemingly not ever come back. Did he get confused and was just in the wrong class that day? Or was he really skipping over a week's worth of school? It only made him more mysterious, and of course that bothered me. Not once had I seen him since he stole my seat, and so I no longer expected to see him when I walked in. Today was no different, completely forgetting about him by the time class ended, and I made my way to Algebra.

Apparently letting my guard down was a big mistake because not expecting him at all had me completely floored when I walked in and there he was in all of his sexy glory.

You had got to be kidding me. He looked like he just stepped out of a magazine, mysteriously gracing us with his presence. His black hair was tousled, and his angular face never looked more handsome. Not that I'd had the pleasure of seeing it that often to really say...

The sharp cut of his jaw was peppered with scruff from not shaving, and the way he looked up at me from under his eyelashes gave me heart palpitations. Again, he wore dark pants and a dark grey fitted long-sleeved shirt pushed up to his elbows, similar to the first time I saw him. Realizing I was gawking at him, he smirked at me then. I consciously forced my mouth closed after feeling it was hanging open.

As I made my way to an open desk, I started to feel afraid again. He seemed dangerous. I looked over at him, deciding to face my fears, and sure enough he was already looking at me. I forced a smile, refusing to let him know he frightened me. Wasn't that always how it went? If you showed fear, it only made the shark or lion more interested in you, making them attack.

I chuckled to myself, feeling silly for comparing a person to ferocious animals. He wasn't going to attack me.

...was he?

I didn't even notice that class had started when Mr. Dale suddenly called me. "Ms. Woodlinn!" he practically yelled. He must've been calling my name several times.

I jerked my head up. "Uh, yes?" I replied sheepishly.

"Were you not listening? Pay attention, Nari. This is important. What is the answer to the equation on the board?"

"Umm..." Oh great. Everyone was staring at me. I had no idea what the answer was.

Let's see

5a-3(3a+1)-8a=45

What the?? It all looked like gibberish to me! "Umm..." was all I could keep saying as I tried to think. I didn't want to look stupid; I had to get this right!

"Negative four," a smooth, clipped accent that was going to end up haunting me in my dreams called out.

I whipped my head around to stare at Mr. Smartypants, and apparently everyone else was just as surprised as I was by him. He sat there, completely calm and unbothered by the full attention. Actually...he almost looked bored again.

"Thank you, uh..." I quickly turned my attention back to Mr. Dale, waiting to finally hear what this guy's name was. Surely, the teacher would know. But, Mr. Dale only looked completely confused, like he had never seen this strange boy before in his life. "Wait, who—"

It sounded like Mr. Dale was going to ask who the boy was, but just then the strangest thing happened. Mr. Dale closed his eyes and lightly shook his head before saying, "Ah, yes, thank you, Mycah." He had the strangest look in his eyes, like he was dreaming, and when he said the words they came out sounding very distant.

I looked around the room, wondering if everyone, or at least anyone else saw what I had just seen, but I seemed to be the only one. Of course.

I sat back in my chair, completely baffled, and a new wave of terror washed over me. Who was this guy?

In his absence, I had contemplated working up the nerve to ask him about my sculpture when I saw him again. Then after not seeing him for days I started to wonder if I'd ever get the chance...now I wasn't so sure I wanted it anymore.

So Mycah was his name? It sounded so normal and...nice. I never would've guessed that. He looked more like an Al Capone or Hannibal Lechter or Captain Hook. Okay, maybe he wasn't actually a movie villain, but Mycah just sounded so human. And he definitely felt anything but human to me.

I glanced his way one more time. He was scribbling on his right arm with that same silver metallic Sharpie I saw him with before. For some reason, I found the notion that he was left-handed hot. Ugh.

But then that made me notice he didn't have paper. Or books. He had absolutely nothing with him except that Sharpie.

Strange.

When I thought about it, I didn't remember seeing him with any books that day in my Literature class either. Not that I was able to focus on anything other than my own shock of seeing him in the first place.

His eyes suddenly shifted to mine, so I instantly averted my gaze back to my own trembling hands that sat in my lap. God, was he nerve-racking.

Now that it was lunchtime, I desperately searched for Zaylie. I spotted her sitting by herself and rushed over to sit with her. I didn't even stop to get food first. I lost my appetite somewhere between walking into Algebra and witnessing freaky phenomena.

"Zales, you are never going to believe what happened this morning," I could barely get the words out fast enough. I desperately wanted her opinion. Surely, after I tell her, she'd just explain that I was a crazy person and belonged in the loony bin. I would gladly accept that answer over what I had been contemplating instead.

"Does it have anything to do with that Mycah bloke?" she asked chewing through food and with eyes wide open.

"Uh, yes! How did you know?" I asked, my eyes matching the size of hers.

"Oh, everyone is talking about him. I guess he is just visiting and staying at that O'Malley's Bed & Breakfast over on Maine Street. All the girls are going on and on about how hot he is, and all the boys are complaining about how annoying he is. The boys are just jealous," she explained with an eye roll.

I temporarily got stuck on the information of where he was staying. The O'Malley B&B—that was the one Rydan's parents owned.

"Okay, so what happened??" she pressed, growing impatient at my silence.

"You know how we haven't seen him in a week and a half and he is supposed to be in our Literature class?" She nodded eagerly, so I continued, "Well, as you know, he wasn't there again in Literature, but would you believe me if I told you that sure enough, there he was just sitting there in my Algebra class?!"

"Stone the crows!" she practically shouted in a thicker than usual Australian accent.

"...Stone the...what now?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion.

"Oh, sorry." Her face was completely red. I realized it was another one of their Aussie terms and busted out laughing, she joining me.

"Okay, go on go on!" she ordered after we both tried to get serious again.

"Okay, so, I'm sitting there in my own little world, not realizing that Mr. Dale called on me to answer some stupid equation. When I finally take notice, I have no idea what the answer is. It was seriously the longest math equation I had ever seen." I couldn't help but be dramatic with my story—Zaylie was completely enthralled. "I just stared at the board, not having any idea how to solve it. But then, out of nowhere, Mycah calls out the answer, and I can tell Mr. Dale has no idea who he is, but then all of a sudden, this weird thing happens with his face and he then magically knows who he is!" I finished by throwing my arms up in the air and letting them fall back down.

....I swore I could hear crickets...

She just stared at me, as if waiting for more, like my ending wasn't actually the end and I was about to finally announce the big surprising news.

"Zales?"

"Wait, is that it?" She clearly was expecting more, and I didn't live up to the hype.

"Uh, yeah. Don't you think that's weird?" I started questioning everything I had been feeling and that maybe my reservations about this strange guy were uncalled for. Maybe I was making something out of nothing after all.

"Maybe I had to be there. It doesn't really sound that strange. Maybe Mr. Dale was just trying to remember his name."

"Oh....maybe." The realization from her words hit me like a ton of bricks. Granted, a lot of "maybes" hung in the air, but it sounded so simple. Even though it didn't seem like that at the time, it had to have been the manifestation of my fears causing my brain to play tricks on me. She had to be right. But then...how did you explain my sculpture? Something wasn't sitting right with me, but I decided to ignore it.

"Will you look at them?" she exclaimed suddenly.

"Who?" I looked around the room, truly confused.

"Sabrina and Mycah. Over there." She pointed to where they were in the corner of the cafeteria. "They make a cute couple."

I didn't respond, or couldn't respond, as I sat stunned staring at the scene playing out before my eyes. Sabrina, looking perfectly gorgeous as ever, fawned over Mycah as he stood leaning against the far back wall. The horrible and completely unforgivable part was the pang of jealousy I suddenly felt.

"Will you quit starin' at the bloke? Jeez, Zales," Desmond said as he and Liam were passing our table. Were they friends now?

"Hey, pull your head in, Des. I mean, can't a gal look?" Zaylie countered her twin brother with a mischievous grin. Desmond stopped and turned around then, like he had a comeback for her. Looking to me, she continued, "I don't know what he sees in her really. She was horrid to me just the other day. I was in the dunny washing my hands, and she walks up next to me while applying her lippy and has the nerve to say to me, "I love your shirt. Where'd you get it? Goodwill?" She then rolled her eyes and left!"

I didn't know how to reply, unable to decipher her words quickly enough, but thankfully I was saved by Desmond who interjected with, "Will you quit your earbashing! You're giving me a headache." Then he finished walking away, shaking his head.

"Did you get it at Goodwill?" Liam asked, clicking his tongue and shaking his head like it was a sin as he walked backward following Desmond. He let out a laugh as he turned around to face the right way.

Zaylie stuck her tongue out at his back and giggled at me. I really wasn't sure if I understood everything that they had been saying, but I couldn't keep myself from giggling along with her.

"Anyway, have you read any of that series I lent you?" Zaylie changed the subject, looking very excited.

"I have, and you're right. I love it so far. I'm on the second book already. They're so hard to put down!" I answered honestly. I'd been squeezing in some reading time before going to bed each night.

"I know! They're great. I can't wait for you to get to the end of the second one. You are definitely going to be texting me, so be prepared for a shock!" she exclaimed seriously. Oh boy.

"Oh, no worries there. You know I will." I smiled at her passion.

"Hey, you're going to the Homecoming Dance next month, right? We could go stag together." Her eyes sparkled as she took a drink of her water.

"Sure, but I'm pretty confident you'll have no problem finding a date. A guy will be asking you soon enough." I knew I was right; Zaylie was gorgeous.

"But I don't want to go with just any guy. Unless the right one asks me, I'm going stag." She looked down at her half-eaten food.

"Oh my word. Who? Who's the guy?" It was obvious she already had someone in mind she hoped would ask her. Her eyes shot up to mine, and for just a second I thought she was going to deny it.

"Seth. He's sooo cute!" she admitted, her already sparkly brown eyes now shining like glitter. I only laughed and shook my head.

The next day, I started feeling paranoid. Mycah's sporadic attendance at school gave my blood pressure a serious workout. Would he be there, or wouldn't he? It was now the magic question of each and every day. This morning was another no show. Go figure. I sat down for lunch, trying to ignore the groaning in my empty stomach. We had no food in the house, so I wasn't able to make anything and I had no money. Great. I really hoped no one noticed I was only drinking water. I looked down, afraid someone would see my embarrassment written all over my face.

"Is that all you're havin', mate? Just water?" Desmond noticed.

"Oh, yeah, I'm not hungry. Just thirsty," I said with a half-smile, trying to sound convincing. I'd feel even worse if I made them feel bad about eating without me.

Zaylie chimed in, "Are you sure? I feel funny eating in front of you if you won't be eating too."

"No! Please, don't worry about it. Eat—I'm fine, really!" I knew it; they were too nice. I tried to make my smile bigger in an effort to assure them. It really wasn't that big of deal anyway. It wasn't new for me to go without food sometimes. Except normally, there weren't people around to witness it.

Just then, an unopened container of fresh salad slid right in front of me. I looked up, clearly shocked, right into Mycah's bright blue eyes. For goodness sake, what was he trying to do to me?

"What are you doing here?" the words mirroring my thought slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. But he didn't respond. He just stood there staring at me.

He then leaned down over the table, blue eyes intently on mine, freezing me in my place, causing my brain to malfunction. Uhhh....

"Would you mind eating this for me, love? I've bought too much and would feel bad tossing it." He said it so smoothly, so light-heartedly and clipped by his accent that I almost couldn't tell if he was serious or joking. He continued when I didn't say anything, mouth slightly agape, still stunned, "If you don't want to eat it now, you can just take it home or something."

"Thank you," I managed to get out, perplexity exuding my entire being. He pushed off the table smiling, winked at me, and then walked away.

"That is so sweet!" Zaylie squealed, hands clasped together in front of her.

"Zales!" I was pretty sure there was only so much shock one person could take, and that gosh darn boy was quickly filling my limit.

"Yeah, gross!" Desmond complained after me. He stared at Zaylie who was still swooning and looked disgusted. "It would really suck if I lost my lunch right now over your girliness."

"What?" she asked us both guiltily. I ignored her and began eating the salad. Why did he keep popping up randomly? Terror froze me in my place, fork left hanging in the air, as I imagined him being a crazy stalker.

"You okay?" Zaylie asked, looking concerned.

"I'm fine, yes, thanks for asking." I shook off the anxiety, knowing I was once again being ridiculous. There was nothing to be afraid of.

"No, she's obviously not fine, Zaylie! She is clearly as bothered by your hideous outburst as I am." Desmond stood up and rolled his eyes. "Bloody girls. So mushy...it's disgusting," he said under his breath as he walked away.

"Ignore him. I always do." Zaylie rolled her eyes and sighed before taking another bite of her sandwich.

"You're right. The best thing to do is just ignore him," I replied, omitting the part I was actually referring to Mycah and not Desmond. She was right either way...boys were best left ignored.

"Now let's talk about dress ideas for the dance," she suggested, growing excited. I forced a smile, not able to decide if this new subject was any better.

"Thank you so much again for my camera, Ry. I love it so much!" I crooned as I snapped another picture of him. We were hanging out under the Weeping Willow after I was done with school, as usual.

"Will you please stop taking pictures of me?! I'm going to take it back and throw it in the pond if you don't." Rydan put his hand over the camera while rolling his eyes, but a smile played at the edge of his lips.

I stuck my tongue out at him and then smirked as I said, "Fine," in a defeated but still happy tone.

As I started to take another picture of the swans sitting in the water, I was all of a sudden pulled to my feet.

"What are you doing?!" I asked, completely surprised.

"Come with me," Rydan said with excitement thick in his voice, causing me to look up at him. He still grasped my arm as he dragged me toward the woods. He was much taller than me, but it was still easy to see that his silver eyes looked wild.

He took me into the trees. I immediately began taking pictures of all the beautiful birches—their white bark peeled off, exposing the black underneath.

"Great idea, Rydan! Why didn't I think of this? It's breathtaking in here."

"Shhh," he whispered.

Oookay. I gave him a puzzled look, but he wasn't looking at me. I continued taking pictures of the trees. The leaves were a beautiful golden orange and yellow, but there were still some green ones mixed in. So gorgeous!

"Nari, look," Rydan breathed. He sounded like he had been holding his breath that entire time, just then letting it out.

"Ohh myy word. Ryyyy!" There in front of us was a stunning white fox with amazing baby blue eyes.

"I...I can't believe this. How...?" I whispered.

"I have no idea. It's so weird. He shouldn't be here." I could tell Rydan was just as confused as I was.

"He is just absolutely....spectacular. So incredibly gorgeous! I have never in all my life seen an animal as beautiful as this before," I said in shock.

I looked at Rydan. Why did he look pained?

"Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine. Take a picture." He quickly glanced at me out of the corner of his eye then back to the fox in front of us.

"Oh yeah!!" I slowly took a dozen pictures of this amazing creature. And he let me. He just stayed there. "Rydan, how is this possible? He's just letting me take pictures of him. He doesn't seem scared or anything! He's just standing there looking around like he doesn't even care we're here. I wish he'd look at me so I can get a picture of his eyes.

"Oh my god! Yes!" The fox looked at me just after I said that. I took several more pictures just before he darted off. "Wow, that was so amazing. I'm so glad you thought to come in here."

Rydan stared down at the ground smiling. It almost appeared like he was remembering something—he looked so serene. He glanced up then, looking after where the fox had gone. Then he seemed sad, like he missed something. I couldn't help but watch him as he went through all these different emotions. It was like the fox was important to him.

"Hey...you okay? What's wrong?" I finally asked. Curiosity always got the best of me.

"What? Oh. Yeah. That was just really cool," he answered a little weakly. He started walking back to the Willow tree, but the wheels had already started turning in my head so I hardly noticed him leaving.

That whole experience gave me an idea—a super great idea—I finally knew what I would paint for Rydan's gift!

#  Chapter Thirteen

~Naminé~

Since my thirteenth cycle, I have had the horrendous charge of delivering rations to the prisoners in the dark dungeon. Each day I cringed and cried as I passed out the food to the prisoners as they shared harsh looks, cruel gestures, and crude innuendos. I maneuvered quickly through the corridor of fifty-two cells housing at least three captives each and tried to block out my surroundings and think of anything else but the dark words they spoke. The only light that got me through this utter torture was the uplifting words of prisoner 5287. He treated me with kindness, courtesy, and words to uplift the weary.

"Don't despair, child," I heard softly as I came up to the door of his cell. My green eyes met with his light hazels that spoke of sadness and regret. He was slim and frail, but if he refused to despair in this dismal prison, then I must persist as well.

"Why are you crying, dear one?" he asked as he struggled to sit up on the dirt floor.

I reached up to touch my cheek, for I did not realize I had started to cry. I did not want to tell him I had failed.

"I..." I started to say as my voice shook terribly. I did not want to disappoint him.

I started again. "I tried...I got through for only a short time, but...I do not know if it worked. I haven't been able to reach him again."

He was silent for a while. I thought maybe he had fallen asleep whilst sitting up. "Then you must contact the second," he whispered as he lay back down on the floor. He sounded old, tired, out of breath. "He...easier...to reach..." he wheezed out.

"You...must...continue....do not....give...up." He said each word slowly like it was hard to speak.

As I sucked in a huge gasp of breath I didn't realize I was holding and let the tears run down my face, I looked at his tired eyes with determination. "I will, I promise."

#  Chapter Fourteen

~Nari~

I couldn't wait to get started on Rydan's painting, so as soon as I heard Ray close the front door, I shot out of bed and got dressed for the day. It was Saturday, so thankfully he'd be at work.

I went straight to the art room at school where I'd have unlimited amounts of colorful paint to choose from. I clipped on an easel the photo of the fox I had printed out using the SD card machine at the local drugstore. He looked just as beautiful as I saw him in real life. I hoped I'd be able to bring out all the colors of the trees, making it contrast just right with the stark white of the fox's gorgeous fur. I squealed in excitement and got everything I needed ready. I pushed play on my iPod and then finally made my first brushstroke.

Noticing it was hours later, I stepped back and appraised my work. I was pleased with it so far, but I was pretty sure I had white and golden yellow paint all over me. I got lost in my own world trying to make each detail perfect that I didn't notice anything else, including the gobs of paint I had on my hand just before brushing my bangs out of my eyes. I had yet to look in a mirror to find out what I must've looked like.

Feeling satisfied with what I had accomplished so far, I decided to head out and leave the rest for another time. As I walked home, the public park across the street caught my eye.

There were several families with their children out playing, and it gave me the urge to go sit and watch. I'd always admired big families, observing them interact with one another, hugging, laughing, and having fun. It must have been nice.

I walked up to the swings that were facing the rest of the park and leisurely sat, slowly swinging. A cool breeze stirred my hair and sent a chill through me, making me pull my jacket closed tighter.

I smiled as I watched a young boy and girl chase each other around the jungle gym. They seemed to be having a lot of fun; the girl was looking back and laughing as the little boy was about to catch up to her.

A shout to my right made me look over to see a little girl getting ready to come down the slide. "Mommy, watch me!" she squealed, and the mother laughed as the girl slid down and giggled. She immediately ran back up the steps and slid down again and again.

Watching the kids play and not have a care in the world made me so envious. I thought back to when my own mother brought me here for the first time. I had climbed to the top of the jungle gym, and just like any other little girl I would pretend I was a princess in my own castle. But I was also a skilled fighter and would fight the bad guys off. No one was going to get in and destroy my home.

I noticed the girl who was being chased by the boy had climbed up and out on top of the small peak that was looking over the ground below. She started to lean over the side when her mother called out, "Lily, be careful!"

But it was too late.

My heart stopped as I watched her fall to the ground. She immediately started screaming and several people came running from the bench where they had sat.

I instantly stood up, afraid for the young child and how badly she might have been hurt.

I too walked over to the growing crowd to make sure she was okay. She still screamed but was now in the arms of her mother. I got tears in my eyes listening to her cries of pain. It hurt my heart to see what happened and to hear her parents try to console her. I stood there wishing I could have done something. If only I could've been there to catch her, to somehow prevent her from getting hurt.

I walked a little closer as the father announced he thought she broke her arm. I wanted to go to her and make her feel better. I wanted to heal her broken arm and make it like it never happened. I knew I couldn't, but something inside me yearned for that girl. I felt helpless.

"We're taking her to the hospital," the mother said to the few people that had come to help, as they too had watched the scene. "Thank you for your help."

I was still shaken up and ached for the girl, but I managed to walk back toward the swing and slowly sat down. I couldn't stop the scene of her falling from playing over and over in my head. The poor thing.

That night, I dreamt of Lily. I still couldn't save her, but in my dream she had looked at me and asked for help. But I didn't know how. And just before I woke up, I saw Mycah standing at the top of the jungle gym wearing the most sinister grin I had ever seen.

Thoughts of Mycah's evil stare had me creeped out the rest of my weekend. I was barely able to finish Rydan's painting, but eventually I did. Every little noise made me jump half-expecting Mycah to grab me at any second from a dark corner. I had messed up the painting twice from being startled by strange sounds out in the school hallway. So when I walked into Algebra on Monday and my eyes connected with his, it took everything I had to stifle a scream.

I could hear Mr. Dale talking, but it barely registered. I glanced in Mycah's direction and noticed he was looking at me from the corner of his eye. It spooked me, making my elbow knock a pencil off my desk.

It must've been plummeting to the floor, but as I quickly turned my head to helplessly watch, it didn't even come close to touching the ground. With reflexes like a freakin' ninja, Mycah caught it in mid-flight. I jerked my head up at him and his face was only inches from mine. His eyes were smoldering, and his lips were turned up in the sexiest smirk on the planet. I tried to take a breath...he smelled so sweet.

"Thanks," I managed to whisper. I could barely hear my own words over my heartbeat pounding loudly in my ears.

"You're quite welcome, Nariella." His voice was like silk. If I could only listen to one thing for the rest of my life, just one single thing, it would be Mycah saying my name like he just did.

Wait...how did he know my name?

As he went back to sit in his chair, my lungs began to burn from not breathing for so long. Without his close proximity, I was released from his hold and quickly drew air to my desperate lungs. My emotions for this boy were so mixed up that I didn't know what to think. Unforgivable and unexplainable feelings were beginning to stir somewhere deep in my heart, and that scared me. I had never been more afraid of him. ...And intrigued.

I walked through tall wild green grass, causing tiny white butterflies to take flight. There was a beautiful house up ahead. It was a huge two-story made out of white brick right on the ocean. As I walked up the path to the front door, excitement about whoever I was going to see burst in my chest. I could hear waves crashing in the background and the wind blew through my hair. I caught the scent of the orange flowers from the nearby bush that the breeze had carried my way. I was...happy. Wherever I was going, whoever I was going to see, I was happy about being with them. I couldn't wait until they opened the door and welcomed me in. I longed to be inside that house, spending time with whoever was behind that door.

I stepped up to the entrance, and as I was about to knock, I looked down and saw that I had a large brass skeleton key in my hand. I assumed it was for the house that I was standing in front of. I went to put the key in the lock; it fit....

The sound of my alarm made my eyes snap open. It was only a dream. Disappointment crashed down on me as I realized I'd never get to find out who was in that house.

I was left lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling wondering what had caused me to feel so happy. I had longed to be with the person inside. If only I could have opened the door to see who it was.

I wished I could be back in that dream.

"Nari! Over here!" I heard Zaylie yell down the hall. I quickly walked over to her.

"Hi," I said with a grin.

"Want to eat outside today? It's a cloudless sunny day, so it's not as cold as it's been lately, and I could use some fresh air. They say the sun isn't going to last long. It's supposed to rain later."

"Sounds great. I'll just go get my food and meet you out there," I said with higher spirits than I had earlier. Half of me was terrified of Mycah and the other half, the half I hated to admit, got disappointed every morning I didn't see him in my classes.

After I picked out a meal, I walked down the steps outside that led to the grassy area of tables and lost balance of my food tray; quickly trying to recover, my water bottle fell over causing me to trip on the stairs as I tried to balance everything out.

In that split second, I felt myself falling forward—my horrified heart had momentarily stopped as my body drew closer to the concrete. Just as suddenly, an arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back up against a warm muscular body, and my food tray was no longer in my hands. I must've dropped it, so I waited for the sound of the crashing plastic and food to assault my ears. But it never came. Completely and utterly flabbergasted at what just happened, my lungs were panic-stricken, and I could barely breathe.

Right against my ear, lips brushing my hair, I heard, "Are you okay, Nariella?" Mycah's accented voice rasped through my veins as his sweet, woodsy smell washed over me.

The sound of his voice and the feel of his warm stature made my eyes widen and my body paralyze as he held onto me. He slowly released me while lowering my food tray perfectly intact with not a thing out of place in front of me. I forced myself to recover and took it from him. Still trying to catch my breath, I turned my head slowly to look up at him. He was still standing incredibly close.

"Is this becoming a habit? You rescuing me?" I breathed.

He grinned at the ground, a gesture I found completely adorable and endearing. But then he slowly looked up into my eyes, smile melting away, and said, "I think it's more of an addiction." He shook his head as he snickered.

Just before he left, he looked back to me saying, "Be careful," in the most tender voice I had heard yet.

I rushed over to Zaylie, who looked utterly shocked and amazed, and sat down. She barely waited for me to sit before diving head first into an interrogation, "What just happened?! I look up and all I see is you and Mycah hanging all over each other!"

"We were not hanging all over each other!" I practically blanched as I said the words. "Zales, please, that guy is creepy! Don't you think so?" I seriously wanted to know. I hated the thought of being the only one who found Mycah scary. Was there something wrong with me?

"Did you just say creepy? That guy is H-O-T-T," she sounded out each letter, "HOTT. If he's creepy, then dang, why can't all boys be creepy?"

"Psh!" I shoved her shoulder playfully. "You're crazy. Seriously, I guess I should be worried about your mental health instead of my own." We both laughed.

Zaylie moved on to talking about what she was going to wear to the dance. I already knew what I would have to do. Seeing that I was pretty much penniless and only going for Zaylie's benefit, I would be making my own dress. I knew my mom had some nice dresses packed away, since I was the one who had to take care of all her belongings she left behind. My idea was to find one of hers and alter it to fit my style and size. It may not be amazing, but I loved to sew my own clothes using my mom's sewing machine. This would be no different and no matter what, it would have to do. It was all I could do.

Despite the Homecoming buzz, my mind kept drifting back to Mycah as I walked home from school. I really didn't know what to think anymore. Apparently I was the only one who found something weird about him, and at the same time, something was drawing me to him. It was like my emotions were at war with each other, fighting until one broke free and claimed my heart as the victor. I didn't trust him. Or maybe it was myself I didn't trust when I was around him, because I also missed him when he wasn't near. And I didn't want to feel that way about a guy. I couldn't feel that way. I wouldn't allow it. Ugh...I was so confused.

I finally got to the house and my heart dropped to my stomach. He was home early. Crap...I hesitated going inside at the sound of loud crashing noises.

"What are you doing?" I asked. The clean house I left this morning was now a complete wreck.

"What did you do with it?!" Ray yelled, practically growling.

"Excuse me? Do with what? Just calm down..." I felt nauseated as fear began to grip my stomach and my heart pounded in my eardrums.

"Don't you tell me to calm down, you good for nothing brat! I know you took it! I had money right here in this drawer! I need that money! You better give it back to me right now, or you are going to be sorry you were ever born!"

"Listen, Ray—I did not take your money. I promise you!" He suddenly sprinted forward. I pleaded, "Please, just, wait—" but it was too late. He had a vice grip on both my arms, pushing me back against the wall and then punched me right in the face, knocking me down onto my side over a broken pile of glass. I lay in his spot where he threw his latest empty bottle of Jack. I winced as my head now throbbed and my arm stung from the glass.

"Please! I had nothing to do with your money! I didn't take it!" I screamed at him, holding my head.

"Stop lying to me!" he screamed back, grabbing my neck. His hot breath on my face reeked of alcohol. He started to tighten his grip and I involuntarily gasped for air. The corners of my vision started to dim as my eyes widened, and my lungs burned from lack of oxygen. This was it. He was finally going to do what he probably had always wanted—to make me suffer as he slowly drained the life out of me.

In that instant, Ray was no longer gripping my throat as his body was flung across the room, hitting the wall with a loud thud. I reached for my throat, lungs pulling in ragged gasps of precious air. At the sound of Mycah's voice, I looked up.

"Don't you touch her, you sick, sorry excuse for a man," Mycah growled in Ray's face. He had my foster father pinned against the wall with his hands around Ray's neck now. Ray's eyes were wide. Probably as wide as mine were.

"If you ever lay another finger on her again, I swear to death I will kill you. Do you understand?" His voice was so stern and rabid, I flinched. Too stunned to move, Ray barely managed a nod.

Mycah moved his hand from Ray's jugular and put it on the side of his head. His hand began to glow with a faint white light. "Now sleep, before I bloody rip your throat out," he said through gritted teeth.

At that, Ray's eyelids shuttered and then slowly closed as his body finally slumped to the floor. Before Mycah could say anything to me or even turn around, I was out the door running.

What the heck was that? I barely realized it was sprinkling out. I didn't care. My breathing was heavy and staggered and my body wrecked with nerves, but I needed to get away from the house—and from Mycah—as fast as I could. I needed to think.

I stumbled down the sidewalk while trying to run, but my brain was on over-drive so I couldn't focus on getting my feet to move fast enough. They felt heavy, as if filled with sand and weighing a thousand pounds. I couldn't seem to shake my gut-wrenching fear away because I couldn't comprehend what just happened.

My hands instinctively went to my throat as I remembered him strangling me. His wicked, cruel brown eyes boring into mine. I couldn't have looked away or even closed my eyes—I had been so stunned. If I had died then, it would have been his eyes as the last thing I had ever seen. I shuddered.

I looked at my upper arms and could see bruises starting to form where he had gripped them so forcefully. I went to feel my left eye. Ouch. It already started to swell. Great...I was going to have a black eye.

At the sensation of something sticky from touching my eye, I looked at my hand and saw blood, making me sigh. I looked up toward the sky as it began to pour down on my face. My breath quickened again as I realized: I didn't die.

Because...Mycah...tossed Ray away like he was a rag doll. How? How did he do that? And what was with that light coming from his hand? Did he seriously put Ray to sleep or...did he kill him? My chest hurt just thinking about all of that. I didn't know what to do or where to go. I couldn't go back home. Not yet.

I just kept walking aimlessly in the rain, wishing today never happened, and by time I noticed, it had already grown dark out. After a while, I looked up from staring at the ground and found myself in front of O'Malley's Bed & Breakfast. The one where Mycah was staying. Maybe I was drawn here—my body unconsciously taking me to where I needed to go for answers. I didn't know, and I didn't care. I didn't feel frightened anymore. I felt protected.

I walked around the side, wondering if I could possibly see him. There, in his room, Mycah sat in an over-sized chair next to the window, reading. He looked so normal. His chest was bare, exposing his muscular torso; he was only wearing dark pants. His black hair was all ruffled and his ocean blue eyes were staring intently at the book. His face was serene, but I could still see the tight cut of his jawbone and the straight angles of his face. His brow furrowed in concentration, and he looked utterly gorgeous. He...saved me. The flicker of some strange, unknown feeling sparked in the deepest parts of my heart.

It was still pouring rain, and I was cold and sopping wet. My hair was drenched and water dripped into my eyes, stinging at the spot that was cut and swollen.

As I watched Mycah in his room, my whole body began to tremble as the realization set in. He saved my life. Mycah saved me. I didn't care what he was, what he did, or how he did it. I had been completely terrified and almost died. Remembering what happened only a few hours ago, all those feelings came rushing back. As if I was right back in his rough, calloused hands squeezing the life out of me. My trembling turned to almost violent shaking, reliving the moment again in my head.

All of a sudden, Mycah's head jerked up as if he could sense me standing there. His eyes immediately found mine, and his expression turned from surprise to a pained but soft gentleness. Like he wanted me to be there—with him. I didn't realize it at first, but I was crying.

Mycah stood up and walked to the window. It was the kind that opened like a French door, swinging inward. Mycah reached for me and easily pulled me inside, like I weighed nothing. He didn't say anything; he just stared at me.

He turned and walked to a closet, pulling out two towels. My teeth chattered and my eye still hurt from my tears running down my cheeks. He began delicately patting my face, arms, and head, drying them with the soft towels.

Slowly, he gently wiped a stray tear with his thumb. The towels smelled like Snuggle fabric softener—and he smelled like a dream.

What he started to do next left me paralyzed, and my chest tightened. He reached up and tightly pressed onto my swollen black eye. It didn't hurt though, his touch was so gentle. Oddly, I began to feel a tingling sensation. Then, like magic, the pain was gone. My eyes widened and my heart felt like it was racing out of control.

Slowly, he put his soft, gentle hands on my neck. His skin felt so hot compared to my cold skin. I could feel my bruised muscles vanish away. His pulse from his fingertips throbbed next to my throat. He then moved to my arms; one after the other, and did the same thing to them—healing my sore bruises. My eyes never left his face, but he was looking at each scrape and bluish-purple spot, healing any he found and looking for more.

Then, without touching me, he waved his left hand all around, hovering over each and every inch, making me dry from head to toe. He gradually put me back together, piece by piece. Raising each of my feet, he removed my shoes.

Once he felt he got everything, I assumed, he then pulled me to his bed. Dragging down the sheet and blankets, I crawled inside and curled myself into a ball. He covered the blankets over my body and went to sit in the chair next to the window. With him watching me, I started to calm down. My crying stopped, and I slowly drifted off to sleep, feeling completely warm and safe.

The next day, I quietly left the B&B without Mycah waking up. The sun was just rising, so it must've been very early. The sky was still a dark purple blue, and the horizon was a bright pink mixed with orange. It felt so calm and quiet.

The morning air was chilly and filled with moisture. I wrapped my arms around my body, hugging myself. I didn't want to think back to last night's events yet.

I made my way back home, trying to keep a clear mind, not really thinking about anything. I slowly snuck inside, hoping that Ray was still asleep. I crept in, and sure enough there he was, still lying on the floor where Mycah left him, snoring very loudly. He didn't kill him after all.

I tip-toed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I put it as hot as it could go. I quickly peeled my clothes off and jumped in, wanting nothing more than to immerse myself into the scalding hot water.

I was quickly surrounded by steam as my mind began to race. As the water slid down my face, I could no longer contain my tears or my quiet sobs. The sound of the water drowned out any noise I might have made.

I felt my neck where my bruises used to be, felt my eye, and then looked at my arms. No bruises. It was as if they washed down the drain with the rest of the water. But no, Mycah healed them. He healed me. I couldn't help but think so differently of him now. Before, I thought he was creepy. In fact, I was practically scared to death. Then after seeing what he did to Ray, I was frightened even more. But I wasn't just frightened at what Mycah did. I was happy. And that scared me too. I shouldn't be happy at what happened, but Mycah saved my life. If Ray got hurt because of it, then good! He deserved what he got. I owed Mycah my life.

The sensation of Mycah's gentle touch radiated throughout my entire body. I felt like I was changing—like something was being awoken inside me. I would never admit it to myself, but my heart soared at the thought of his touch, his smell, and just his presence alone.

I slowly opened my eyes, letting them acclimate to the ray of sun streaming in through my windows. The beam of light warmed my skin at every spot it touched. I felt calm. Serene. As I lay completely motionless in my bed, staring at the million tiny speckles of dust dancing in the sunlight, Mycah's face as he looked down at me—full of concern, healing my every wound—kept flashing to mind. I didn't even know his last name. Or where he was from, who he was, what he was doing here. I didn't know anything about him. And that didn't matter to me.

I knew that it should; not knowing anything about someone should matter a whole lot. I mean, what sane person wouldn't be completely horrified by what they'd seen Mycah, practically a stranger, do? I was confident a normal person would make sure to stay away from him. To never speak to him again and run screaming for the hills. A normal person would recognize that he was different, dangerous, and unexplainable, giving every reason not to get anywhere near him ever again.

But, I wasn't normal. I could feel deep within me that I was far from normal. The same deep spot where I couldn't seem to find a single ounce of fear toward Mycah. Not anymore. He saved my life and then healed my soul.

My eyes closed the same time my heart skipped a beat at the memory of Mycah's delicate, warm fingers on my skin. The concentration in his scorching aqua eyes as they appraised me and his heavenly scent that wrapped around me.

I had to see him again. There was no way I could stay away now. I had so many questions to ask him. How did he do that to Ray? Did he fix my sculpture? I didn't care what the answers were or if they were scary, I just wanted to know. I had to know.

With a smile, I clambered out of bed, feeling completely refreshed and determined. I laid a hand over my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. I grabbed my favorite faded black jeans and stood in front of my closet. I wanted to look nice. I fingered through the rack, looking for the perfect shirt.

I bit my lip, smiling at the prettiest shirt I had as I pulled it from the hanger. It was a white cotton, empire-waist shirt that tied in the back by thin strings. The ¾ length sleeves were made out of white eyelet lace, pulling the Victorian look together.

I slowly turned to look in the mirror, but my reflection startled me. I didn't know why, but I was still expecting to see a black eye and bruises. I peered closer, bright violet eyes staring back at me. I slowly reached up to touch my left eye. No pain. No discoloring. Nothing.

So it was true. Mycah really did heal me. I knew he did on the inside, but now that the evidence was staring me in the face, there could be no doubt. Mycah was different. Very different. And I was okay with that.

I brushed the sleep out of my long, dark brown hair and clipped a part of the left side back, leaving the rest down. Using the tips I learned from Zaylie, I added a touch of mascara and light pink lip-gloss. I stepped back and assessed my work. I'd never tried or cared to impress a guy before, so I was suddenly filled with anxiety.

I grabbed my jacket, wallet, and cell phone just before reaching for the door. But, the sudden realization that Ray was just on the other side made me stop, hand left mid-air in front of the handle.

I completely forgot about him. I could no longer hear him snoring so he must have been awake. What was he going to say? What was I going to say? I couldn't even comprehend what happened last night, let alone try to explain it to someone else if he asked. Was he going to be angry? Too many questions started to bounce around in my head, so I decided to be brave and face whatever waited for me on the other side of that door. It had to happen sooner or later, and I'd rather get it out of the way.

As I slowly and cautiously walked through the hallway, my heart betrayed my front of bravery as I grew more and more worried with each advancing step. My eyes stayed glued to the spot Ray had been lying in before, now empty.

But it didn't matter. None of that mattered, because as I stood staring at the empty spot and relief just starting to come over me at the thought that maybe Ray wasn't home, someone grabbed me.

With my body stricken and seized with fear, I tried to scream but couldn't. One strong arm was around my waist holding me to them from behind, the other was forcefully holding cloth against my open mouth and nose. A strong smell of chemical burned my nose, assaulting my lungs and senses. As my head began to swim, I tried desperately to understand what was happening, but no answer made sense. Was this Ray? Was he going to finish what he tried to do last night and finally kill me? Mycah wouldn't save my life, only to kill me the next day. I kicked and clawed for my freedom, but as hard as I fought against my captor and to stay conscious, I lost the battle.

A black cloth bag was put over my head, causing a whole new wave of panic to flood through me, just before my eyes fluttered closed.

#  Chapter Fifteen

~Naminé~

My bright green eyes stared intensely into his. It was like staring into something beautiful and majestic. Calen and I had been able to connect with him the first time we tried, like he had been waiting for a lifeline to bring him to safety. This was our fourth night in a row, and though I wasn't sure if he knew this was real or thought it just a dream, I began to savor our time together. I knew I shouldn't; I had a purpose for bringing us here, but the moment I beheld his presence I was captivated. I tried to talk to him, but he couldn't understand me. It was certainly easier to reach him than the other, but I was still distressed that I was unable to convey any words.

Each night I brought him to my most beloved spot in all of Aselaira—through the thick Tiuka Forest with trees taller than much of the castle, past the old ruins of the tower of Barad that once held a sacred meaning for our people but now sat in shambles and forgotten. I had always acknowledged a strange yet welcoming pull when I passed the tower. I did not know why.

After you trekked up the mountain for about an hour, you would reach the most exquisite view of the Kingdom. A large grassy clearing filled with the most colorful lotes and calla lilies I had ever seen, all the way to the edge of the cliff overlooking the coast. There were large trees outlining the clearing, almost like they guarded over the place. Someone long ago had carved chairs into the several tree stumps that had been found there. They were facing the panoramic view of the majestic blue ocean. To your right stood the castle in the distance. It appeared dark and gloomy, though I knew there was a time when it was bright and beautiful. I had never seen it in my time, but I hoped I would someday.

I did not get to venture here often, for it had nearly been three cycles that my brother Cathar and I were last here. When we were youths, we would come to this place often. It was our peace amid the chaos. It was our sanctuary.

Although I did not remember every detail now, I used what I could in showing him this beauteous place. It had always eased my thoughts, lessened my burdens, and uplifted my soul. Perhaps I could help him feel that way too.

It felt like my heart was breaking, looking into his sad eyes. He tried to push toward me. He looked at me longingly, reaching for me, wanting to enhance the connection between us. I was almost right there in front of him, but we seemed like miles apart.

He suddenly looked down, slowly dropped to his knees, and covered his eyes with both his hands. He heavily sighed, shaking his head, and my heart shattered like broken glass, bursting in a million pieces. I ached to run and comfort him, but I could not move. I was desperate to convey to him to not give up, not give into the misery that surrounded him, but I could not speak.

He gently lowered his hands and groaned in defeat. I instantly willed myself to move, and ever so slightly I took a step toward him. As I took that tiny step forward, I sensed my mind clouding as if a dark shadow threatened to envelop me. I felt a sharp pain in my left temple, and I cried out to him. It caused him to look up, meet his eyes with mine, and we connected on a level so deep it actually hurt.

I did the only thing I could think of to convey my thoughts to him, to comfort and console him, to press him to continue on and not give up the fight. I gave him the biggest, sweetest, most tender smile I could master.

#  Chapter Sixteen

~Nari~

The Weeping Willow. Our Weeping Willow—mine and Rydan's. Its long branches swayed back and forth in the wind, like they danced in the bright sun that shone through each leaf. As the branches touched the surface of the pond it sat next to, disturbing the peaceful water, the sounds of cicadas and crickets filled my ears. I was already lying down, so I began running my fingers through the soft green grass as the wind gently played with my hair. I inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp cool air that surrounded me. I felt at peace.

Where was Rydan?

The sudden thought of Rydan shot panic through my heart, and I felt like the wind was knocked out of me.

I forced my eyes open and tried to sit up but was unsuccessful. I couldn't move my head, my arms, or my legs, as I lay staring at a big fluorescent white light.

I wasn't lying in the safety of our Weeping Willow tree like I had thought. As the memories of being held against my will and a bag put over my head came flooding back, the realization that I had been taken began to dawn on me.

For some reason, I couldn't fully feel the terror I knew that I should be feeling. Instead, I felt supremely groggy and tired. I tried to look around, barely able to keep my heavy eyes opened, but all I could see was white walls and to my left a medical bag filled with a clear liquid hanging on a metal hook. A tube came from the bottom, and I knew without a doubt it was pumping drugs into me. I could feel the sting of the needle that was buried deep into my aching vein, and a wave of nausea ran through me. I had no idea how long I had been here, but the hard, cold metal surface I was forced to lie on gave me the impression it had been a long time, as every bone in my body ached.

I tried to open my mouth to call out, to scream, to demand I be let go, but no sound came from my extremely sore throat. I could feel hot tears escape the corner of my eyes as they ran down my cheeks, and just before unconsciousness overtook me once again, I thought of Rydan and our Weeping Willow tree, calling out to him in my mind, wishing he would save me.

The sensation of movement stirred my consciousness, but it felt like my mind and body were trapped in sleep, unable to fully wake up. I wanted to open my eyes, to move my body, but it was as if I were being forced to stay asleep. I was caught between awareness and unconsciousness, my own mind yelling at me to wake up, to open my eyes and to just get up, but I wouldn't. I couldn't.

"Secure the perimeter."

"Quickly, quickly! Keep the sedation steady."

"Otis, you ride with me and the girl. Maverick, you and your team take the male and cover our six."

Where were they taking me? The sound of wheels rolling down concrete echoed with a mixture of voices surrounding every side of me, but I only faintly registered what was being said.

Was this another nightmare? It was hard to separate reality from imagination when my entire body refused to do anything but fall into a deep sleep. I told myself to move or to just open my eyes, but the extra thought seemed to only make it worse, and then before I knew it I had succumbed back into unconsciousness.

I desperately tried to open my eyes, but the blinding light was making it very difficult. Squinting, I could see a blurry male figure towering over me but couldn't make out any features.

I tried to focus, wanting to demand I be freed, but I felt extremely weak and exhausted. I began to see that the man's lips were moving and slowly understood he was yelling at me, but the loud ringing in my ears made it impossible to hear him. I again tried to move my own lips, willing them to obey, but it was no use.

Didn't they understand that drugging me was pointless? Surely they could see they would get nothing out of me that way. I wanted to move, but my arms and legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. The man must've become impatient with me, because he suddenly grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently. What did they want from me? Would this nightmare ever end? I could barely hold my head up while I was thrashed back and forth.

The thought of being tortured like this for even a second longer sent adrenaline racing through me like liquid fire. The only release I could find, but desperately needed, was opening my mouth and screaming my lungs out. I screamed and screamed as loud as I could, and the rabid sound that came out of me not only scared the man that had once been towering over me, but slightly scared even myself.

In my mind I thrashed my head and body from side-to-side, wishing I were strong enough to break free.

"This isn't working!" a cruel voice with a hard accent shouted, slightly waking me up. It was still extremely difficult to open my eyes or make any sort of movement. Whatever they were drugging me with, it made it impossible for me to wake up.

"I want everything flushed out of her system now!" he kept shouting, but I had yet to hear another voice. "Move her to the cage when you are done."

"But sir, what if she is a threat? What if she cannot be contained just like he cannot?" another voice finally inquired. It had the same strange accent.

"If she was the same as him, she never would have lasted this long. She would have already been gone. I have no choice. This obviously isn't working, and I need answers!" A loud thud echoed in the room, but I couldn't tell what it was.

It vaguely registered what was happening around me. Strong, rough hands kept grabbing my arms or my head, doing who knows what. It was extremely unpleasant. I felt violated and exposed, hating every second that I was out of my own control.

There was nothing I could do or say, I had to just lie there half asleep and take whatever these people did to me. It was torture.

I could faintly feel myself moving, like I was flying through space. Logic told me they were probably just wheeling my hard bed somewhere else and I wasn't actually in outer space. Right?

Finally, after a few minutes I stopped moving. A strong smell of salt snapped me awake, and I unconsciously shook my head.

"Wake up!" a menacing voice yelled, startling me and reminding me where I was. I tried to open my eyes, but I was afraid. I didn't know what I was waking up to. I slowly realized my head was no longer restrained, but as I tried to move my arms and legs, they still would not budge.

"Open your eyes. We know you are awake," an accented voice snarled, growing more irritated. He sounded German or Austrian maybe? I slowly opened my eyes, half expecting to see Arnold Schwarzenegger staring back at me. Instead, the look of disgust I met after he saw my eyes made me wince. The man was young, maybe in his late-twenties, and that surprised me. He was dressed in a black suit, white dress shirt, and black tie. His blond hair was slicked back with gel, and he had a rough look to his appearance with a crooked nose that claimed the middle of his face. His pale skin starkly stood out against the black of his suit.

He recovered from his disgust quickly and now stared at me with no specific expression or emotion at all. For some reason, that scared me even more.

"Let me go! What do you want from me?!" I tried to find my voice. "Help! Help!" I screamed, but it mostly came out raspy and unrecognizable. The man didn't answer or even look bothered by my distress. He kept pacing the room, never taking his stoic eyes off mine.

"Wh-wh-" I tried to clear my throat, hating the fact I could hardly speak. "Who are you?" I eventually croaked out, pain stretching through my sore, raspy vocal cords. I was dying of thirst.

"You are in no position to be asking questions. Where is the Sindora?! Where is Mycah Nightly?" The venom that dripped from his voice as he said Mycah's name sent chills through my body. I didn't respond, partly because I didn't know what he was talking about, but mostly because I was afraid to give anything away that could hurt Mycah.

"Answer me!" His sudden outburst had me reeling, trying to figure out what in the world this could all be about. Why was he asking about Mycah? And who was this S-S-Sin-whatever person? I'd never heard that name before. The man quickly came back to himself, clearing his throat and pulling at his shirt collar. I could tell he was trying very hard to stay calm.

He rushed over, putting both arms on either side of me with a look that could kill as he yelled, "Now!" so loud that my restrained arms instinctively pulled up but failed to cover my aching ears.

"I don't know," I finally said.

"How do you know him?"

"I don't know him. I've only see him around a few times," I protested, trying to sound convincing, since it basically was the truth anyway. I didn't even know Nightly was his last name.

"You do not know him? Would you like to explain to me why he would risk exposing himself for a girl he does not know?" the man scoffed in disbelief.

Wait...risked himself? For me? The sudden news that Mycah could be in trouble because of me had my heart racing in a whole new way. If I caused Mycah to get hurt, I could never forgive myself.

My dwelling thoughts kept me silent, and that irritated the man even more. He grabbed my face roughly with his right hand and hovered over me. His face was inches from mine.

"Why do you have violet eyes?! Huh?! Tell me!" Spit hit my face, and I tried desperately to pull my head away from his grasp. It was no use. He was too strong, and the fear of what he'd do to me when he realized I wouldn't be answering his question—since I didn't even know the answer myself—overwhelmed me.

I struggled against my restraints and his tight hold, wishing I could kick him in his groin. This was so unfair. Anger was quickly overcoming my fear. How dare he kidnap me and tie me to this dang bed!

He must've seen the defiance in my eyes as he lifted his arm to slap me with the back of his hand. I refused to show fear, so I made myself stare back into his evil eyes and clenched my jaw, bracing myself for the blow. It came, quickly and painfully, and with so much force that I was lost to darkness as my head was bashed to the side.

I lay inside the safety of the Willow's long branches, enclosed all around me like a secret room. I closed my eyes and took in a long deep breath of fresh cool air. It permeated every ounce of me.

I ran my hand through my hair, letting the breeze catch it, and twirled a few strands between my fingers. This was heaven. I turned my head toward Rydan, who I knew would be lying beside me. But when I opened my eyes, the evil man I would forever associate as my captor lay staring at me with a sick, cruel grin, and then flashed only centimeters in front of my eyes.

I screamed and sat up, trying desperately to run away. I slowly started to realize I was back in captivity, only instead of the white room where I had been completely restrained from head to toe, I was now in a dark stone room and free to move about.

I ran to the nearest wall and felt every inch of it, looking for a way out. After taking in my surroundings, there seemed to be no door in sight. No bars, no windows—nothing. It was a small dirty square room, made entirely out of stone. I kept feeling each wall, praying there was a seam or hinge of some sort.

But there was nothing.

I let out a scream as loud as I could make it, begging for help. But there was no response or answer made in return—just the deafening silence of being completely alone.

After what seemed like hours, eventually the spot where a stone door existed appeared as it slowly opened with a grinding announcement. Armed men rushed in, wearing full head-to-toe body suits, resembling a bomb squad.

They all pointed huge machine guns at me like if I made one single movement they'd blow me away without hesitating for a second. The man I'd come to call my captor slowly strutted in, giving off an air of dominance and demanding obedience without having to utter a word.

"Good. You are awake. Now maybe we can get some answers." He signaled for the door to be closed behind him.

"I'm not going to tell you anything, you sick freak. Now let me go!" I growled.

"Now now, do not be a brat. You will tell us. I promise you that." He licked his lips and slightly smiled. The whole thing made me want to vomit.

"Try your best and you'll find out," I challenged, anger creeping up on me. This was ridiculous; I didn't know anything, so all of this was completely pointless!

"That can be arranged." He snapped his fingers, and one of the men I didn't notice before stepped around him and walked toward me. He was a huge burly man, with muscles bigger than my head. Lovely.

"Every time you do not give me a truthful answer, you will pay a price." He put his arms behind his back and started slowly pacing around the room. "Where is the Sindora?"

"I have no idea what that is," I answered honestly, but he didn't believe me. He signaled to the beefy man, and he immediately stepped over and smacked me across the face.

"I told you the truth!" I shouted, reaching up to hold my swelling cheek.

"Where is Mr. Nightly?" he ignored me and tried another question.

"Go fly a kite," I spit at his feet, determined more than ever to not give him the satisfaction of answering him.

"You will regret that." He gave me a sinister smile and nodded to the man. "Teach our guest some manners, please."

I closed my eyes and crawled into a ball, readying myself for the worst. I faintly heard my captor tell someone that I should be taken back to the white room and to induce the truth serum. Then, the man began beating me so hard I ended up passing out.

Loud, feral screaming and crashing abruptly woke me out of another deep sleep. There were no windows in the white room either, giving me no idea how much time had passed or how long I'd been sleeping, but it felt like days.

Curse those dang drugs. Seriously? Was it really necessary to go back to that? I still did not get the point of sedating me and returning me to shackles if they were trying to get answers. Answers to questions I didn't even understand in the first place.

I fought against slipping back asleep and tried to focus as the sound of gunshots followed by more screaming echoed outside the walls of my captivity.

I tried to sit up but was quickly reminded that I couldn't. That despicable man came barging through the large, heavy steel door to my "room" (more like "prison cell") just then. He looked toward the door he had just run through, fear written all over his face. He had slammed it shut and just as quickly locked it, but never once did he take his eyes off it while pulling a silver handgun from his belt. He held it out, ready to shoot whoever came through the door. He was afraid. I was afraid too.

My scalp prickled from fear as my heart pounded against my chest. I swear my arms and legs no longer needed to be restrained; it was now my heart that needed to be kept in its place instead. If this bulky man with a gun was frightened, then what chance did I have against whatever it was that was coming? Was it more monster than even my vicious captor that he was now the one afraid? And here I was, a sitting duck just waiting to be eaten. Or killed. Sacrificed. Who even knew what! What was coming?! I couldn't take it anymore!

The door, the one I once thought was extremely large and heavy just a few seconds ago, flew off its hinges and crashed into the wall behind it, just barely missing my captor as he quickly stepped out of the way. Whatever this thing was, I knew we were both dead. My heart no longer could stay in its rightful place as it dropped into my stomach, as I thought about never having the chance to say goodbye to Rydan or Zaylie and Desmond, or even dumb Liam. A tear escaped and ran down my cheek as Mycah's mischievous blue eyes flashed into my mind.

But fear was instantly replaced by intense longing as my eyes lay upon him bursting through the doorway. I was already shaking from the shock, but seeing Mycah racked my body with tremors, barely able to contain the anticipation or belief that he was really here.

"Bleiben Sie, wo Sie sind, Nightly! Sie nicht näher kommen!" the man snarled in a foreign language. I almost forgot about him during my own fear and anxiety of what was coming. But Mycah wasn't even looking at him. He was looking at me, and in his deep ocean eyes I saw his relief that I was alive but also despair for what I may have gone through.

"Sie und ich wissen, dass wird nicht passieren," Mycah replied in that same language as he turned toward the man. The look of concern he had for me disappeared into anger and menace. Mycah took a step toward him but to my horror made the man shoot his gun, aimed right at Mycah's heart.

"NO!!" I wailed at the top of my lungs, pulling and fighting against the shackles. But Mycah stood there, completely unharmed. He had his left arm stretched out, and without any comprehension from me, the bullet stayed hanging in mid-air. The man shot some more, but they too were halted to a stop. The man backed away until he hit the white wall behind him, and all three bullets then fell to the floor.

I was sure my mouth hung open from shock, but I didn't notice. Mycah stalked toward the man like he was prey. The man looked petrified, and I could tell he knew exactly what was coming as he dropped his useless gun to the ground.

However, the man was skilled; that was suddenly clear as soon as he took a swing at Mycah. The man took the offensive approach and desperately tried to fight off Mycah, but Mycah was just as skilled, if not more. Mycah blocked and deflected each punch and assault the man made, not once letting the man touch him. He kept trying to disarm Mycah in some way, whether it were leg kicks, strangle holds, or whatever other techniques skilled fighters used. But Mycah easily dodged each attack, and I was pretty sure he was just waiting for the guy to wear himself out, barely bothered by the man's attempts at all.

To my dismay, it actually looked like Mycah was enjoying this. Then, the tables turned and Mycah switched from defensive to offensive, and the skills and techniques Mycah possessed were even more shocking than anything I had seen so far. Okay, maybe not anything, given the whole supernatural powers like healing and putting people to sleep with glowing hands were pretty high up there.

The way Mycah moved was beautiful but powerful. He moved so fast and smoothly, he almost looked like he was dancing. Was he a CIA agent or something? His skills were not normal, and I couldn't help but think I got myself mixed up with a real-life Jason Bourne.

The man was all bloody and beaten from Mycah unleashing his mad skills, and I kind of began to feel bad for the guy. I wished I could cover my ears, because the sound of bones breaking and bloody flesh being pounded started to make me sick.

The man didn't give up though and looked to try very hard to get the upper hand on Mycah. I had no skills in fighting, but even I could see this guy had absolutely no chance. Mycah was on a whole other level, and as I watched, it dawned on me that not even Jason Bourne would be able to stop Mycah.

Mycah started choking the badly wounded man, and I could see he was going to kill him.

"Mycah, don't! Please don't!" I couldn't take it anymore, and I definitely couldn't stand the thought of watching someone die right in front of me, even if it was a bad person—even if he was my captor.

At the sound of my plea, Mycah turned toward me, concern written all over his face. He stood there contemplating what to do. Before I could say anything else, three more men ran into the room and started firing their guns at Mycah.

"Let him go!" one of the men growled in the same foreign accent I couldn't quite distinguish. He had midnight skin with a shaved head and dressed exactly like my captor. In fact, all the men were dressed the same way and clearly muscular and bulky underneath their black suit jackets.

Mycah stopped all of the bullets just like he did before and sent the men flying back out of the room with a burst of some strange force I didn't understand. He then put one hand over my captor's head and closed his eyes. A few minutes later, the man slumped to the floor.

To my instant horror, Mycah ran out of the room. Panic that he was just going to leave me here washed over me, and I began to hyperventilate. I wanted to call out to him, to apologize for ever being rude to him and beg with everything I had in me to come back and let me free. But no words would come out of my mouth as my head began to swim and my vision started to cloud. I was losing it, and the thought of being left here to die was quickly becoming too much.

Just then, Mycah came running to me, then quickly and easily ripped the restraints out—another sign he possessed uncanny strength. He gently took out the IV and scooped me up into his arms, holding me to his muscular chest. He smelt so delicious.

"Are you alright?" His languid accent tickled my senses, making me blush as he sweetly wiped away the tears that were streaming down my face. Boy, I never knew I could be so emotional.

"I am now." I couldn't begin to describe how happy and relieved I was with him here. "You came for me." I could barely believe this was real. I thought for sure he left me.

"I will always come for you. I would walk through fire if I had to." Despite my foggy brain, the raw emotion he let show in his voice made me believe his words to my core, although I didn't actually understand why or how he could say something like that. He barely knew me.

"How did you know where I was?" The idea that I must be dreaming entered into my thoughts, and my pulse began to race in panic again. Surely, this was too good to be true. Everything about Mycah was too good to be true.

"Shhh, it's okay, it's okay. Don't worry about that right now." I didn't have the strength to ask further or argue with him. The sedation that was still in my system was quickly becoming too much as my adrenaline started wearing off. He began healing all my wounds I had forgotten about, with me not even being able to feel them from the drugs.

"I'm going to get you out of here. We have to hurry. We don't have much time." His voice was strained, and more tears began stinging my eyes with the hope of escape. This couldn't be a dream. It felt too real. He ran to the door, and at the same time held my head to his neck.

"Don't look," he whispered to me. I closed my eyes, wondering what was out there that I shouldn't be seeing. I decided I would ask later, adding the question to my increasingly long list of things to ask Mycah. If I could somehow remember them all.

Sleep began to overtake me as I stayed in Mycah's arms with my eyes closed. The drugs mixed with the overwhelming emotions and shock of everything made it incredibly hard to stay conscious.

Mycah didn't seem bothered by my weight at all as he gracefully made his way to some place safe. He would run in spurts, stopping and taking cover when needed. I could hear his heart beating next to my ear, and I was surprised to find it sounded calm and steady. If I wasn't so heavily sedated, I was sure my heart would practically be beating out of my chest. Whether it would be from fear or the close proximity to Mycah, I wouldn't know.

Either way, I knew I was in good hands with this being the second time Mycah had saved my life. I felt his lips on the top of my head just before I could no longer resist blacking out. And at the same time, a stronger flicker of that same unfamiliar feeling I had felt the other day seemed to ignite into a tiny flame deep inside me.

#  Chapter Seventeen

~Naminé~

I moaned as I yet again spilled the Uile stew. I unintentionally had filled the vessels to the brim and now tried to walk slowly down the stairs while balancing the plate of them in my hands thrice this morning. I had lost my footing several times as the green algae seaweed spilled to the floor and onto my shoes. The seaweed was horrid and smelled like rotten fish, but it was the only vegetable the King would let us put in the prisoner's stew. With Castle Edhel-N'dor being on the cliffs of Mount Orod overlooking the deep blue sea below, fisherman would bring in barrels of the seaweed in exchange for a small price. Uile wasn't by any means tasty, but it was food. The King decreed that it would be given to the prisoners; they were to receive nothing else. My mother had concocted a stew made with Uile and that was what they ate. During sunrise to sunset they were to receive two small meals of Uile a day.

I quickly dispersed the vessels among the rest of the prisoners and gave them their pots of water. I walked up to my last prisoner in the deep dungeon, the one I always saved for last, for I longed to hear his words of wisdom. I looked into the cell and observed he was very weak and fragile. I gently set his vessel of stew on the ledge and pushed it into the cell. He lightly stirred to the sound, and after several attempts of trying to move he finally faced me with a despondent look.

I tried my best to smile at him, but his expression was one of utter despair, a look of complete hopelessness.

#  Chapter Eighteen

~Nari~

I stirred in my sleep, but at the sense of something hard yet slightly soft and very very warm, I instantly came to. My eyes snapped opened to a person's chest. Very much a guy's chest actually. A guy's chest that I just happened to be laying on. Oh, and a heavy guy's arm that just happened to be draped over my side.

My breathing quickened from the memories crashing down on me of everything that had just transpired up to this point while taking in Mycah's familiar woodsy scent.

"Hello, lovely." His English accent was slick as velvet, and I knew in this very moment that I never, never ever would I get over how sexy it was. If getting kidnapped, drugged, beaten, starved, and scared half to death wasn't enough to keep my heart from racing and head spinning, then I was confident absolutely nothing would.

But before I could respond or even register where I was, Mycah was pulled from underneath me.

"What the heck is going on here?!" Rydan roared. He had Mycah pinned against the wall. My wall. As I quickly sat up, I looked around and realized I was back at home in my bed.

"Rydan! My god is it good to see you!" I tried to stand up, to run to him, but the movement of sitting up too fast made my head pound and the room spin.

"Who the heck is this, Nari? And where have you been? I've been worried sick. If this douchebag laid a finger on you or hurt you in any way I swear..." He pushed Mycah against the wall even more forcefully. Mycah didn't say or do anything. He didn't even look upset. He just stared calmly at Rydan...He kind of looked amused.

"I am going to kill you," Rydan growled in Mycah's face.

"Rydan, stop it! He didn't hurt me, I promise. Just let him go!" But he didn't; he kept him locked against the wall.

"Have you been with this prick the entire time? Nari, answer me. Why haven't you called me or at least sent me a text—anything to let me know that you were okay? I thought Ray might've..." He looked at me then, and I could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Ry, please believe me—"

"Yes, she was with me. Got a problem with that, mate?" Mycah cut me off and turned to look at me—a look that was obviously pleading with me to follow along. Wait, was I seriously not allowed to tell my best friend that I was captured and abused and that all I wanted to do was call for him? That I would have never left him hanging like that?

I opened my mouth to protest—to deny it and spill my guts about everything that had happened—but I didn't get the chance to before Rydan full-blown punched Mycah in the face.

"Rydan! What are you doing?!" I screeched, trying desperately to stand up. Mycah retaliated by forcing Rydan back against the opposite wall, right into my bookcase, knocking the picture of my mother off onto the floor. They were grunting and heaving and being completely ridiculous, and after all that I had been through, I had enough. Grateful for the existence of adrenaline, I scrambled to my feet and ran over to them.

"Stop it! Both of you! Just stop it!" I clawed and pulled at Mycah's arms to let Rydan go, who held onto Mycah just as firmly, trying to force him back.

"Rydan, please, just go. I'll talk to you later, okay?" I wanted nothing more than to run into Rydan's arms and have him hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay, but first I needed answers. I needed answers from Mycah before I could even pretend to talk to Rydan. There was no way I could explain anything to him right now. I didn't even understand one single moment of it myself.

But at my words, the look of hurt and betrayal that crossed his face would forever haunt me. It left me speechless and reeling, wishing I could take them back and beg for forgiveness.

"You want me to go?" His voice was pained and so low, I barely heard it.

"You heard her, get out of here." Mycah let go of him then and backed away, never taking his eyes off Rydan. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand where Rydan had punched him.

"No, it's just that..."

"Forget it, Nari. I get it. I understand completely." The venomous way Rydan said those words made me know for sure that he completely did not understand. He didn't understand one bit. I wanted to explain that I wasn't picking Mycah over him, that I didn't actually want him to go, I just needed to figure things out first, and I wasn't going to be able to do that with him here.

Still, he took it the wrong way, and before another word could be said, he pushed his way past Mycah and out my room. I felt incredibly guilty and just wished he knew how much I needed him. I heard the front door of my house slam closed, and faintly wondered where Ray was?

The silence was deafening, and I slowly looked at Mycah who already stared at me, face full of concern. I slumped to the floor, feeling the weight of my prior affliction full force. My body began to tremble out of weakness, and even though it felt like I'd been sleeping for days, I knew it wasn't near long enough.

I stared back at him for a few moments. He was gorgeous. Tall, with perfect posture, lean but very muscular, black hair in disarray and looking utterly dangerous. He came off as otherworldly, like his entire demeanor screamed foreign, exuding confidence. I could feel my blood pulsing through all my extremities as the silence continued. My eyes went to his strange tattoo, and I could finally make it out.

I was right about the scarring. I could now tell though that it was intended scarring, meant to be a design on his skin mixed in with the ink. It was beautiful and intricate and like nothing I had ever seen before.

It was small, but the detail was clear. It was a willow tree growing atop the hilt of a sword. A strange but beautiful crown swirled around the blade, and I swear for a second I saw a shimmer of midnight blue within a tiny intricate star in the middle of the crescent-moon shaped jewel of the crown.

"Mycah, please, who are you? What...are you?" I looked to my bare feet, trying to stay brave. I had to know. There was no way I could go on not knowing the answers to everything that had happened, and I worried he wasn't going to tell me. I always jokingly thought I was crazy, but if he didn't give me answers, I really would go insane.

"You need to rest. You are still weak," he cajoled. My eyes shot up to his, ready to beg and plead for answers.

"No, you've got to be kidding. I can't rest now. I need to know why those men took me, why they asked about you and...and...some other person." I tried to remember what the man said, but my memories were fuzzy.

"Some other person? Who?" Mycah sounded just as confused as I was.

"I can't remember the name. It was something I've never heard before. Mycah, please. You can trust me. Tell me everything. How did you do all that crazy stuff? Did you fix my sculpture? How did you put Ray to sleep and—" I started to list all of the insane things I witnessed Mycah do, remembering how he healed me, but he bent down and put a hand over my mouth to silence me.

"Shhh. You never know who may be listening," he barely whispered. My eyes bugged out of their sockets, and I tried very hard to return them to normal as I stood up, but all this crazy was really becoming too much.

"Ray...I totally forgot about him. I haven't heard him at all; do you think he's here? How long have I been out? It looks like dawn, so he should be getting ready for work." I looked around my room trying to distract myself from not only the touch of Mycah's warm, soft hand that now lingered on my collarbone but also from the thought that Mycah might have meant more people other than Ray could be listening to us right now.

"He's not here." Mycah was very calm and relaxed, and for some odd reason, that unnerved me.

"What do you mean he's not here? Where is he?" And how did Mycah know he wasn't here?

"You've been unconscious for a few days, but you're still recovering. Why don't you rest and then later when you wake up we can go somewhere..." He stared at me intently and mouthed the words "and talk." He was really beginning to freak me out. Again.

I just nodded my head and slowly, hesitantly, walked back to my bed. I knew there was no use trying to get answers now. He wasn't going to tell me anything here, and the pounding headache I was experiencing would never allow me to argue either. He was right. I didn't want to admit it, but I was still weak. I felt extremely exhausted and sore.

As I lay down, panic shot through me all over again. Was he going to leave me alone? What if those men came back for me? I quickly turned to face him just as he walked to my window and looked outside.

"Umm..." I sat up on my elbow, trying to figure out how to ask him to stay without sounding like a baby.

"I'm not going to leave you. Don't worry, love," he spoke into the window nonchalantly and put both hands in his pockets.

"It's just...what if they come for me again? They know where I live, I shouldn't be in the same place they got me before." I could hear the panic in my voice, and I knew Mycah didn't miss it either when he walked over to me and knelt down next to my bed.

He brushed my long hair behind my ear as he said, "You must trust me, Nariella. You're safe with me. I won't let them hurt you again. I promise you." He spoke with such assurance that I did trust him. I didn't know why, but I could feel that every word he said was true, and my shoulders sagged with relief as I fully lay down again.

"I'll be right here when you wake up." He wiped away a tear that escaped the corner of my eye with his thumb and sat on the floor next to me. I nodded my head as I closed my eyes, knowing he would be.

It was dark. I sat huddled in my closet and pressed myself along the back wall as much as I could and waited. He was coming. I could hear his drunken footsteps clunk against the wood floor with each step he took. He was close.

Very close.

I squeezed Teddy with all my might and buried my tear-stained face in his soft fur. "Don't be scared, Teddy. Don't be scared," I whispered in his ear as quietly as I could. I tried not to tremble, knowing that it would only make it worse when he found me. But the more I tried, the more I shook.

I saw his shadow beneath the door before the doorknob started to turn. There was no escape. This was it.

He found me.

I buried my head in Teddy, and with all the strength I could muster, I held back sobs, my throat burning from the effort. But the door swung open with such force that I jumped and looked up into his eyes.

With a blood-curdling scream, I stared into the emotionless eyes of a large man covered in red. His black suit and crooked nose dripped with blood just as it started pouring out of his eyes, mouth, everywhere, coating his entire body. I kicked and screamed as he drew closer, mangled hand ready to grab me.

"Nariella! Hey! Wake up!" an English accent seeming to come from some place else called out to me. "You're safe! You're safe."

"He found me! He found me!" I yelled back, not believing for a second I was really safe.

"It's just a nightmare. You're having a nightmare." I recognized Mycah's smooth, deep-timbered voice then and slowly opened my eyes.

Mycah grasped the sides of my face and forced me to look at him. "You're safe," he declared firmly one more time. My lungs heaved heavily up and down from leftover fear, and my clothes and hair were soaked in sweat. I locked my eyes with his, seeking sanctuary and slowly calmed down when I found it.

His eyes were so beautiful. For the first time since I'd met him, I took my time to appreciate how brilliant they actually were. I lost my breath as I noticed in detail the darkest and brightest blue I'd ever seen, like facets of color mixed into one. Among the tantalizing facets of ocean blue were tiny ribbons of deep purple, swirled around specks of jade, all contained in a rim of black.

"You gave me a fright. I've never heard screams like that before," he professed. He almost seemed shaken up, a contrast to his usual serene persona. His close proximity made my heart do cartwheels.

"I'm sorry," I murmured, releasing my hold on his eyes. I had to get a grip. His black hair reflected blue in the sunlight that shone through my curtains, distracting me. I tried to keep my mind on the present circumstances. "I guess my nightmares are back." Wonderful.

"You have them frequently?" he inquired as he picked up a book he must have been reading from the floor next to my bed.

"Every night," I answered as I looked down at my shaking hands. "Well, used to be every night. It's been hit or miss lately. But, look, I really don't want to talk about it. Can we get out of here? I'm feeling stir crazy." I didn't exactly feel relaxed in this room.

"Are you sure you're up for it? You just went through something extremely traumatizing," he remarked.

"I'm very sure. And if Ray is going to be home soon, we should probably get out of here before he does."

Ugh...Ray. I didn't even want to think about seeing him again. I didn't even know how long it had been since that night he tried to strangle me. Had he been wondering where I've been too, like Rydan had? Oh no...was he going to be furious with me?

"You don't have to worry about Ray for now. You don't have to worry about anything for now; I've taken care of it. I made sure your house is secure."

"But I'm going to worry, Mycah. You don't understand. And apparently I don't understand either, because how do you seem to know everything and I know absolutely nothing? Until I have answers, I am always going to worry. Who are you really?" I hated being left in the dark. So much had happened, any normal person wouldn't be expected to handle it. I wasn't even sure I was handling it. But what I did know was that if I didn't get answers soon, I would have a mental breakdown.

"My real name is Remycah Zafriel, but I never utter it out loud, so keep it to yourself. I go by Mycah Nightly, a cover name chosen for me a long time ago. But that's who I really am. Now go, take a shower, get dressed, do whatever you have to do, and I'll wait for you. We'll go talk." He winked at me and then walked out of the room, leaving me frustrated.

I was sick of being emotional and weak. I couldn't let what happened get the best of me. I needed to man up, so to speak, so I could get answers. I mean, who was he kidding? Did he really think just only telling me his real name would be enough to pacify me? It was not nearly enough. Plus, the mention of a shower called to me like never before. I just had to bury the fear and pitch it into oblivion until I forgot it ever happened so I could get on with my life.

I ran to the bathroom, ready to jump in the tub, but my reflection in the mirror stopped me. I looked...horrible. My eyes were sunken in, and my skin was incredibly pale. I shivered, remembering that my body had been living off nothing but drugs for who knew how long. The thought of food made my stomach grumble, so I shook off the dark memories and got ready as fast as I could. I could do this. I could be strong.

We walked out of my house, and for the second time today I was stopped in my tracks by the sight before me, causing Mycah to walk past me. There in my driveway sat what must be the hottest car ever created.

"What is that!" It came out sounding more of an exclamation than a question, not even bothering to hide my shock.

"What?" Mycah lilted as he turned around smirking.

"That!" I pointed to the sleek black sports car, which looked very Italian and very fast. "That, that...I don't even know what to call it. It's too pretty to be just a car. Is it a Transformer or something?" I was completely in awe, half-believing that maybe aliens, even alien cars, could be real after everything I'd seen lately.

"A what? No...that..." he jerked his chin toward the shiny metal beauty, "is an Alfa Romeo. You've never seen a fancy car before, love?" I was pretty sure he was making fun of me, but I didn't care.

"Um...no. I've never heard of an Alfa Romeo-whatever, and I know for a fact Kennebunkport has never seen the likes of one before either. Are your parents rich or something?" I knew it was none of my business, but the question tumbled out of my mouth before I could realize I was even thinking it. But he only laughed and shook his head.

"Something like that." He looked up from the ground under his eyelashes, making my pulse quicken, and I wondered if he knew how charming he was. "Are you going to stand there all day looking like a pretty dolly gaping through the window of a candy shop, or are you going to get in the car with me?" Humor sparkled in his ocean eyes, and I could see he was trying not to laugh.

"I'll get in the car with you." I mimicked his English accent in a mocking and childish way, but it only made me laugh at how ridiculous I sounded. He opened the passenger door for me, and I respectfully got in. The car was just as sleek and gorgeous on the inside as it was on the outside.

"Where would you like to go?" he asked after he got in and started the engine. It purred to life, and for a moment I was lost wondering how fast it could go. I imagined Mycah had probably tested that out.

"You okay?"

"Yes, sorry, ummm...there is only one diner here. It's downtown off Maine Street." I shook my head to make myself focus on the here and now.

"Saucers? No problem." I forgot he had been in town for a while and would have known about it already.

"Right. Saucers." I thought of Rydan and hoped with all my might that I'd get to see him soon and fix the hurt I caused.

We got to the small diner, but not before turning many heads on the drive there. I knew I wouldn't be the only one shocked by this foreign car, and we stood out like a sore thumb. It was embarrassing, but Mycah didn't seem bothered or that he even noticed.

It was open seating, so I followed Mycah as he chose a booth far in the back corner. Menus were already on the table so I took one, even though I knew every item that was on it like the back of my hand. Now that I was sitting here with Mycah, I was at a loss for words. I had so many questions to ask him, I didn't know where or when to start.

"Can I get you some drinks?" The server walked up, a girl I didn't recognize. She must have been new.

"I'll take a water for now, please." I didn't think I'd ever take water for granted again after not having it readily available for a period of time.

"Do you happen to carry English Breakfast tea, love?" Mycah smirked at the new girl, making her blush. At least I wasn't the only one.

"I believe we have that. I can check for sure though," she replied, eager to please.

"If you have it, brilliant. If not, may I please have whatever black tea you carry, and with milk for it too." She nodded, walking away. He then looked into my eyes, growing very serious. I could feel the questions coming then, and I could barely wait a second longer.

"How do you do it, Mycah? How do you do...what you do?" I made myself whisper, but it was extremely hard to keep my anxiety in check. He kept staring at me, holding my eyes to his, and I could hear the seconds ticking by.

"Let's just say I have full access to my brain, unlike the majority out there," he slowly explained, letting each word click with inflection. He seemed so cool and calm, the complete opposite of how I felt. I swore at any second I was going to burst out of my skin.

"What in the world does that mean?" If he thought for one second that would satisfy me, he was dead wrong.

"It means I can do practically anything I want. You can't understand because, like most everyone, you are not aware of what our brains are capable of. Anyone, even you, could do all the things I have done if you were not limited to using only a small percent of your brain." He never let his eyes leave mine as he stayed leaned back against the booth. He was obviously being serious...and very blunt. He almost sounded defensive, and his words could be contrived as insult, but I knew that wasn't how he meant them to be. He was trying to say that everything he did was just normal brainpower—that it wasn't as special as I was making it out to be. Yeah, right...

"Where are you from?" I tried another question, realizing I might need some time to let what he just said sink in.

"Hmmm..." Again, his eyes stayed locked on mine. Didn't he blink?

"Well...?" I pressed. Finally he did blink as he unrolled his silverware with perfect grace and precision. Everything he did was smooth and flowed as easily as water. He certainly was a sight to see and unlike anything else I've encountered. The server came then and set down our drinks.

"Thank you," we both said in unison before she walked away, making me think of Zaylie and her little pinch poke you owe me coke saying. I was too shy to try something like that on Mycah, but the thought made me laugh.

"What is so funny?" he asked as I watched him pour half of the large shaker of sugar in his tea, distracting me. He slowly stirred, eyebrow raised in amusement, waiting for my response.

"Nothing, forget it." I needed to focus on the task at hand. I had a long list of questions and little time to get them answered. "I know you're not from around here. I mean, obviously you're British, right?"

"I've lived in many different places, Nariella. A lot of time was spent in the English countryside, yes. Most recently, however, was Chicago. I've been there for a few years now actually."

"That sounds wonderful. I would love to travel. I've never even left Maine before."

"We'll have to change that, won't we then." It sounded more like a statement or a challenge to himself than a question to me. I didn't dwell on it though, since I had a new question.

"So, are your parents the reason for all the traveling? Job transfers or something?" I asked.

"No, they aren't the reason." He sounded sad and distant, and I knew not to ask more of it. Not right now, anyway. I would save it for another time.

"Did you fix my sculpture?" I blurted out the question that had been nagging at me since the moment my eyes laid upon it perfectly beautiful and not broken. With it now out there, hanging in the air, I practically sat on the very edge of my seat, just waiting for his answer.

"Yes," he breathed.

#  Chapter Nineteen

~Naminé~

The bitter war enraging in Aselaira would be the death of its people. The enemy, the neighboring Kingdom of Lassaira, fought with all its might. The battle between the two adjoining Kingdoms existed since I was a babe. My mother said the war had been going on for fifteen years. Most of those around didn't even remember the reason behind the war anymore.

Many discerned the King was mad. He didn't care for his people or his Kingdom. He only wanted dominance and was drunk with the intoxicating allure of the power of Lassaira. The obsession consumed him and drove him to the point of madness.

There had been some small periods of peace in the land, but it was minuscule compared to the time of conflict. You could never get comfortable in any one place and become content, for soon the war would wage, and your life would again be in chaos.

The peril and insecurity were never ending. It was a stark force to contend with—one that would not rift. It was a daily struggle to remain hopeful. I attempted to constantly remind myself that hope was out there. I would dream that help would come and save us all.

#  Chapter Twenty

~Nari~

I took in air sharply at his declaration. He just said yes. Mycah did fix my sculpture. I knew it. But how?

"How?" I echoed my thoughts.

"I manipulated the molecular structure of the clay. It was very easy actually. You really didn't need to get your knickers all in a bunch, love." He grinned, and his eyes danced in humor.

"English, please." I couldn't even pretend to understand what he just said.

"I have the ability to sense and command atoms, molecules—any structure—to bend to my will." He put his finger to his lips, a sign to be quiet. The server came back ready to take our order. I completely forgot about food and my appetite.

"You guys know what you want?" She pulled a pen from her apron, ready to write in her notepad.

"Ladies first." He looked to me seriously.

"A bowl of vegetable soup please." I may have lost my appetite, but I knew I needed food in my system. Soup would be the easiest thing to choke down at the moment.

"And you?" Renée, her nametag said, flashed Mycah a wide smile.

"The same for me, thank you." But he did not return the gesture. The seriousness of our conversation was thick in the air, causing tension. I was sure it wasn't noticeable to anyone else, or at least I hoped it wasn't.

Renée walked away, and I raised my eyebrows in question, urging him to tell me more. He got the hint.

"Think back to the night you came to me, bruised and broken." His eyes grew dark, and he clenched his jaw. My eyes, however, quickly looked down at my water, and I could feel my cheeks burn at the memory of his gentle touch and warm proximity. He smelled heavenly, just like he always did. Then I thought of how he moved his hands to all of my wounds, my skin glowing beneath his fingers, or maybe his fingers were glowing above my skin, I didn't know. But I could feel my flesh healing, the bruises and cuts disappearing in seconds. It kind of made sense then.

"So, just like you commanded my skin to heal, you commanded my sculpture to...heal?"

"If that's how you want to look at it," he chuckled. "I did it in the same way, yes. I used energy to manipulate the molecules your body is made of, advanced the life stages of your cells until they were new and perfect again. The sculpture is just particles, not living cells like your body is made of, but atoms just the same. I manipulated them to reform and come together, reattaching so it looked just as good as you intended. It really was beautiful work by the way," he finished, taking a sip of his tea.

Renée set our soups down in front of us, asked if she could get us anything else, and then walked away when we said no.

"Who else knows about what you can do?" I was starting to imagine maybe that was why those men were asking about him.

"Let's see, shall I count?...." His eyebrows furrowed together like he seriously counted all the individual people in his head. "I would say there is...well...you." He winked at me.

"Just me?" I was shocked. How could I be the only one?

"That's right, sweetheart," he teased. "And you mustn't tell anyone. It is very imperative that no one knows, alright?" He was serious now, his crisp accent clicking as he spoke.

"Mycah, who were those men that took me? Don't they at least know about you, and is why they want you? How long did they have me for? And where is Ray?" All the questions I needed answers to burned inside me and tumbled out.

"The less you know the better, believe me. But no, they don't know what I can do, and they won't be back here for a while. I've made sure of that. I've sent them on a wild goose chase." His sexy smirk was back as he took the bread that came with the soup and spread a little butter on it, then doused sugar over the top. My eyes widened slightly as he took a bite.

He looked up at me, a huge sheepish smile spreading across his face.

"Um...I fancy sweet things," he said guiltily.

I laughed. "Apparently." My own smile spread wide.

"I have a heightened sense of taste. I love sweet, but I hate spicy," he said dejectedly, as if remembering the first time he ever bit into something spicy. I couldn't help laughing some more. It was endearing. Crazy, but endearing.

"And you were gone for five days. The moment I realized they took you, I..." He ran his hand through his dark hair while clenching his jaw and slowly let out a long breath. "I will never let that happen to you again, Nariella. You have my word, for as long as I live, I will never let them do those things to you again." His voice was almost menacing, and I realized he blamed himself for my capture. What did they want with him? And what did it have to do with me?

"Wait, how can they not know what you can do? They acted like they knew, and you also did things right in front of them." I shook my head lightly, confused. He didn't make sense at all.

"I erased those things from their memories. Ray was also taken. He's fine; I made sure he doesn't remember any of it either or what happened the night before you were taken. I had him telephone into work and take a long holiday. I figured you would need a little time without him." He took a bite of his food.

"What other senses are heightened for you?" I was reeling from this new revelation and needed to change the subject, not fully understanding what he meant and not entirely sure I wanted to. It was all too heavy for me at the moment. I followed suit by forcing myself to take big bites of my own soup.

"All of them," he stated plainly, continuing to eat. My hand kept my spoon hovered in front of my mouth for a second as this news slowly sunk in. I thought of all the different senses a person had. Taste, sight, hearing, smell, and touch. All of them were heightened? I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. Did that mean he could hear my heartbeat every time it started pounding frantically from something he did? Oh god. I consciously made myself take the bite and forced myself to chew. I couldn't taste the food, but I desperately needed to get back to normal. Normal. That made me think of Rydan. What was I going to say to Rydan?

"Mycah...Rydan is my best friend. I have to tell him about you and what happened to me. He needs to know, and I can't lie to him." I stared intently into his eyes, willing for him to understand how serious I was.

"The bloke at your house this morning?" I knew he wasn't really asking; he knew exactly who I was talking about. I nodded anyway.

"You mustn't tell him. Nariella, listen to me. If you really value your friendship as much as you say you do, then you cannot tell him one word of this. For his sake," he beseeched sternly. "And not a word about me either." I winced at his words.

"I can't do that! He is going to ask about you. I have to tell him something. Please. You're the one who told him I've been with you this whole time. I have to give him an explanation." I could hear my voice turned to begging, and I hoped he could sense my desperation. He ran his hand through his hair, a gesture I was beginning to understand as frustration. Rydan did the same thing, and for a moment the similarity between the two of them struck me very oddly. I hadn't noticed it before this moment.

"I said that for his own safety. You can tell him I was lying about that, but you're going to have to make something up to explain your whereabouts. You cannot tell him about those men and your capture. You can't, Nariella. Do you understand?" He leaned over the table with his eyes so intense, there was no way I could argue or not do what he asked of me. I wouldn't tell Rydan the truth. I didn't know how or what I was going to say to him, but if it meant his safety, then I would make sure and do my best to protect him.

We finished eating in silence. I didn't care to ask any more questions. The information I was given so far was enough to keep my head swirling with disbelief and confusion for a long time. I wasn't sure if I could handle more crazy right now, and I sure as heck couldn't get Rydan off my mind. My insides ached to my core at the thought of hurting him and having to lie to him. I just wanted to make it better and confide all the insane crap that, for some reason, kept happening to me.

Mycah took care of the bill automatically, making me once again grateful for his kindness when I realized after the fact that I didn't have my wallet. Not that it mattered, since I knew there was no money in said wallet anyway. But this wasn't a date.

"I'll pay you back," I exclaimed. I didn't want him to think I expected him to take care of me. Even though he always did.

"Don't be silly." He put his hand on the small of my back and guided me out of the restaurant.

"Well, thank you again, really. It's very nice of you." As we stepped outside, a chilled breeze slammed into my face. I was glad I got the soup, making my insides nice and toasty. My outside, however, not so much.

"Would you like to take a walk near the ocean?" he asked light-heartedly.

"Sure." I nodded, liking the idea of not having to go back home just yet. I hugged my arms to my body as we made our way down the street toward the Atlantic. The cool, briny ocean smell filled my lungs as I thought of one more thing I wanted to say to him, if I could just figure out how to say it.

"It is so peaceful here. It's completely different from Chicago." He looked up toward the sky, furrowing his eyebrows. "Actually, I take that back. Anytime I walk along Lake Michigan it can be peaceful too. But the streets can be chaotic."

"I'd love to go there sometime. I've always wanted to see a big city like that," I confessed, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"It has its low and high points, just like any place really. But I'm sure you'd love it nonetheless." He kicked at a stone, and it went flying through the air. I couldn't even see where it landed.

As we made our way to the sidewalk that stretched along the rocks that encompassed the ocean, I stopped to stare out at the infinite black horizon and crashing waves that played in the moonlight. It was so beautiful.

"Look! A shooting star," he breathed with amazement and pointed to the sky.

"I haven't seen one of those in such a long time! Wow, so pretty." I stared up at the sky and felt like a tiny ant compared to the reality of galaxies and space. "It's not very often I'm able to get outside at night. Ray doesn't allow me out after dark." I grimaced. Just having to say his name out loud made me want to puke.

"I'm sorry, love." Mycah brushed his fingers over my knuckles that peeked out from having my arms crossed over my chest. I tried to ignore it and stayed silent, making myself watch the busy ocean.

"Sindora!" I yelped. The name my captor kept asking me about all of a sudden hit me like a slap in the face. "Who or what is Sindora?"

When Mycah didn't say anything, I pulled my eyes from the ocean and turned to him. He stared out at the waves, remaining completely stoic.

"Mycah?" I pushed, growing impatient.

"I was counting on you to forget. Don't mention that word aloud again; it's very important you don't know about it. They could use it against you. I don't want to give them another reason to come after you," he whispered very softly through his teeth, clenching his jaw.

"Are you serious? They already think I know about it, so what's it matter?" Could there ever be anything simple about Mycah, just once?

"If I tell you what it is, I would be putting you in infinitely more danger. I can't take that risk. I know you want answers, I know it, but you have to understand just you being near me is putting you in danger. Imagine if I actually told you anything, how much more danger you would be in. Don't you understand?" He rushed his words, making his accent thicker and almost hard for me to understand.

"Listen, I get all that, okay? But it is driving me crazy not knowing! Please, just tell me something. Anything! Is it a person?" I didn't want to give up.

"No, it's not a person. It's a thing. A very important thing." He averted his eyes in the opposite direction and stayed like that for a few moments.

"Okay...what does it do?" I kept pressing, hoping he'd just tell me. My curiosity was burning.

"That I won't tell you." He still didn't look at me.

"Where is it?" I tried, just to see.

"Ha! You're bloody joking. Right?" He finally turned his gaze to me, his ocean blue eyes looking to be on fire, causing me to squint and focus my attention on the elemental contradiction warring in his irises right in front of me. Everything about him was otherworldly...but his eyes...well, they were on a whole other level.

"I wasn't joking, but fine, don't tell me. I don't want to know anyway." I pouted, trying the reverse psychology approach.

"Good." He ran a hand through his black hair and then stopped talking. I guessed it didn't work. It didn't matter because I was kept mesmerized by the way the moonlight caressed his messy tresses and accentuated the blue in each and every strand. It gave him a glowing effect and gave me the strongest urge to reach out and tangle my fingers in them...I rolled my eyes at myself. I needed to get a grip.

We stayed like that for a few moments before I could no longer feel my toes. It was too cold, so we made our way back. After walking in silence for a while, I already gave up thinking about the Sindora and Mycah's hair and tried to focus on how to say what I'd been dying to express to him without it getting awkward. I eventually mustered up the courage to say what I wanted to tell him just as we were coming up to his car.

"Mycah...thank you...for saving me. Again. I wish I could express how grateful I am for you coming for me and what you did with Ray and after Ray..." We were standing so close together that any slight movement would have made us touch. I could feel electricity coursing through my veins, begging me to reach out and grab his hand. I told myself to shut up and calm down. I swore off guys. All guys. Especially hot, sexy, tall dark and dangerous ones. It didn't matter that he kept saving me. Did it?

"You don't have to thank me." He opened the car door for me and then slowly leaned down and put his lips to my ear, making me freeze—and not from the cold. "But if you're that desperate to figure out a way to express your gratitude, I'm sure I could think of something." He pulled back, standing up straight again and stared into my clearly shocked eyes.

"I'm just teasing you, love." He laughed, brushing his thumb along my jawline.

"Yeah, no, I know. I knew you were teasing." I laughed then too, trying to sound convincing. He squinted and turned his head to the side, like he could see right through me. I got in the car, slowly letting out a breath of air I didn't know I was holding.

"Mycah, um...I...you don't have to if you don't want to, but I...I'm scared to be alone. To sleep...alone," I fumbled through what I was trying to say as Mycah started the engine and began driving me home, a place I dreaded going back to by myself.

"Just for tonight then. The longer I stay here, the more danger you'll be in. I'll have to leave soon." My heart sunk at his words. He had to leave? Like, leave Kennebunkport? Leave Maine? Or just my house? I remembered Zaylie said he was just visiting, but I had forgotten about it. I looked out the window into the black sky and tried not to let the panic show in my face. Or let the sickening disappointment I didn't want to admit to plant itself in my heart.

"School! What should I tell my teachers? How do I explain my absence? They've been trying to contact Ray, I'm sure." I suddenly remembered my life before all the crazy started.

"I took care of that. I rang pretending to be Ray and told them you would be out for a few days. Do you think you could handle going tomorrow, though? It is up to you." He turned onto my street.

"Will you be there?" I stared at my dark house, not used to it being empty this late. It felt good not having to worry about Ray being there angry with me. Not having to clean up his broken bottles of alcohol. It hadn't felt this good since my mom was alive. I missed her so much.

"Your first class perhaps. I'm not really a student there. I have to manipulate so many minds when I go; I try to avoid that." He pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. I stayed sitting in my seat as I contemplated this. He was at my door and opening it for me before it could sink in. I had been right—something weird did happen with Mr. Dale that day Mycah called out the answer to that diabolical equation for me. I inwardly scoffed once again at the ridiculousness of it. I mean, did Mr. Dale really expect me to know the answer to that? I shook my head and rolled my eyes as we walked up to the front door.

I didn't bring anything with me—not my wallet, keys, purse, nothing. I didn't know what I was thinking when we left; my head was obviously some place else. I tried the door handle thinking it would be unlocked since I had no way of locking it when we left, but it didn't turn. Great. Just my luck. It was locked, surprisingly. How...

Mycah reached over just then and put his fingers over the lock. It glowed just before I heard it click, and he opened the door, letting me walk through first. I think I was going to have to get used to this. "Thank you," I murmured like the superhuman act was no big deal. At least I pretended I could get used to it.

I walked into my room, still feeling completely exhausted. Mycah stayed standing in the hallway, obviously not knowing what to do with himself.

"I'm just going to get changed real quick. One second." I closed the door behind me and quickly looked for something decent to wear. I shimmied out of my jeans and navy blue cotton top and grabbed my best looking comfortable clothes. Black soft sweatpants and grey tank top would have to do.

I opened my door again and peeked my head out. Mycah leaned against the wall still in the hallway, head down and hands in his pockets. He looked up under his lashes, head turned to the side toward me. I sighed, knowing there was nothing about Mycah I could ever get used to.

"I'll stay on the sofa," he stated softly. The hallway was dark so I couldn't make out his expression. The thought of being alone in my room scared me, and I knew I was just being silly, but I couldn't help it. It was too soon.

"Actually, could you stay in here with me? I just don't want to be alone yet. But if you don't want to, I mean I'm sure you want your privacy—" I made myself shut up when he started walking toward me. My heart pounded in my ears; surely he could hear it too. I tried to take a deep breath to calm my nerves.

"As you wish," he breathed, looking down at me as he walked past. I let out the air I unconsciously held and slowly closed the door, locking it behind me.

Nothing was going to happen, I kept telling myself. This was nothing. I just wanted to feel safe. I closed my eyes and walked toward my bed, determined to calm down before I got to it. Mycah walked to the window and stared outside, not saying a word.

I lay down, realizing my anxiety was silly. Of course nothing was going to happen. Mycah wouldn't do that. I just got back from something unimaginable, learned a whole bunch of even more unimaginable things, and hurt my best friend for the first time ever. I was in no state of mind to even consider something serious with Mycah. My emotions were all over the place; I couldn't even tell what was real anymore.

"Shhhhh, it's alright, Nariella. Sleep," Mycah whispered softly from the window, not turning around. How did he...? Darn heightened senses. I was in no mood to ask. I did as he said, slowly exhaling, and settled down deeper into my fluffy pillow. I was surprised to find how much Mycah's presence affected me. He was alluringly comforting when near, like a warm blanket wrapped around my cold soul, and I wasn't exactly sure I liked how happy that made me—how much my soul relished in this newfound comfort. In fact, it downright worried me.

I walked through a forest. It was extremely dense and crowded with vegetation. There was no breeze, and the air was warm, making me overly hot. I looked up and saw huge trees surrounding me on every side. I couldn't see the sky or the sun through the leaves that blocked out any other sight, and I didn't know where I was or if I'd been here before.

I continued walking, taking in my surroundings and vaguely wondered if I was lost. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, and I turned to see a pretty red bird looking at me. All of a sudden it lifted its head and started screeching.

I jumped back at the ear-piercing sound and woke to my alarm going off. I was grateful for not having an actual nightmare but couldn't decide if this was any better.

I was warm. Too warm. I sat up in bed, wanting nothing more than to throw that dang clock against the wall, as an arm fell from my stomach, reminding me that I was not alone.

Oh yeah.

Mycah.

#  Chapter Twenty-One

~Naminé~

I didn't concern myself with trying to reach toward him. I knew that I could not. I saw him in the distance looking my way. He looked confused, angry, hurt. I would give anything to close the space between us and settle in his arms; letting the both of us consume ourselves in each other's embrace and temporarily escape the doom around us.

I settled myself in the grass and gingerly plucked the petals of a lote. The blue, purple, and green petals floated through the air and onto the ground as I let the wind carry them away.

It was peaceful here. The only time we had together. He could never seem to understand me, but I knew that he liked to come here too. I did not know what life was like for him, but the burdens he carried were hard to bear. This I could see by looking into his eyes—the window of his very soul.

He stood by a tree watching as I plucked the petals. His eyes begged for understanding. He did not know why he came here—why I summoned him here every night. A relationship between us had blossomed without a word ever being spoken or understood. We had tried many instances to bridge the gap that was always between us, but we failed every time as it disrupted our peace.

#  Chapter Twenty-Two

~Nari~

"Quiet down, quiet down. Take your seats, everyone," Mr. James said loudly to be heard above all the students chattering. Everyone quickly went to their desks.

"Did everyone finish reading Frankenstein?" he said. The whole classroom grumbled—most said yes, some didn't say anything.

I looked at Mycah; he was lightly smiling. I realized this morning I didn't exactly think the whole Mycah-staying-the-night thing all the way through when I woke up. It was quite awkward—for me anyway. Mycah seemed completely cool, calm, and unbothered by it of course, per usual. I didn't know what to say when I had to scramble out of his hold, so I ended up just running to the bathroom embarrassed. When I had walked out after getting ready, he acted like nothing happened at all.

Maybe he was used to being in bed with girls who were practically strangers, but I certainly was not used to waking up to a guy hanging all over me. Then we stopped by his room at the B&B so he could get ready for the day too, but I told him I would just wait in the car. He never seemed concerned by anything, so I guessed I shouldn't be so worried about it either.

"Come on now, guys. This is a great book! I gave you two whole weeks to read it. Now, who can tell me a quick summary of the story?" Mr. James called out.

Everyone was looking around the room. Finally, a girl raised her hand.

"Okay, Lynn. Tell us."

"It's about a boy who goes to college and while there, creates a monster. The monster kills people and all of the Doctor's family. The End," she summarized in a rush.

"Okay. Those are the big things that happen, yes. Anyone want to discuss how the story made them feel? How do you compare it to how the monster is portrayed in Hollywood movies?" Mr. James asked, looking around the room.

"Yes, Ashton."

"He's a monster in the book, and he's a monster in the movies. The movies are based off his character in the book. He deserved everything he got. He was extremely ugly and a murderer. The Doctor's biggest regret was creating him. I would have hated him too." Ashton snickered, turning his head toward some of the guys who also snickered while nodding their heads at him.

"Okay, that is one observation. Does anyone see it from the monster's point of view?"

"Frankenstein is a love story. A tragedy," Mycah didn't wait to be called on before speaking. He stared down at his desk. His hands were put together, like when someone is praying. His chin rested on his thumbs, and the sides of his fingers were touching his lips. "Everything you see portrayed in movies is false. He wasn't a slow, mumbling monster stumbling around with his arms straight out in front of him. The creature was beautiful, majestic, and graceful. He had tremendous speed and was highly intelligent. Okay, he was ugly and scary on the outside, but on the inside he was magnificent."

Everyone in the room stayed silent as Mycah spoke, even Mr. James. I felt mesmerized watching him as he put his arms down. One arm lay in his lap, and the other across his desk, both hands clenched into fists as he leaned forward.

His tone was tense and wild with passion, each syllable crisp and clicking with his accent. "Dr. Frankenstein created the creature. It was his responsibility to be there for him—to protect him, take care of him, love him. Show him how to live. The creature trusted him, loved him unconditionally."

He looked at Mr. James, who seemed just as mesmerized as I did. Mycah's face was so serious and pained as he said in a voice just above a whisper, "All the creature wanted was to be loved by his creator. By his father. He was brought to life only to then be abandoned by the one who created him?" He shook his head, sounding disgusted.

He looked down at his hands, which were now both in his lap, palms up, but fingers relaxed. "He was like an orphaned child. Every time the creature asked for love, he was rejected. Yes, he killed the Doctor's family, but it was the Doctor's fault." He looked up again at Mr. James, voice strong, "His abuse and mistreatment towards the creature is what fueled his actions. Then, whilst he finally had the hopes of living his life with a mate, someone to care about and love and to be cared about and loved back, the Doctor took it away from him." He whispered, "Forever sentenced to a life full of misery and loneliness. All the creature wanted was love." He clenched his teeth and almost growled, "Dr. Frankenstein was the real monster of the story."

I looked at Mr. James. He seemed to come to himself; his hazel eyes were wide and staring at Mycah. Did Mycah perform some type of mind manipulation on him?

"Very good. That was a really great depiction of the story. I can tell you're passionate about this. Well done."

I was amazed. Not only by Mycah and his book knowledge but also because I couldn't help but ache for the monster as Mycah told his side of the story. It felt a little too close to home after the way he put it. I couldn't stop glancing over in his direction, still taken aback by his perception of Frankenstein. He made it sound so beautiful and sad.

I again thought of Rydan and how much I needed to repair the damage that was caused between us. I secretly grabbed my cell to text him without Mr. James seeing.

'Ry, I am so sorry. You'll still be there tonight, right? I need you. Please talk to me.'

I read over the message before hitting send and decided to erase the last part. If he didn't answer my question or said no to it, then I'd tell him how much I needed him. I didn't want to sound totally desperate right off the bat. I could get to that later if I had to.

I caught Zaylie looking at me and knew she couldn't wait to ask where I'd been, since this must be the tenth time this morning she had looked at me. I couldn't wait to talk to her either; I really did miss her.

When the bell rang, she ran over to me, and I threw my arms around her right away. I didn't care if it would bother her or if it would seem overdramatic and uncalled for. It felt so good to be around people I could trust and get back to normal. I definitely needed normal right now.

"Everything okay? Were you sick or something? You haven't answered my calls or texts." Her Australian accent was light, but still present. She pouted her lips for dramatic flare, however I could tell she was more worried than she let on.

"I'm sorry. Yes, I was really sick and my...dad...took my cell away so I couldn't let you know what was going on. I'm so sorry!" I hated referring to Ray as my dad, but didn't really have any other option. I also hated lying to Zaylie, but I could see Mycah giving me death stares from the corner of my eye. Sheesh, I knew the drill, give me a break. That's what I tried to portray in a stare of my own. He seemed to take the hint by walking out of the room.

"Oh, that's okay. I'm just glad you're better now. Was it awful?" She squeezed my arm in an innocent friendly gesture, and it brought tears to my eyes thinking about just how awful the ordeal really was. I looked down, not wanting her to notice and shook my head to dispel the emotions. I wasn't used to all of this crying; it was driving me crazy. I grabbed my things and started walking with Zaylie.

"It was. Stomach flu. Not fun at all. But like you said, I'm better now and anxious for things to be normal again." I forced a smile, realizing it could never be normal again if I couldn't tell Rydan the truth. This lie, whatever lie I would be telling him tonight, would always be there between us. Would he even believe me? He knew me better than I knew myself. He was going to know I was lying. I cringed at the thought of never actually being able to fill the canyon that now separated us for the first time in all our days of friendship. If it ruined anything between us, I would be a miserable wreck. Maybe I could at least build a bridge across...it was a start.

"Yuck, that sounds horrible. I'm sorry." She pouted her lips. "You have your cell back now, though?"

"That's okay. And yes, I have it back. I can't tell you how happy I am to be around you again finally." I really couldn't express that enough.

"I'm happy too. It was boring without you, that's for sure. We'll have to catch up later during lunch." She gave me a quick hug as we got to the door. "Hey, I have to go to my locker before class. I'm so glad you're feeling better! I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

I nodded in return just before she walked away. I looked up from just exiting the classroom and right into the tantalizing aqua eyes of Mycah's. He leaned back against the lockers, lips pulled up into a half smile. I silently cursed my heart for betraying my "no guys" resolve every time it raced at the sight of him. He waited for me, and for some reason the idea of it left me breathless.

I already had what I needed for my next class since it was just around the corner, so I kept walking toward it. I couldn't let him get to me like that. I just couldn't.

Mycah followed close behind me. I stopped short before reaching the door, wondering if he was coming to my Algebra class too, even though yesterday he said he would only attend Literature. I turned to look at him, his expression bewildering to me.

I lost all train of thought as he reached out and slowly tucked my long brown hair behind my ear, his thumb just grazing my jawline as he pulled away.

"I'll be back to fetch you," was all he said, but the way he said those few little words made my heart skip a beat.

"Okay." I stared wide-eyed at him, not really sure what else to do. He meant after school, right?

I didn't get the chance to ask him before he turned around and started walking away. I stared after him, finding it hard to believe why someone so beautiful and amazing was even paying any attention to me. Granted, I still recognized he was dangerous. Very dangerous. But there was something so safe about him at the same time. And every time I gleaned new information about him, like his insight on just a simple book, I found myself feeling less and less of that danger. I watched as he gracefully walked away, making every girl he passed turn their heads and stare after him. Then, of course Sabrina, who was quickly becoming my worst nightmare, floated up to him and linked her arm with his. Oh, wonderful.

Who was I kidding? He was only paying me attention because I was the only one with bad men in my life. There was no way I could compete with girls like Sabrina around—perfect, tall, and gorgeous. And I didn't want to compete. I didn't care, I had more than enough men in my life as it was. I didn't need another one. As soon as I no longer felt scared to be alone, Mycah could leave.

And I would keep telling myself all those things over and over until I actually believed them.

An hour later, when I walked out of Algebra, my heart seemed to have already forgotten that new mantra I had been chanting. It swelled two sizes bigger in my chest at the sight of Mycah in his usual stance across the hall, gazing intently at me. He had such a foreign way about him—a sly air that no other guy I'd come across possessed. And his smooth English accent didn't help either. But he only had to stand there in that slick way of his, dark jeans hanging loosely from his hips, sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his elbows, straight black hair falling over his eyes, and I could feel my resolve come undone just a tiny bit more. This was getting ridiculous. I couldn't keep letting my emotions get away from me. Why did I let him do this to me?

Every guy that walked out of the room said "hi" or "hey" to Mycah, but he only acknowledged them with a polite nod of his head. All the girls giggled and whispered to each other as they passed, and I resented the fact I might have any similar reaction to him. I had to put a stop to this. I would get my emotions in check.

"Mycah, I appreciate everything you're doing for me, but really, you don't have to be around me all the time." I refused to let him think I was some weak spirited damsel in distress. Or that I expected him to treat me like a princess and he was now my appointed White Knight in charge of protecting me. Plus, I had to talk to Rydan tonight, and there was no way he was going with me. If I had any hope of resolving things between us, then Mycah had to stay far far away from Rydan.

"Don't I?" He sounded so collected like he usually did, I had a hard time knowing if he was joking or being serious.

"No. I mean, at night, at my house and I'm alone, that's one thing. But not here at school and even after school. That's when I see Rydan. You can't be there for that. I'm seeing him tonight." That reminded me to check my cell to see if that was actually true. I really hoped he responded and would be there.

My hands were shaking as I dug for my cell out of my bag. I didn't know if it was from the upcoming confrontation with Rydan or from the way Mycah was looking intensely at me. I tried to ignore him, wishing I didn't have such a strong reaction to everything he did. I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit.

I looked up at him, instantly regretting it. He rested against the wall, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the back of his neck, smirking in his signature way that could make any female melt right into a puddle. Or the right male for that matter.

"You alright?" His tone was anything but actually concerned, more like amused.

"Yes, I'm fine." I peeled my eyes away, breaking the hold he seemed to have on me. Just then, Liam walked up. He put an arm around me, making me bristle at his possessive gesture, and at the same time I noticed Mycah slightly stiffen from the corner of my eye. I looked up questioningly at him, but he kept his suave posture in tact.

"How's it going, Nari?" Liam asked as I wiggled out of his hold, but it was only replaced by Desmond's.

"Yes, how is it going, Nari? Where have you been?" Desmond was being just as playful as Liam.

"'Sup, Mycah." Liam decided to be polite, but his tone didn't sound sincere.

"Gentlemen," Mycah greeted back respectfully, and I noticed his tone wasn't exactly sincere either. Even though it was just one word, he clipped his consonants in an agitated way.

"Ask Zaylie. I have to go take care of something real quick, sorry." I pushed Desmond off of me and walked away as fast as I could. The last thing I needed was to be surrounded by Neanderthal boys.

I finally grabbed my cell and looked for a reply from Rydan. He was my number one concern right now. I didn't care about anyone or anything else until I made it better with the one person who had been my rock for the past seven years.

'Of course I'll be there.' His text was short and to the point, and that was all I needed. I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me, but I knew it was short lived. I would now be spending the rest of the day figuring out what I was going to say to him that could possibly be good enough to make it better. At this point, it seemed to be a daunting task, and I really wasn't sure if there actually was anything I could say that would repair the sting of betrayal I saw in his eyes.

I felt someone following me, so I turned my head just enough to see through my peripheral that it was indeed Mycah like I suspected. I was suddenly very anxious to get away from him, and it was only because of how much I actually dreaded being away from him. I knew I wasn't making sense, but the more I desired him the more I was afraid of him and felt I needed distance. Like my lungs were becoming intoxicated by his very presence and were desperate to breathe in clean, Mycah-less air. The more I wanted to be around him, the more I knew I needed not to be. I wasn't familiar with these strange feelings I'd been experiencing, and I couldn't figure out what they meant or what to do about them. All I could think to do was to get away.

I walked straight into the girl's locker room to get ready for P.E., not even stopping for a second to say goodbye to Mycah. He would just have to take the hint.

Apparently he did take the hint, because I didn't see him the rest of the day at school. And what I felt the moment I was truly separated from him scared me most of all. I hated how disappointed the separation made me. Actually, it was more than that. Something inside me ached when he wasn't near. It was weird and strange...and no, I did not like it.

"Nari! Wait up!" I turned around to greet Zaylie who called out for me down the hall and met her halfway. "I almost forgot; here is The Omen Machine. I finished it the other day and kept it in my locker for you. Text me the moment you're done reading it!" She handed me the book she promised to let me borrow, and I took it excitedly.

"Thank you so much! I can't wait to read it. I'll definitely let you know when I'm done." If I ever got the chance to read it, that is. I still had a huge pile of books that she gave me and was required to read as soon as possible. The way my week was going, who knew when I'd be able to.

Desmond caught up to us looking very glum.

"What's wrong with you?" Zaylie kicked him in the shin playfully.

"Man, it is so unfair. Mr. Isaacson is totally cranky. He didn't believe me, and now I have to re-do the assignment or I'll fail. Freakin-A! I did the bloody work! You saw it Nari, didn't you?" He was speaking very animatedly. And loud.

"What are you on about, Des?" Zaylie looked completely confused. He stood there silent and rolled his eyes.

I started to explain for Desmond, "In Art class, Mr. Isaacson asked us to turn in our sketches of Man's Best Friend." A few days before I was taken, Mr. Isaacson gave us the assignment, and I worked on it that same night. I didn't have a dog, but I took inspiration from a book I had on Boxers. I sketched a cute little boxer puppy sleeping in the corner of a couch. When the teacher noticed that Desmond hadn't turned anything in, Desmond had the whole class laughing as he told everyone his dog "Bilbo" had eaten his sketch. "But Desmond said your dog ate his sketch," I summarized for Zaylie, stifling a laugh.

Desmond imitated Mr. Isaacson, rolling his eyes, "Are you trying to tell me that your dog ate your homework, Mr. Ryan?"

I laughed out loud again, remembering what happened. "Aye, Sir!" he said as he pulled out a piece of what looked like shredded paper. It was a sketch of a dog and like he said, it did look like it was eaten. He held it up to the class and said, "He must not have liked it; I didn't get his good side." The whole classroom laughed and cheered.

"Yes, and even though Desmond had the whole room laughing by holding up his half-eaten sketch, Mr. Isaacson did not look amused. I believe you though, Des," I finished the explanation of what happened for Zaylie.

"Awww, poor baby." She patted Desmond on the head, feigning concern. He jerked his head away from her touch, pouting. I tried not to laugh, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

"You could be my witness, Zales! You were there, you saw Bilbo do it!" He laced his hands together and looked to be about a second away from groveling on his knees.

"What?! You can't be serious. He wouldn't listen to me. He'd only think I was saying that because I'm your sister! Get mum to do it," she suggested seriously.

"I guess you're right. He'll have to listen to her. Or maybe dad will be better..." He scratched his chin in thought, trying to decide what to do. Their antics reminded me again of Rydan, and I felt an overwhelming desire to get to him.

"Hey, guys. I have to meet up with someone, but I'll talk to you later." I started to walk away.

"Wait, want to go to the Homecoming Carnival with us on Saturday?" Zaylie asked in a hopeful rush.

"Oh, this Saturday?" I tried to think if I could give a definitive answer or not. I totally forgot about Homecoming. I hadn't even made my dress yet for the dance on Sunday.

"Liam is going with us too," Desmond happily added, pointing his finger at his sister.

"Great, Des. We want her to come, not scare her away." Zaylie rolled her eyes and hit him in the stomach. Desmond only shook his head and laughed.

"Can I let you guys know? I should be able to, but I just want to make sure before I say yes."

"Of course! Just text me." Zaylie hugged me, then they both waved goodbye.

I walked outside and was immediately struck with ice-cold raindrops that seemed to fall harder and faster by the second. I was just about to run back inside, but as I whirled around, I ran right into a person's chest seemingly made out of stone.

I rubbed my aching nose caused by the impact and looked up. Mycah grabbed my hand and pulled me right up next to his body, shielding me from the rain. I immediately felt different near him, as if that strange, unknown part of me could now take a satisfied breath. I didn't know how he was doing it, but we stayed dry as we ran to his car. It was like we were enclosed in an invisible bubble that the rain couldn't penetrate. He opened the passenger door for me and I jumped in.

I waited for him to enter and get situated before saying, "Thanks."

I was still trying to get over the shock of seeing him and the feelings it evoked within me. I half expected not to see him until later tonight and the other half of me thought maybe I wouldn't be seeing him again at all. I didn't like the second option, but it seemed worse not to at least expect it, just in case. He didn't say anything, he just started driving.

I looked out the window at the pouring rain and my stomach sunk. It made me worry that I wouldn't be able to see Rydan tonight after all for two very important reasons. One, there was no way I could walk in this, and two, we wouldn't be able to meet at our usual spot where we'd have complete privacy. And three if you wanted to count him not being able to ride his bike in the rain either, so he also wouldn't have a way to meet.

I watched as we drove past my street.

"Where are we going?" I turned to look at Mycah, confused.

#  Chapter Twenty-Three

~Naminé~

I awoke to the sound of crashing and shattering stone. It felt like the walls of the castle were caving in and we would all be trapped inside. It sounded like a thousand elephants trampled through the castle, tearing down the walls and destroying everything in their path.

I lay there trying to decipher the noises screaming around me. With the bitter war going on, one would get used to these sounds sneaking up on you when you least expected it. The Kingdom was falling. Every day it would weaken and threaten to crumble.

Suddenly, my door opened and my father came dashing in. "Naminé, we must go! You must come with me, hurry!" I grabbed my outer garment and rushed out the door with him.

"Father, what is happening? Where are we off to?"

"The enemy is upon us this night. Come, child. They have sent a division to disrupt midnight. We must..." He trailed off as my mother came rushing out of their small chamber that was right next to mine. They started to whisper and make plans for what, I did not know. I couldn't fathom what we were running to, and I could sense uneasiness from Calen. She did not like when I was in distress. She longed to be near, to fly by my side and ease my pain. It was painful for us to be so far away but utterly necessary. I did my best to console and reassure her that I was all right.

I did not know what was going on, but I followed my father and mother into the darkness.

#  Chapter Twenty-Four

~Nari~

"Mycah, where are we going?" I asked again when he didn't answer me the first time. I expected to go home where I could lay down in peace and silence and go over again what I was planning on telling Rydan. If I was able to see him tonight, I wanted to be prepared.

"Calm down. You behave as if I were abducting you. You already know I'm the rescuer, not the other way 'round." He smirked and changed gears in what looked more like art than an actual car as we continued driving to who knows where. I rolled my eyes and watched from my peripheral as he drove manually. I'd never driven a manual car, only automatic. It was fascinating to watch his precise movements each time he had to switch gears. I didn't even feel the change like usual when the driver pressed down on the clutch and moved the gearshift. There was no jerk or pull at all. He was clearly a master at it. Surprise, surprise.

Eventually, he parked the car as we arrived at our destination. We were at O'Malley's Bed & Breakfast. I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself. I didn't know why I was worried. He probably just needed to stop and grab a few things.

"Come on, slow poke," Mycah called when he realized I wasn't getting out. I was confused, though. Why did I have to go in, too?

I hesitantly opened my door, then quickly jumped out and ran to Mycah, wishing I could've still avoided the rain. He didn't protect me from it like he did before. By the time we got inside, I was completely soaked.

I was about to complain, already spoiled by the neat trick I badly wished I could perform myself, when he suddenly started drying me with a simple wave of his hand. He started with my head and moved all the way down to my toes until I was completely dry and back to normal, just like the night he healed me.

"Thank you." "Amazed" couldn't nearly describe how I felt each time I witnessed his abilities. I had a feeling I'd be thanking him a lot as time went on. That was, unless he left...

"It's my pleasure, love," he responded as he started walking to his room, so I followed. He opened the door for me, letting me enter first.

To my major surprise, I walked in to find Rydan sitting in the only chair contained in the room. He looked despondent and frayed, dressed all in black, matching the color of his hair. He looked like a dark, ragged angel, and before I even knew what I was doing, I was across the room throwing my arms around him.

"I'll leave you to chat. I'll be back later," I faintly heard Mycah say, followed by the sound of the door closing.

"What are you doing here?" I was so stunned to see him, in Mycah's room of all places.

"Why are you so surprised to see me at the B&B my family owns?" He didn't sound amused or pleased to see me, and he didn't return the hug either.

"It's not that I'm surprised to see you at the B&B, per se. It's the fact that you are here in Mycah's room that caught me off guard," I explained, a little hurt he was being so distant.

"I was here earlier for business purposes and ran into him. He told me he'd pick you up and bring you here since it was about to rain. What is going on, Nari? Why are you hanging around this guy?" He stood up and walked to the other side of the room, leaving me in the spot alone.

"I'm not hanging around him. I mean, I'm not trying to. He is just someone I met at school, that's all. I'm so sorry for what happened yesterday, Rydan. Please forgive me. I wasn't kicking you out, and I didn't want you to leave, I just had to take care of something first. You took what I said the wrong way," I tried to explain—tried to make him understand—but it was so difficult without going into actual details.

"Don't ever do that to me again. When I didn't hear from you, I came looking for you every day. I thought for sure something terrible happened to you—that Ray finally broke and went off the handle. Do you have any idea what that was like? And then to find you perfectly okay and in bed with some strange guy—" He stopped talking and ran a hand through his straight hair. I didn't know what to say. All day I had thought of this conversation in my head over and over, but now that I was living it, I wasn't expecting Rydan to display such emotions. He was usually so reserved; I was taken aback.

"I know I put you through hell, and I truly am so, so sorry. Please forgive me. It won't happen again, I promise you. I pinky promise." I walked over to him, holding out my pinky. He reluctantly hooked his own pinky with mine.

"I don't like him, Nari. You need to stay away," his voice was so earnest; I looked up at him confused. Did he know something?

"I thought the same thing at first, Ry. He feels so...dangerous, right? I mean, he totally creeped me out too when I first met him." He must have been able to feel the same dark vibe I did at first.

"Dangerous? No, Nari. He doesn't feel dangerous to me. I wish that were what it was. That would be way better," he said disdainfully while pacing the room. He held a fist to his mouth, as if contemplating what to do next.

"Really? I had such strong bad feelings from him at first, but they are basically gone now. He's actually a really great person when you get to know him. Not that I really know him yet—Wait, why don't you like him, then?" I was so confused. He stopped pacing and sat on the edge of the bed, staring intently at me. Now he was starting to freak me out.

"Rydan, what is it? Why don't you like him?" I prodded when he didn't say anything and sat down in the chair, bracing myself for something more awful than dangerous.

"It's not danger that I feel from him at all. I don't like him because he feels like...like..." He stood up again with exasperation and resumed pacing.

"Oh, my god, Rydan. Seriously, he feels like what?!" He was keeping me on the edge of my seat, and I swore I was about to lose it in one second. He stopped walking and turned around. The look on his face as he locked eyes with mine made my chest hurt with all sorts of dread.

"Home," he finally breathed. His shoulders sagged, as if the weight of the world were sitting right on top of him.

"What?!" I suddenly stood up, shouting and shaking my head. Perhaps I didn't hear him right. "Did you say "home"? What does that even mean? And how is that a bad thing?" I crossed my arms and tapped my foot as I waited for an explanation. These dumb boys were going to be the death of me, I swear.

Not even a second later, a blinding light flashed and an extremely loud crack of thunder boomed around us. I screamed and practically jumped out of my skin, instinctively covering my ears. The entire room shook and the windows rattled from the force. I could hear the rain pouring against the windows.

Rydan's cell phone started ringing, making me jump again.

"What?" he answered nonchalantly. I watched him as he listened to whoever was speaking on the other end. "I'll be right there." He ended the call and turned to speak to me.

"I have to go. My parents need me home before the storm gets any worse. Thunder got out; he's frightened by the storm," he explained solemnly. I found the young black colt's name ironic at the moment. Rydan's parents lived on a farm outside of town and owned several horses. I'd only been there a few times since it was so far away. Usually Rydan just came to me since I didn't have a car.

"I hope he'll be okay." I hadn't met Thunder yet, but I still worried for the poor thing.

"We'll get him, don't worry. I'm serious though, Nari. Stay away from that guy. I don't trust him," he cautioned me firmly.

"Rydan, you don't make any sense." I shook my head and gave him a hug, not promising anything. He looked at me sternly before walking out the door.

Wonderful.

I could feel the impending doom of battle between best friend and...whatever Mycah was. If all Rydan worried about was that Mycah felt like...home? Then I really didn't see what the problem was.

Thunder boomed loudly again, startling me for the third time. I sighed. I had to get a grip. I walked out of Mycah's room, ready to go home. I heard voices coming from one of the front sitting rooms so I followed it.

I slowed my steps as I came upon Mycah and Marie—the B&B manager—chatting back and forth. I stayed hidden behind the wall, listening.

"What?! A good-looking thing like you? How is it possible you don't have anyone special in your life?" Marie teased, sounding very motherly. She was a kind, hardworking woman in her early fifties. Mycah laughed in return, and the sound was absolutely beautiful. It was a real laugh—a good, genuine hearty laugh—and I would die happy if it were the last thing I heard.

"I know, right? You'd think I'd be able to get anybody. There must be something else wrong with me." I could hear the humor in his voice and the gentle way he spoke to her. She laughed at his joke just as hard as he had at hers. It was obvious they both enjoyed speaking to each other and that this definitely wasn't the first time.

"It really is such a shame you didn't get to go to any dances while you were in high school. Well, since you are past the age to be going to the Homecoming Dance here, you at least will go to the carnival, yeah? The whole town will be there." Did she say past the age? How old was he? I figured we were both seventeen.

"Perhaps. We shall see when the time comes." The floor creaked, sounding like he stood up. I quickly turned around and started back to his room, not wanting him to catch me eavesdropping.

"Oh, I do just love your accent!" I faintly heard Marie say just before I turned a corner and entered his room.

A few minutes later, Mycah knocked on the door. I opened it, fidgeting and feeling guilty for listening in on their conversation. Pull it together, Nari...

"You set to go home, darling?" Mycah asked in his sexy voice as he entered. He walked over to the dresser and grabbed a few things.

"Mhm, yes, ready," I said too sweetly. "What's with all the fancy terms of endearment, by the way?" I tried to turn the attention on him, hoping to mask my nervousness. He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows for a second.

"Oh, sorry, just out of habit really. I guess it's a British thing," he explained light heartedly. "Alright then, let's go." He walked toward the door and opened it for me.

"When will Ray be back?" I dreaded the moment but knew it was coming sooner or later. I walked past him, heading for his car.

"Sunday evening. He'll be returning to work that next morning. I'm sorry, love." He sounded sincere. I kept walking, not wanting to dwell too much on the fact I only had two and a half more days 'til Ray was back.

"Hey um...can I ask how old you are?" This was a more interesting topic.

"How come you want to know?" I couldn't see his face since he was behind me, but he sounded skeptical.

"Because...I don't know, I just do." Did I need a reason?

"I'm nineteen," he said as he walked past, never failing to open a door for me, leading to the outside. Chivalry was not dead after all. It was still storming, so he enveloped us in his protective shield.

"I see. I had been thinking we were the same age. I'm seventeen." I felt silly for thinking he was a high school student and expecting to still be under his parents' care.

"You'll be eighteen soon, won't you?" It didn't really sound like a question the way he said it, but I answered anyway.

"Yes, October 24th, but how did you know that?" Was he psychic?

"Lucky guess." He smirked as he opened the car door for me. I got in and waited for him to get in too. He started the car and began driving.

"Why did you come here to Kennebunkport?" There wasn't much to see, and I couldn't imagine this being an actual vacation for him.

"What do you mean? Miss out on seeing all the lovely lighthouses? It's a charming place really. It isn't Chicago of course, but the character here is quite captivating, don't you think?" He turned to me, and again his accent accompanied by his whole foreign demeanor made me lost on whether he was truly asking or being sarcastic.

"Well yes, but that's all you came here for? To see lighthouses and small town charm?" I found it hard to believe that a person who could travel anywhere in the world chose Kennebunkport, Maine as their destination.

"Perhaps you're just a cynic," he joked, smirking.

"Perhaps." There really wasn't much I actually understood about Mycah. I tried not to let it be obvious, but he was so mysterious. I couldn't help thinking he wasn't being entirely honest with me. 'Stay away from that guy. I don't trust him.' Rydan's words echoed in my mind. A feeling of foreboding came over me, and I gripped the sides of my seat as we sped, way too fast for my comfort, through the storming rain and wet streets leading to my house.

When we arrived, I was supposed to say goodbye, get out of the car, and walk inside. But after he parked in the driveway and I touched the door handle, unexplainable panic came over me. I didn't want to say goodbye. Why couldn't I say goodbye?

Mycah turned off the engine and came to my side of the car to open the door for me. I eventually got out, with him shielding us from the storm and me not knowing what to say. We stood there next to each other in silence, and I dared not look at him. The wind and rain swirled around us, but it couldn't touch us. He wouldn't let it. I could feel his eyes on me, beseeching me to match his gaze. But I knew if I did, I would break.

The thought of him leaving hurt like nothing I'd felt before, and it terrified me. Perhaps he waited for me to say goodbye, I wasn't sure, because I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

He slowly, hesitantly, reached up and caressed my cheek with his thumb, sending shivers down my spine. My eyes went to his then, and the look I found staring back at me left me breathless. My skin lit on fire the moment his ocean eyes dropped to my lips, and if I didn't know any better I would have thought I was having a heart attack.

My heart was threatening to burst from its cavity as he stepped closer and licked his lips. 'Stay away from that guy.' I heard Rydan's words again. And that did it. That woke me up and broke my trance. What was I doing? This wasn't me...I wasn't easily seduced by men. I stepped back, breaking the tension. But the thought of him leaving, maybe for good, was still too much.

"Please don't go," I beckoned through deep breaths, my mouth acting on its own accord, betraying the logical resolve I knew I should hold to. I knew I should stay away, but there was something there, begging me to explore it. In the back of my mind, a part of me hoped to prove Rydan wrong.

"As you wish," he whispered, and a mixture of disappointment and relief crossed his face.

I stepped into my darkened room and closed the door while Mycah waited out in the hallway for me to change into more comfortable clothes. I had about a million butterflies in my stomach all doing nose-dives.

I turned my back to the door and slowly slid down to the floor, putting my head in my hands. I didn't want to feel this way. I couldn't feel this way. Maybe no one else felt strange things about Mycah at school, but I did and Rydan did. He was dark and mysterious, with men resembling Secret Agents looking for him for reasons unbeknownst to me. Rydan said to stay away and not to trust him. I trusted Rydan with all my heart, and if he felt like something was wrong with Mycah then who was I to disagree? He would kill me if he knew I was letting Mycah stay here. And then he'd bring me back just to kill me all over again when he found out I asked him to stay here.

What was wrong with me? All the signs pointed for me to stay away.

But then...

Why couldn't I bring myself to do it? Why did I feel so drawn to him? The thought of staying away made my chest ache. He did save my life on several occasions. He couldn't be that bad. Right? In fact, he was proving to be quite the reliable person. Always watching out for me and taking care of me. I didn't know why he gave off such scary vibes, but I at least could stay friends with him until I was given a reason otherwise. Or again, until he left...

Standing up, I grabbed my clothes and quickly changed. I sent a text to Rydan with 'Are you still mad at me?' I wouldn't be able to sleep if things weren't okay with us. We didn't get to talk for long before he had to leave. A few minutes later he replied.

'No' was all he said. I sighed...then sent back, 'Go to the Homecoming Carnival with me this Saturday?' He replied with 'k.' I smiled, biting my lip, feeling excited.

'Is Thunder okay?' I sent back.

'Yes' was his reply. Phew...thank goodness.

I opened my bedroom door to let Mycah in. He wasn't standing there like he usually was.

"Mycah?" I walked out to find him when I didn't hear a response. The house was dark, empty, and very silent as I padded through. My scalp prickled and goosebumps morphed onto my arms, but I tried not to be scared. I knew I had to get used to the darkness again. I couldn't rely on Mycah forever.

I looked out the back door and found him standing in the yard. Even though there was still lightning and thunder in the distance, it had stopped raining. I grabbed my coat and boots before joining him.

We stood in silence next to each other, lost in our own thoughts. My skin burned at the memory of the way he looked at me just moments ago. I couldn't ever let that happen again. My resolve continued to crumble, and I was determined to get it back to normal. I would get it back to normal. I knew Mycah didn't feel anything serious about me either. He was leaving, and I was sure I was nothing but a nuisance to him. He was just being an English Gentlemen like they say by staying.

That moment was just a stupid fluke.

Eventually, he bent down and picked up a leaf that had blown off our tree. I watched as he turned the leaf from brown to green, then to red and orange. Right after turning blue, it shifted from a leaf to a small white piece of paper. He handed it to me, and I numbly took it, staring with unconcealed shock.

"What the...what the heck are you?" I didn't wait for a response, the shock fueling my suspicions. "I don't know why you're here or why people are after you, but I know there is a reason. I know there has to be something that brought you to Kennebunkport, and don't feed me that crap about lighthouses. You're hiding something. I can feel it in my bones you're hiding something, and I don't understand why. Please, just tell me. I want to know. I want to know more about you." I turned to him, pleading, willing for him to give in.

"I can't," was all he said as he ran a hand through his dark hair, staring out at the lightning strikes far in the sky.

"Are you really...human? I mean, you can't be—" I knew the question was silly the second it left my lips, but deep in my heart I could feel that he wasn't. He had never felt...human. I hated thinking it and didn't want to admit it, but from the very first moment I laid eyes on him I could feel he was different. I stared at him for a few moments, hoping he'd change his mind and tell me the truth. But he didn't. He stayed silent, not looking at me. "Fine. Lie to me. But there's no way you—" I cut myself off. I couldn't finish the words out loud. I couldn't handle saying he wasn't human.

I turned around and walked back toward the house. I faintly heard him whisper behind me, "I never said I was." My chest tightened at his words, but I kept on walking without stopping or turning around. I was angry now. And disappointed, frustrated, anxious; all of the above. I couldn't take it anymore. I closed my eyes and slowly exhaled as I made my way back into my room. I didn't want to care anymore. I didn't want to feel angry or wonder what he was and what he had done to have made strange men kidnap me and interrogate me. I couldn't wrap my head around his "special abilities," or not so special according to him, and I was sick of trying.

If he wasn't going to let me in, then fine. I wasn't going to let him in either. I was done with all of it.

I jumped into my bed and made myself forget those things. At least temporarily, I was numb. All I wanted to do now was sleep. Lose myself in blissful slumber, like drowning into sweet oblivion.

#  Chapter Twenty-Five

~Naminé~

"Naminé, hurry! You must hurry, child," my father shouted.

I was stopped in the middle of the lower courtyard taking in the sight of the burning building before me. I could not seem to tear my eyes away from the monstrous flame that consumed the stables. There were at least twenty knights scattered around trying to get the horses and griffins out of the burning structure.

My father and several men were in the back rounding the horses into the outside fence, and along the side of the stable I could see that many of the griffins were injured.

"Naminé, you must focus," my mother said to me. "You must go and bring back Falla."

All I could think of was Calen. If she had been caged here, as some of the Fëa were—no, I couldn't stand to think that way. She was safe, safe in the forest. I could still feel her anguish and torment, but she was safe. That was all that mattered.

I turned to look at my mother as the words set in. I nodded and ran through the courtyard, past the great hall and up the stairs to the corner tower. I needed to find Falla who was the animal healer. She and her Fëa could aid the injured griffins. I ran as fast as I could up the tall winding stairs.

I heard loud noises coming from above and had to quickly move out of the way of about forty armed knights as they came dashing down the stairs. They didn't spare me a glance as I hung to the wall, my body pressed close against the cool stone as they made their way around me.

When I thought they had all passed, I stepped back out and immediately collided with a very large knight who lagged behind the others. He forced me aside in his haste to continue on his way, and as he pushed, I stumbled over a step. The next thing I knew as my head hit the stone floor was that my vision blurred, and then it turned to complete and utter darkness.

#  Chapter Twenty-Six

~Nari~

I stayed in bed Friday morning just staring at the ceiling. The bumps and ridges of the popcorn texture were interesting to look at. I would imagine they looked like—I jumped at the sound of my cell ringing. Seeing that it was Zaylie, I answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. Since we only had a half-day of school today, some of us were going to hang out before the football game and then we'll just all go to it together. Are you sick again? Please tell me you're not. I really want you to be there," she whined since I wasn't at school this morning.

"Ugh, yes. I'm really not feeling good. I think I just need a little more time to get over it. And I wasn't planning on going to the football game, I'm sorry. But I'll definitely be at the carnival tomorrow." I actually didn't feel like going to that either but didn't want to disappoint my new friend twice.

The truth was, I didn't feel up to pretending like I didn't just get abducted and tortured a few days ago, not to mention almost strangled to death by my foster father, then healed by a mysterious boy I was developing unexplainable "feelings" for, who caused the abduction and rescued me from it. I didn't know what I was thinking by going back to school so soon yesterday. I had tried to ignore everything, not wanting to be thought of as weak, and for a second I almost believed none of it even happened. But this morning I woke up sobbing, and as Mycah held me from behind, I knew I hadn't fully recovered yet. I was an emotional wreck.

"Um, and the Homecoming Dance too, I hope," she said with worry.

"Oh right, yes, of course. I'll be there." I almost forgot...again. I ground my teeth and held back a sigh, regretting my decision to go. I get to have a whole night surrounded by lovesick couples without a date...yay me.

"Okay, I can't complain then. It's just a dumb football game. I understand. What's most important is you get better! Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow and tell you all about tonight." I could hear the disappointment in her voice but also the concern.

"Thanks, Zales. See you tomorrow." I truly was grateful for her friendship. I hated disappointing her. I hung up, tossed my phone across the room, then threw my arm over my eyes and sighed. Life sucked.

"You're going to break the thing if you do that," Mycah quipped as he walked in carrying food.

"I don't care," I mumbled.

"You will later when you go to use it. Here, eat." He handed me a tray of food that smelled awfully good. He spoiled me already, explaining earlier I needed to build my strength. I looked down at the tray—Belgium waffle, eggs, and bacon. Seriously? I didn't even know we had a waffle iron.

"Are you a magician? There's no way you made all this." I refused to believe he could do everything.

"That hurts." He grabbed his heart. "Of course I made it. You don't have to eat it if you don't like it." He looked down like a puppy dog, and I knew that couldn't be further from the truth. But after taking a bite, he didn't have to worry. It was absolutely delicious.

"It's delicious! Mmmm." I didn't want to stop. I was famished. I looked up as I chewed and found the sexy smirk he usually wore. He was proud of himself and didn't dare hide it. Any anger I felt last night was completely forgotten the instant I looked into his piercing blue eyes. Plus him holding me while I cried might have helped a bit.

"I didn't know we had a waffle iron." Was this another one of his tricks?

"You didn't, but you do now. I went to the supermarket. There wasn't much in the refrigerator, so I had no other choice," he explained plainly as he walked over to my window, something I noticed he did a lot.

"Well, thank you very much. I've never had anyone cook for me before. Except..." I thought of my mother before she died. She would cook all the time, every meal.

"Except?" he urged me to continue when I stayed silent. I cleared my throat.

"Except my mother. Before she died. Actually she was my foster mother. I don't know who my real parents are. They could be dead too for all I know." I set my fork down, suddenly losing my appetite.

"I'm very sorry to hear that. How did you end up here, exactly?" He walked over and sat down on the end of my bed.

"I don't remember much. I was told I had been given to the state by my parents who loved me but couldn't take care of me, and then the Millers chose to foster me with the intent of adoption. All I remember is Elizabeth, my foster mother, always being there. Nothing before that. She never got to adopt me before she died. Now she's gone, and for the longest time the only person I've had is Rydan. I miss her every day, so much." My throat burned from unshed tears, but I refused to cry again.

"May I ask what happened to her?" His voice was delicate, cautious.

"I killed her." I put my head in my hands, not wanting to see his expression.

"I'm sure that's not true. I can't honestly believe that, not even for a second." He gently touched my hands, urging me to look at him.

"I may as well have! It was my fault she died. It should have been me instead. It's the reason Ray hates me so much in the first place!" I looked away, afraid of his reaction.

"I can look at your memories instead if you'd like." He said the words so naturally, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say.

"What! No! Are you crazy? You stay out of my head!" I grabbed my pillow and pulled it around my head like a helmet, as if to shield myself. The last thing I wanted was for him to know all the thoughts I had plaguing my mind.

"Nari, you're ridiculous. That would never work," he laughed, fully amused. "I would only look at those memories, nothing else. And only so that you won't actually have to sit there and explain what happened. I was just trying to make it easier on you is all, love." He looked down, chuckling.

"No, I think I'd rather just explain, thank you." There was no way I'd take that chance. I would die of embarrassment if he ever knew how enthralled I could be by him. Or how frightened I had been by him. No, nothing in my head would be a good idea for him to see.

"I don't need your permission. I can read any mind I want at any time I want, as long as they are within my vicinity," he teased. I threw my pillow at him, horrified.

"You wouldn't dare!" I yelped. Oh god... "Please tell me you have not read my thoughts?! Wait, can you hear them all the time?" I could practically feel the blood drain from my face.

"I haven't, actually. And no, I can choose whether to read someone's mind or not. I don't like to invade people's privacy. I am not like that. There are very few people I've needed to do it to. I give you my word." He closed his eyes and dipped his head for a second. I smiled at the way he said "privacy." In his accent, the vowel "i" was short instead of long like the way Americans pronounced it. I had no other choice but to believe him.

"Okay, I guess. But pinky promise me you will never read my mind, ever! Please." I held my pinky out, waiting. He took my pinky with his.

"I pinky swear, you silly girl," he said, chuckling. "However...there is one thing I can't help. I can feel people's emotions, if they are strong enough." He looked down, shifting uncomfortably. Just great...

I tried to ignore the new shed of light on Mycah's life that seemed to increase with each passing second, since there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. And if I dwelled on what it really meant, then I'd just be overcome with embarrassment at the thought of him always had been able to feel my emotions from the start.

"So what happened?" he asked again after a few moments of silence. My chest tightened with the idea of talking about how my mother died. I had only recalled the story aloud once and that was to Rydan seven years ago and with only a few details. And last night I had decided I wasn't going to let Mycah in. But now that I sat here and he waited for me to start, it felt like the words were dying to get out.

Tears brimmed in my eyes as the memories came flooding back. I closed them, willing for myself to stay strong. I had cried so much in the last several weeks, and I hated being so emotional. It was unusual for me.

Mycah moved closer and gently caressed my back. The sympathetic gesture made to comfort me only brought on more tears, and in an effort to mask the now open floodgates I covered my face with my hands and collapsed my head onto Mycah's lap. He let me stay there as I tried to explain what happened through cries of pain.

"It was my fault. I begged her to take me with her, to not make me go to school. She was running late for work, but I missed the bus so she had to drop me off. We were parked right in front, and I only had to get out like a good girl and go to school just like everyone else. But I didn't. I cried and cried, begged her not to make me go. 'Please mommy, please I want to stay with you, please don't make me go, I hate it here!' There were so many kids and parents outside the car going into the school, watching us as they passed. I don't know why, but I was terrified to get out of the car. I was scared to leave her. All I wanted was to be with her. She looked at me and I could see the pain in her eyes, the tears she tried so hard to hold back as I continued to beg her not to make me go. 'Alright,' she said. 'You don't have to go. Of course you don't have to go.' The relief and gratitude I felt when she said those words were so overwhelming I laughed and cried at the same time, putting my arms around her as we sat in the car."

Mycah rubbed my back as I sobbed; the very feelings of that day were just as strong as if no time had passed at all. As if it wasn't ten years ago. I tried to go on, to keep telling the story.

"As we drove away from the school, she called into work and requested a personal day. She didn't have very many to begin with, and already she had used most of them up because of me—because of me not able to be without her. I hated being left with anyone else that wasn't her. She drove us to Mason's Bakery for breakfast. As we ate, she told me stories and jokes to cheer me up. It was the last time I heard her laugh. The last time I got to see her smile."

I hugged my body and squeezed my eyes closed tight, dreading what I was about to say next. Mycah stroked my hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear, waiting for me to continue. My throat hurt from crying and trying to talk simultaneously, making my voice thick and heavy with tears.

"When we walked out of the bakery, I was so stupid. I don't know what I was thinking! But at the time, I was young and innocent, easily distracted. This bright golden leaf caught my eye—it was shaped like a heart, and I remember thinking how much my mom would love it if I gave it to her. I bent down to pick it up, but the wind caught it. It blew away in front of me, so I chased it. I was so stupid. She called out to me to wait for her, but I didn't listen. I thought just one second, I only need one more second to catch it, and I'll come right back. I had tunnel vision. All I could see, all that mattered was catching that leaf. It didn't even register what I was doing as it blew into the street. I automatically kept chasing it, not seeing anything else. But at the sound of my mother's gut-wrenching screams and tires screeching, I looked up into her terror-stricken eyes just as she pushed me to the ground out of the way of an oncoming truck. I don't think I have ever been that scared as I was in that very moment. As I cried, I looked back ready to run to my mother's arms, ready to apologize for running out into the street. But what I saw instead is an image I would give anything to forget." I sat up and wrapped my arms around Mycah's neck.

"The truck hit her instead, Mycah. It should have been me. It should have been me." The tears streamed down my face as the memory played over and over in my head. "Her body was mangled and bloody. Her spine had snapped in two, and later I heard the doctors say she died from internal bleeding. Which means she didn't die instantly. She suffered first." I could barely contain my sobs with the thought of her feeling pain and suddenly felt nauseated. I let go of Mycah and ran to the bathroom.

I never let myself go through that day again. I never let my thoughts return me to that spot where I sat as I watched in horror people running to my mother and shouting to call 911. I had run to her broken body, screaming, holding on to her, gripping her with all my strength as someone tried to pull me away. I never thought of that day since.

Not because I didn't care or because I wanted to forget the sacrifice my mother made for me. It was because I simply could not handle it. I couldn't handle the memories or the feelings that followed, and as I explained what happened to Mycah, it had been so long since I remembered the details, it washed through me like it only happened moments ago. It was too much.

I emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet with eyes closed tight and quickly flushed before the sight made me sick again. When I had told Rydan, it had been five years after it happened and I had only said she died from getting hit by a truck and that it should have been me. I never went into any details with him because my brain wouldn't take me there at the time.

Now that I betrayed my carefully built defense mechanism, I felt my heart crumble to pieces. I would never forgive myself for that day. If it weren't for me, my mother would still be alive. If I hadn't been such a chicken and had gone to school that day, she would still be alive. I hated myself. I understood completely why Ray blamed me and hated me too. I deserved his hatred. I deserved every bit of torture he conjured up for me.

I stepped over to the mirror above the sink and stared into my abnormal violet eyes. Why wasn't I the one who died? It should have been me. I had no reason to be here. She was better than I was; she enjoyed life and had so many people that loved her. I was a freak—a nobody—and had nothing going for me.

Already I trembled, but it quickly escalated to uncontrollable shaking as I stood there staring at myself. I could feel myself losing it as I gripped the sides of the sink. As I started to collapse, Mycah was suddenly there, putting an arm behind my back and one behind my knees, easily picking me up off the floor and holding me to his chest.

I buried my head in his neck and clasped my hands around his head, knotting my fingers through his hair. His woodsy smell washed over me and filled my lungs, instantly calming my trembling heart.

He quietly carried me back into my room and sat down on the edge of the bed. He held me as tightly as he could without hurting me. He moved his arm from under my legs and hugged it around my body, reaching up to rub the back of my head.

I kept my face in his neck, feeling safe and warm, never wanting to move as my cries eventually slowed to a stop. That tiny kindled flame that had been burning in the abyss of my soul flashed up brighter, but I tried, very hard, to squash it. Or at least pretended it didn't exist.

"I'm sorry," I groaned, grimacing.

"You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." His voice was soft and kind as he wiped the wet trails my tears left behind with his thumb. My heart was like a kick drum—his touch igniting a frenzy of butterflies within. He was so close...I could feel his pulse underneath my fingertips that stayed against his neck.

"But I hate being so emotional. You must think I'm insane," I replied sheepishly.

"How can you even say that? Nariella, you're beautiful," he breathed next to my ear. I lifted my head up, surprised.

"Maybe you're the one who's insane," I said, rubbing my nose. He chuckled softly.

"And compassionate. You loved your mother. I would think you were insane if you didn't react the way you did telling your story. You went through something no child should." His voice was tender, making me blush. I was suddenly embarrassed by the closeness and quickly scrambled out of his hold. I wasn't used to this kind of affection.

"Can we change the subject now? I'm sick of crying," I exclaimed, trying to cover my weirdness. I bent down to pick up my mother's picture that had fallen during Mycah and Rydan's confrontation. I didn't know why I left it like that. I looked into her eyes for a few seconds before setting it down in its place on top of my bookcase.

I felt better now that I got what happened out in the open. Not talking about it for so long made it fester inside me. I didn't even realize how much I needed to get it off my chest. It was as if this huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Even though I still felt the pain of it all, sharing the details with another person was therapeutic.

"Alright," he agreed with amusement in his voice.

"I'm going to the Homecoming Carnival tomorrow with my friends. And Rydan will be there too. So it might be best if...if I go alone." I cleared my throat, not liking the way my insides hurt at the thought of being away from him. But Rydan didn't want me hanging around Mycah, and the last thing I wanted to do was give another reason for Rydan to be mad at me again. Besides, I had been spending too much time around Mycah as it was. If I was going to successfully return my resolve against males back to its rightful state, then this was the way to do it. But the Homecoming Dance...

"I've probably stayed too long as it is. I really should get a move on," Mycah informed me casually, breaking off my dangerously tempting thought. His words hit me in the gut, and I felt like doubling over. I walked over to my closet and pulled out a long-sleeved shirt and grabbed my jeans, masking my attrition.

"I need to see Rydan. I'm going to get ready in the bathroom." I couldn't hide the aversion from my voice, and I hoped Mycah didn't catch on. I quickly left to get ready and sent a text to Rydan to meet me at our spot. I felt like I was going to be sick again. I drew in deep breaths and counted to ten.

I didn't care if I had to wait hours for him to get there. I had to see him. And get away from Mycah. If Mycah was leaving, I couldn't feel this way about it. I couldn't hate it. I needed to get over it. I pulled my hair over my shoulder and tied it into a fishtail braid.

I walked back into my room to grab my coat, boots, and Rydan's gift. Mycah stood up, silent and expressionless, not losing his sly demeanor for a second. I fidgeted for a moment, not knowing what else to say. My phone buzzed, startling me. It was Rydan, who replied with 'I'm already here. See you in a few.' I exhaled with relief. I turned to Mycah, dreading what was next.

"Will you say goodbye before you leave?" I inquired. My voice was shaky, anxiety blooming in my stomach. I could handle this, right? So why did it feel like I was about to lose it if I didn't get far far away from here in the next second?

"I'll try to, if that's what you want," he replied unassumingly. Was he nervous? Probably not. I was the nervous one.

"I do. After what we've been through together; it's only right," I explained more confidently, feeling the need to give a reason and pushed any ache down to the pit of my stomach. I couldn't feel this way. I refused to acknowledge it, or especially show it.

"I'll see you later then," he replied.

"Later," I mumbled, wanting to run out of the house. It was the strangest sensation. I loathed leaving Mycah in that moment and hated even more the thought of him leaving for good, but at the same time all I wanted to do was get the heck away from him.

I just needed distance to get past these overwhelming feelings of despair before I could officially say goodbye. As I practically ran to the Weeping Willow, I didn't want to admit it, but it faintly registered that I was actually running away from the pain Mycah was about to cause, not from him. I was delusional if I believed I could run from it.

I arrived at the Willow but could hardly see Rydan through the long branches. There was no wind, so they hung down in one place creating a secret room. I walked through the curtain of branches feeling utterly at peace, like I was finally home.

Rydan was sitting up against the trunk playing his guitar. He didn't stop when I walked through; something I was used to.

"What's wrong?" he questioned discerningly once he looked at me.

"I just really missed you." As I said the words, I felt how true they really were. I could always rely on Rydan. He would never leave me. I pushed Mycah and the pain it caused out of my mind.

Rydan set his guitar down then, surprising me, and stood up. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. His muscles were hard and pressed against my bones, making it almost painful. I didn't care, not in the slightest. I buried my face in his chest, taking in his smoky scent. I leaned his gift against the back of my legs and gripped his black shirt, not ever wanting to let go. I felt so safe, so calm. His touch and smell were like balm on my damaged nerves.

"I missed you too," he gently whispered in my ear.

I eventually pulled away, not wanting to cry. "I have a surprise for you."

"Oh yeah?" He kissed the top of my head and went back to sitting against the tree trunk playing his guitar.

"To say thank you for everything you do for me. I wouldn't have anything if it weren't for you. So thank you for all the rides, lunches, dinners, cell phone, camera..." As I listed all the things Rydan had done, I began to feel overwhelmed at how much he actually took care of me. I relied on him so much—needed him so much.

"Nari, all that is nothing. I don't want you to thank me. You don't need to." His silver eyes met mine with assuredness.

"I do need to thank you because I truly do appreciate every single thing. You're my best friend, and I love you so much. So thank you, Rydan." I handed him my painting of the white fox we saw in the woods, trying to ignore the embarrassment I felt at my declaration. I didn't have anything to wrap it in, so his eyes met it immediately as I pulled it out from behind my legs. He stopped playing his guitar, and his eyes widened as he stared completely silent. Anxiety began to sprout in my stomach, wondering what he was thinking.

I went to say something but waited, noticing he was deep in thought. He had a bewildered expression on his face, like he tried to solve a great mystery.

"Penny for your thoughts," I said softly. He was making me extremely nervous.

The look I couldn't quite understand disappeared from his face and was replaced with his usual casual expression.

"I'll give you this one for free," he answered. "I've been dreaming."

I sat there looking into his face thinking he was going to tell me about them. What did it have to do with his gift? When he said nothing for about two minutes, I began to wonder how horrible they must be, and that maybe painting this was a bad idea.

"I don't dream, Nari. I never have. Not once."

#  Chapter Twenty-Seven

~Naminé~

I had a terrible headache. I tried to move and instantly screeched with pain. Where was I? I was lying somewhere, but this surely did not feel like my bed. I slowly tried to open my eyes. I squinted as I looked at the lantern hanging on the wall just above me. What had happened? I gradually turned my head and moved to sit up. I put my back up against the wall and winced in pain at the movement.

Calen's cry of alarm hit me at full force, and I struggled to remain upright. She could now sense that I was conscious, but I could feel her cries of pain. I couldn't physically hear, but I knew she shrieked loudly deep in the forest, flying around aimlessly and trying to relay her strength to help me. I desperately hoped no one would be close enough to hear her. If she were found, it would be the end of both of us.

It hurt to imagine it. She was my lifeline, my absolute center of strength. When we were solidly near each other, we were one, an inseparable line of where I ended and she began. Our bond was stupendous when together. But apart, it was like a piece of my soul was missing.

"Good Heavens, child. Are you all right?" I heard from a voice coming down the stairs.

I turned to look at the owner of the voice and saw it was Falla. I immediately remembered where I was and what I was doing. I didn't know how long I had been lying there after I ran into the knight, only that I must get Falla to the injured griffins.

"F..f..alla," I tried to get out. "We need you. Fire. Griffins. Hurt."

"Yes, I can hear the ruckus from the window. Come lean on me child, and we shall go together."

She helped me get up, and I rested into her as she wrapped me in her arm. We started to walk down the stairs. Just then, her Fëa, a small orange Petaurus peeked her wet pink nose out from under Falla's light green vest and looked at me with her beady black eyes.

Falla reached up to pet the black stripe that ran from her nose to midway on her back, as she said, "This is Halta."

I smiled at Halta as she slid back in the comfort of Falla's vest.

When we reached the lower courtyard, Falla must have seen the seriousness of the situation, for she started moving faster and soon we were practically running to the stables. The fire had gone down some, and the men were hurdling barrels of water to at least save half of the structure.

I followed Falla outside to where the injured griffins were lying in the grass pasture. There were three seriously injured, and the rest were put in the gallery that ran alongside the back of the castle.

She turned to look at me. "We will need your help. Are you well?" I still felt a bit dizzy, but I wasn't going anywhere. I nodded, and we took toward the griffins.

We approached the first griffin, and as she placed her hand on its head, Halta came out to sit on her shoulder. Falla clutched my hand for strength, closed her eyes and began the healing process. Twenty minutes later, we moved onto the next griffin. After it was healed, we moved to the third, which lay about a hundred feet away from the first two. I looked down, and tears stung my eyes as I saw it was a baby griffin. It moaned in pain and whimpered in anguish.

I looked to Falla who regarded me intently. "We must hurry...he's dying."

#  Chapter Twenty-Eight

~Nari~

I couldn't stop thinking about what Rydan had said as I walked back to my house. When I had asked him what he meant, he told me to forget it, which was impossible for me to do. He then said my painting was beautiful and thanked me for it, but the pain in his voice had been evident.

I had felt like a failure. He had pulled me into a hug and explained that he loved it; he just had a lot on his mind and apologized for giving me the wrong impression. It did make me feel better, but try as I might, I could not get over the strange feeling his confession had left me with.

He had been dreaming. Which sounded innocent in itself, but the way he explained he had never once experienced a dream before now and how he said it made me extremely worried. Maybe I was being silly; I didn't know. There was just something about his expression and the way he acted. It was like he was tortured emotionally but tried to hide it. I wished he would just tell me what was going on. He never indulged me with his feelings or serious things about his life. It drove me crazy!

When I reached the start of my driveway, my heart completely broke in two. Mycah stood against a tree, hands in his pockets, waiting to say goodbye to me. I didn't want this moment to come. But here it was, whether I liked it or not, and there was nothing I could do about it. I shouldn't let it affect me. I couldn't...

The sun was setting, and as he looked at me from under his eyelashes, the glowing light from the sky caught the color of his ocean irises in such a way that I had trouble breathing. His midnight blue hair ruffled in the wind, his chiseled jaw clenched with some unnamed expression.

I didn't realize I started walking toward him—an invisible force drawing me in without any thought to it. He pushed off the tree, and before I could say a single thing, he grabbed my left arm and pulled me backward, switching places with me. He pinned me against his body and the tree, jarring me from concentration.

I couldn't breathe.

His sweet breath was ragged, causing his chest to move up and down, but I couldn't feel it against my face. He was inches away and stared right into my eyes.

I started to get lost in the multi-facets of color in his eyes, the sun accentuating every detail. It looked like he wanted to say something. He furrowed his eyebrows, opened his mouth to talk, but quickly shut it again. It was quiet—only the sound of the wind-rustled leaves that surrounded us and my frantic heartbeat thrumming in my ears bound me to reality.

His gaze moved from my eyes to my mouth, and immediately my heart skipped a beat. My hands began to shake as he looked back up into my eyes and slowly tucked hair behind my ear, making my head spin. Please don't say goodbye...

Blood accelerated under my skin as he moved his strong but gentle hand to the nape of my neck just before running his fingers up through my hair, cradling my head. His other hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me in closer. My body trembled from his touch.

He leaned in and slowly pressed his soft lips against mine, almost as if he were afraid I would shatter from the contact.

With my eyes closed, my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest as I brought my hands up and knotted my fingers in his hair, clutching him tighter and tighter to me, not seeming to get close enough. The force made him crush his lips to mine, melding them together, fueling the fire between us and igniting a frenzy. I could taste the salt of my tears as they freely fell down my face. Yep, this was goodbye.

As my burning lips parted, my breathing became erratic, almost matching my pounding heartbeat that drowned out all other sound, taking in his amazing woodsy scent that now surrounded me. He caressed the length of my jawline with his thumb and then held my chin as he continued to wildly kiss me.

Time seemed lost—like it never existed. I could feel his heartbeat against my chest and realized it was in sync with mine. I felt like I was soaring through space, seeing stars speed by and explode in the distance. I had never been kissed before and wondered if this was what it was like for everyone. I wanted this moment to last forever.

He reluctantly pulled away, and I already felt the loss of his lips rip a hole in my heart. His eyes were wild, bright, and his expression was radiant, matching the kiss perfectly.

"I'm sorry," he said roughly. "I...have wanted to do that for a long time. I couldn't hold back anymore. I don't want to."

My heart soared as the words he just spoke slowly sunk in. I didn't know what to say or how to respond. I wasn't even sure I comprehended what was happening right then—my brain didn't seem to want to catch up.

He wiped the wet streaks my tears left behind with his thumbs and took my head in his hands while lightly kissing my forehead just where my hairline met my skin. I closed my eyes and didn't want to open them again.

"I don't want you to go," I confessed while keeping my eyes closed.

"I have to protect you. It's the only way you'll stay safe," he breathed in his velvety smooth voice. My body still trembled.

"I don't need protection. And if you're here, nothing will happen to me," I appealed, believing every word. My voice was thick and filled with emotion.

"You have it backwards. You'll only need protection if I stay." His accent was alluring, making me step closer into him, if that was even possible. I nodded my head, still not knowing what to say or do. He caressed my cheekbone with his index finger before sliding his hand through strands of hair along my face. He smiled guiltily at me just before pulling away.

"I don't care if you bring danger because you'll be there to protect me. So it doesn't matter, right?" I could feel myself panicking from the distance, not wanting to let him go.

"I may not be able to protect you. There are forces way more evil than you can even imagine. Secret underground organizations you happened to meet are child's play in comparison," he explained solemnly, eyes to the ground. I didn't understand what he meant, and as my mind tried to register what he just said, I was left speechless. He started walking backward away from me, but I followed instinctively. "I'll come back for you. When I finally take back what is rightfully mine, I'll come back to fetch you. I promise," he affirmed cryptically.

"I don't understand what you're saying," I exclaimed, my breathing once again erratic, knowing he was slipping away. I reached out, trying to grab him in an effort to keep him from leaving.

"Don't do this. Please. I can't—" he stopped talking as he skipped forward, planting fiercely one more kiss on my lips. It distracted me, because when I opened my eyes a second later, he was gone.

I stood there in my driveway, holding my swollen lips in my fingers. I could feel my heart crumbling, but I had known this was coming. What I didn't expect, however, was the amount of pain that descended upon me.

I ran inside the house completely lost and confused. He was gone. All I had left of him was a promise that he would come back, but when? When would that be? I flung myself onto my bed, desperately wanting to find solace in sleep. It was my only escape from pain—something I learned to do at a very young age.

I threw my blanket over my head and buried my face in my pillow, not able to keep the oncoming tears from falling a second more. And boy did they fall, like a never-ending stream, working to wash away all thoughts and feelings of Mycah. As my brain tried to purge his touch, his kiss, his smell, all-things-Mycah out of my heart, I knew it would never succeed.

I sobbed and sobbed until eventually I fell asleep.

I woke the next morning utterly spent and numb. Thoughts of Mycah lingered in the back of my head, but I refused to dwell on them. I pushed them back deep in the recesses of my mind where they wouldn't hurt me. Where I could forget them. Zaylie called, confirming to pick me up at five this evening for the Homecoming Carnival. I didn't want to go but couldn't tell her no.

I tried to climb out of bed and instead fell to the floor, clutching my heart. Was I having a heart attack? It felt like something was missing inside of me, something I couldn't live without. It was painful, as if a very piece of me was ripped away, brutally stolen from the tiniest parts of my marrow.

What was wrong with me? This couldn't be normal. I slowly inhaled and exhaled, trying to steady my breathing. I needed to get a grip. This was completely ridiculous.

Suddenly, the sound of my phone ringing sent me lurching into the air. My god...I abruptly grabbed it, cursing under my breath. I was pretty sure I was traumatized. That was the only explanation for my insanity.

"Hello?" I answered without looking to see who it was first.

"What time do you want me to pick you up?" Rydan drawled with his deep voice on the other end of the line. I forgot he was going with me to the carnival.

"Oh, my friend Zaylie is picking me up, actually. We're all going to the carnival, if that's okay. Do you just want to meet us there? Or you can come here and we can all go together." I hoped he chose the latter.

"What time?" he asked again.

"They'll be at my house at five," I answered, hopeful.

"I'll be there. See you in a few hours," he replied before hanging up. I looked at the clock and realized I had four and a half hours until then. That wasn't much time. I hurried into the kitchen and found something to eat before starting on my mission. I'd have to quickly find a dress within my mom's packed away clothes and just hope it didn't take too long to come up with something good for the dance tomorrow night.

I could still feel the pain throughout my body, like it was part of my blood that pumped in and out of my heart, and it was all I could do to ignore it. It hurt, deeply and excruciatingly, but I couldn't let anyone know. I had to learn to live with it. I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I'd be darned if I let it affect my life and my new friendships.

Thankfully, Operation: "Find and Create Dress Pretty In Pink style," was a huge distraction from the crippling pain that lurked in my chest. I went upstairs into the attic and ran my fingers across my mother's things. I opened gingerly one of her boxes marked "Dresses." Bless my organizational skills!

The smell of her perfume floated over me as I sifted through several of her dainty dresses, halting me. My eyes closed, and I took in a stronger inhalation of air through my nose. I had almost forgotten her scent, but now that it filled my lungs, I could swear she stood right next to me. I fought back tears and trudged on. If I let myself dwell on her, I would end up spiraling out of control over her and other depressing thoughts—thoughts I could never let myself think about if I wanted to get through today. All I wanted to do was forget. I spotted a simple black cocktail dress and pulled it out. It would work.

I grabbed the sewing machine and essential tools needed to complete the process and got started. I set my alarm to remind me to stop in three hours.

After doing all I could with the dress in the allotted time I was given, I jumped in the shower and started to get ready for the carnival.

I put on the first pair of dark wash jeans and long-sleeved shirt I saw, then threw my hair up into a messy bun on top of my head after drying it. The last thing I cared about was how I looked, and I didn't feel an ounce of motivation to get ready. I had to force myself, wondering if the entire night was going to be like that. Or maybe the rest of my life...

A knock on the door signaled they were there, so I grabbed my coat and slipped on my faux leather boots. I opened the door to a grinning Zaylie, all done up and pretty.

"You look great!" I complimented her, admiring her beauty. She had a part of her dirty blonde hair in a braid with the rest left falling down in perfect ringlets and had simple makeup that complimented her features.

"Thanks! And you look...sad. Are you okay?" she asked full of concern, worry crinkling her face as she pulled me into a hug. Crap...I thought I was hiding it.

"Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Ready to go?" I lied, not wanting to think about it. I looked past her to the truck sitting in my driveway that blared punk music as Desmond and Liam bounced up and down.

"Sure," she said skeptically, not believing me. Just then, Rydan pulled up on his motorcycle as I finished locking the door behind me. He wore his dark canvas jacket and black jeans that hung loosely from his hips, exuding suaveness, per usual. I practically ran to him, needing his calming effect, and pushed my body into his. He returned the gesture, rightly discerning I needed it. I didn't care that there were other people around watching us. He was my best friend, and only he could make me feel better.

"Rydan, this is Zaylie. Zaylie, this is my best friend Rydan." I let go of Rydan and introduced them once I felt Zaylie walk up behind us. Liam and Desmond got out of the truck after they saw him pull up, so I introduced Desmond too.

"It's nice to meet you," Zaylie said while both boys said "hey" and shook Rydan's hand.

"I've heard a lot about you," he said to Zaylie and Desmond. "And it's been a long time, Liam. How's it going?" He acknowledged that he remembered Liam from before when we all used to go to school together—back before Liam moved away.

"It's been good, man. How 'bout you?" Liam replied.

"Just great," he answered with a half smile, but only I noticed the sarcasm. Rydan had been hiding something from me for a while, and it hurt each time I noticed it. But now I was hiding something from him as well, making us even.

We all got in the old blue pickup truck that Desmond and Zaylie shared. Zaylie drove with me in the middle and Rydan in the passenger seat while Desmond and Liam sat in the bed, having way too much fun. They were like dogs enjoying the wind, and Zaylie swerved every now and then, sending them sliding across each side, encouraging their crazy antics. Before last night I would have found it hilarious, but today I had to force myself to laugh along. I took Rydan's hand and intertwined my fingers with his, desperate for his touch. He kissed the top of my head in a brotherly way and chuckled when Zaylie took a sharp turn that sent Desmond almost falling over the side and screaming like a girl. I rolled my eyes, not able to keep from genuinely laughing that time.

After parking, we admired the waves that crashed against the rocky shoreline. The carnival was set up near the water at a park on the south end of Ocean Avenue. The wind whipped around my face and briny salt-water air filled my lungs. I loved it.

I could hear a live band playing music from a place nearby and the loud sounds of games and carnival rides as we drew closer to the entrance.

"Whoa, I think everyone and their brother decided to come to Kennebunkport today," Zaylie exclaimed as we made our way to the ticket counter and stood in line. "This place is packed."

"Welcome to the carnival," I said laughing.

"Look at that bloke over there," Desmond practically shouted, pointing with his finger. "He's wearing a Batman costume. Seriously, dude, it's a school carnival, not a comic book convention." We all laughed.

"Lots of people dress up around here for the carnival. You'll find people like that all over the place...Look, over there is Darth Vader by the trashcan," Liam commented as he jerked his chin toward the man and nudged Desmond in the side.

"I ain't ever seen the likes of this before," he replied, making us all laugh again. We finally got to the window and paid for our tickets.

"Come on, let's go eat. I just love carnival food!" Zaylie shrieked with excitement. It was catching, and I found myself growing excited too. It felt good to be around people who were happy and playful.

Zaylie, Desmond, and Liam all stood in line for the famous pulled pork sandwich that Desmond said smelled like heaven. Rydan and I sat at a picnic table, saving it for them. Rydan was a vegetarian, and I already ate before coming, knowing I didn't have any money.

"This pulled pork is the bee's knees," screeched Desmond.

"What? Do bees actually have knees?" Liam asked sarcastically.

"I don't know, but this pork is amazing!" Zaylie chimed in.

"It is pretty good. I guess I'm used to it. I eat these all the time," Liam replied, inhaling the food like a hungry-hungry-hippo.

"I want onion rings," Zaylie blurted suddenly. "I heard that Fat Sue's uses this amazing tempura beer batter. I have to try some!"

"Fat Sue's sets up shop a little ways down," Rydan told her. "We can walk that way next."

Desmond sighed, and then all of a sudden looked at us with a huge grin across his face.

"Des, no! This whole place is covered with food," Zaylie exclaimed. She sighed at the same time Liam said "Dude!" in awe. He followed Desmond, who had already gotten up to get another sandwich.

I laughed when both Desmond and Liam returned, shrugging as they walked back stuffing their faces. "What can we say, we're growing boys," Liam grinned through a mouth full of food.

"Oh yuck! Learn some manners, dipstick," Zaylie barked, not amused.

"What did you call me?" he asked, offended.

"You heard me!" she retorted, standing on her tippy toes in an effort to meet his eye-level, but couldn't.

"Chill out, you two! Crikey..." Desmond interjected, getting between them. I tried not to laugh, but they were so funny together. "Come on, let's go get some fairy floss," he tried appealing to his sister.

"What the heck is fairy floss?" I asked.

"That pink fluffy stuff. I saw it over there." He pointed to a cotton candy truck.

"You mean cotton candy," I critiqued, laughing.

"To you, maybe." He winked, walking toward the truck. We followed, Zaylie moving as far away from Liam as possible. I noticed then that Liam kept glancing over at Zaylie, looking a little lustful. Hmm...

Zaylie had gotten her onion rings next and was so full afterward that she vowed to never eat again. Ten minutes later she was eating a bag of warm cinnamon and sugar almonds. Rydan bought me a lemon shake-up as a surprise, knowing it was my must-have at carnivals.

I promised to share an "Elephant Ear" with Zaylie later after she saw one and wanted to know what it was. Liam corralled us toward the rides and games, saying he was sick of wasting time on food. Desmond bought us all ride tickets, and Zaylie shrieked when she saw the tilt-a-whirl. We both laughed as we took the tickets and literally ran to stand in line. Zaylie bounced up and down, hardly able to contain her excitement. Liam joined us while Rydan and Desmond waited by the exit. When it was our turn, I forced Zaylie to sit in the middle, developing a hidden agenda, despite her protest of having to be near Liam. All three of us screamed, which then made us girls laugh at Liam who sounded ridiculous.

Rydan and Desmond looked to really hit it off. I could hear them talking about guitars as we made our way toward them and was surprised to find Desmond so into that. I had no idea. Liam fit in the conversation effortlessly since he also was into playing music. As we walked to the next attraction, I learned that Desmond and Liam started a band and wanted Rydan to join them. He said he'd think about it as he put an arm around me after seeing me shiver from the cold wind.

It was turning dusk, which Zaylie said was the perfect time to go on the Ferris wheel. I, however, had sworn to never go on one again after riding one by myself last year. It had completely freaked me out stopping at the top, swinging back and forth, as people got off and got back on. I had realized then that heights were not my thing.

Rydan offered to sit with Zaylie while Desmond and Liam begrudgingly sat together, worried that girls would get the wrong idea and ruin their reputation.

I stood at the bottom, watching with amusement as Zaylie laughed at something Rydan must have said as they moved closer to the top.

"Don't you look cute."

My breath caught in my throat, heart doing complete somersaults, at the sound of Mycah's velvety accented voice. I whirled around, not believing my ears.

#  Chapter Twenty-Nine

~Naminé~

It took Falla and Halta three hours to complete healing the baby griffin. He was very close to death, and I sat beside them the entire time praying that he would live. After about an hour, he had stopped moaning, and I was afraid he had died, but I could see his stomach rise and fall and knew that he was still breathing, if not barely.

I gasped as suddenly I could sense in this baby griffin that he was a Fëa. Falla must have noticed along the way as well because she and Halta had been laboring for hours to heal him. I dared not give anything away, because only a Maite'Ona could sense when an un-bonded animal without a Maite'Ona was Fëa.

The Fëa were creatures of nature, different species of the animal kingdom, and were always linked with a Maite'Ona. Once one became aware of their gift and became a Maite'Ona, they would embark on a sacred journey, or our Maranwe. Maranwe was an extraordinary exploration to find our Fëa essence: an extension of one's being, forever linked together.

My heart constricted as I thought of my Maranwe—my exploration to find Calen. It took three intense days to journey and find my Fëa essence. When I finally found her, it was a rare memory I would never forget. What a horrid affair it was trying to explain my absence, and though I had been punished severely when I returned, it was imperative that I kept it secret.

I looked down at the baby griffin and realized that a future someone would embark on his or her own Maranwe to find this Fëa. The poor soul had to survive. I would do everything in my power to save this youngling so that one day it would bond with his Maite'Ona.

Baby griffins were uncommon in this part of the Kingdom. There were not too many griffins left at all. The fact that one had gotten pregnant while in the stables was a miracle. The King had started to acquire all the griffins in the land, and he paid a hefty price for the capture of them. No one quite knew why, but it was thought the King hoped they would help our side win the war. I hated to see these animals in captivity, but at least I knew that my father would care for them.

Now that I knew this one was a Fëa, I wondered how many others were in captivity. The Fëa were not born to be captives. They were to be free to enjoy life and bond with their Maite'Ona. That was the way of our people.

When they were done, Falla looked exhausted and went to lie down in the grass and instantly fell asleep with Halta hidden in her vest once again. It had taken a lot out of them both to heal. I watched them and the baby griffin sleep all night long. I couldn't keep my gaze away from him as it labored to breathe.

I jumped as I saw him move. He hadn't moved all night. He was trying to get up, so I went to put my hand on his head to comfort him. He snuggled his head in the palm of my hand and licked my wrist. I smiled, as I knew he wanted to be comforted, loved. I didn't know where his mother was, but as I went to pick up the baby, he tried to crawl in my arms. He settled on my lap, wrapped his wings around his body, and laid his head on my arm. He cooed a strange sound, then instantly went back to sleep.

I picked up a sense of contentment, and perhaps a little envy coming from Calen, and I couldn't help but smile. I longed to be with her, too.

#  Chapter Thirty

~Nari~

"Mycah," I breathed. "What are you doing here?" Somebody pinch me please...

"I'm sorry to disappoint," he quipped. "Here, I won this for you." He handed me a brown teddy bear with purple eyes. I stared at the bear, then to Mycah, then back to the bear, stunned.

He walked closer and pulled me into his arms, burying his face into my neck. His skin was hot against the coldness of mine. Warmth poured through me, and this strange sensation radiated from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I felt...whole again. Like that missing piece of my soul had been returned to its rightful place, and an unexplainable deep satiation now wholly consumed me.

"I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave." His lips grazed my skin as he whispered into my neck, making me tremble.

"I'm glad," I admitted shakily. I couldn't wrap my head around what was happening or what I was actually feeling, but I knew I was more than glad—I was ecstatic. I practically soared. Someone please tie a string around my finger before I got too high and was lost forever...

"The bear reminded me of you." He pulled away and softly stroked the bear's head. "It matches your silky chocolate hair and beautiful violet eyes." He looked at me from under his lashes and chuckled. His British accent clicked over each word, reminding me how sexy it was. I didn't know what to say. I was so shocked that he was actually standing before me, and then when I looked to the bear I was overcome with memories of Teddy. They didn't look exactly the same, but they were very similar.

"If only you matched his size so I could put you in my backpack," he chuckled again. He was obviously in a great mood, dressed in dark jeans and black leather jacket with the collar turned up. I had the urge to call him James Dean.

"Thank you. She's wonderful." I finally found my words but desperate to hold back the unshed tears. The bear looked like a girl and could never replace Teddy in my heart, but I now loved this one too for different reasons.

"What are you doing here?" Rydan snarled from behind. My scalp prickled from anticipation and my hands started to sweat as I turned around to face him. I guessed this wasn't a dream after all.

"Ry, please don't cause a scene," I pleaded in a half whisper. Zaylie, Desmond, and Liam all looked at Rydan with confusion before greeting Mycah, who returned the gesture with a smile and nod of his head.

"I didn't need to bring an invitation to join did I? I'm afraid mine got lost in the mail," Mycah joked, looking Rydan straight in the eye. Rydan took a step closer, challenging him.

"I've got your invitation right here," Rydan mimicked his British accent perfectly and a lot better than I was able to do as he pulled out a pen from his pocket and wrote something in his tiny pad of paper he always kept with him for writing down music notes. He ripped out the piece of paper a second later and handed it to Mycah.

"I formally invite you to please leave," Mycah read the note aloud, amused. He laughed, a good hearty laugh.

"Wait, what's going on here? Do you two hate each other or something?" Liam interjected. "Is this about Nari? Because believe me, getting that girl is hopeless," he teased.

"Liam!" I shrieked. "Will you just...shhh! You're not helping!" I gritted my teeth, embarrassed at his accusation.

"I don't hate Rydan," Mycah scoffed. "I didn't have a problem with the bloke until he punched me in the mouth," he said to Zaylie, pointing to his lip and pouting, milking it. She turned to Rydan, shocked.

"What?! Why did you do that?" she asked him, but Rydan kept his cool, calm gaze on Mycah. Desmond and Liam held fists to their mouths, trying not to laugh, but were pleasantly surprised. They both patted Rydan on the back, as if to say "Well done."

"Okay, time-out. It doesn't matter why he did it. Can we just all be civil, please?" I demanded with exasperation. I'd die if they found out the reason Rydan punched Mycah was because he was lying in bed with me after I'd been missing for days.

I looked back and forth between Rydan and Mycah. They both stayed silent, staring each other down. Rydan walked over to me and put an arm around my shoulders, never taking his eyes off Mycah's. He started pulling me away from the group and bent down to whisper in my ear.

"You didn't tell me he was coming," he accused.

"I didn't know he was! I swear," I defended myself, matching his whisper.

"He'll listen to you if you ask him to leave." His voice was stern, but hopeful.

"I...I'm not sure I want to..." Actually, I knew I didn't want to, but it was really hard explaining that to him right now. I couldn't understand what fueled Rydan's distaste for Mycah, and in order to change his mind about him I had to play a careful game. It wasn't that Rydan would be jealous—that was the least of my worries. But I first had to figure out what the problem was so I could proceed accordingly.

"Come on, Rydan. It was just a spat." Mycah caught up to us, interrupting our discussion. "I'm sure we can find a way to be friends. Or maybe even more than that." Rydan stopped walking, eyebrows raised in question toward Mycah.

"I didn't know you were gay. Unfortunately for you, I don't swing that way." Rydan winked, then resumed walking with me still under his arm. Mycah laughed, walking with us.

"I meant, maybe like brothers," he clarified, sounding serious. I looked at Mycah, wondering if he was being sarcastic, because that seemed about as realistic as time traveling. You could suggest it, but didn't mean it was gonna happen. Rydan laughed, shaking his head.

"You've got to be kidding me," he replied, not believing for a second that would ever happen.

"We shall see, won't we?" Mycah narrowed his eyes as he grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Rydan. He kept steering me away from the group as he walked backward, staring into my eyes.

"Where are you going?" Zaylie called out as they all stopped walking to watch us.

A few feet away, Mycah eventually came to a stop and bent down to whisper to me. "I have to go. They're here." He spoke with urgency, but kept his voice extremely low that I had a hard time hearing him.

"Who? Secret Agents??" I asked, matching his volume. I knew if I could see myself in this moment, I'd look whiter than a ghost.

"I don't have time to explain. I don't want there to be a scene. I'll see you later, I promise." He kissed my head then walked away, not even acknowledging anyone else.

"Where is he going?" Desmond asked with his Aussie accent strong once I got closer to them. I couldn't get over feeling completely dazed and confused.

"He..." I tried to think of a good excuse. "He um...just...had something to do." There. That should be good enough.

"Will he be back? Should we wait for him?" Zaylie questioned, looping her arm with mine.

"Oh, no, no. I don't think so. Let's keep going." I tried to sound cheerful. I still wasn't over my shock, feeling like I was stuck in a dream and not able to wake up.

"What a shame..." I heard Rydan say sarcastically under his breath. I chose to ignore him.

"Hey, so tell me about the game last night," I said quietly to Zaylie once we started walking again with our arms still linked together, desperate to distract my racing mind.

"Oh right!" She beamed with excitement.

She then went on to tell me all about her night and the fun she had at the first home game of the school's football season, which our team won. Next she told me how Seth finally asked her to the dance, which she was extremely excited about, and what she planned on wearing. I noticed every now and then Liam rolled his eyes, then clenched and unclenched his fists, making me wonder if he could be jealous. It made me smile, and a new idea I had of playing matchmaker planted firmer in my mind.

I listened attentively and laughed and responded at all the right places, but I couldn't keep my thoughts from drifting back to Mycah every few seconds.

We stayed until the carnival closed up shop. They dropped Rydan and me off back at my house, calling it a night.

"See you at the Willow Monday?" Rydan asked as I hugged him goodbye. I stared over his shoulder at my dark house. Ray wouldn't be back until tomorrow, and it gave me the creeps thinking about having to go inside alone. I thought to ask Rydan to stay but knew he couldn't. His parents enforced a strict curfew.

"Yep," I answered, not wanting to let go. This would be the first time being by myself while it was dark without Mycah. Last night didn't count because I fell asleep early and didn't wake up until morning. Now I actually had to be brave. I hated the dark.

"What is it?" Rydan asked, sensing my reluctance.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. I'm fine. Go home before you get in trouble and won't be able to see me later." I could be brave. I had to be.

"Call or text if you need anything," he said as he got on his motorcycle.

"You know I will." I waved goodbye and watched him as he finally turned on to the main street, then out of sight.

I slowly walked up to my house hugging the teddy bear Mycah gave me. I decided to fight my fears by remembering the great night I had. I hadn't thought I would've been able to have any fun at all. I had been downright miserable when the day started, even if I hadn't wanted to admit it. But my friends (which was weird for me to say still) were amazing. I loved them all. I never thought I would feel that way about a person other than Rydan, and now I actually had several people who I could call true friends. My day had a rough start, but awesome company followed by Mycah's return made it one of the best days of my life.

Lost in thought, I went to unlock the door but froze upon finding it already cracked open.

"Hello?" I called tentatively, not really sure I wanted anyone to answer. Scratch that. I prayed that no one would answer. I slowly opened the door while every skin cell I owned pricked to attention. Just as I stepped inside, a large body slammed me into the wall across the way, making me drop the teddy bear, and held me in place with a knife to my neck.

"Where is Ray Miller?" a burly man demanded, wearing sunglasses despite the late hour.

"He's on vacation, but I don't know where," I immediately answered, terrified out of my mind.

"Well, well, well. Isn't that just wonderful for him?" he mused sarcastically. "So, instead of paying off his debts, he chooses to run off and play."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I explained, hoping he'd understand.

"Mr. Miller owes a substantial amount of money. My boss is not a patient man. Ray's gambling days are over if he doesn't pay up. Oh, but don't you worry your pretty little head. We'll find a way to collect every penny soon enough. Maybe I should give him a warning, hmm?" he threatened by digging the knife deeper into my throat.

"He'll be back tomorrow, okay? And don't bother with a warning. He couldn't care less what you do to me," I spat, knowing every word was true. He'd be doing Ray a favor in all honesty.

He let go, removing the knife as he stepped back. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was premature. He hit me across the face with an iron fist, knocking me to the floor.

"I'll take my chances; you understand." He smiled, knowing full well I didn't. "Tell Mr. Miller there is more where that came from if he doesn't take care of his debts by tomorrow night."

At that, he stormed out of the house as I stayed crouched on the floor. My life was becoming one living nightmare after another. There really was only so much a person could take, and I was quickly filling my quota. I looked around the dark, empty house, loathing every second I spent there. This house was pure hell.

I ran outside, not even bothering to lock it. It was chilly, so I numbly stuffed my hands in the pockets of my coat. It must've been midnight, and I had to walk in the dark, but I was too angry for it to bother me. I knew exactly where I wanted to go—who I needed to see. My pace quickened at the thought of him wrapping his arms around me, calming my frightened heart.

Stupid Ray. I hated him. Just as much as he hated me. My eyes stung with unshed emotion, dreading the moment I had to be near him again when he came home tomorrow. He better have the money he owed or I was afraid I'd be feeling the brunt of it if that man returned looking for him.

After about a thirty-minute walk, I finally made it to O'Malley's Bed & Breakfast and couldn't feel more relieved. I quietly walked up to the front door, ready to go inside. But in my haste, I forgot to think about if Mycah was still staying here or if he was even in the same room. What was I thinking? He had left town...he could be staying anywhere or in any room. Could I risk disturbing whoever was in the room he had before?

I slowly turned around with my eyes closed and sat down on the porch steps, tears threatening to surface as I contemplated what to do.

"Nari?"

I jerked my head up at the sound of Mycah's silky voice. God, was he ravishing in the moonlight as it reflected off his midnight blue hair, all ruffled and stuck up in random spots. My throat immediately closed from forcing back tears.

"What's wrong?" he rasped as he quickly walked up to me.

I didn't say anything as he pulled me up tightly against his muscular body, wrapping me in a warm embrace. I couldn't hold back my tears any longer and began sobbing in his chest. He started rubbing the back of my head, trying to comfort me.

All of a sudden, he bent down slightly and effortlessly picked me up off the ground, still holding me tightly against his body. Like the time he carried me before, I buried my face in his neck and knotted my fingers through his hair. I inhaled his sweet smell, using it like a balm.

His soft skin warmed my cold face as he quietly carried me through the B&B and into his room, not turning on any lights. He sat down in the chair by the window, never letting go or loosening his hold.

I was pathetic. A total drama queen. I couldn't stand myself these last few weeks. But I wasn't only upset over what happened just moments ago. I vented about everything. I cried about the crappy things that had happened recently, the fact that I was terrified to be at home now—and not just because of Ray like the reason used to be. Now it was the fact I had more than just Ray threatening my life every time I was there. I was torn up about Mycah leaving and that he came back. I was a mess.

"I'm such a mess," I grimaced, echoing my thoughts. "I'm sorry for coming here in the middle of the night like this," I sniffed.

"Nariella," he whispered in my ear, causing my heart to do a cartwheel. "Don't ever be sorry for coming to me. Ever." He wiped my hot tears away, making me flinch and pull away. His touch was gentle, but it stung my bruised face where that hideous man hit me. "Where did you get that?" he questioned with alarm as he tipped my wounded face into the moonlight. He put his fingers against the bruise and healed it immediately.

"Thanks." I laid my face back against his neck where it belonged. "A man was inside my house when I got home. He was looking for Ray, who seems to owe lots of money."

"You can't be serious." He sighed. "That worthless prat." I felt his jaw tighten against my face and had the strongest urge to kiss it.

"Why were you outside already?" I asked, rubbing my nose. I needed to distract myself. And it was a legitimate question since it was in the middle of the night; there wasn't much to do here in this small town.

"I...was out. Taking a walk. I didn't feel like sleeping and then time got away from me," he stated rather suspiciously. He didn't sound very convincing.

"Earlier you said, "They're here"—who were you talking about?" I interrogated, feeling a new wave of worry hit me in my stomach. I looked up into his deep blue eyes, demanding an honest answer.

"I want to tell you, I do. But I don't think you can handle it just yet." He searched my eyes, wanting me to understand.

"Was it the men who took me before?" My voice shook, betraying the brave face I tried to put on.

"No. No, it wasn't. This was worse. Much worse." He stared with great intensity into my eyes and tried to convey the gravity of his words. And it worked. I shuddered, realizing I had no idea what I'd gotten myself into and wasn't sure I wanted to know. I mean, what could be worse?

"What does this mean?" I pointed to his tattoo then gently touched it, finally able to admire the intricacy up close.

"Hmmm," he mused with a smirk and narrowed his eyes at me like he was trying to decipher whether to tell me or not. "I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

"Psh...whatever. That is such a cliché," I laughed.

"Ah well, sometimes I love a good cliché." He winked at me, smiling. It was so charming and alluring, I had a hard time concentrating on anything else. "Truthfully, it's just something that has been passed down in my family for a long time. A very long time." I watched his face as he spoke and noticed a change in his expression and demeanor. He seemed solemn, maybe even sad. I wanted to ask more about it but something told me not to, just like the other time he mentioned his family.

After a few minutes, I desperately needed a tissue. I unwillingly forced myself to unmold from his arms and made my way to the bathroom. I could feel him watching me, and my pulse quickened in response. I pulled off my coat now that I was warm and hung it on a hook, then took care of my nose, splashed some water on my face, and padded my way back to him.

He stood up, never taking his eyes away from mine. The moonlight was filtering in through the antique curtains of the window and fell on his dazzling features, making him look incredibly stunning. I lost my breath from the way he gazed at me, and I once again wondered if the devil or maybe an angel stood before me. I couldn't decide which one.

My heart—oh, my poor heart—raced and swelled, threatening to burst right out of its cavity as he reached up and caressed both of my arms with his soft, gentle hands.

I forced myself to swallow and felt a million butterflies plunge in my stomach. He had to be able to hear my pulse because it felt like it was zooming so fast in my veins and was thumping in my own ears – there was no way he could miss it. I felt my cheeks grow hot at the thought and then realized my whole body grew hot.

My skin had to be on fire, begging to be snuffed by his touch. Seeming to know what I wanted, or needed, he reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear before holding his palm to my cheek, caressing my skin with his thumb.

My heart, body, and soul all seemed to dance within me in triumph as he pulled me close to him, slipping a hand underneath my shirt. He gently grazed the small of my back with his soft fingers, and I finally knew my resolve against men was officially broken.

He slipped both his hands down to the back of my thighs then lifted me up, moving my legs around his waist. He kept his eyes locked onto mine as he pushed me roughly against the wall with his warm body, and suddenly his lips were on mine. He kissed me with intense hunger, like his life depended on this one kiss.

I kissed him back with equal desperation, feeling as if I too would die without him. A fire exploded around us, engulfing every inch our bodies touched in hot flames, and I thought for sure at any moment I would combust into a pile of ash. He kissed me passionately, knotting his hand in my hair and pulling my head back to kiss my jawline, ear, neck, collarbone, giving me a moment to breathe, but then was right back to my mouth with even more fervor, as if that time away had been torture.

I wrapped my legs around his waist even tighter and pulled him closer to my body, never feeling that he was actually close enough. This was heaven. I was sure of it. I died somewhere back there and this was heaven, it was the only explanation. We were one, completely in sync, souls now forever united and intertwined with one another. I never wanted to part from this angel from this day forward.

#  Chapter Thirty-One

~Naminé~

Red. Blue. Yellow.

Red. Blue. Yellow.

I had to repeat those colors in my head over and over so that I would not forget the order in which the vessels were to be placed. The arrangement of these vessels was very important, and if the order got switched the potion wouldn't work.

Falla was preparing a healing potion for the baby griffin. After three long hours of healing, something was still not right.

I arranged the vessels according to color. Red. Blue. Yellow. The red vessel was Carad, which would help the baby strengthen faster. The blue vessel was Luin, and it was a medicine that would heal the wound quicker. The yellow was Malina, and it would give the baby the nutrients it needed to survive.

Now all we had to do was wait.

I helped Falla with the potion and then left her healing chamber. I walked through the gallery and out into the great hall. It was an hour before the first meal, and I needed to attend to my normal duties.

Before I reached any further, a hand clamped down over my mouth, arms wrapped around my waist, and suddenly I was dragged behind a giant pillar.

#  Chapter Thirty-Two

~Nari~

I awoke without opening my eyes, blissful, and realized my lips burned with longing. I could tell through my eyelids that it must've been in the middle of the day, because the sun screamed into my face.

I had an amazing dream and would give anything for it to have been real. I slightly stirred, not wanting to open my eyes; afraid my euphoria would end upon doing so.

In that split second, my eyes tore open as my heart jumped to my throat. I was held in place by a lean but muscular arm with incredibly soft skin and a human-sized heating pad attached to my back. With my heart swelling, I went to move my arms and then realized my right hand was interlaced with much larger fingers than mine, and my left hand grasped that same soft arm that rested around me.

That was when his familiar, delicious woodsy scent flooded through me.

It wasn't a dream. Each soft stroke of his breathing against the back of my neck told me that this was very real. I felt my grin grow from ear to ear, and there was nothing I could do to stop it as my heart thumped in my chest. All we did was sleep, but it was still the most amazing night I have ever had.

I began ever-so-lightly to trace patterns with my fingers over the silky skin of his sun-kissed arm. His breath caught, setting off those dang butterflies in my stomach again, which started doing somersaults at the wondrous sound of him softly moaning in appreciation.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" he whispered against my neck, setting off a whole new wave of acrobatic butterflies inside me. I turned my head to bury my face in my pillow, trying to hide my flushed cheeks.

He chuckled softly, then kissed my head. He got up and went in the bathroom. I quickly turned on my back, throwing my hand over my eyes, grinning at this amazing moment and this amazing person who was now in my life. I could barely believe that it was real—that at any moment I wasn't going to wake up and realize it had all just been a crazy, wonderful dream. I pinched myself—just in case. Nope, wasn't a dream. This was reality. I bit my lower lip as I quietly squealed and danced against the bed.

And then it hit me.

I still had no clue who this "amazing person" was. He wouldn't tell me. He wouldn't tell me what he was or why he was dangerous. How could I trust someone like that?

Especially since one minute he was kissing me, and the next he was telling me he couldn't stay here. Yeah, he may be in my life now, but that could change at any second. He had already left abruptly once before. Eventually he would go back to Chicago. I didn't know what we were, but we were definitely not a couple. If I let him in, truly let him into my heart, then I'd only be giving it a death sentence because it was clear sooner or later he was just going to smash it to pieces.

Moments later, any thoughts I battled with were quickly erased. I watched as he returned dripping wet wearing nothing but a white towel low around his waist, and I swear it was in slow motion as he casually sauntered into the walk-in closet in all his swagger. He had no shame and clearly had no reason to. Words could not describe the incredible sight before me, as his perfectly tight abs cut and disappeared down into the towel and every other muscle glistened in the sun. I knew I was blushing. The hottest guy I had ever been around was Rydan and not once had he paraded half-naked in front of me. It was a sight I certainly was not used to, but even still the level of lust I suddenly felt for this guy overwhelmed me and took me by surprise.

"Did you want to shower too, love?" he asked once he stepped out of the closet, dressed only in black jeans that hung from his hips. He pulled a fitted long-sleeved shirt over his head, then pushed up the sleeves to his elbows—a look I was becoming familiar with. Yet, even with him now fully clothed, I was still left breathless as I tried to recover from gawking.

I cleared my throat and pretended not to be bothered by him.

"Umm...that would be great, but it'd just be a waste. I have to get home and clean before the dance tonight. Ray will be back," I explained dejectedly, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. If he came home and it wasn't completely spotless, I'd need Dr. Mycah again. Not that that'd be the worst thing...

"Ah, yes. The dance. Rydan your date?" he asked without looking at me. His mind had focused on something entirely different than mine.

"No, I'm going alone. Dances aren't really Rydan's thing." I laughed, remembering how any time I'd begged him to take me before, he immediately refused with a look of disgust.

"The poor chap probably can't dance." Mycah pointed a finger at me for a split second before grinning. "I, on the other hand, am an excellent dancer."

"Shocker," I responded sarcastically, smiling. Who was he kidding? Was there anything Mycah wasn't excellent at?

"I could go with you." He met my eyes seriously. I sucked in a breath, really taken by surprise this time. Marie said he wasn't going to the dance so I never even let myself entertain the idea before. "Unless you don't want me to." He mistook my silence for rejection.

"No! I...I want you to. I mean, that'd be nice. Thanks." I swallowed and forced myself to keep calm. I hated every moment my heart betrayed the logic that I firmly held in my brain. I didn't know what this meant or if it meant anything at all. It could just be a friendly gesture since I was dateless. But I didn't even know if we actually were friends. He didn't exactly treat me like one. Didn't friends tell each other things? I couldn't let myself get carried away with him. He was lying to me about so many things. I wouldn't let myself get any deeper until he confided in me.

He dropped me off at home, and I immediately got to work taking care of the house. I didn't know what time Ray would be back so I moved as quickly as I could just in case, expecting him to walk in at any moment. I wouldn't have much time to get ready for the dance, but preventing bruises sat at a higher priority for me.

I wiped down the counters and every surface or item in the kitchen, took care of any dishes, mopped all the floors, vacuumed any carpets and rugs, dusted every inch imaginable, cleaned the bathroom. I even washed the windows. Then finally, several hours later, finished with the last load of laundry.

A figure moved outside in the yard, making me do a double-take. It was Mycah. I moved closer to see what he was doing out there, surprised to see him. He walked in a line, holding his hands to the ground, and with each step he took the leaves that littered the yard disintegrated back into the earth. He must've just finished taking care of the entire lawn, because not a loose leaf was in sight. I completely forgot about the yard. I was overcome with relief that Mycah thought of it and deeply grateful.

He looked up and saw me in the window gawking, then smirked in his sexy way. He jerked his thumb behind him toward the road, signaling he had to go, and waved goodbye. I waved back feeling disappointed he was leaving.

But just as he pulled away, I suddenly remembered I had yet to finish my dress for the dance and still figure out how to give myself a makeover worthy of the fancy occasion. I was horrible at doing makeup and my hair, only just learning the bare basics. Normally I wouldn't care, but there was something in me that burned to look extra nice tonight.

I tried not to get overwhelmed with dread as I ran to my room to finish up my dress, now having only two hours until Zaylie picked me up.

Crap.

I could feel myself panicking. There was no way I'd be able to do anything special with myself. Maybe I could at least accomplish "decent."

After a while, I went to assess my dress one more time just as the doorbell ringing pulled me out of my concentration. I just finished it and had little over an hour to get ready. I didn't have time to deal with whoever was at the door. I barely had time to shower and take care of myself. I had no idea how to get ready for a dance. An incessant knock made me grunt as I sprinted to the door. I opened it to find a grinning Zaylie clad with bags hanging from her arms.

"Surprise!" she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, pleasantly surprised.

"I've come to help you get ready!" she squealed, holding up the bags in the air. Her pretty accent painted her words, and I had to stop myself from knocking her to the ground in a bear hug. Her hair and makeup were done to perfection so I couldn't possibly do anything to mess it up.

"Seriously? You have got to be my fairy godmother." I laughed, carefully pulling her into a gentle hug. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet! We don't have much time. Point me in the right direction." She shook the bags and waggled her eyebrows, reminding me of her twin brother.

"Follow me." I grinned back and took some of the bags she carried to lighten her load.

I showed her my room and then quickly jumped in the shower. I worked as fast as I could, shaving my legs and massaging my face under the hot water, and used a special body scrub that Zaylie said would brighten my skin. I was instructed to stand under cold water for a few minutes when I was done with everything else. I didn't know what it did, but I obeyed.

I eventually dried and put on a button-down shirt, per her request, and sat down in a chair for her to work her magic on me.

"You have such captivating eyes, you know that?" Zaylie said as she ran mascara through my lashes. "I would kill for your eyes. Not to mention you don't even need fake eyelashes! It already looks like you're wearing some," she gushed with a laugh.

"Thank you. But you have gorgeous eyes." I smiled up at her, truly appreciative of the compliment. Ray hated my eyes—I grew up with him constantly making fun of me and telling me not to look at him. I thought they were ugly because he had always told me they were.

"So, tell me about your mum and dad. Are you close with them?" she asked with genuine interest.

"Oh, uh...no. I used to be close to my mom. But not my dad. Actually, they're my foster parents. And I don't actually call Ray dad or anything," I explained as she moved to apply mascara to my other eye. I wasn't entirely sure how much I wanted to open up to Zaylie. Yes, she was my friend of course, but it took a lot for me to open up to someone.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Close your eyes," she quietly instructed. "So what happened? How come you're not close to your mum anymore?" She said the words softly as she gently swiped my closed lids with a soft brush.

"Ummm..." I couldn't do it. I couldn't let the words escape my mouth, and my brain desperately fought to keep the images hidden away. "I can't really talk about it right now. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no problem. Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." She smiled down at me. "Look up," she instructed next. She began working underneath my eyes.

"No, don't apologize. It's just hard for me to get into it. I don't want to ruin our night." I felt guilty. I hoped I didn't make her feel bad. Especially after all the trouble she was going through just to be friendly toward me. I sucked.

"No worries." She laughed as she finished up my eyes and moved to my face. After applying some fluffy brushes powdered in a light pink, and once she felt satisfied, she started on my hair. I wasn't allowed to see the makeup until she was completely done with everything over an hour later.

I touched my fingertips to my lips and then slowly reached out to touch them in the mirror. My eyes lifted and went to the purple eyes reflecting back at me. I knew it was me—I could see that I was looking at myself. But I looked...foreign. I didn't look myself. I looked...pretty. I felt pretty.

"You are incredible, Zales. Thank you so much," I whispered with gratitude, unable to overcome my shock. I'd never felt so good before. I was happy and excited, and for once I didn't feel shy. I was now prepared to face tonight. Courage burst into my gut, and a small idea popped into mind.

"I'm very happy to do it." Zaylie smirked as she squeezed my bare shoulders. "My turn to get my dress on!"

"Okay." I laughed as she ran to the bathroom carrying her garment bag. The idea floated through my mind again. Maybe I could do it...I sucked in a deep breath and steadied my hands.

Of course I could do it. I was able to make the finishing touches to my dress, shower, Zaylie fixed my hair and makeup, and now our ride would be here at any minute. It didn't seem possible that I could finish in time, but I did. I could do anything.

This was it. I was about to go to a dance with Mycah and my friends. I had friends. That was a huge accomplishment all on its own. I was growing into a different person. I could feel it. This should be easy. I could be brave. Tonight, I would be brave.

I was going to ask Mycah where we stood.

The small idea might have seemed simple and innocent, even easy for some. But for me, it was a big deal. I needed to know if he thought of us as friends, or if he was just going to up and leave without ever seeing or hearing from him again. And if we really were friends, I needed him to show me by opening up. I needed him to trust me. I needed to know more before he left and I never got the chance to find out.

And I was going to beg him to tell me.

My hands started to shake so I squeezed them closed. I could do this. I had no idea if Mycah was coming to my house first, or if he'd be meeting us at the school. We never did hammer out those details, which only made not knowing magnify my nerves. But I needed to stay confident. After the dance tonight, I was going to make him tell me.

I twirled one finger around a strand of my long hair. Zaylie carefully straightened it into a perfect satin curtain that now hung low across my back. My hair was slightly curled on the ends in its natural state like loose ringlets, but the top half was mostly straight. So using a flat iron, Zaylie worked to provide a more sultry look. In the end, she added a bit of my favorite bubblegum lip conditioner to my lips. I checked my smoky eyeliner one more time, making sure I didn't cause any smudges.

I ran a hand over my black form-fitting silk dress. It hugged my curves and dropped several inches above my knee. I hadn't meant to make it so snug—I wasn't used to making dresses, especially silk ones. I adjusted the strapless sweetheart neckline bodice that cinched my waist and tugged on the A-line skirt. It would have to do.

I had never felt more grateful of Ray's inability to get rid of my mother's things as I put on the killer pair of black strappy heels I found in her box of shoes. Though she was a size eight, my size seven feet would just have to make it work. I also couldn't be more grateful that he wasn't home yet. We might just be able to get out of there without seeing him.

I walked around my room, practicing the foreign height. It wasn't so bad. It was all about balance. I could do this. I looked up once I heard Zaylie enter my room.

"Zaylie! You look amazing!" I gushed openly. She truly did look beautiful. She had her hair curled in an up-do with a few ringlets to frame her face and crisp eye makeup that spelled jungle cat. Her dress was a cute shimmery forest green that brought out the gold in her eyes. It was a fun spaghetti strapped number with a short balloon skirt and chunky belt to cinch her waist.

"Thank you, doll." She posed with her arms in the air and leg bent up to her knee.

I checked my clock, and as if right on cue, a knock sent our eyes to meet and kept us silent. I carefully strode to the door, conscious of my steps so that I wouldn't break an ankle. I opened the door grinning, expecting to greet a similar smiling Seth who was about to get even smilier once he laid eyes on his date, Zaylie. Instead, my breath was knocked out of me upon finding a gorgeous Mycah, looking completely dapper in his black tux. Holy crap.

I had never seen anyone look so stunning in all my life. I had to consciously unhinge my jaw and snap it closed. Every color in his blue eyes exploded in contrast to the blackness of his messy rock star hair and black suit. He left his white shirt unbuttoned at the top, and his black tie was loose around his collar, screaming debonair.

He swept his eyes over me without even a hint of a smile.

"Nariella..." he breathed my name in his sexy accent, and that right there was enough to strike heat throughout my body. "You're...stunning. Beautiful. Really." He stepped onto the doorstep and grabbed my hand.

"Thank you. And you look very dashing yourself." I turned away from his intense stare, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed by the way he looked at me. I had planned on displaying confidence when this moment came, but now that I was actually living it I was quickly losing the battle. My small and innocent idea started to become a vague and hazy impossibility the longer he kept his eyes on me. Why did he make me so nervous?

"Hi, Mycah. I didn't know you were coming." Zaylie grinned behind me, and I could hear the happy accusation in her voice. She was all too thrilled with this turn of events.

"You look beautiful, Zaylie," Mycah replied. I tried to pull my hand from his grasp, still feeling self-conscious, especially in front of Zaylie, but Mycah tightened his hold. "I hope you don't mind my intrusion. Nari mentioned she was going alone, so I offered myself." He smirked.

"Oh no, no, no. Of course not!" Zaylie drew out each word, being completely overdramatic. I shot her a look, but she only grinned wider at me. Ugh. We were only friends. With...mind-shattering kissing benefits every now and then. This wasn't what it seemed...I knew it wasn't. Mycah knew it. Now she just needed to be informed.

Thankfully, a car I didn't recognize pulled into the driveway, saving me from the awkwardness, and I was finally able to free my hand from Mycah's. Seth stepped out of the car, looking super handsome in his black suit, black shirt, and forest green tie that matched Zaylie's dress. Awww. So sweet.

"Wow, you girls look amazing," Seth said with a grin.

"Thank you!" Zaylie and I said at the same time. "Pinch poke you owe me a coke!" we both exclaimed while pinching and poking each other. We burst into laughter, and I could physically feel the nervous tension evaporate off my shoulders. The guys only smiled at us, looking confused and amused.

"Hey, Mycah. We've never officially met before. I'm Seth." He reached out his hand for a shake as he got up to us. Mycah gave him a slight nod and firmly took his hand.

"Evening," he greeted smoothly.

"I promised my mum we'd take pictures. Let's stand in front of the tree," Zaylie suggested as she darted over to it, pulling Seth along with her. I followed and took the camera that she handed over.

I held the digital camera out in front of me and waited for them to pose. Seth stood behind Zaylie and held on to her waist.

Snap.

"Take a few more," she commanded with a grin, so I obeyed. She moved to stand next to Seth with his arm behind her back.

Snap.

Now she stood sideways with Seth behind her again, only their faces were angled toward the camera.

Snap.

"Okay, now you and Mycah," she exclaimed, with way too much excitement in her voice. It made me smile. She took the camera back, and I walked over to the tree, feeling Mycah following behind. I turned around to face the lens, and as Mycah stepped closer to me, my nerves bubbled over like an antsy volcano.

He put a hand on my back and slid it up to my shoulders, pulling me into him, and his delicious scent flooded my system. My heart stopped momentarily as my eyes flickered up to his. He looked down at me, smirking.

Snap.

My head jerked to Zaylie with surprise, who stole a picture without me even being ready.

Snap.

"Zales!" I squeaked, feeling embarrassed.

"You looked so sweet! Now let's take a group photo. Ummm..." She looked around, trying to figure out how we could all be in the photo together.

"Here," Mycah said as he strode up to her and took the camera. "Place it on Seth's car. Get into position, and I'll set it on self-timer." Everyone worked to do what Mycah said. Zaylie and Seth stood together, and I stood by Zaylie. After Mycah positioned the camera just right, he walked over and put an arm around me. I was determined to not be affected by his closeness and smiled this time.

Snap.

#  Chapter Thirty-Three

~Naminé~

"Cathar!" I whispered excitedly. I had been terrified at first, but as soon as we got behind the pillar he let go, turned me around, and instantly threw his arms around me in a big hug. He may have been younger in cycles, but he still towered over me. "What are you doing here, brother?" I asked him.

"I had to see you," he said as he tried to push his blond hair out of his dark brown eyes.

I leaned back out of his embrace to look into those eyes. My younger brother had aged much since the King had sent him to the garrison to train only several months ago. I hadn't seen him since. "Will you get into trouble?"

"If they find me. That's why I had to sneak up on you like that," he said, while looking around covertly.

"Why would you risk it? It would be dangerous for you to be seen conversing with a servant," I told him hastily. Although I was so delighted to see him and would have given anything to have more time with him, I knew if we were caught it would be a catastrophe.

"Naminé, I am leaving tonight. I had to see you before I left."

"What? Where are you off to? Why?" I asked him as my voice shook.

"They are sending my convoy out for scouting. We leave at nightfall and make our way to the boundary. I do not know how long I will be gone or when I will be back. I have been aching to see you. Have you been all right?"

I trembled. I didn't want him to go. He was only fifteen. Why was he being sent out? I didn't understand any of it. "I'm all right," I told him weakly. "Cathar, I don't want you to go. It is too dangerous."

"Nam, I have to. It's an order," he said as he wrapped his arms tighter around me. "Please tell Father and Mother, and don't worry for me. I will be all right. We have been training hard, and I feel stronger than I have ever felt before." He looked down at me and wiped the tears that strolled down my cheeks. "I love you, dear sister of mine. You must remain strong. I will be back for you."

As he walked away, he gave me one last look, slightly smiled, and was gone. I stared after him with a nervous, terrible feeling in my gut that I was never going to see him again.

#  Chapter Thirty-Four

~Nari~

We rode in Seth's car, finally on our way to the Homecoming Dance. Seth drove with Zaylie in the front and Mycah and me in the back.

My heart constricted each time Mycah softly moved his thumb over my knuckle. He had immediately put his hand over mine after I buckled my seatbelt. It was mind-numbing.

"Ooo, turn it up! I love this song!" Zaylie shouted as she reached over and cranked up the radio herself. She bobbed in her seat and sang along to the hip dance number I was unfamiliar with, making me chuckle. I looked out my window, squinting against the setting sun, feeling serene and in the moment.

Mycah pulled my hand up to his mouth and gently kissed my fingers. I instantly blushed and looked down. He was making it very difficult for me to keep my confident composure that I had to desperately work to convey in the first place.

And then before any of us could comprehend what was happening, exploding glass from the car windows showered the space around us, and we were falling.

Or, not falling—Crashing.

The impact flung our bodies, and the sound of screeching metal was deafening as we continued to slide across the asphalt. The movement then stopped and all was still. My ears rang as sound slowly faded back to normal.

I looked around.

The car was mangled, glass was everywhere. We were hit. I slowly realized we were just in a car collision as my eyes settled upon the front of a large, black SUV smashed against us. Against the front passenger side door. And right in the middle of town. But...the streets were deserted. There was no one around...

"Are you okay?" Mycah asked me as he cradled my head between his hands. He was alive. Thank goodness.

"Zaylie. Zaylie?!" I screamed for her, not seeing her head over the headrest anymore. I sat behind her seat and my seatbelt was jammed, keeping me locked tightly in place. I looked to Seth, whose head lay against the left frame of the car, bleeding. I didn't think they were wearing their seatbelts.

"Mycah, get me out of this!" I yelled, desperate to find Zaylie and make sure she was okay. Mycah immediately ripped the seatbelt loose, so I maneuvered my view to the front of the car to see around the seat.

Zaylie was lying forward, head across the dashboard.

Oh, my god. I could feel my eyes were wide with horror and my face drained of blood. I felt faint, striving to hold onto consciousness. I was overcome with regret and love for her at the same time, and also an overwhelming desire to heal her and make her better, even though I knew I couldn't. I regretted not letting her in, opening up to her and deepening our friendship—because I loved her so much. I finally got it. We were true friends. Best friends. I couldn't stand the thought of losing her, and I now knew that I wanted us to be closer. I would have done anything for her to be okay, to live through this, and if she did, I promised I'd never take her friendship for granted again. I instinctively tried to move closer, my insides screaming at me to do something, to take away her pain and fix her injuries.

And then if it couldn't get any worse, the car door was torn away and I was pulled out by strong hands who didn't even try for gentleness. I looked up into the familiar, evil eyes of the man that had captured and tortured me once before.

"Mycah!" I screamed, and then too fast for my eyes to catch, he was suddenly by my side punching the man in the face. I was jerked back as the man held on tighter, stumbling from the hit. He tried to move us farther away from Mycah as quick as he could.

"Give us the Sindora, Mycah!" the man shouted. Mycah didn't say a word as he instantly appeared before us again, crossing the large space in less than a split second. My eyes rapidly blinked, trying to understand. I'd never seen Mycah move that fast before, it was so instantaneous. In the same split second, he placed a hand on the man's arm, glowing, and I was immediately released. Mycah grabbed me and carried me fifty feet away.

"Run!" he demanded before turning back to the man who was now power-walking toward us in a fury. He held onto his nose that gushed with blood. He was still wearing the same black suit I saw him in last time.

"Stop right there!" Mycah growled. The man obeyed. I couldn't move either. I was mesmerized by the situation and refused to leave Mycah's side.

"I don't want to kill you. But if you touch her again, I will. Please. Don't make me kill you," Mycah pleaded in a pained voice, his English accent thick.

"So, this time you would kill me instead of just erasing my memories? I guess this means you are learning from your mistakes." The man smirked, seeming to appreciate that new fact instead of being intimidated by it. Mycah clenched and unclenched his fists, just listening. "Go ahead. Kill me. Or take my memories again. It matters not. For there will always be a replacement ready and waiting in my stead. Now, hand over the Sindora. None of this would have happened if you would only cooperate," the burly man sneered with a hard accent of his own and waved his hand toward the car crash. His accent was different from Mycah's. Again, it sounded German or Austrian. I didn't know the difference, if there even was one.

"Never," Mycah seethed through gritted teeth. His hands were still clenched by his sides and his chest heaved.

"Oh, I do not know about that. What is that American saying? Never say never? Look around. You are completely surrounded. You either come with us now, or one of our snipers gets to have fun. We have a little game going. Whoever snatches a headshot on the girl first wins a prize." He held out his arms to the side and lifted them up like it was a big happy contest, grinning from ear to ear. Mycah stiffened. The man nodded his head in my direction and pulled up his eyebrows, signaling Mycah to look at me. When he did, my heart stopped at his expression. He was stricken with terror.

I looked down at my body. Tons of red dots danced along my chest and my arms. I could even see the red lights reflect off my cheeks into my eyes. I looked up to Mycah, confused.

"Don't," Mycah beckoned with wide eyes, not taking them off me, but I knew he wasn't talking to me. "I'll go with you. Take the snipers off her this second, and I'll go with you." He practically breathed the words, not believing his eyes.

I finally understood what the red dots were. I was the target, several snipers all had their powerful weapons aimed at me, and the dots were their spot indicators. I would have been dead if any one of them wished it. I looked around but couldn't see a single person or where the dots came from. It could have been the setting sun glaring in my eyes or that it was turning dusk, making it impossible to see them. Either way, it was very disconcerting. Why did it feel like a ghost town?

"Good. We knew you would say that. Let us go." The man beamed with joy and self-satisfaction as he started walking away.

"Wait!" I commanded, horrified for my friend who might've been dying if not already dead. Mycah was my only hope to ensure she was okay. "Please, give him just a few minutes, I beg you. Mycah, you have to save Zaylie. Please, you have to save them both. Just make sure they're okay, please, please." I laced my fingers together and dropped to my knees, beseeching with all my heart. Tears streamed down my face, but I didn't move to wipe them, knowing they wouldn't be stopping any time soon.

Mycah rushed to me in a blur, taking me with him without stopping, and then we were instantly by Zaylie's side. I felt windblown and wild, surprised by the movement.

"I give you my word that I'll come with you, Nikolai. I need five minutes," Mycah called behind him toward the man who was now running to us. So that was his name...

Mycah turned to Zaylie who was still unconscious and put his hands on her head and closed his eyes. After a minute, he did the same thing to Seth. I watched as his head wound closed up and healed right before my eyes. Mycah made the blood disappear, removing the evidence that he was once injured.

"They'll be fine. I've made them stay asleep for a little longer whilst I leave. Are you alright?" He gently wove his hands through my hair at the nape of my neck and held my head, searching my eyes. He was inches from my face, and his intricate blue eyes were dancing with worry. I slowly nodded my head, captured by the intensity of his eyes.

Nikolai caught up to us and grabbed Mycah by the arm. Mycah yanked out of Nikolai's hold and tightened his jaw. "You don't touch me," he threatened without actually needing to say anything threatening. It was all there in his voice.

"Bring the girl," Nikolai said into his wrist while smirking at Mycah.

"No," Mycah growled. "No," he said again as he ran two hands through his hair and turned away. He cursed under his breath and then moved right back next to me, pulling me against his body. I looked around and noticed movement from the corner of my eye. Men began drawing all around us. There must've been twenty or more, all dressed in black suits.

A huge black SUV screeched to a stop next to us followed by two more that looked just like it. They were all completely black, including the windows that were too dark to see through.

"Get in," Nikolai demanded as he opened a door for us. I slowly walked toward the open vehicle and stretched up to sit inside but was immediately grabbed and forced down. A gun was fixed against my head. Mycah watched with terror in his eyes, and Nikolai held up an arm in front of Mycah, stopping him from entering the vehicle. "You are in the other one," he said to Mycah. "You really think we would let you ride together?" He laughed. Laughed! I had the crazy urge to spit on him. Again.

Mycah stayed silent, staring at me. There was nothing he could do, and I could see it in his eyes. He was terrified for me, and that...did not feel good.

"Let us go," Nikolai demanded in his hard accent as he moved toward the next SUV. Mycah reluctantly followed, slowly tearing his eyes away from mine. I could no longer see him. The loss of his presence hit me in the stomach, and the short distance between us felt like miles. I tried to swallow, but my throat felt choked and dry. I didn't know what was going to happen or what was to come. If Mycah was afraid, then I had a million more reasons to be, too. I had no knowledge of how to defend myself. And even if I did, could I really stand up to these overgrown steroid-inflated men? Did I even have a chance?

A crackling noise followed by a commanding voice said, "Ausziehen" through a high-tech walkie-talkie contained up front next to the driver. The language didn't sound very English. It was German, I thought. We immediately started moving.

"Where are we going?" I asked timidly, wondering if this guy was going to keep the gun to my head the entire time. No one answered my question. Maybe they didn't understand English.

Fantastic. The only foreign language classes available in school were French or Spanish, and since I barely passed English, I never attempted taking a foreign one. If they couldn't speak English, then we were out of luck in the communication department.

"English?" I asked nervously. I tried not to let my teeth chatter and give me away. Don't show fear. Don't show fear. That was always my mantra when dealing with angry men with too much testosterone. I was sure they could smell it, and it only fueled their rage.

"Englisch? Nein," the man holding the gun to my head said sternly. I couldn't turn my head to look at him, so I had no idea what his appearance was, but from the deep and rumbly tone of his voice, I pictured him big and beefy to match it. I've heard the word "nein" before, usually in those historical Nazi documentaries during World War II. The word was definitely German and meant no. The car must have been filled with men. I could hear them breathing behind me and could see the driver and back of the head of the man sitting in the passenger seat. Seriously, none of them spoke English?

I squeezed my eyes closed tight, trying to keep calm and not panic. I just needed to figure out a way to convey to them that they could drop the gun from my head. It was extremely unsettling and even more unnecessary. I wasn't stupid; did they really think I would try to get away from an SUV full of men? No. Unfortunately, I wasn't going anywhere.

I slowly lifted my hands up, palms out, the way one does when surrendering. If only I had a little white flag to wave. That'd be much easier.

"Aufhalten! Beweg dich nicht!" the gun holder shouted, pressing the gun firmer against my temple as I felt the rest of the men all move closer to me in one swift movement. Holy crap.

"Whoa. I'm sorry...I'm sorry," I repeated quietly as I put my hands back onto my lap. Umm...never mind. It wasn't worth my head getting blown off due to a misunderstanding. I would just have to stay still and deal with the cold that seeped into my clammy skin from the metal of the gun. No big deal....

The sun went down too soon as it made its full departure, leaving us in darkness. I couldn't tell where the sun had set, so I had no way of figuring out which direction we were going. We continued to drive who knows where in complete silence, trapped in our own thoughts. My mind kept drifting to Zaylie, the way she lied unconscious and bloody like a rag doll sprawled across the dashboard, and me unable to do a single thing about it. I would have given anything to have been able to save her—to undo the pain and suffering, to make her happy and healthy again. To tell her that she was one of my best friends. To explain to her how much she made me laugh and brightened my day without her even trying to. Every bone in my body ached with desire to save her.

I would have given absolutely anything.

#  Chapter Thirty-Five

~Naminé~

My mind started to cloud, and I felt the shadow approaching. I stopped, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I just had to hold it and not let go. Every second that passed made it harder to maintain. I could feel beads of sweat on my brow, and I struggled to stay focused. That area in my left temple twitched with pain, yet I persisted in keeping my breathing even and concentrated on remaining where I stood.

Every time we met, I got stronger. I was able to last longer, and it was easier as time went by. I opened my eyes and saw he had taken a step closer as well. We were now about three arm lengths apart. I longed to reach out and touch him—make contact with him—but I knew if I did it too soon I would lose him.

We stood there and gazed into each other's stares. I could see the desperation in his eyes. I dared not move much closer; I didn't want to lose our progress. We could never get that close before. I looked into his bright eyes, and though we still could not communicate, we had developed something special between us. Oh, how I had come to look forward to seeing him. I ached to connect with him on a physical level, just wanting to be able to touch him somehow.

He smiled at me, a smile that melted my insides and instantly made me weak in the knees. I took a deep breath as he slowly took a step toward me.

He reached out his hand, and as I reached out toward him...I instantly succumbed to total darkness.

#  Chapter Thirty-Six

~Nari~

It was difficult to see through the dense darkness that surrounded the already darkly tinted windows of the SUV, which only added to the bleakness of my situation. I would have figured the black windows were what made the night seem more black, but they weren't. And it wasn't because there was no moonlight either.

We were driving with no headlights on, through the night.

Lovely.

If I wasn't going to die from the gun still pressed to my temple, then I was sure it was going to be by a major traffic collision. How in the world could anybody on the road have seen us? How could we have seen them? How could we have seen where we were going at all? Every now and then when a vehicle would pass us, they'd honk warningly at us.

And if it couldn't get any worse, we drove way too fast through mountains. Mountains! If we didn't run head first into a truck then certainly it would at least have been the giant wall of rocks enveloping us from all sides. Needless to say, my anxiety had reached new heights. Several hours must have passed by now. Or had it only been forty-five minutes? I had no way of knowing for sure, but if the stiffness of my muscles and numb bum were any indicators, then I'd say it had been forever and a day. How could this man not get tired of holding his weapon against my head this long? I was getting tired just thinking about it.

I began to see faint lights up ahead and squinted to gain more focus. We were coming to a tunnel that went through a mountain, and the ultra-low lights that flickered along the curved walls painted an eerie yellowish-green tint around us. Yay...

But at least there were some lights, despite them being completely creepy. Any light had to be better than utter darkness when driving under a mountain. And then just as we entered the mouth of the tunnel, my nightmare came true.

Each soft light mounted onto the surrounding walls were eliminated as we came to it and then increased in speed down the line in front of us. I watched in horror as each one exploded into a sparkling fizzle, leaving us in that utter darkness I had been afraid of. Oh god.

I imagined the men guarding me, who I could not see through the blackness even if I wasn't squeezing my eyes shut from fear of crashing, were at any moment going to freak out and start yelling, but there was silence and no movement. Perhaps they had arranged for this to happen to keep us hidden and were expecting it.

Strange...I could feel the gun was no longer pressed against my skin, so I risked a peek and shot one eye open. Just as I thought, I could not make out anything through the total darkness. And then right on cue, a dim glowing light burst into the cramped tunnel space above us and illuminated my surroundings for a few seconds.

And what I saw in those few short seconds practically blew my mind.

Okay, not practically. It did. It blew my mind.

I immediately regretted peeking. Everyone and everything literally moved in slow motion except for me. The man that once held the gun to my head was looking down at his gun with wide eyes and confusion, and the men up front were slowly, very slowly, turning their heads to look in the back seat, wearing the same wide-eyed, wide-mouthed expressions. I didn't even think the SUV was moving anymore, or maybe it was and it was just too slow for me to tell. That was all I was able to see in those tiny seconds, and it was just enough to have me scared out of my mind, once again.

And then it hit me like a huge smack in the head. This was supposed to be my escape. I quickly jumped out of the crawling vehicle and ran to what I hoped was the side of the tunnel, which didn't take me more than half a second since it was a narrow space to begin with. I prayed that no cars were coming and would smear me against the wall like jelly.

Just then, I was pulled against a body and a hand was placed over my mouth, silencing my attempt to scream. I watched in shock and terror as a giant, hot, and extremely bright explosion broke out just ahead of me. Through the fire that bathed the tunnel in light, I could now see the three black SUVs were all smashed together and burning, but just as quickly I was pulled away from the sickening scene.

Almost overwhelming relief ignited every one of my veins once Mycah's sweet woodsy scent reached my nose. I turned into him as he continued pulling me farther and farther away from the crash and out of the tunnel. But something was wrong; I could feel the strain and struggle emanating from Mycah's rigid body as he took heavy step after heavy step.

"Are you hurt?" I squeaked out, almost choking on the dirty words. Oh god...please don't be hurt...

"I'm not hurt," he breathed so low I barely heard him, even though I was smashed right up against him.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not feeling any better despite him saying he wasn't hurt. There was something wrong, I could feel it.

"I'm just..." he choked out as we reached the opening of the tunnel. He didn't continue the sentence until he placed me against a tree after walking several feet into a forest. I waited for him to finish. "I'm just extremely tired."

He slumped down to the ground on his knees and put his head in his hands. Tired? "Will you be okay?" I questioned, not understanding how someone could be so tired after sitting in a car for hours.

"I need to sleep." He looked up at me with eyes the size of saucers and reached out for me. "Come here." I obeyed.

"And are you, Nariella, okay?" he asked me as he pulled me down to his level and cupped my face, searching my eyes for the truth. I nodded. My heart crashed in my chest, and I knew right then if it wasn't going to be death by gun held by strange underground men, Ray, or any other dangerous thing that could possibly be out there, it would be this. It would be the way Mycah looked into my eyes and reached my soul. Death by heart stopping. That would be my untimely undoing.

"I'm fine," I answered softly, wondering if it was actually true. Was I fine? Maybe if Mycah would stop looking at me the way he was and remove his gentle hands from my skin, then yes, those words could have been true. "Why are you so tired?" Distracting myself always worked best.

"Everything I just did was extremely draining. I don't think I have the energy to do anything else but sleep." And as he said the clipped British-sounding words, he literally moved to lie down on the ground completely.

"Now?!" I screeched too loudly. Here?! In the middle of nowhere and...outside?? But he didn't answer me. He already breathed shallow and in a steady rhythm, fast asleep. Holy crickets, that was fast.

I shivered at that thought of crickets and other bugs as I slowly lay down next to him, trying extremely hard to ignore what I may have to sleep on top of, and pulled my dress down as far as it could go to cover my bare legs. Twigs crunched underneath me, providing a very uncomfortable bed. I swear, if any bugs started crawling on me I would scream bloody murder even if it meant being captured again. I'd almost rather be back in that SUV with a gun to my head than having centipedes having their way with me in my sleep. Oh god...I couldn't think about it.

It was cold out—surely, they were all in hibernation by now. Yes, that was what I'd keep telling myself. I shivered again but this time from the nippy breeze that blew through my hair and right through the thin material of my dress. I rubbed at the spiky goosebumps that ran along my legs as I looked over at Mycah who slept so peacefully. Crap, he was way too handsome even in sleep. I turned toward the sky and stared up at the slow moving clouds. Had all of that really happened tonight? Just this morning I had woken up blissful and then had the best time getting ready for the dance with Zaylie. I hoped she was okay. I would have just died if something happened to her because I couldn't stay away from Mycah.

I went to pull out my cell to call her but stopped short. I forgot I didn't have it. Everything I had with me was left in Seth's car when I was yanked from it. Dang it...I wished I knew what this Sindora thing was. Was it really that important to cause this much commotion? People almost died. People had died and probably would die some more. Were all of those men in the SUVs now dead?

Several thoughts started racing through my head all at once, but I couldn't seem to dwell on any of them. I couldn't even wrap my head around any of it; it felt like a foggy nightmare I was unable to wake up from, a feeling I was slowly becoming accustomed to, if one even had that ability.

And then several minutes later, I jumped and let out a small squeak at the sensation of something touching my face as I desperately tried to smack away what I assumed must be the biggest, scariest bug in all the world, while briskly shaking my head to get it off me. But I breathed a sigh of relief as my purple eyes met Mycah's deep blue ones that sparkled in the peek-a-boo moonlight. He was watching me with unabashed amusement shown clear in his eyes and quirk of his lips.

"I didn't mean to frighten you. I just can't ever seem to resist your soft skin," he whispered in a low voice with a slight melancholy smirk. My heart thumped at how sweet that was.

"You didn't sleep long," I matched his whisper, trying to stay calm under his stare. He was so intoxicating.

"I didn't want to leave you alone out here all by yourself. I only needed fifteen minutes to get some strength back. I can get you home and worry about more sleep later," he explained in a stronger voice and stood up, brushing off the dead leaves and dirt. I worked to do the same. Had it been exactly fifteen minutes? If he had an internal clock in his brain that he could set at his choosing, then I was going to be superbly jealous once again.

"So, it was hard for you to do what you did tonight?" I asked, curious about all that he was really capable of. Was there anything that was ever too much? I sure hoped not.

"It takes a lot of brain power for me to do big things like slowing down large vehicles and twenty men all at the same time, especially after sending a burst of energy into the air. I cannot do it very often. It takes preparation on my part to acquire enough stamina to do it all. I apologize for my taking so long, love." He took my hand and interlaced our fingers together, never taking his eyes off mine. It made me shiver again.

He let go and took off his suit jacket, wrapping it around my shoulders. He mistook my body's reaction to him as a sign of coldness. I was cold of course (a silk dress and thin jacket didn't exactly provide warmth), but it just wasn't the reason why I shivered.

"Thank you." I gave a small smile, appreciating the gesture nevertheless. And it did help. His jacket was perfectly toasty and cocooned me in his scent, which was utterly divine. I had to consciously force myself to not stand there and constantly smell it. He'd have thought I was a psycho probably.

"It's my pleasure." He smiled in return as he looked down, sweeping his gaze over me. I couldn't quite understand the happy-appreciative expression that danced on his face for a split-second before he turned around and began walking in the direction I assumed was for Kennebunkport.

"How far away are we?" The strappy black heels I thought would look "killer" earlier today had now taken on a more literal meaning of the term as I tried to make my way through the forest. My feet were not going to last long.

"Pretty far," he answered. Perfect.... "They took us a few hours north and were very close to making it to the Canadian border, actually."

I practically choked on my own spit. "What? Can I be taken to another country like that so easily?" I didn't think it was possible. Didn't I need a passport or something? Especially since I was a minor.

"Ah, well it doesn't matter because they would have crossed over the border in secret. They have a hidden tunnel under the mountains." He looked back and grabbed my arm to help steady me as I stepped over a log. It was pitch black and difficult to see anything except for when the moon came out from behind the clouds for a few moments.

"That's frightening. Where in Canada were they taking us?" I shuddered at the thought of being pulled from my home and being lost in an unknown country, not seeing Rydan and Zaylie again.

"They were taking us back to their home. To Austria. Those men are part of a top secret underground organization called Schwarzen Adler, or in English—the Black Eagles. And they will stop at nothing to get what they want."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did he just say Austria? As in the country Austria? Not like, a city in Canada that was named Austria?

"Umm...Austria? The country?" I questioned in a small voice. A very small voice.

"Yes," was all he replied.

"Why?" I pressed, not understanding why they'd take us to Canada and then to Austria.

"Because they think I've hidden the Sindora there, and when they had the both of us together, they were confident I would take them to it, using you as leverage against me, of course." He ran a hand through his hair and clenched his right fist. I stopped walking. Partly because my feet were already gaining blisters as stowaway guests, but mainly because I was overwhelmed.

"Mycah. What. Is. The Sindora?" I emphasized each word, trying to portray how frustrating it was not knowing. He stopped walking too and slowly turned around toward me.

He shook his head. His eyes bored holes into mine and remained quiet. Too quiet.

"You won't tell me? Even after all of this? Even after Zaylie and Seth almost died over it?" I waved my hand around at the situation as my voice gained volume, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"You don't understand. I can't tell you." He looked to the ground and started fidgeting with his fingers. Was he nervous?

"You're right. I don't understand. I don't understand any of this. I don't understand you, I don't understand them—it's all too much! I can't take it anymore." I stalked past him and hoped I was going in the right direction. I didn't want to be upset. I was so far past upset. This entire night was completely ridiculous, and I didn't want to give it the satisfaction of affecting me. I didn't even want to think about it. This night never happened, as far as I was concerned. I tried desperately to ignore the pain in my feet as I refused to slow my stride. The uneven hard ground was causing some serious damage, but I didn't care.

And then just when I thought my ankle would give out, I was scooped up into Mycah's arms. I didn't know why, but as soon as my face touched his neck I immediately broke out in tears.

Dang it! So much for not getting upset.

Maybe it was the emotions from the intense night finally coming out or the grateful relief from pain made by the sweetest gesture.

Or maybe it was just because I was a girl with too many stupid emotions! Argh. I gruffly swiped at my tears and refused to shed anymore. I was just frustrated and sick of being a helpless victim that kept getting kidnapped or beaten. I needed to be stronger.

Eventually, Mycah's even breathing and steady stride put me to sleep.

When I awoke later, I was completely disoriented. It was still pitch black, but there were lights that passed over me every few seconds. Where was I?

I slowly sat up, realizing I was lying in the back seat of a car. I looked out the window but still could not make out my surroundings through my fuzzy eyesight.

"We're almost to Kennebunkport, love." Mycah glanced back at me from the driver's seat.

"Did you steal this?" I asked hesitantly, not sure if I wanted to know the answer or not. I didn't like the idea of walking all the way back to Kennebunkport, but grand theft auto? Not really my forté.

"What?" He jerked his head around to look at me before turning back to the road. "Of course not. It's a rental." He shook his head, smirking. Oh.

"What time is it?" I yawned and went to rub my eyes but stopped myself, remembering I was still full of makeup for the Homecoming Dance.

Awww. The dance. I missed it. If Zaylie really was okay like Mycah had said, maybe she didn't end up missing it too. Please be okay...

"It is a quarter to five. Are you hungry?" He didn't wait for me to answer before tossing a small paper bag onto my lap. I opened it up to find two strawberry-frosted doughnuts. Oh, yum.

"Thanks," I said through a mouthful. I was starving. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate.

"Here." He chuckled as he handed me a bottle of water. Oh, thank god. Couldn't remember the last time I drank either.

"Mycah, are the...Black Eagles...or whatever...going to keep coming back for me?" I took several gulps of water and tried not to freak out.

"Not if I leave Kennebunkport. And they won't be coming back for a few days. They have much to sort out now. I'll be gone before any attempts are made to return, I promise." He kept his eyes on the road and spoke in a quiet voice. My heart constricted from his answer. Sure, I was glad to know I wouldn't be captured again in the near future, but the thought of Mycah leaving hurt like no other. I had no intention of trying to decide which was worse, because I knew I couldn't. I turned to stare out the window and finally recognized where we were.

Kennebunkport, Maine.

I waved goodbye to Mycah from the front door of my house and quietly tiptoed inside. Ray's car was parked in the driveway so I knew he was home.

I remembered the unpleasant encounter I had on Saturday night when that guy came looking for Ray to pay his gambling debts. I needed to avoid seeing that hideous man again, so I grabbed a notepad and a pen and scribbled quickly that a man came by on Saturday looking for him and it was extremely urgent. I left it on the counter and quietly ran to my room, not wanting to wake him. I knew he'd know what I was talking about in the note.

I immediately thought of Zaylie and had an overwhelming need to hear her voice. I grabbed the home phone and then crept back outside so that I wouldn't wake him up by talking.

I didn't know how, but I remembered Zaylie's cell number as I punched it into the cordless phone. I hoped she didn't get mad that I was calling at this ungodly hour. Or maybe she really wasn't okay and wouldn't be picking up at all—"Hello?" she interrupted my grim thoughts in a sleepy, groggy voice, and I audibly sighed with relief. I even felt my shoulders slump forward all on their own.

"Zaylie...Thank goodness." I lay a hand over my heart for no one's benefit but my own.

"Nari?!" she screeched so loudly, I had to pull the phone away from my ear. I smiled.

"Yes, are you okay?!" I inquired, my concern flaring up again like a kindled flame upon hearing her voice.

"Me?! Are you okay? My god, I half-wondered if I would ever see you again! I've been a nervous wreck! Where have you been? What happened?! I've literally been going crazy!" She barely paused for air as she raced on and on with questions and concern.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, really. I'm so sorry to scare you like that. I actually can't talk right now, but I will definitely see you at school. I just wanted, no, scratch that, I needed to make sure you were okay. I'll explain everything later though. So, are you okay?" My stomach twisted in knots as I waited for her answer.

"I'm perfectly okay. Seth too. Why can't you talk? Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm at home, but I don't want to wake up my foster dad before he has to get up for work, which will be soon, and I need to be in bed before he does," I tried to explain quietly, even though I was outside and was confident Ray couldn't hear me...but the thought of encountering his wrath from waking him a second earlier than his normal schedule put me on edge.

"Alright. But, promise you'll be at school?"

"I promise. And, Zales...I am so grateful you're okay." I poured as much emotion as I could into those few little words.

"Likewise," she said back. "See you in a few hours."

Once I got to my room and of course locked the door, I kicked off my shoes while simultaneously peeling off my dress and then threw myself onto my bed, not caring at all to put on pajamas. I was so dead tired, I instantly fell asleep.

#  Chapter Thirty-Seven

~Naminé~

"Why didn't he tell us?" my father angrily replied. My mother was weeping but trying to hold it together in front of my father. I had just explained Cathar's departure, and they were none too happy about it.

"I don't know, Father. He risked punishment just coming to see me. He told me to tell you both not to worry; he had been training and felt stronger than ever."

It was getting harder to hold back my own tears. It had been days since he left, and I missed him fiercely. The nervous feeling that I wouldn't ever see him again never wavered; it only got worse as each day went by.

"Training?!" my father shouted. "For two measly months..." he cried at the ceiling.

"Roche, please," said my mother who remained crying while trying to calm my father, less we cause enough noise to be heard outside the thin walls.

My father dismissed me, and I went to my chamber. I sat on my cold, hard pallet and let the tears fall. I lay back on my pillow and pulled on my lifeline with Calen for comfort, crying myself to sleep.

#  Chapter Thirty-Eight

~Nari~

"So, are you sure it will be okay for you to stay over tonight?" Zaylie asked me again at lunch. She was still worried about me. This morning when she had seen me at my locker before class started, I thought she was going to knock me over from hugging me so tightly. She had explained how worried she was after waking up in the ruined car with Mycah and I nowhere in sight and my cell phone left behind, which she returned to me. I had told her I would explain what happened later at her house. Well, as much as I could explain anyway.

"Yes. I am positive. You have no idea how much I need it." I squeezed her hand to emphasize my point. I couldn't wait to spend more alone time with Zaylie. I promised myself if she were okay I would open up to her and deepen our friendship. And Mycah was right. Both she and Seth were fine. I felt better after I spoke to her over the phone early this morning, but after seeing her with my own two eyes, I could confidently believe it now. She also promised to explain later tonight what happened after I wasn't there. Now was my chance to give back all the trust and kindness she had bestowed upon me. Nothing was going to stop me from staying at her house, not even Ray.

"Nari, I thought you were going to the dance yesterday?" Liam asked me as he sat down at the lunch table across from us.

"Leave it alone, butthead." Zaylie rolled her eyes at Liam before turning back to her pile of cottage cheese covered in pepper, black olives, and sunflower seeds. I scrutinized the mixture again in disbelief and amusement. What the heck...?

"Was I talking to you, Blondie?" Liam questioned with a raise of his brow.

"Just shut it and mind your own bizzo." She spoke softly and distant, not able to keep to her usual aggression she seemed to save especially for Liam. But I still saw the flicker of hurt cross his face at the words even without the harsh tone to accompany them. She had grave things plaguing her mind and didn't like having to wait for my explanation on what happened yesterday. She knew whatever I'd be telling her later wasn't going to be good, and the weight of what we both went through last night was crushing us. I was sure I needed to get it off my chest and she just needed to hear the truth.

"Hey, are you okay?" Liam asked sweetly as he reached across the table and touched Zaylie's hand that was demolishing her food with her fork. She jerked back from his touch, looking disgusted. Poor Liam pulled his hand away and looked down like a scolded puppy.

"What? Of course I am. Why don't you go be a pest somewhere else. Nari and I have important things to discuss and we don't need a baboon like you lurking around." She dropped her fork and took a drink of water. I kicked her foot from under the table at her blatant rudeness, wondering why she was being extra hostile toward Liam. "Ow! What was that for?"

I smiled at Liam and whispered through closed lips at Zaylie in a stringed rush, "What are you doing you're going to make the poor guy run huddled to a corner and cry or something." I covered my mouth with my hand at the end and then chuckled a little bit to cover the secret exchange. Liam was about to get up and leave, looking completely defeated and depressed.

"Oh, she was just kidding, Liam, you know that. Stay! Really." I gave a benevolent smile and tried to sound sincere and cheery.

"No I wasn't," Zaylie said to me, destroying my plan to make Liam feel better. It was totally obvious that he had feelings for Zaylie...I had no idea how she could still be so oblivious to it. I faked an overdramatic laugh, pretending like she was still joking.

"You're so funny, Zales. Liam, how was the dance for you? Something came up and I wasn't able to make it." I pulled him into a conversation, making him sit down again.

"It was stupid and boring," was his only dejected response.

"Really? I'm sorry. Who did you go with?" I asked, feeling even more bad for him.

"Sabrina. She was holding out for Mycah, but he never asked her, and I hadn't asked anyone yet either. It was a last minute thing. I immediately regretted it though. She was such a chore to be around." He rolled his eyes at the memory and crossed his arms over his chest. I noticed Zaylie act weird as soon as he mentioned Sabrina's name, like she was biting on the inside of her cheek and becoming more rigid. Wait a minute...was she jealous? No, she couldn't be. I sighed. I didn't understand these two at all.

But even more than that, I didn't understand the feeling of pure joy and pride that bubbled forth in my chest at the mention of Mycah not asking Sabrina to the dance but instead choosing me, even if we didn't actually get to go. I hated that he elicited these foreign feelings in me. Darn you Mycah—and the entire male species, for that matter.

Zaylie stayed quiet and continued to eat her lunch in silence while Liam and I chitchatted the remainder of the time. Something was up with them; I could feel the changed atmosphere. Maybe I'd be able to find out tonight at her house.

During Art, Mr. Isaacson said we could use the time to create something in our favorite medium, whatever it may be. I grabbed what I needed, already knowing what I wanted to do. Both Zaylie and I loved peonies, and I wanted to give her something special, so I immediately got to work to paint her favorite pink peonies in a unique and uncommon way. I didn't want it to be a typical realistic painting of the pretty flower, so I made my own creation of an art piece using different layers of colors and shapes.

I jumped at the sound of the bell signaling the end of school. I had been so lost in what I was doing that I didn't even notice the passing of time. Thankfully, I was finished anyway and only making some tiny touches. I held the painting up and admired the detail, satisfied with the end product.

"Very beautiful, Ms. Woodlinn, as always," Mr. Isaacson complimented from behind.

"Oh, thank you! It's for one of my best friends." I turned around to face my teacher with a proud smile. I couldn't wait to give it to her.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay over, Mrs. Ryan," I greeted Zaylie's mother with a hug.

"Anytime, Nari, really!" she responded as she hugged me back. It smelled so good in their house, like warm baked cookies, making my mouth water.

"Would you like some help with dinner?" I wasn't an expert at cooking, but it seemed like something fun to learn, especially with Zaylie and her mom.

"Oh, that would be lovely! Here, let's see what else needs to be done." She spoke in the same Australian accent as Zaylie and Desmond. I followed her to the kitchen and looked around at the different things she had going on.

"Okay, Nari, you sit here and start snapping the ends off these green beans. Zales, can you chop these black olives up for me, please, sweetie?" Mrs. Ryan instructed us on what to do, so I sat on the stool behind the prepping counter and got to work. Zaylie seemed a lot better than at lunch, which made me feel better too.

Eventually we got everything finished and sat in the living room to wait for dinner to be done. We were having pot roast with a side of green beans and a great mixed salad that Zaylie had cut the olives for. It all looked extremely yummy and smelled even more amazing. My stomach kept growling; I could hardly wait.

We spoke here and there about things, about Mr. Ryan's job that had them traveling a lot, and I asked a lot of questions about the different places they'd been to. An hour later, we were all sitting at their dining room table and enjoying the best meal I have ever had.

Zaylie and I went back to her room after we cleared our plates and helped clean up. It was so fun being with them. It genuinely felt like a real family. I loved it.

"Okay, so please, what in the world happened last night?!" Zaylie asked as soon as she locked her door.

"Oh, god. Zales. I don't even know if you'd believe me if I told you." I covered my eyes with my hand and sighed. Now that this moment was here, I couldn't find a single fiber in my body capable of lying to her. I didn't want to. Lying to Rydan was horrible in itself. Now that I had Zaylie here by my side, perfectly healthy and alive after that horrendous ordeal we both just went through, there was just no way I could bring myself to lie to her. I needed to tell her, and I already knew she needed to hear it.

"Try me," she said quietly as she placed a gentle hand on my knee. I took in a big breath of air and slowly exhaled. This was it.

"Alright. Zaylie, I can't tell you everything because it is just not my secret to tell, but I am going to tell you what I can. First of all, Mycah is extremely smart. Like...extremely." I dramatically nodded my head and opened my eyes wide. She looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "He's a real bona fide genius. I actually don't know much of the details, but he is in possession of something highly valuable, and there is a secret organization that is out hunting him for it. That is who wrecked Seth's car last night. And that is why we weren't there when you woke up. They took us. But before you freak out, Mycah took care of it, and we are okay now." I had to hold my hands up to stop her from speaking before I finished, so I gently placed them back on my lap now that I was done.

"Wow. I was not expecting that. I mean, I knew it was going to be bad, but I honestly could have never imagined that. Are you really okay?" She searched my face, so I made sure to stay confident. The last thing I wanted was for her to worry about me.

"Yes, I promise, I am perfectly okay. How are you, though? What happened after we left? Did anyone ask about us?" All night I had wondered if her parents knew that I had been in that car yesterday. I mean, they had to have. They knew we were going to the dance together.

"Seth and I are fine, no injuries at all, not even sore muscles! It was the strangest thing. We woke up in weird positions that would have normally indicated trauma, but the doctors said there was absolutely none at all! We had been taken to the hospital, and when they asked about things neither Seth or I mentioned that you and Mycah were with us. Since you weren't at the car anymore or even the hospital, I didn't want to get you two in trouble for fleeing the scene, so we stayed quiet. We only explained we had been hit out of nowhere and the person who hit us left."

I stayed silent and listened to her story, soaking it all in. I couldn't believe she thought to cover for us. I was so grateful. I had never even thought of it like that before, but she was right. Mycah and I could have gotten in serious trouble if we had just walked away from an accident like that.

"Thank you so much, Zales. You did the right thing. I am so grateful neither of you were hurt. I was so worried about you all night." I leaned over and hugged her fiercely for the tenth time today. I could never say enough how grateful I was for Zaylie.

"We're so glad you're okay, too. I was also worried about you. I had no idea what happened or where you were! I was so close to telling my mum, but then when you finally called me, I was so relieved!" She wiped a stray tear that had fallen from her eye, and I noticed that I, too, had tears in my eyes. "And the worst part is that I couldn't even call you to find out because I had your bloody mobile! You have no idea what thoughts ran through my head when I noticed it was left behind."

"Trust me, I have an idea. I hated leaving you like that, not knowing if you would be okay. It was pure torture." I took her hands in mine and cleared my throat. "Zaylie, I want to tell you something."

"Um, you're not proposing to me are you?" She smiled at her joke, and I barked a laugh, not expecting her to say that.

"I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me. I really can't describe how terrified I was for you. I thought for sure you were dead and it killed me to think of not taking the chance to tell you what you mean to me when I had it. So I wanted to do that now because we never know what tomorrow can bring. You are one of my best friends, Zales. Thank you so much for being there for me and for letting me borrow things and for giving me all that you do! It's too much! I could never return all your kindness, but I will always work to try." I hugged her again to finalize my point. "I love you!" I laughed at my girly emotions and she laughed back.

"I love you too. That was so sweet. Thank you. I feel the same," she said as we pulled away and dried our eyes. I stood up and walked over to her present.

"Here, I made this for you as a thank you gift." I handed her the painting I had leaned against her wall and uncovered it.

"Crikey! That is bloody gorgeous! You did this?" she asked incredulously as she reached out to hold it.

"Mmhmm. Just for you." I grinned at her reaction. I made sure to include colors I knew were in her room so that it would go well on her wall, and now that it was here it did match perfectly. It would look great in here!

"Oh, Nari! Thank you very much. I absolutely love it." She hugged me again and kept staring at her gift. I breathed a sigh of relief and satisfaction, then sat back down on her bed.

"Hey, so what's going on with you and Liam?" I asked tentatively. I didn't want to pry, and I also didn't want to freak her out by bringing up feelings she may not understand yet. I could relate to that completely and knew how it could be scary.

"Ugh. Don't even mention his name in my room," she huffed as she dropped to her bed next to me. "I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say he is extremely frustrating! But really, we shouldn't waste our breath on him. We have more important things to discuss." She gave me a smile and then ran out of the room like she had a brilliant idea.

A few minutes later, she ran back in grinning and carrying a container of Bunny Tracks ice cream and two spoons.

"Yum!" I acknowledged the gesture, and we dug right in.

We took the rest of the night to spill our secrets and inner thoughts, deepening our bond. I told her what I could about Ray and Elizabeth without having a mental breakdown like I did when I told Mycah, but I did cry a little. I told her all about my childhood and about Rydan. She cried with me when I told her some memories of things Ray had done to me. I listened when she told me all about her life and how she really struggled at first having to move from their home in Australia, and how Desmond tried to be strong for her but she knew how much he was suffering too. She told me about what it was like to be teased and treated like outcasts when they first moved to the United States. I was able to relate and understood what that was like.

She told me how Seth's car was totaled, but that his insurance covered a rental until they paid for a new one. I apologized that the Homecoming Dance was ruined for her, but she explained how she and Seth had gotten to go anyway once the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with them and they had felt perfectly healthy. She had thought maybe there was a small chance that Mycah and I would have been there but had been both sad and worried when we never showed up.

Also, they were a couple of hours late, but she said it was better to be late than never and seemed to mean it, so I was happy. She admitted though, that she discovered there was no real spark between her and Seth and that they would remain as friends only. I was surprised to learn that part of her actually hadn't been worried for me because she had known Mycah wouldn't have let anything bad happen to me. I then explained my true feelings and real terror about what happened with the Black Eagles and how it bothered me more than I might've let on but tried to ignore it. I found it to be extremely therapeutic to tell her what had been going on inside of me. The anxiety of my previous night melted away at her calm touches and sympathetic words.

We shared everything we could think of about ourselves, except she never brought up Liam again and I didn't mention Mycah either. It seemed we both weren't ready to dissect our feelings on those two. But besides that, we talked and talked as long as we could manage until we were too tired to keep our eyes open.

After school the next day, I ran to my room. I closed my door and locked it. Please don't come looking for me, please don't come looking for me. That sentence played over and over in my head as I listened to Ray's footsteps draw closer and closer. To my relief, he left me alone for the time being and slammed his bedroom door closed. I had been surprised to see his car pull into the driveway just after I had gotten home from school. Why was he back so early?

It was my chance to bathe. I ran into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind me, locking it. I took a long hot shower, relishing the stolen moment of pure peace. I hadn't taken one this morning at Zaylie's house because I was too tired from staying up so late two nights in a row and couldn't bring myself to get up in time when morning came.

After drying off and putting on clean clothes, feeling greatly refreshed, I snatched my sketchbook and pencils and started to draw. It was my stress-reliever. I found myself drawing a pair of eyes after a few minutes and realized they were of course Mycah's.

No surprise there. They were always on my mind. I worked to capture their intricate detail but nothing could come close to matching how exquisite they truly were. I wondered what he was doing right this moment, and then I wondered at the burning curiosity I suddenly felt.

My cell buzzed from a text, so I picked it up to read it.

'I forgot to tell you I'm performing tomorrow night in Portland if you want to go with us,' Rydan sent. It felt so good to hear from him. He knew I had the dance on Sunday, and then yesterday I texted him that I was at Zaylie's, so he hadn't been expecting me at the Willow.

Excitement bubbled up at the thought of seeing him play in concert. Every few months he performed in a symphony playing piano. It was my favorite thing to see, and I didn't get to very often. He could only play instruments that he could carry to the Willow, like guitar or violin, at which he of course was amazing. But when he played piano, it was simply breathtaking.

'You know I'd love to. I'll find out. See you in a bit?' I sent back, determined to ask Ray before I finally met up with Rydan at our spot. I'd been dying to see him since the carnival on Saturday. I was already aware a performance in Portland meant not getting back until late, so I was nervous about asking Ray.

'Do you really have to ask?' he replied. I smiled, knowing very well that no, I didn't have to ask if I'd see him later. We saw each other every night at the Willow. Lately it had been hit or miss with me, but not for Rydan. He was always there every night.

I grabbed my things, ready to get the heck out of there. I just had one obstacle to get past first. I tiptoed out of my room, not really knowing why since I was about to knock on Ray's door anyway...must have just been out of habit, I guessed.

Just as I went to knock, the door opened, making me almost hit Ray in his chest instead. Yuck. That was a close one.

"What did you do?" he scolded before I could say anything. I tried to think of the answer.

"Ummm..." What did I do?

"Don't play dumb with me. Where did you get the money?" he inquired, raising his voice another level.

"What money? I didn't do anything, especially with any money." Was he delusional? I was about as poor as it got. The only reason I ever had a few spare bucks was if I sold a piece of art around town every now and then, and I hadn't done that in a while.

"Please. You expect me to believe you didn't pay Oliver Avico off after leaving that stupid note? I just got off the phone with him. He informed me all debts have been paid in full." He narrowed his eyes into slits.

"As usual Ray, I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't do it. Believe me. Even if I had the money to do it, which I don't, I wouldn't have paid. You're just gonna have to trust me on that one." I crossed my arms, feeling brave, challenging him to defy me. "The only reason I'm standing here right now is because I have to ask you something." I hated needing his permission to go anywhere.

"You know what, you disrespectful brat, don't bother." He pointed his thick finger in my face. "I'm done with you. I promised my wife I'd take care of you until you were legal, and I've done that. I don't care what you do from this moment onward, and on that day you turn eighteen, I want you out of here, you got that? She is the only reason you got to grow up in this house." He pushed past me walking into the kitchen, going straight for a bottle of liquor. At least some things didn't change.

"Yeah right, that and those convenient monthly checks you get from the state oughta do it," I retorted with disgust. I was convinced he only chose to stay my foster parent for the money Maine provided for doing so.

He laughed humorlessly, an ugly sound I would forever hate, and turned to me.

"That's where you're wrong. She lied to you. We all lied to you. You were never legally ours. She was never your mother. She found you in an alley downtown as a baby, wrapped in a white blanket with the name Nariella Ashwyn Woodlinn sewn into it. I never once wanted you or any child for that matter. Not even your own parents wanted you. But she brought you home anyway and refused to turn you in to authorities. There's no state money. You're nobody to me. Just a stupid promise I swore to fulfill in a moment of weakness." His voice was colder than ice, making me shudder.

"I never wanted you either. Only her. Say whatever poisonous words you want to me, it won't matter. She was my mother. A great mother. And you didn't deserve her. The only thing good to come out of her death is it meant she got to escape you. If only I had been so lucky," I spat the words with as much venom I could muster and then ran out of the house, not looking back.

He was sick. A cruel joke of a human being. I was right about one thing—Elizabeth shouldn't have died that day. But I was wrong too; it shouldn't have been me either like I had always thought. It should have been Ray. He should have been the one to get mangled and suffer. Not her, not me. Him. Only him.

I thought over his words as I walked to the Willow to meet up with Rydan. Did my real parents really abandon me in an alley? Who were they? Were they still alive? Why did they do it?

I had thought of those questions many times before, but now I felt them in a different way. What people could leave a newborn baby alone in a dark, cold alley? I never wanted to meet them. I hoped they were dead...Okay, maybe not. But only someone worse than Ray could do that, and there just wasn't enough room for more evil in my life.

Once I got up to the hill that overlooked the Weeping Willow perched next to the crystal pond, I stopped to watch Rydan as he shot arrows into a far away tree. He did that sometimes. He was a skilled archer, something he had always been into since a kid, just like music, and every once in a while he would come out here to practice where it was safe.

I ran down the hill as fast as I could, desire spreading like never before to be near him and our tree—a desperate need for sanctuary that only this spot could provide. It almost felt magical, like it had special healing powers for the soul.

Rydan turned when he heard me coming, immediately tensing when he could see I was distraught.

"Ray and Elizabeth were never my foster parents. I was abandoned, tossed away like trash, and Elizabeth rescued me. She kept me for herself. They lied to me. They didn't name me like she said. I came with my name. As if whoever my real parents were had the right to name me, only to throw me away a moment later. But they didn't have that right! They didn't! I wasn't theirs to name!"

I didn't know what I was talking about; I just seemed to ramble on, emotions spilling out of me overdramatically. Rydan already had his arms around me, comforting me as I retold this newfound information about my life. He was lean but muscular and tall, almost Mycah's height. He actually reminded me much of Mycah; it was a little disconcerting. I would never tell him that, though. It'd make him so mad.

He pulled away from me for only a second to take off his dark canvas coat and wrap it around my body, pulling me close again. I didn't even realize I left without putting on my jacket.

"Thanks," I muttered into his taut chest.

"Ray's a dick. If he told you all that, which I'm assuming he did, then you must know that half of it is just him trying to get to you. Your mother loved you. And you don't know the reasons behind what your birth parents did. And you know what? Neither does he. So it doesn't matter what he says." His deep timbered voice vibrated in his chest against my face as he spoke. He was right. I couldn't let Ray's cruelness get to me. I had enough on my plate as it was.

"He also said I have to be out of the house on my birthday," I confessed with a little more joy than I expected. Sure, it was gonna suck being homeless, but I was already convinced anything would be better than living in that hellhole.

"Seriously?" he breathed against the top of my head, blowing my hair.

"Mmhmm," I answered as I snuggled closer to his body to get warm. I felt like an ice cube and he was my personal space heater.

"You can stay at the B&B. It's slow season right now so there are plenty of rooms open. My parents love you, so you know they won't care." He solved my problem in a flash. I didn't even have time to worry about it.

"Do you think I have to wait until next week? I can't stand the thought of spending one more nanosecond in that godforsaken place." I wasn't above begging Rydan's parents if that was what it came down to.

"They don't even have to know. I'll tell them later after your birthday. Don't worry about it." He soothed my frayed nerves with just simple words, forever making me indebted to Rydan yet again. "So I guess this means you'll be going with me tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. You know that," I assured him, referring to his trip to Portland for the symphony performance.

"Ah well, one can't be too sure these days, what with pervy British guys lurking around and all..." he teased, tightening his arms around me.

"He's not a perv! And, actually, that's something I've been wanting to talk to you about..." I pulled out of his embrace, suddenly feeling way too warm. "Listen, Ry...you are my absolute best friend. You always will be. So don't ever forget that, okay?" I looked up straight into his bright mercury eyes so that he could feel my sincerity.

"Ditto. But be honest with me. What's going on with this guy? He your boyfriend now?" he asked, not hiding his disgust from his voice. He walked through the curtain of long willow branches to sit down against the trunk.

"I don't know. And that is being honest. I'm not really sure what we are..." I furrowed my eyebrows, realizing this was a whole new experience for me. I didn't know how it worked. I had thought we were only friends, if even that, but...were we dating now? I guessed I expected something entirely different. I mean, I wasn't crazy, I knew the whole boy asking the girl to go "steady" was outdated. But did kissing twice qualify as becoming a couple nowadays? Maybe it did. Or maybe it was that plus all the other things we'd been through together that solidified our relationship.

I really didn't know. I'd seen so many couples flip-flop between each other at school, kissing one person to the next. Dating seemed like such a casual thing to other people. What if Mycah felt that way, too? What if I was just a warm body who happened to be around during his heightened hormonal periods? I took health class; I was no fool to how teenage bodies worked.

He had never officially told me how he felt about me—if he felt anything serious or not—and I had never told him either. We were kind of only around each other because these strange, bad things kept happening to the both of us. Did that qualify us as friends? Did that qualify us as dating? I seriously had no clue...and my brain was constantly reminding me that I shouldn't want us to be dating, like a billboard with the words "Swore Off All Men - Remember?" wouldn't stop flashing.

"Well you know how I feel about him. Something isn't right. I really wish you would heed my warning and stay away, Nari," Rydan reprimanded as he stood up and went back to practicing archery.

"I know, I know...and you're right. There are some strange things about Mycah I can't explain. I don't know what to think or do about it all," I admitted, understanding completely where Rydan was coming from. A small part of my brain—way, way in the back—told me I needed to stay away. But I had to believe it was because Mycah was keeping me in the dark in addition to all the danger he brought, and until he finally fessed up about everything that was going on, I could never really be sure I would be able to trust him.

"What are you talking about? What strange things?" Rydan demanded on full alarm, lowering his bow. Crap. Me and my big mouth...

"Nothing. He just doesn't tell me much about his life, that's all," I tried to cover my mistake. "Actually, a lot like you are about keeping your life secret. You do the same thing to me, Rydan. You barely tell me anything important about yourself."

"You know enough," he snapped. I hit the mark.

"No, I don't. I know there is so much you don't tell me. Like, the real reason behind why you are vegetarian. And the constant sadness behind your eyes. What about the way you tried so hard to not show how freaked you were about dreaming? Don't think I don't notice all those things. I always do. I just don't say anything because I hope that one day you'll actually trust me enough to tell me all on your own." I could feel myself going too far, getting closer and closer to the line, but wasn't able to keep myself from jumping over it. "But you never do. You never tell me anything. You just keep me at arm's length and I have to sit back in the dark not knowing anything significant about you. Why should I even trust you if you don't trust me?"

I stopped myself then as soon as that sentence left my mouth. Where had that come from? I didn't mean to turn my anger out on Rydan. I had no reason to be upset with him. He stared at me, completely stoic, masking any emotion. Regret began to fill my stomach, and although some of it was true, I knew there were reasons behind it. I never wanted to push him like that.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said all that. I know you have your reasons. I'm sorry." I closed the distance between us in two long strides and threw my arms around his waist.

#  Chapter Thirty-Nine

~Naminé~

I didn't move an inch. I let him come to me. We held each other's gazes as he slowly took small steps toward me. I still struggled to hold it all together, but it was easier if I didn't move.

I smiled to encourage him to inch forward. He took one more step. I held my breath and when nothing happened, I let it out. I tried to talk to him one more time. I opened my mouth and called his name. He looked at me with no comprehension. He knew I tried to speak but didn't understand.

He took another step forward.

I said his name again. He lifted his eyebrows in question. I decided to stop speaking and concentrated on our progress.

Another step forward.

He looked down at the space between us and knew he was almost there, for I could see in his expression determination and his will to continue pushing.

He looked back up and took another step.

I felt the cloud in my mind threaten to take over. I clenched my fists, and suddenly he stiffened. He must have noticed my hesitation, for he stopped and took a deep breath. I pushed the cloud back in my mind with all my might. I felt somewhat clearer and nodded at him that it was all right.

He took another step forward.

He smiled. If we would have reached out our hands, we would have touched.

# Chapter Forty

~Nari~

"I'm really sorry. Please forgive me." I regretted my words immediately. Rydan didn't like to be pushed when it came to talking about his past. I couldn't imagine what it was he was hiding and didn't want to tell me, but I knew better than to say all that. It wasn't fair to him.

"It's fine," he sighed, relaxing in my arms. He moved away and went back to shooting arrows into several trees. I sighed too and just like that, it was forgotten between us. I then walked over to the pond and sat down.

I watched as Rydan expertly shot arrow after arrow, many obliterating an arrow that was already stuck there, which I knew to be called a "Robinhood" shot, because he did it all the time. That meant he would shoot one arrow into another one, splitting apart the first one.

It always amazed me to see, but he had said that it wasn't really that big of deal. I had said he was just being modest, because he was freakin' awesome with that bow. If there was ever a medieval war to break out, I'd feel perfectly safe with Rydan by my side.

It was beautiful to watch, really. Once in a while he'd set up targets attached to the trees deep into the forest—too far in for me to see—then make it look effortless as he got a bull's-eye in every one. He'd even do a few "Robinhood" shots just to make me happy. I honestly had no idea how he did it. How did the arrows not get stuck in the trees on their way down? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes a hundred times, I never would have believed it could've been done.

Eventually, he was done practicing, so he rode me to the B&B his parents own. His family was quite wealthy—they owned an entire chain of hotels and several bed & breakfasts throughout New England and along the east coast.

They didn't always act it, but once in a while they could be a little too upper class for my tastes. They hated that Rydan had to go to a small public school like Port High. Once a special private school for the musically gifted opened up, they didn't hesitate to make him transfer.

Rydan didn't care either way. At first he was frustrated that we wouldn't be going to school together, but he somehow managed to get over it, and a lot better and sooner than I did. Typical.

"Watch your step," he warned me as he pulled up to the curb outside O'Malley's Bed & Breakfast. I carefully swung off his bike, being mindful not to trip.

"And what do we have here? Coming to visit me? Rydan, you shouldn't have," Mycah's familiar accent called playfully across the lawn, humor igniting his eyes. Rydan scoffed at his sarcasm. I stiffened. One tended to do that when their heart stopped and then jump-started into racing mode. I hadn't seen him since he dropped me off at home early yesterday morning, and it felt like ages ago.

"Oh, you wish, don't you, lover boy?" Rydan joined in the game by grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the entrance of the B&B. Mycah narrowed his eyes at the possessive gesture, and I knew Rydan was doing it just to get a reaction out of him. I, on the other hand, didn't want to play this stupid testosterone game. I yanked my hand away from Rydan's and walked faster to pass him.

I could feel both boys following me close on my heels as I made my way up the porch steps.

"Nariella, what are you doing here?" Mycah asked with happy curiosity from behind. He probably wanted to know if I was here for him. Which didn't sound like a bad idea to me...

"Nothing that you need to be concerned with, that's what," Rydan answered right away for me before I could say anything.

"Really? So you two just happened to be here, doing what exactly?" Mycah's British accent was perfectly crisp and clicked over each consonant as he spoke with frustration, trying to keep his cool.

I whirled around as I got to the door, causing Rydan to run into me, and noticed Mycah's jaw clench in anticipation. I couldn't figure out what he was worried about. Did he think I was coming here for a quickie with Rydan?

I busted out laughing at the idea, and both boys turned to stare at me shocked, furrowing their eyebrows, not understanding my silent amusement.

"Well, I'm glad at least one of us is entertained," Rydan said under his breath.

"What? This doesn't happen all the time with you, lad? I was positive this must be a frequent occurrence of hers. You know, from having to be subjected to looking at your face and all. I'm sure the girl can't help it," Mycah's sarcastic humor continued, egging Rydan on.

"It is actually. I make her laugh all the time. Can you say the same?" Rydan retaliated, playing upon Mycah's interest in me once again.

I regained my composure, but barely, and tried to set things straight.

"Rydan, please, you do not all the time. And Mycah, I'll be staying here now. At least temporarily," I clarified, feeling a little embarrassed all of a sudden.

Could I handle staying under the same roof as Mycah, night after night? I flushed and could feel every inch of my skin growing hot from the idea. Mycah narrowed his eyes at me then smirked in his incredibly sexy way, and I knew right then he could feel my emotions. Dang it!

Rydan took Mycah's expression the wrong way and grabbed him by his shirt collar, violently throwing him against the wall.

"The only reason I am allowing you to do this is because I'm a nice guy. But twice is the limit. You will never put your hands on me again," Mycah spoke quietly, menacingly, and if I didn't know any better I would be frightened. Unfortunately, his warning only fueled Rydan's rage even more, making him take a swing at Mycah's face to take up the challenge.

But Mycah was lightning fast, easily blocking Rydan's fist by grabbing it in the air with his left hand and holding it in place. Mycah threw Rydan backward, then took a step toward him. I didn't like where this was going and immediately stepped in between them.

I faced Mycah, hoping I could appeal to him more easily, and put my palms against his chest.

"What in the world are you doing? Rydan is my absolute best friend. If you hurt him, you hurt me. I would never forgive you," I promised, believing every word. Mycah glanced down into my eyes as he towered over me and instantly softened.

"Come on, tough guy. She's got you whipped already? I didn't take you for the submissive type," Rydan provoked Mycah, taunting him.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Mycah responded as he intertwined his fingers with mine. My heart stuttered then raced with abnormal speed at his touch.

"Enlighten me," Rydan replied with attitude, like he was bored with this conversation already.

"Oh, I would, mate, but I'm afraid your head might explode." Mycah smiled sarcastically.

"I hate to interrupt again, guys, but it's now dark, I'm freezing, and I'm going inside." I rolled my eyes and stalked through the front door of the B&B, already missing Mycah's hand.

Once I was inside, I had nowhere else to go since I wasn't given a room yet, so I had to just stand there and wait.

Rydan came through the door a few seconds later and moved behind the front desk to start typing in the computer.

"He is completely ridiculous. I have no idea what you see in him, Nari," he said to me without taking his eyes off the screen. I bristled at his accusation, offended.

"That's because you refuse to see it. If you'd only give him a chance, Rydan. Why do you hate him so much? Your reservations are completely unfounded and you know it," I defended Mycah and myself, although I wasn't exactly sure why. We were only friends. Right? And Rydan was being just as ridiculous and just as guilty with the immature fighting.

"Whatever. Here's your room key. You're upstairs in the Duck Room."

"The Duck Room?" I repeated, finding it endearing. I smiled at the cutest tiny yellow duck dangling from the key. He rolled his eyes at me.

"Yes, I'm sure you can figure it out. I have to go. I was supposed to be home five minutes ago. By the way, Marie is out doing the shopping for tomorrow so text me if you have questions. I'll let her know you're here, though." He walked over to leave, but I stopped him.

"Thank you so much for this." I stretched up to give him a kiss on the cheek, hoping he'd forgive me for going against his instincts about Mycah.

Mycah came in just then, tensing up once he saw us.

"See you tomorrow. Be ready immediately after school. We'll pick you up there, okay? But bring a dress to change into," Rydan instructed me in a low voice, ignoring the company.

"I'll be ready. Careful going home," I answered as he rushed past Mycah and out the door.

"What's going on tomorrow?" Mycah asked lightly, feigning disinterest.

"I'm going with Rydan to Portland. He's a brilliant pianist and will be performing on stage. It's really awesome! I love when I get to go with. I'm so excited!" I clasped my hands together and bobbed up and down.

Mycah smiled, eyes twinkling as he watched me. "Brilliant." He nodded as his smile dropped slightly. "So why is it you have to stay here now? Not that I'm complaining." He winked, signature smirk returning to his face. His hands were in his pockets, and even though I was becoming more familiar with him, his demeanor still screamed foreign.

"Ray kicked me out. Well, technically, I have until my birthday, but I hate him so much. I can't stand the idea of going back there. Rydan said I could stay here for a while," I explained.

Mycah looked away, clenching his jaw and fists, fuming. "I'm going to kill him."

"Mycah, no! Don't be silly. I couldn't be happier at the idea of finally being able to get away. Trust me. This is a good thing." I nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with myself. He turned back to me, searching for any truth to my words in my eyes. He must have found it, because he smiled after a moment.

"Oh, and you'll never believe what happened. I don't understand it at all. It's super weird," I lured him into my story, distracting him from feeling angry. "Apparently that bookie Ray owed a ton of money to was magically paid off, and not a penny of it was from Ray. He full on interrogated me today thinking I did it," I scoffed dramatically.

"Huh. Imagine that," Mycah responded as he walked past me, looking down at me through his eyelashes.

I spun around after him, realization hitting me in the face.

"You did it!" I breathed, barely believing it. "Why would you do that?"

"Don't be absurd," he snickered, not looking back as he continued to walk to his room. I followed him.

"Please, tell me why you did it," I begged, grabbing onto the bottom of his shirt to prevent him from going in. He stopped at the door and dropped his head, sighing. He slowly turned around, matching my gaze and looking defeated.

"For you. I did it for you," he confessed as he reached up to caress my cheekbone with his thumb.

"For me?" I asked, confused. I didn't understand. It was helping Ray, not me.

"I didn't like the idea of strange men putting their grubby hands on you because of Ray's stupidity. And if he didn't have the money, then who knows what would have happened to you. Either he could have taken his anger out on you himself, or you could have gotten caught up in the mess again and ended up really hurt by the other guys. I couldn't take that chance. Not when it comes to you." His voice was so earnest and sweet; it brought tears to my eyes.

"Don't cry, love." He half-smiled, noticing my emotion, and moved his thumb to my bottom lip. "You're so beautiful," he breathed as he moved his gaze from my lips back to my eyes, making my heart jump. I stared up at him, dazed and in awe at this creature before me, wondering if this was just my imagination.

"So are you," I replied, feeling out of breath. He chuckled, looking down at the floor then back up to me, stretching his fingers behind my ear while keeping his thumb to my lips.

"Is that right?" he teased, grinning. I nodded slowly as he caressed my bottom lip again. What was he doing to me? I felt mesmerized, like I was in a trance. "Listen, darling. It's getting late, and I don't want to keep you up any longer. School and all that jazz." His accent...Oh god his accent...Each word he spoke sounded so dang sexy, I didn't even care what he was saying.

"Right," I forced myself to say, since I hadn't spoken in a while.

"Um, where are all your things?" he questioned with his eyebrows pulled together and looking around me like maybe he had missed something. He was so incredibly hot it hurt. It was so not fair!

"Oh...I forgot. I don't have anything. Shoot." Hello! I felt so dumb...What was I thinking?

"Don't fret. I can take you over to the house in the morning after Ray leaves."

"Really? Thank you so much." I felt guilty for having to depend on other people so much. I wished I could just take care of myself.

"Would you like me to walk you to your room?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I'm just upstairs in the 'Duck Room.'" I held up my key, letting the little duck on the end jiggle. "Oh, wait a second." That reminded me..."Please stop provoking Rydan. It's not helping anything. I need him to like you, and all you're doing is making things worse," I tried to explain seriously but couldn't stop the blush I felt creeping on my neck and cheeks.

"And why's that exactly?" he asked seductively, leaning in closer. I stood there gazing up at him, mentally waving goodbye to any proper thought.

"Um, what?" I shook my head. "Why's what exactly?" I asked again in a small voice, wanting to clarify my question. Was he asking why I thought he was making things worse...?

"Why do you need him to like me?" His voice was just above a whisper, making my skin tingle.

Oh. That.

He leaned in closer still, if that were possible, and now that he was just inches from me, my heart completely stopped beating. I could feel electricity running between us, begging me to close the tiny gap that had unforgivably been left open.

"He's my best friend," I choked out, struggling to swallow.

"That doesn't answer my question," he breathed. He stared into my eyes, and I could feel myself getting lost in the ocean depths that resembled the Pacific. I tried to focus, not understanding his statement. I felt like my answer had been perfectly adequate.

"It doesn't?" I asked, puzzled.

"No, it doesn't," he practically moaned. And then before I could realize what was going on, his mouth was on mine and his hands were tangled in my hair.

Stars, planets, galaxies, all exploded around me. Around us.

I surrendered to him immediately, opening my mouth to his fervent hunger. His hands left a burning trail of flames as they slid down my back to my waist.

He kissed me, long and hard, but it wasn't enough. I could never possibly get enough.

He moved his lips to my neck, letting me breathe, just as he splayed his fingers across the small of my back and pulled me against his body. I ran my own hands along his broad shoulders and up his neck, clinging to him with all my might, trying to steady myself. I felt dizzy as soon as he ran his tongue along my collarbone and then planted kisses all along the same line as he moved back over it. He returned to my mouth—

"Ahem!"

I jumped back away from Mycah as far as I could, hitting the wall behind me at the sound of someone dramatically clearing their throat. Mycah was left reaching for me and staring with wild eyes, completely consumed with passion and desire just for me. He wasn't bothered or embarrassed in the slightest by the sudden interruption.

I turned to look at Marie, the culprit who abruptly cut us off, and felt the color in my face deepen further with the way she was eying me in that motherly way.

You know, the "caught you red-handed, tsk tsk" look that only concerned parents who were disappointed in your behavior gave.

"Good night, Nari," Marie pointedly reprimanded me through her tone, instructing me to leave and go to bed with those three little words.

"Good night," I mumbled, not able to takes my eyes off the floor. I felt Mycah staring at me, not even removing his eyes from my face for a second, watching me as I walked away toward the stairs that led to the "Duck Room."

# Chapter Forty-One

~Naminé~

My eyes were closed. I took a deep breath to inhale his scent that surrounded me. I could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest. I didn't want to open my eyes for fear that I would lose him if I did. I was concentrating so hard on just keeping us here.

Suddenly, I felt a soft, warm touch on my face. I slowly opened my eyes and stared in wonder at the miracle before me.

He stood right in front of me with his hand on my cheek, wiping away the tears I didn't know were there. To finally touch and caress his soft warm skin sent shivers down my spine as I carefully reached my arm up and placed my hand over his.

At my touch, he inhaled sharply and our eyes locked together. A smile pulled at my lips. His skin felt exactly like I imagined.

He brought his other arm up slightly, reaching to grab mine that hung at my side. His fingers met mine, and as they interlocked together, I suddenly remembered to breathe.

He smiled at me. I saw hope, joy, and happiness in his eyes. Warm, wet tears streamed down my face, and as he moved his thumb to wipe them away, I realized something dreadfully important.

I was not supposed to fall in love with him.

I was here to help him come home.

# Chapter Forty-Two

~Nari~

I watched the room gradually lighten with the rising sun. I could now clearly make out the ducks illustrated in the few paintings that hung around the walls.

I had expected to walk into a nursery made for adults once I saw the cute duck keychain. I had thought for sure there would be matching rubber ducky wallpaper, curtains, and comforter set. And I especially had expected the walls to at least be bright yellow.

But I had been surprised to find that the room looked nothing like I had imagined. It was simple, elegant, with an antique cream bedspread and soft grey walls. The only thing that told me it was the "Duck Room" was the duck-shaped knocker on the front of the door and the three small duck paintings that made up the décor.

Even though I'd been to the B&B with Rydan many times, I'd never actually stayed here or been in any of the rooms. This was my first time ever as a guest, and it was very exciting. I've always wanted to travel and stay in hotels and have adventures away from my "home." Sure, I was still in Kennebunkport, but I was still excited nonetheless.

The sun now streamed in through the slits of the beige blinds but wasn't yet strong enough to warm my skin.

I didn't sleep a wink all night. My lips had ached for Mycah's again hour after hour, and as hard as I tried, I could not stop feeling his hands on my skin and in my hair. Combined with that was the fact that he was only some feet away from me, sleeping right below and only seconds from being able to wrap myself up in his strong arms.

It was extremely unsettling. I had been on edge the entire time, tossing and turning, and it took everything I had to keep from running out my door and barging into his room. Eventually I had calmed down, sort of, at least enough to stay lying still. But it had not been enough to allow me sleep.

I sat up in the squeaky bed and stretched my arms above my head, yawning. This was going to be a long day. I needed coffee, big time.

I put yesterday's clothes back on, since I didn't have anything else, and made my way to the shared bathroom down the hall that all the upstairs guests used. Only Mycah's room had an on-suite bathroom attached, since it technically was the "Master-suite" of the large house turned into a B&B.

After rinsing my mouth out and splashing some water on my face, I went downstairs hoping Mycah was ready to take me to my, I mean—Ray's—house, so I could officially get ready for the day.

I quietly stepped down the stairs, not wanting to disturb other guests, if there were any, this early in the morning. I was suddenly anxious, excited even, at the prospect of laying eyes on Mycah again. On being enveloped in his woodsy scent. The way my soul felt complete and whole again that only his presence alone could accomplish. Were we really just friends?

And then there he was.

As I took the last stair, his eyes found mine from the "Greeting Room" he quietly sat in, drinking from an antique teacup.

He watched me carefully as he slowly put the cup to his alluring lips and took a sip. My heart danced wildly in my chest with every step I took, drawing closer and closer.

I waved at him, not able to speak just yet.

"Morning, beautiful," he whispered. His English accent made the words sound musical. Or maybe it was his silky voice that did it. Or it could have been the combination of the two, I really didn't know. Either way, my stomach did a flip.

And then I thought it must have been the way he was looking at me, not even trying to hide the desire that flooded his aqua eyes as soon as they locked onto mine.

The sun played with his eyes, bringing out the unique colors and making them more vivid. Even though the streaming sun that shone brightly through the large bay window illuminated him, he never looked more dangerous.

And he never looked more sexy.

Well, that could be debatable.

I mean, if you wanted to count the time he was dripping wet and practically naked, well then, one really couldn't say.

But this moment was definitely a top contender for first place.

He stood up, keeping perfect posture and foreign demeanor exquisitely intact, and came over to me.

"You alright?" he asked, lips pulling up in a side smile. I nodded, half hating the spell he always put me under, half totally loving it.

He reached out and slowly slid his hand into mine and intertwined our fingers together, pulling me toward the front door. He chuckled and slightly shook his head at the ground.

As we walked to his car, I couldn't focus on anything else but the way his thumb sweetly caressed my hand. It was so charming; it made whatever these feelings I had for him grow deeper, and I couldn't wipe the smile from my face even if I wanted to.

I had kept my eyes on the ground, so was surprised when he stopped walking and looked up to find us at his car already. He opened the passenger door for me, as usual, so I tucked my hair behind my ear and got in, working very hard to behave like normal.

We pulled up to Port High just as the first bell sounded. We had gone to Ray's house first so I could shower, get my books, and pack some things, but now I was running late.

"I hope you have a lovely evening," he offered politely without a smile, referring to my trip to Portland with Rydan. His eyes were dark as they searched for something I couldn't define in mine.

"Mycah!" Sabrina Holloway called from outside, tapping on his window. He lowered it, looking confused. "Hey, handsome. You coming inside? I've missed you," she crooned, sticking out her bottom lip. She reached in the car and caressed his shoulder.

It took all my strength not to vomit.

I jumped out of the car, unable to stand another second as she flipped her perfect golden blonde hair over her shoulder and leaned down in front of his window, displaying her perfect cleavage.

Double barf.

I walked as fast as I could into the school, not bothering to look back. It was pointless trying to compete with that. Mycah could kiss me all he wanted, but that didn't mean he wouldn't move on to better things. By better things, I meant better-looking girls resembling Barbie, as long as they continuously flaunted themselves in front of him.

And I couldn't blame him. He was a guy, and guys were weak against anything with boobs and a heartbeat. And this was my exact reason for swearing off men from the beginning. They couldn't be trusted. Not a single one of them. And even if he wasn't into her, it didn't matter. I didn't know anything about him really. Who knew how much he was actually keeping from me. It could be a huge dark secret that would devastate me if I found out. So until he said otherwise, I refused to get any closer to him.

I fell into my desk chair and dropped my head onto my arms just as the final bell rang. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster that had no end in sight. Couldn't I at least have a pit stop to throw up?

Three classes later, I started feeling elated by the time I got my food and sat down at the lunch table next to Zaylie, along with Desmond and Liam.

"It feels so good to be with you guys," I sighed, followed by a long drink of water. If I didn't constantly move or have something in my mouth, I'd fall asleep.

Like I did several times in all my morning classes.

Ugh, I would give anything to crawl back into bed and get the sleep that cruelly escaped me.

"Glad to hear it, because you're stuck with us, babe," Liam said overdramatically, like he was a game show host or something and they were a prize I had just won.

"What does that mean?" I laughed skeptically.

"Rydan didn't tell you? We're all going with you tonight." Zaylie beamed, exuding the excitement I once felt before I lacked sleep. But I was quickly getting every ounce back as her words set in.

"Are you serious? Oh, my god. That is the best news I have heard all day!" I grabbed her hands, and we both squealed like little girls.

"Oh, crikey, shoot me now," Desmond moaned as he dropped his head in his hands.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Liam let out, looking completely disgusted. "What the heck was that?" he asked exasperatedly as he shook his head.

"Don't you start with me!" Zaylie retorted, full of vigor and vim.

"Listen, Blondie. Don't make me come over there and really give you something to squeal about," Liam threatened her.

"Oy! That's my sister, dillhead," Desmond scolded as he punched Liam in the arm.

"Thank yo—"

"So I'll show her who's boss!" Desmond stood up, interrupting Zaylie, and punched the palm of his hand. Liam barked a laugh and clapped loudly.

"Des!" both Zaylie and I yelled, thinking he was going to defend his sister.

"You're supposed to be on my side against dags like him. What good are you, anyway?" Zaylie huffed and crossed her arms. Desmond and Liam grinned at each other and did a fist bump.

"Bros before hoes!" they hollered at the same time, then knocked their heads together like battering rams.

"Oh for goodness sakes," Zaylie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, spare us the make out session, please," I teased the boys and stuffed food in my mouth to keep from laughing.

Liam slammed his fist on the table, saying, "Zip your lid, cookie monster," and pointed a finger at me, trying to act serious. I stopped mid-chew and looked down at the half-eaten giant chocolate chip cookie in my hand. We all busted out laughing.

I thought the time to leave for Portland would never come. But come it did as the group of us stepped outside into the chilly autumn air. The cool breeze blew through my hair and picked it up playfully as we walked toward Rydan's parents' pearly white SUV. I tugged on my simple white sundress to keep it from blowing up in the wind. We had all changed into nicer, "symphony-appropriate" attire after our last class ended. I didn't have very many fancy clothes, but I knew as long as it was a dress it would be fine.

I could see Rydan's dad and mom up front smiling, so I waved to them. His mom rolled down her window once we approached.

"Hello, Nari," she greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hi, Anna!" I chirped back, my excitement getting the best of me.

"Hello," she said to everyone else.

Rydan stepped out of the SUV and began the introductions.

"Mom, Dad, this is Liam, Desmond, and Zaylie. Guys, these are my parents Anna and Darren." As soon as he was finished, he stepped back in the car. Everyone greeted each other politely and respectfully.

"Okay, welcome aboard! Let's go watch some magic tonight!" Darren called out Anna's window, obviously proud of his son's piano skills. We all got in one by one. Rydan was in the very back, so I sat by him, and Zaylie followed to sit by me. Desmond and Liam claimed the two seats in the middle.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley for letting us join you," Zaylie called gratefully from the back seat to Rydan's parents up front as we made our way from the school. Here we come, Portland!

"Yes, we're all so excited!" I added in agreement.

"Oh, no need to thank us," Anna replied, slightly turning around in her seat to look at us.

Darren nodded and looked to his rearview mirror so he could see everyone. "The more the merrier," he said with a smile.

It was a forty-minute drive so I settled in next to Rydan, appreciating his warmth.

"Rydan, are you nervous?" Zaylie asked sweetly, her Aussie accent a little thicker sounding. Rydan chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I don't get nervous. Not when it comes to music," he answered her question confidently. I looped my arm through his and took his hand, relishing his comfort, and laid my head on his shoulder.

My eyes were extremely heavy from not sleeping last night, and being near Rydan like this was always relaxing. It was a real struggle to keep awake and stay included in the group conversation that I knew would go on without me, but it felt so good to give in. Rydan was nice and warm, and I could hear his heart beating slow and steady, like a soothing lullaby, begging me to drift away into sweet oblivion. So I did.

The last thing I heard before going under was Desmond yelling and laughing, "Oy! What do you think you're doing, you batty crease?!"

"What? Nothing!" Liam laughed, sounding guilty. Everyone else except for me laughed along with their silly antics. I smiled and then let myself fall asleep.

"Nari, we're here," Rydan whispered as he squeezed my hand. I swore only forty seconds went by, not forty minutes, as I tried to open my eyes.

I stumbled out of the SUV feeling worse than I did before. It wasn't enough sleep, and now my head felt like it was full of sand. Perfect.

"Wake up, sleepy head," Liam teased and mussed up my hair on top of my head.

"I can wake her up," Desmond challenged deviously, and I had to wonder what he meant. But a half second later, I found out as he bent down and threw me over his shoulder and started running toward where we needed to go.

I screamed and hit his back with my hands.

"Des! Oh my g—put me down!" I laughed and screamed at the same time. Despite being startled at first, it was actually quite fun, and I couldn't stop laughing hysterically.

I heard Zaylie scream just after I had and noticed Liam had done the same thing to her and was running right behind us.

"You cretin! You're gonna pay for this!" I heard Zaylie yell at him.

"Ooo, somebody save me please from the ninety-pound blonde I can easily put over my shoulder," Liam scoffed playfully with amusement, pretending to sound afraid. He had a point.

They finally put us down in front of the doors to the music hall.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" Zaylie growled, punching Liam in the chest. I noticed the tiny bit of amusement in her voice and her brown eyes sparkling. Both Liam and Desmond just laughed, and I did too, feeling completely revived and windblown.

Rydan caught up to us, and that was when I noticed his parents were missing.

"Where are your mom and dad?" I asked, hoping they didn't just witness what happened.

"They left the car right away while we stayed to wake you up. They had to go sign me in and take care of whatever parental business they're responsible for. You know the drill," Rydan explained, winking at me.

"Oh yeah. I remember now." Usually I went to our reserved seats while Rydan went back stage and Darren and Anna went to speak to the instructors.

"I have to go set up. Catch you guys later," Rydan said to everyone. "Enjoy the show."

"Break a leg!" Zaylie replied as Desmond and Liam said their goodbyes too.

"Rydan!" I called for him, making him turn around. "Have fun." I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I will." He smiled at me. I watched him walk away, knowing he was right. He was about to have a blast.

"This way, guys," I instructed, already familiar with where we needed to go. They followed me as I took them to our seats.

# Chapter Forty-Three

~Naminé~

From atop the outer courtyard, I watched the downpour of rain as it saturated the ground. I stood next to the wall overlooking the Tari Garden as the rain pounded the hundreds of perishing plants below. Queen Lirima used to love this place. Years before, all by herself, she planted every single flower and had maintained the garden daily. It had once been known as one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Aselaira. Since the death of her husband and the rise of his brother Ohtar, the garden was nearly lifeless. A few turquoise lotes and yellow roses bloomed here and there, but now it was only a sad memory of what it used to be. No one ever saw her in the garden anymore.

Mentally shaking the thoughts away, I took in a full breath of fresh air. Ever since my younger years, I had always loved the smell of rain. It smelled clean, pure, and new, like the bad things were being washed away. If only that were true.

For the past three days, I had been cleaning the inner guest chambers from top to bottom. The King had invited royal guests from the neighboring land of Llad in hopes they would help us fight Lassaira. I and two other younger servants had the duty of cleaning thirteen guest chambers that would be used. It would take us days, but it was better than working in the hot kitchens and serving food to everyone but ourselves.

It also meant time away from the dungeon and talking with my only friend, but it felt great to be outside today, even if in the rain. I felt sullen for Calen, for I knew she couldn't be free to fly around the forest in this downpour. She was holed up in a cave near the center of the forest. I could sense her sleeping soundly amid the storm.

As I started to close my eyes, and for once try to let my burdens melt away, I was startled as I began to hear shouting from behind. It got louder as I realized whoever was making all that racket drew closer. Thinking quickly, I ducked behind a nearby pillar and crouched low to the ground.

"You must find him now! No more excuses!" a deep, dark voice shouted again.

Suddenly there was a loud noise, and after some scuffing around I felt something collide with the pillar I crouched behind—like someone had been thrown up against it.

My whole body shook as I recognized that deep, dark, and terrible voice.

"Your family's lives are on the line, N'taurn, if you do not find him. You do not want to see what I will do to them," the disturbing voice threatened. "Go back now! Do as I command!" he screamed at what I assumed was the man getting crushed against my hiding pillar. I fervently hoped I was not discovered, for I would not see another day.

"Y...yes, Y...Your Majesty," a small voice answered.

After a few more seconds of shuffling, I finally heard loud footsteps retreating. The captain by the pillar started to cough as he tried to find his breath.

Soft footsteps approached. "N'taurn, are you all right?" I heard an unfamiliar male voice ask.

"I am," he answered slowly. "Listen...gather whoever is left of the extraction mission. Get everyone, and I mean everyone, Talar. We are going back. Tonight. We must..."

I struggled to hear the last few words as the men walked around the corner. After letting out a huge gasp of breath and much relief, I stood up and tried to put together what I just heard.

So...they were still looking for him.

# Chapter Forty-Four

~Nari~

Tears brimmed in my eyes as I sat mesmerized by Rydan's enchanted playing. It truly was magical, like witnessing life after death, or the never failing sun rising at dawn to chase away the darkness. His music always spoke to me, but not like this. Not when he was in his true element.

Rydan was born to play the piano. If there was anything I was sure of in this world, that was it.

As he finished his piece and stood up to bow, I watched as the entire room erupted into wild cheering and clapping. Hundreds of roses were thrown onto the stage at his feet. He was always the finale and always had piles of roses at his feet by the time he walked off the stage.

"That was incredible!" Zaylie said to me as she squeezed my arm. "I had no idea!"

"I know, right? He is magnificent. This is my favorite thing to do," I replied to her, remembering how much I looked forward to these trips every time I got to go. Sometimes Ray would put up a good fight and tell me no, other times he'd say yes but only if I did something in return, which was usually very unpleasant—Like making the garage and attic spotless or washing his car inside and out. Despite all that, it was absolutely worth it in the end.

We met up with Rydan back stage. As soon as I saw him, I ran over and threw my arms around him. "You were breathtaking. Congratulations." I beamed at him, feeling exceptionally proud of my best friend. Keeping to tradition, he handed me a single red rose he had picked up off the stage. I grinned at the familiar gesture and pulled it to my nose, taking in its wonderful scent. His parents came over next, so I relinquished my attention and let them take over.

Anna cried as she hugged her son and offered her congratulations and compliments as well. Darren did the same, without the tears, but it was obvious how moved he was by Rydan's gift. The intimate gestures brought more tears to my eyes as I watched them.

I was happy Rydan had a loving family—and that so did Zaylie and Desmond, and even Liam. I was grateful my friends all had that.

But it still sent aching pangs of envy through my limbs and made me wish I, too, had a caring family I could call my own. It made me miss Elizabeth more than ever when there were moments like this.

Even Mycah knew his family history. I might not have known anything about it or where they were or if he was close with them, but he said himself he bore a family emblem right on his neck, so they must have meant something to him.

I was the only one who didn't know what it was like to be loved or cared for unconditionally—To have parents who worried about you all the time and watched you grow up and deal with typical teenage problems.

"That was so awesome, man. We are seriously impressed," I heard Liam say to Rydan. I took a deep breath, thankful to have been broken from my gloomy thoughts.

"Ah, ya know, after some thought, I'm thinking we might make an exception and let you skip the audition trial for the band," Desmond joked, shaking Rydan's hand.

"Thanks, man," Rydan chuckled.

"I'm starving. How about we head to the restaurant?" Darren asked everyone.

"That's a great idea, honey. We don't want to keep these kids out too late. They have school in the morning still," Anna added, being very motherly.

Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley took us to a super fancy restaurant. I was barely able to read the menu since the whole thing was in a foreign language looking much like French, and there were no prices listed, which I knew meant no matter what I chose, I would be giving up my life savings.

I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself every time I thought of the loose term "life savings" I always seemed to give it. It was a joke of course. I had no such thing as an actual life savings.

"Please, everyone. Choose whatever sounds good to you. Tonight is our treat," Anna said as Darren put an arm around her and nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Mr. and Mrs. O'Malley, you really don't have to do that!" Zaylie countered, shocked by the generosity.

"Please! Don't be silly, Zaylie. We absolutely want to. No arguments!" Darren spoke up, smiling.

"Thank you so much!" Zaylie surrendered.

"Yes, thank you! You're so kind," I added. I was used to their generosity, but it never failed to be so heartwarming. Rydan especially took after them. He took care of me so much. I would forever be indebted to him and his family.

Two and a half hours later, we were all dropped off at our respective homes. I was last, and as I stepped out of the SUV, Rydan followed me.

"So you told them I was staying here, huh?" I asked him quietly, not wanting his parents to overhear as they stayed in the car. Originally Rydan was going to wait until my birthday to tell them that I moved into their B&B. But here we were parked outside, and I didn't even need to tell them where to drop me off.

"Uh yeah. Marie told them actually. After she walked in on you and...him," he replied, shifting uncomfortably where he stood. Immediately a rush of blood went to my cheeks at the mention of Marie finding Mycah and I kissing passionately in front of his room. I was horrified that Rydan's parents now knew, but even worse that Rydan knew, too.

"Oh god. Please tell me I fell asleep on the ride home and this is just a stupid nightmare I am about to wake up from," I grumbled, closing my eyes and willing myself to wake up.

"Nope, I'm afraid not. Believe me, no one wishes that more than me," he murmured.

"Ow!" I yelped, my eyes popping open from Rydan pinching my arm. I had left them closed, determined to wake up soon. "What was that for?"

"See? Not a nightmare," he responded with a small smile.

"Fine. So they're okay with it?" I asked hesitantly. I was afraid maybe they'd make me go back tomorrow or something and were just being nice by letting me stay here tonight.

"They're fine. I told them how important it is for you to get away and that Ray wants you out just as much as you want to be out. They were concerned he'd file a complaint or make a big deal about it at first, but I explained to them how that would never happen."

"Okay, thank you so much for everything, Ry. I don't know what I would do without you." I sighed and gave him a huge hug.

"Yeah, yeah, you say that all the time," he chuckled, rolling his eyes at me. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya." I waved to him as he got back in the SUV and then waved at his parents. I stepped back and watched them drive away.

I turned around sighing, excited about climbing into bed and finally going to sleep. But I jumped and let out a small scream upon finding Mycah standing right in front of me with his hands in pockets and looking way too good to be human. No, it wasn't fair. Not fair at all.

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to frighten you. I take it you had fun?" he said genuinely but didn't make any attempts to come closer to me.

"Yes, yes, it was amazing," I answered with a hand over my heart, trying to catch my breath. "We all had a blast."

"Lovely." He smiled at me.

"How was Sabrina?" I asked snidely, brushing past him and making my way up the front steps of the B&B. I could feel I was being childish, but I didn't even know what Mycah and I were, and a huge part of me still fought against us becoming anything but friends. I was trudging through denial, telling myself that no men were good and I needed to stay away or my heart was bound to get broken.

"Excuse me?" he answered, following close behind me.

"You know, Miss Big Boobs? Blonde hair, legs that go on forever?" I spun around to face him, wanting to see his expression. He looked completely confused with eyebrows furrowed together, eyes to the ground. Like he tried to figure out a big mystery.

"Are you referring to the girl that spoke to us this morning outside your school?" he questioned, still looking puzzled. I rolled my eyes. Seriously?

"And are you trying to tell me you don't know her name?" I asked skeptically, not believing it could be true for a second.

"I honestly had no idea. But I think what threw me is why you would even bring up her or any other girl for that matter?" He took a step closer to me and narrowed his eyes with intensity.

"You're right. I'm being stupid. I'm just really tired and confused, and we're just friends, right? I don't care either way." I sighed, feeling ridiculous, but I wasn't ready to come to terms with any deeper feelings I might've had for Mycah. I just couldn't. Not until he told me everything I knew he was hiding from me. I had to keep him at an arm's length.

I noticed him flinch at my words, but I made myself ignore it. I turned around and forcefully opened the door and ran inside, leaving Mycah behind. I just needed sleep. I couldn't trust anything I said or did until I got a good night's rest. Lack of rest made me crabby, apparently.

But as soon as I opened the door to the "Duck Room," my plan to go right to bed was immediately overwritten with a new plan. Someone else's plan for me. And it instantly washed away any negative feelings I might have felt just seconds ago.

I was stunned by the hundreds—maybe thousands—of purple and blue flower petals that covered the entirety of the room. Ivory candles lined the walls and sat on every surface as twinkling lights hung from the ceiling. It was whimsical. It was beautiful.

It was Mycah.

I didn't hear him come up behind me, but I felt it, as if his very presence stirred my soul and molecules were snapped to life. I gasped once every candle lit to a soft glowing flame all at once. Oh, he was good.

Way too good.

It resembled the flame I, too, had growing and raging deep inside me somewhere—one that had been kindled without my control some time ago, and much like the ambient candles decorating the room, my own fire gave full credit to Mycah as the orchestrator slash pyro-technician.

I turned around to face the one creature who never ceased to amaze me, who stood quietly behind me, and who I only assumed waited for my reaction of some sort.

"What...? What in the world is this?" I didn't know what else to say, or even try hiding my shock, because I knew he would be able to feel it anyway. I hadn't exactly had very many romantic gestures happen in my life. Okay, well, if we were being honest here, this was kinda my first. I almost looked down to make sure my feet were still there, wondering if they could literally be swept off.

"Dance with me," he pitched his voice low, and then he infinitesimally nodded his head upward without drawing away his eyes from mine, and like magic, beautiful cello music began filling the air.

"Where's the bed?" I couldn't help ask. The room was empty, except for the flower petals, candles, and the dresser that carried the stereo. Obviously, my brain was not working properly and was too muddled to perform a proper response, and unfortunately curiosity always got the best of me.

"It is just in the other room for now. I'll bring it back for you, I promise. Don't worry about that. Just dance with me," and as he said the words, he already pulled me to him and led me to the middle of the area. The now empty room was spacious without the bed, giving us plenty of floor to move about.

"I'm sorry you missed your dance because of me. I wanted to make it up to you," he whispered in my ear. I didn't respond.

Because Mycah was right. He was an excellent dancer. He twirled me around like an expert, making me laugh and dipping me perfectly at all the right places. After a few minutes of fun, the music switched from a slightly fast rhythm to a slow, ultra magnetic sound. Mycah slowed to match it and pulled me ever closer against his hard chest, as if there were physical elements contained in the haunting symphonic notes that forced us closer together.

We couldn't be pulled apart, even if we wanted to.

I drew a long breath of air, soaking in the scent of vanilla, flowers, and of course Mycah. The passionate, soulful music beckoned every one of my emotions as the deep sounds of the cello cocooned us. I was afraid to look up, afraid to look into his eyes at what I would find there. But with the way each one of my cells tingled and buzzed, I had no choice, and my eyes moved on their own accord. They slid up to meet his waiting gaze and were instantly lost in the infinite pools of multi-faceted blues, purples, and greens.

My heart stopped.

This look—this expression he gave me. I didn't understand it—couldn't figure out what it was or what it meant. And the way it struck the strings of my heart like a master cellist, I knew there would be no returning from this.

Whatever this was, it was amazing. I had never experienced anything like it before, or the way it felt to have Mycah's arm around my waist as he gently held my hand in his, barely swaying us back and forth. It was like nothing else in the world; that I was sure of. My soul literally felt full, whole. Complete.

Time seemed to slow to a stop as the world vanished around us, leaving only him and only me. I moved my head against his body. I could hear his heart beating against my ear.

Magic.

More magic. Pure and simple. I let the wonderful sound permeate every fiber of my being instead of trying to fight it, like usual, because I honestly didn't think I could even if I wanted to.

And I didn't want to. Not this time. Not anymore. I might not have liked it, but slowly, I was changing. Slowly, I was realizing something.

I just didn't know what it was yet.

He suddenly picked me up off the floor, and immediately I reciprocated by wrapping my legs around his waist. He stared up into my eyes, drawing me in, and before I could react or even comprehend what I was doing, I leaned down closer and closer to his soft lips, which I cautiously, hesitantly touched with mine. He did not pull his eyes away from mine, nor did I pull mine away from his as I gently and slowly kissed his barely restrained mouth. I could feel it was difficult for him to not kiss me back like mad. He was letting me take control, and I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed testing the waters of my physical attraction, embellished with my affection and adoration for this beautiful, ethereal being.

Triumph.

I did not go wild. I did not go mad. But the level of passion behind the slow, gentle kiss was just as strong as all of our other kisses, and I felt it from the very top of my head down to the tiniest atoms in the tips of my toes. Only, this time, this kiss, was different. It meant more somehow. It reflected something else, something more concrete. Something I had yet to understand.

And it left me utterly breathless.

After a few more dances, Mycah reluctantly called it a night, knowing I was lacking sleep. He easily moved the bed back into the room as if it were never missing and quietly said good night.

I leapt onto the bouncy mattress in a complete mind-numbing daze, and in seconds was fast asleep.

I clasped a hand over my mouth to stifle my scream. I had another nightmare. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took deep slow breaths to steady my heart. It was a mixture of everything that had happened: my eighth birthday, my mother dying, Ray strangling me, secret agents interrogating me. All of it. But right before I woke up, I imagined something far worse and so terrible. Huge ugly monsters slowly and violently killed everyone I knew and have come to care about.

Whatever Mycah said must have really gotten to me. If there really were worse things out there than the Black Eagles, what were they?

And then it dawned on me. Call it clarity of the night. Or perhaps it was leftover feelings from the nightmare. Whatever it was, I was finally thinking clearly for once.

Realization swept through me as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. These strong, all-consuming and overwhelming feelings that I had—I now knew what they meant—what they were. For the first time ever, I was in love.

I was deeply in love with Mycah—One thousand percent head over heels in love with him. And as I saw him take his last breath while a horrible monster stood over him in my nightmare, that was when it hit me. The strange, deep connection I couldn't seem to explain that was permanently mixed into my soul, and those all-consuming feelings I had when I was not with him and then are infinitely multiplied when I was with him, was what love was.

I'd never felt it before, and maybe a part of me knew it all along, but I couldn't—wouldn't—have ever admitted it. Until now.

And what was worse was that I had realized if I were to keep forcing myself to hold back this love I felt so strongly for him, then I would have been letting Ray win.

For the longest time, I'd used him as a horrible example of what all men must be like. And I let him convince me I didn't deserve to be loved, or that I could even feel true love for another person. He made me miserable, and the more I was miserable, the happier he seemed.

If I didn't let myself love and be loved in return, then Ray would win this battle he waged against me the moment he decided I killed his love—his wife. He didn't want me to be happy because I took away his happiness.

But everyone deserved love. Even Ray got to experience love. I was finally starting to believe that I, too, deserved it.

And that was how I decided what to do.

The next day, I would take Mycah to the Willow and open my heart up to him. Just like I realized with Rydan seven years ago that in order to be trusted by someone, you had to first trust them, I would trust my heart to Mycah. Maybe, just maybe, if I let him into my heart, he would finally realize he could open up to me, too. And if he didn't, that was okay. I would still love him and could wait for him to be comfortable enough to tell me his secrets. But I couldn't be a hypocrite and expect him to trust me when I hadn't shown him that same trust. The next day, that was going to change. Because I realized that I did trust Mycah. Explicitly I trusted him, with all my heart. I knew he would do whatever it took to protect me.

I would take Mycah to the Willow early before Rydan got there and tell him how I felt, and then hopefully I could convince Rydan to accept him as a part of my life—As long as Mycah wanted that, too. He could completely reject me and not feel the same way as I did for all I knew...

Ugh. Great. Now I was extremely nervous. I've never had to tell a boy how I felt about him before. I had never done any of this before!

I stared wide-eyed at the duck inside the painting to the left of my bed and felt the strongest urge to start practicing to it what I would say to Mycah.

I turned on my back, taking with me the rose Rydan gave me from off the bedside table and rolled my eyes, refusing to succumb to something so ridiculous as speaking to a painted duck. I held the rose up to my nose and breathed in the floral aroma. It wouldn't work, anyway. No amount of time spent practicing could diminish the nerves I now felt screaming under my skin.

I put my hand over the alarm clock, ready to turn it off, seeing that it would start sounding in just one minute. I waited for it, and then once it was time to get up, I jumped out of bed and went to the shared bathroom to get ready for school.

This was going to be a long day.

I stepped down the stairs, giving myself plenty of time to walk to school without being late.

I stopped on the last stair once my eyes sauntered up and found Mycah leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets and staring outside through the small side pane. I was instantly overcome with anxiety that my hands began to sweat and shake.

Crap.

He turned around and looked into my eyes before letting them sweep down over the rest of me, appraising me. I felt my cheeks flush, regretting the special time and care I put into making myself look extra pretty.

I had pinned my hair to the side, letting it fall over my shoulder and kept down a few loose ringlets crowning my face. I added some mascara and a little smudgy eyeliner to create a smoky look like Zaylie taught me and then added my bubblegum lip conditioner to make my lips pop.

To finish my whole attire off, I wore a new shirt that Zaylie had given to me. It was a pearly white V-neck empire-waist-styled silk blouse with large blue and black colored flowers along the bottom and edge of the loose sleeves. I had thought it was stunning the moment I saw it in her closet and was shocked when she said I could have it. When I paired it with my favorite skinny jeans, it kept me looking casual instead of too dressy.

"Good morning," I offered with confidence. Well, at least I tried to sound confident.

"Nariella, you're breathtaking," he whispered without removing his bright ocean eyes from mine. I tried not to squirm under the heat of his gaze, but he was making it very difficult.

"You look great, too," I decided to say to break the attention I had unknowingly put on myself by dressing like this. As I swept my own eyes over him, I realized how true those words really were. But, who was I kidding? He always looked great.

Today, he looked exquisite in charcoal grey pants and button down linen shirt left open at the collar, leaving the bottom untucked and unbuttoned, and a thin dark jacket over top. And then I realized that it was actually the exact same thing he wore last night; I just wasn't able to take notice until now. Did he stay up all night or something?

He smirked at me in his signature way, and I knew right then he could hear my frantic heart beating.

"What are you doing up?" I made myself ask, refusing to dwell on my embarrassment. I watched as he looked to the ground chuckling, making his black ruffled hair fall over his eyes. I also had just noticed he must've gotten a hair cut the day before because it was shorter on the sides but still long and choppy on the top. He looked exactly like a magazine model straight from the UK.

"I'm more interested to know what you think I'm doing." He grinned mischievously at me from under his eyelashes.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking. I haven't thought of any reason yet," I defended myself, not knowing what he was getting at. He lightly laughed and stepped over to me, putting a hand on the small of my back and gently guided me toward the door. He bent down so that his lips were just centimeters from my ear, creating a shiver down my spine.

"I'm taking you to school, love. What else would I be doing?" he breathed slowly; each word given made my hair softly dance against my skin. I thought for sure at any second I was going to turn around and pounce on him, forgetting school altogether and showing him exactly what else he could be doing.

But I didn't. I kept my composure as he carefully took us to his car. And not without driving me completely mad with the way his hand sat right at the small of my back but barely touching me. Was he doing this on purpose?

The usual two-minute walk to the parking lot felt like an agonizing two hours as my skin begged and screamed for his touch but never received it.

He opened the passenger door for me and I begrudgingly got in, not able to stop the disappointment flooding through me that his hands had to be so far away from my body.

He drove me to school, fast, and I wondered how I would ever find the ability to open the door and step out, becoming separated from him for a full day.

"So, you're not coming?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to say goodbye after all. He wasn't exactly dressed for school.

"No, I'm sorry, love. I can't today," he spoke softly as he gently brushed my bangs out of my eyes.

"Right. Just wondering," I fibbed, trying hard to disguise my disappointment with cavalier conversation. He stepped out of the car and walked over to my side, opening my door for me. I slowly exhaled and climbed out, resenting chivalry for forcing me to leave.

I stood against the car after he closed the door, trying to muster up the courage for what I was about to say. He gazed at me, searching my eyes for that indefinable thing again.

"Mycah, there's somewhere I want to take you later. Will you be available after I'm done with school?" I asked in a small voice, afraid of his answer.

"And where's that exactly?" he chuckled, stepping closer to me and making it hard for me to breathe. Gosh dang it...Why must he be so...so...magnetic?

"It's a surprise. It's my favorite place. No one else knows about it, so it's incredibly special." I tore my eyes away from his and looked to the ground, not wanting to give anything away.

"Then I'm yours. I'll be here waiting for you when you get out." He caressed my collarbone with his thumb and licked his lips. I could feel myself spiraling out of control from his touch, so I forced myself to step around him and walked toward the school. I couldn't look back or say another word as I desperately tried to catch my breath, afraid that if I did I would run back to him and never be able to leave.

As I drew closer and closer to school, my heart soared toward the sky, and I could barely contain my excitement for what was to come.

# Chapter Forty-Five

~Naminé~

I was so intoxicated with happiness I thought I was going to burst. I overheard one of the King's own personal guards say to another that the scouting patrol had returned. My brother had returned home, safe.

I wasn't supposed to be outside in the bailey, but I had to see him with my own eyes. I had heard the guard say that it hadn't been easy out there. I climbed up onto the parapet and hid behind a pillar. I watched the guards and soldiers walk in from outside. I just had to see him, and then I would leave. I searched all around and looked at every face that passed below. Where was he? I knew that I would know Cathar when I saw him. He had to be in this crowd somewhere.

I heard a loud noise and looked to my right; they were rolling out a large barrel of Lisse wine. My mother had let me try the sweet wine once before, and ever since I longed to savor its luscious taste of honey and pomegranate.

"We celebrate tonight, comrades! The mission succeeded!" I heard a loud voice boom across the crowd. Cheers went up all around the men, and they started clapping and hollering in victory.

I quickly scanned the sea of faces for Cathar but was brought back to the attention of the loud voice as he suddenly stopped cheering and wore a solemn look on his face.

"Raise your glasses. Let us drink first to those of our kin who failed to return."

A complete silence fell amongst the crowd as they raised their glasses in salute.

Our kin who failed to return?

# Chapter Forty-Six

~Nari~

I practically ran to Mycah's hot Italian sports car parked in front of the school. My anxiety reached a new peak with every step I took. I watched as he gracefully stepped out and opened the passenger door for me.

"Thank you." I grinned, ecstatic this moment was finally here.

"My pleasure," he murmured seductively, his voice smoother than butter.

When he pulled away from the school, I instructed him to return to the B&B.

"Is that your surprise? The B&B? Well, I at least hope you'll be taking me to see the "Duck Room," otherwise I'll be thoroughly disappointed." He gave me his sideways smirk.

"No, I just want to drop your car off there, that's all," I explained, blushing at his suggestion of me taking him to my room.

"Ah, well, maybe I'll be disappointed then after all," he continued to tease.

"You won't be disappointed, I promise," I added weakly, wondering if I could actually make that promise. I really didn't know if taking him to the Willow would be disappointing to him or not. Sure, I loved it with all my heart and felt more like home there than anywhere else, but that didn't mean Mycah would appreciate it the same way.

"I'm teasing you. I know wherever this place is, I'll be the happiest man alive because you're the one that wanted me to be there." He glanced at me to gauge my reaction. I didn't say anything, I just stared at him.

It was hard for me to believe that what he said could be true. No one had ever relayed such sentiments to me before, which made it difficult to know what a normal reaction would be like. If I thought it were appropriate, I would have already flung myself into Mycah's lap and hugged my arms around his neck. But I at least knew that would be overdoing it. Instead, I just kept myself silent and perfectly glued to my own seat.

Thankfully, I didn't have time to think about it much since we arrived moments later at the B&B. I slowly exhaled, realizing we were getting closer and closer.

"Now what?" Curiosity was apparent in the way he looked at me and waited for my next instruction.

"Now we walk." I jumped out of the car, not waiting for him to open the door for me, and started toward the way that would take us into the forest that housed the beautiful Weeping Willow tree.

He was by my side in a second, matching my stride. We walked in silence for a while as my brain raced with anticipation at what was about to happen. I was so utterly nervous about opening up to Mycah and telling him how I felt and completely dreading it. I didn't even want to think about the confrontation I was going to have with Rydan later once he saw me with Mycah.

As we continued walking, I began to panic as the realization set in that by bringing Mycah to mine and Rydan's spot, I was probably, or more than probably, going to be making him furious with me. Actually, it was fact. It was definitely going to make him furious.

I couldn't stop myself from chewing on my lip, then biting my thumbnail, then back to my lip as the panic washed over me. Mycah must have sensed this, because he glanced at me and then took my hand, gently lacing our fingers together. He was so warm.

I tried to calm down by taking labored breaths and standing up straighter. This needed to be done. I could do this.

The way we came from the B&B was different from how I usually came. I led the way through tight clusters of trees until finally, after thirty minutes of walking, we broke through and into the clearing only yards away from the Willow tree.

Suddenly, Mycah's hand was yanked from my grasp, and I turned to see he had fallen to his knees, clutching at his heart. His face bore an indefinable expression, and I thought for sure he must have been dying or experiencing some unknown amount of pain.

"Mycah?!" I screeched, bending down to grab him by the shoulders. Was he having a heart attack? "Are you okay?! What's wrong?!" I felt stricken with worry, not understanding what was going on at all. He stayed silent, not moving or changing his ghostly expression. Maybe this was a stroke? I was about to reach for my cell phone to call 911 when he stopped me.

"I'm here. This is it. This is what I've been looking for." He stared wide-eyed at the giant Willow tree, looking completely captured by it like a deer caught in headlights.

"You have? What do you mean?" My voice trembled, and I felt the hot tears slip down my cheeks. So he wasn't dying? I was so confused.

"I...don't know what to say. This is incredible. And you've known about this all along?" He stood up unsteadily and grabbed my arms, looking entirely wild and raw.

"Um, yes? Rydan and I come here every day. We love it here." I worked to comprehend his reaction and his words but came up short.

"Rydan? You both come here a lot?" he asked with the same level of reverence, confusing me even more.

"Mycah, what the heck is going on?" I demanded, frustration getting the better of me. I was sick of not knowing anything! Both Mycah and Rydan had a way of getting under my skin when it came to leaving me in the dark.

"Nariella, what I am about to tell you may come as a shock. A huge shock, actually. So, just bear with me, please. I need you to understand." He reached up and put his thumb to my cheek, fingers stretching behind my ear, and gently wiped the wet streaks my tears had painted on my face.

"I'm ready," I whispered, praying that those words were true. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath.

"I'm not...from around here." He spoke slowly, hesitantly, gauging my reaction.

"Alright. That doesn't seem too bad. I already knew that, didn't I?" I braced myself for something worse, knowing deep in my bones he was just getting started. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from an entirely different world." He pulled me a step closer to him, grasping tightly onto my arms, frightened that I was about to run away at any second. I slightly wondered if I would, too.

"Like...an alien?" I questioned with disbelief, feeling silly even mentioning it. But even though I knew it sounded insane, I couldn't stop the dread that erupted in the pit of my stomach.

"No. Not an alien, love." He softly caressed my cheek. My brain was reeling, trying to catch up to his half confession.

"Then what? I don't understand." I shook my head and fought the urge to pull away from his hold.

"I'm...not human." I saw he struggled with actually saying the words out loud and telling me. It was wholly unnerving. I stayed silent and stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "I'm sorry I've had to keep it from you all this time, but please you have to understand I only did it to protect you. But now that I know you've been spending so much time here, practically bathing in danger, I am forced to tell you."

I stepped back, away from him, not understanding.

"What does that mean? I'm in danger here? I thought you said you were the reason there was danger? What does that have to do with this spot?" I had never before felt more confused as I did in that very moment. I ignored everything else he said and got stuck on the "bathing in danger" part; feeling frightened for not only myself but for Rydan, and terrified the one spot we fled to for escape was about to get ruined.

"Nariella, being near me can bring danger, not only by the Black Eagles, but by something far worse. I have been running from evil my entire life. But it wasn't two different types of evil until several years ago. The Black Eagles you met are human and nothing more than gnats, accomplishing nothing except irritating me once they started hunting me a few years back. The other evil is what you need to be afraid of and is what has me concerned with you being here."

"Why? What is this evil?" I felt sick to my stomach at the way he looked frightened.

"Creatures from my world." He tensed, waiting for me to crumble. I waited for that, too.

"Why are they here? What do they want?" I was afraid of the answer, but asked anyway.

"Me," he whispered.

"Why? Tell me, what exactly are you?" My stomach dropped, remembering my nightmare of a hideous monster slowly taking Mycah's life.

"My people...my species...you would refer to us as...Night Elves." He stood up straight and clenched his jaw, waiting to go on until I reacted. I wanted to laugh, to full out double over and laugh at the obvious joke he must be playing on me.

But when I looked into his eyes, I could find no trace of humor in them. The blood drained from my face and my ears were overcome with a loud ringing, drowning out all other sound. My head filled with fuzz and my vision darkened. I sat down on the ground, knowing very well if I didn't I would pass out, and hung my head down in my hands, trying to regain my composure.

"Are you alright?" Mycah bent down after me, concerned. I forced myself to swallow and wiped the sweat I felt beading on my forehead despite the cool autumn air.

"Why are you being hunted?" I grasped at the crazy concept with my mind, desperate to take hold of my sanity.

"Because. I...am a very important person in my world," he answered softly; worried I couldn't handle anymore.

"Like a god?" I tried understanding.

"Not a god. I'm the rightful heir to the throne, the rightful King to our Kingdom." He was solemn. He pointed to the tattoo ingrained in his neck. "Every true king that comes into reign immediately gains this mark. I'm the only one that has it."

"That doesn't make sense. Please, just explain everything." I was getting impatient and irritated that I had to keep asking questions when he should just be the one to spill the details.

"My jealous uncle, who murdered my father, stole the Kingdom and tried to murder my brother and me." He spoke quietly but earnestly, locking his eyes with mine. "As soon as my father took his last breath, this mark disappeared from his flesh and appeared onto mine. I was very young at the time." He looked down toward the ground, giving a silent pause for his fallen father.

"Why would your uncle want to murder you?" Did I actually believe this? I wasn't sure...

"Because after he killed my father, we would be the only things stopping him from gaining the throne. It would have been passed down to me first and then to my brother if I died. He had to kill us first, and then there would have been nothing anyone could do. But my mother hid us away before he could get to us. He has been hunting us ever since." I saw the sadness in his eyes with the mention of his mother.

"Mycah, this is crazy. Are you really expecting me to believe all that?" I shook my head and tried to pull away from his grasp.

"I'm telling you the truth, Nariella. I've wanted to tell you since the very first moment I got lost in your enchanting violet eyes. I'm sorry I've kept it from you for so long. Please, love, you have to believe me." He spoke with such strong emotion; I noticed he had tears in his eyes.

"Why? Why me?" I didn't know what to think, this was too much.

"Don't you know already?" he breathed with surprise.

I shook my head.

"Because, Nariella, I love you. Most ardently I love you, with every atom I have in my body, my soul is forever yours." He moved closer to me and snaked his hand through my hair, holding the nape of my neck. I was completely hypnotized by the passion shown in his blue eyes.

His words slowly seeped into my brain and down to my heart. I didn't know how to respond or how to react. I gradually stood up and took long, full breaths to calm my electrified nerves.

I knew Mycah was different. I mean, how could I not know? Everything about him pointed to something straight out of Imagination Land. But this...this I did not expect.

If this were actually true...which seemed impossible to believe right now, but...if it really were true, then...I was not like him. I was just plain old human—nothing special. And, seriously? He couldn't just be from a different species. No, no of course not. He had to be a king from that different species. A king over an entirely different species than I was.

Oh crap. How could he love someone insignificant like me? Didn't that make me just a...peasant? I almost laughed at the absurdity. But then if this really wasn't a joke...was it even possible for us to be together? I had been ready to pour my heart out to him, but now...now it was pointless. We were literally from two different worlds. This could never work. I could feel myself panicking again.

No...no no no no. This couldn't be real. Wake up. Wake up, Nari!

"Nari! What the—! What is he doing here?!" Rydan yelled from somewhere nearby. I turned away from Mycah and looked for him. I found him standing fifty feet behind me, glaring at Mycah with a look that was sure to kill if it could. He was fuming, with not just anger, but also feeling the effects from my second act of betrayal. I could see it in his mercury eyes, brewing a violent dark storm. But then he moved his eyes to mine.

As soon as he saw my face, he dropped his angry pretense and ran to me.

"What's wrong? What did you do?" He jabbed a finger in Mycah's direction, growling the accusation like a knife hot and ready to be used. His anger was back in full force, multiplied by his concern for me.

If I had thought Rydan knowing I had been kissing Mycah the other night was humiliating, then I didn't even know what to call this new feeling that swept over me at the idea of explaining why I must look like I had just met one of Santa's Elves. He would certainly insist I went to see a therapist, or maybe just drop me off at the loony bin himself.

"Don't touch her," Mycah snarled once Rydan stepped between us.

"No, it's you that won't be touching her ever again," Rydan seethed back, pushing me further away from Mycah.

"I warned you," Mycah grabbed Rydan by his shoulders and threw him away from me.

"Mycah! Don't!" I begged, knowing this was about to get ugly.

Rydan jumped up and lunged into Mycah's torso, knocking him to the ground. They wrestled with each other back and forth. Rydan took a swing at Mycah's face a few times, but Mycah always blocked him.

Mycah punched Rydan over and over, making him bleed. I screamed in horror and covered my eyes, not able to stand the sight of Rydan getting hurt. Rydan growled in frustration just as Mycah pushed off him and stood up.

Rydan was even angrier than before and tried hitting Mycah again with a swing that looked to contain all of his strength, but Mycah dodged out of the way.

Mycah grabbed Rydan by the throat and pushed him back against a tree. I cried and yelled for them to stop, but they weren't listening. I ran to Mycah and pulled on him, begging him to listen to me, but he was like stone. He tightened his grip around Rydan's throat, and I watched as his silver eyes started to dim. I was hysterical at this point, and panic started to overtake me.

"Do it," Rydan choked out through gritted teeth. "DO IT!"

Mycah didn't move; he stayed glaring into Rydan's eyes and completely ignored my attempts at stopping them.

"NO! NO NO NO!" I screamed, pulling on my own hair, feeling like I was about to lose grip on reality, because there was nothing I could do to save my best friend.

"Come on, coward! Do it already!" Rydan taunted Mycah, and it drove me crazy. I didn't understand why he was doing it.

Mycah all of a sudden released his vice grip on Rydan's neck and briskly turned around while raking a hand through his messy hair. I ran to Rydan, grasping at him for dear life, like he was about to disappear into thin air at any moment.

"If you want to kill me so bad, then why don't you?! Why didn't you just do it?!" Rydan ignored me and demanded Mycah's attention as he violently coughed and tried to breathe normally again. Mycah spun around and stared into Rydan's eyes.

"Because you're my bloody brother, for heaven's sake!" Mycah roared, tears brimming in his eyes. I stared at Mycah, feeling like I just got punched in the stomach.

"What did you just say?" I asked, believing I must've heard wrong. That would mean Rydan was like Mycah. That they were from the same world. No...no, there's no way Rydan was the same as Mycah.

"You're lying." Rydan clenched his jaw and his fists as he pushed off the tree. I stumbled backward, noticing the similar gesture Mycah did when he was frustrated. Actually, I had felt the similarity between them prior to this, and now that I observed the two of them standing in front of me, I didn't know how I didn't figure the relation out before.

They looked extremely alike. They were practically the same height, maybe only an inch difference, and both had the same black hair, only Rydan's had a tint of red in the sunlight while Mycah's tinted blue. Their faces were slightly different but still had similar angular features and matching masculine full lips.

"I'm not. And you know it," Mycah seethed, clenching his own jaw and fists. And although he wasn't speaking to me, I did know it. Right then and there, I felt the truth of his words to my very core. I thought a deep part of my subconscious always knew Mycah wasn't human, but I just never could let myself dwell on it or focus on the distant thought. Like I couldn't let myself believe it could possibly be true. But it was. Mycah was a Night Elf. And so was Rydan. Whatever the heck that meant...

"Your parents are Darren and Anna O'Malley?" Rydan asked skeptically. He wasn't known for being gullible.

"No. They are not. And neither are they yours." Mycah walked closer to us, but still kept his distance.

"I don't believe you," Rydan snarled, stepping back.

"I know what you keep tucked under your shirt." Mycah pointed to Rydan's silver necklace he always wore. Rydan looked down at his chest and then back up to Mycah with his eyebrows pulled together. "You see brother, I know, because I have one too." Mycah pulled a silver skeleton key from his pocket and held it up in the air for Rydan to see.

I recognized it immediately. A long time ago Rydan showed me what he kept on his silver chain but usually stayed hidden under his shirt. It was a small antique-looking key made of silver, and inscribed on it was just his name—Rydan Cael. It was beautiful. He never said where he got it or what it meant to him. But, I also never asked.

Now I stared at the exact same key, only it wasn't on Rydan's chain, it was sitting precariously between Mycah's fingers.

Rydan quickly pulled the chain out from under his shirt and squeezed the small key. He still had his, and Mycah had one. I walked over to Mycah so I could get a better look.

"If I'm not mistaken, yours reads Rydan Cael on the side." Mycah turned his key horizontally. "Mine reads Remycah Avel."

"Where did you get that?" Rydan inquired with a small voice.

"My guardian Ender gave it to me. You and I were separated when you were just a baby, but that was left with you, like it rightly should have been. These keys belong to something extremely important to both you and me."

Rydan didn't make any attempts to move from the spot he planted his feet and stayed silent. He couldn't take his eyes off that key Mycah held in his fingers.

"Rydan, brother, we have to go back. Now that I've found the way, we have to go home. They've been calling for us," Mycah entreated, his clipped English accent enunciating each syllable. I felt dizzy and put a hand to my head in an effort to stop the spinning. I had to sit down again, worried that at any minute I would be sick and spiral out of control.

I couldn't even imagine losing either of them, and especially not both of them. Go home? No...please...I felt the words in my mouth but was unable to speak.

And before anything else could be said or done, a whooshing sound shot through the air, and stuck in Mycah's chest was a wooden arrow dripping with blood.

I grabbed the sides of my head and let out a tortured scream that I didn't even recognize as my own and watched with horror as Mycah dropped to his knees.

"Rydan, kill him," he beseeched his brother through choked breaths and a barely audible voice but with such intensity that Rydan immediately worked to obey.

Mycah fell over completely, grabbing at the arrow. It looked like it punctured exactly where his heart should be, and as I shook violently, I knew this was the end. Thoughts of my mother's mangled body and me utterly helpless to do anything about it to take away her suffering flashed before my eyes.

Not again...No, please, not again.

Rydan ripped the arrow out from behind Mycah's back, and it took all my strength not to pass out from the sickening sound of ripping flesh and the rusty smell of blood that wafted up my nose. He ran to the bow I didn't notice he dropped before and shot at some spot in the forest I wasn't able to see. And quite frankly, I couldn't bring myself to care. I turned back to Mycah, wholly stricken with shock and anguish.

I fell over on top of his chest and clung to him with every ounce of strength I conjured up and sobbed uncontrollably. I didn't care that he was a different species than me. I didn't care that he was what I once thought was only a fictional character in only the wildest imaginations. He was Mycah. And I loved him.

His hot blood soaked my clothes and body. I could hear his heartbeat slowing down and fading away, fueling my utter sorrow. I never got to tell him how I felt about him. I never got to say how much my soul needed him, how much it was connected to him or how much he meant to me and completed me. How much my love for him consumed me.

I pulled him to my body, desperate to get close, as my streaming tears fell into his chest. I kissed his face, his neck, his hands, his eyes, and every spot in my immediate reach.

The words and intimate feelings I had desperately wanted to share with him only moments before now burned in my heart and back of my throat, never finding their release. Mycah would never hear me say those three little words.

After a second, I could no longer hear his heart beating or feel him breathing and immediately fell into a new wave of hysteria. He was gone.

"No, no, no," I cried over and over, wailing in his chest and rocking back and forth with him held tightly against my body. Why was I so worthless? Why did I have to keep sitting idly by while my loved ones suffered right in front of me? The first love of my life, and now he was dead. I could never, ever feel love like this again.

"Nari, he's dead," I faintly heard Rydan's voice, and as he tried to pull me away from Mycah's lifeless body, I squeezed harder, refusing to let go. I wouldn't leave him. I couldn't leave him.

"Nari, look!" Rydan inhaled sharply, but I didn't care. "What is that?!"

I had no interest in anything else and continued to ignore him. I didn't care if it was an alien ship landing, ready to annihilate the planet. I welcomed death now, knowing life would never be the same for me anyway.

At the sound of a strong heart coming to life and beating wildly beneath me, I sucked in air and stopped breathing to listen. I slowly lifted my head off Mycah's blood-soaked chest and was stunned by the glowing light that emanated from both Mycah's body and my own.

And then my heart plunged into my stomach as I watched him slowly open his colorful blue eyes and stare back into mine.

# Chapter Forty-Seven

~Naminé~

His fingers were interlocked with mine as we stood side by side overlooking Castle Edhel-N'dor.

Something had changed since we last met in our dreams. He suddenly seemed more aware of our surroundings and appeared to be in sheer amazement of the scenery around us. Every now and then he glanced at the castle glaring in the distance and then slowly shook his head, as if trying to decipher something.

I was startled, as all of a sudden I sensed a burst of strength coming from Calen, and seemingly out of nowhere I saw a beautiful deep red phoenix flying above, ready to swoop down near us. I clutched my racing heart and exclaimed, "Calen!" It felt amazing to lay my eyes on her once again, and oh how I loved to watch her fly. But how?

Suddenly, the strong hand in mine clenched tighter, and as I turned to him, his angelic eyes stared intently into mine.

"I...I heard you," I heard him say. My eyes widened at the realization of his words. His words....

"You can hear me?" I asked softly. I could not comprehend what was happening.

"Yes, but how? I could never hear you before." He turned to me with a smile and softly stroked my cheek.

"I honestly do not know." I smiled back at him. His touch was warm and gentle, and I basked in his sweet gesture.

Jarringly, without any warning at all, my head started to hurt, and I could sense Calen's power diminishing. I could no longer see her. I felt the familiar pain in the left side of my temple...Oh no! Not now...

I turned at him with a look of utter horror as I felt myself slipping away from him. Somehow, it felt different this time. Something was wrong. I felt a sense of unease deep in my being.

As I started to see darkness creeping in the corners of my mind, the place that held us here, I reached toward him and held his hands tightly, and said...

"Rydan, please come home!"

#  Epilogue

"It was...a g...girl, Your Majesty. She...she healed him." The servant cringed back, waiting for the violent and hateful reaction of his King upon failing their mission, yet again.

The false King snapped his head toward his lowly servant in disbelief. Surely, the fool was lying.

"Then how did you escape?" the King asked incredulously.

"I hid and waited for them to leave, Your Highness. I had him, he was dead. But...but...the girl...she healed him, right there! They then knew my position and I could not risk another shot." The servant reluctantly looked into the eyes of his Master. "They were both there, Your Majesty. I felt it was most pertinent to relay what I witnessed to you." The servant then bowed deeper until his nose touched the ground, praying for mercy. He recalled what his Master had said would happen if he failed. But he hadn't failed.

The King's expression grew dark and menacing. Both...together? How...accommodating, he thought with a malefic smile.

"Who was the girl, N'taurn?" the King said as he walked up to the prostrated, quivering servant.

"I...do not...know," said N'taurn as he slowly looked up. "I have never beheld her before...Your Majesty."

"Worry not, you fool. They will come to me now. Yes, it is most certain, indeed. They are much too close to not." The false King let out a dark, sinister laugh as he clasped his hands together.

"This newfound Healer will most certainly be mine."

Thank you for reading!

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Keep reading for the Prologue and Chapter One of the next installment:

Sweet Escape

(Sweet Series #2)

by Bailey Ardisone

# Prologue

I quickly clasped a hand tight over my mouth to hold in a scream. It was there; it happened, but I clamped my jaw closed so the sound couldn't escape.

"What in the world just happened?" I breathed out, just a hair above an audible sound. I stared wide-eyed into Mycah's ocean blue eyes. Those ocean blue eyes—that were very much alive—stared right back into mine.

Only his weren't wide like mine. His weren't bugging out of his head from utter shock, like I was positive mine must have been doing. He looked...like he knew exactly how that happened. Which I guess he probably did. But I didn't. I mean—he died. He was dead. Wasn't he?

"Mycah?" I questioned hesitantly. Yes, I knew he could heal people and all that, but I didn't understand how he could have healed himself in that condition. Like when one was dead.

"Thank you," he said with reverence that instinctively made my eyebrows pull together. I didn't understand. Why was he thanking me?

Rydan suddenly bent down and grabbed Mycah, who I still could hardly believe was his long-lost brother, by fistfuls of his bloody, torn up shirt. "Tell me what is going on right this second," he bit out with way too much menace, making me cringe.

"I will," Mycah responded with a tightened jaw, matching Rydan's glare. He stood up, completely back to normal, with no weak knees or shaky legs—nothing. Perfectly normal. I stayed sitting, unmoving, on the grass. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. I felt...drained.

"Did you kill him?" he asked Rydan quickly and earnestly, his English accent popping each word. I wanted to run to him. To relish in the fact that he was actually alive right now, but something was holding me in place. There was no movement from me. It was possible my brain had exploded.

"Umm...no. But I scared him off. I'm not just going to kill someone—are you crazy? Who was he? Why did he shoot a freakin' arrow at you? No, scratch that. Why did he KILL you? Because that is seriously what just happened right now. He killed you. You were dead. Yet here you stand." Rydan swept his eyes over Mycah, took a step closer, and then pulled my arm to drag me behind his body away from Mycah, putting himself in between us. But I was sitting down, so the pull had me falling to my side.

I didn't care. I was too stunned. I still could not speak.

"I wasn't dead. And we need to leave. Now." Mycah clenched his fists and discreetly surveyed the area with his eyes. Searching all around us for the killer without looking like that's what he was doing. But I knew. I could tell. And all I could think was, so not like Jason Bourne. More like...Legolas. If I were capable of feeling any emotion other than relief and shock, I'd have laughed.

"I'm not going anywhere. What did you mean we have to go back? What did you mean they're calling us? Who are you? What are you? Because it looked to me that yes, you were indeed dead." As Rydan's questions became more intense, his body mimicked his emotions, and he stepped even closer to Mycah as his own fists clenched.

God, they were similar.

Too similar. It freaked me out.

"I can explain. I will explain. But first, we need to get to safety. It is imperative that we get to safety, Rydan. You do not understand," Mycah whispered, but his voice was filled with force. With authority.

"I'm not moving from this spot until you answer me. How do we go back?" Rydan practically growled.

"Through the Ëlemmiire. Or the Weeping Willow, I mean. It is the last of our sacred gateways. But you do not understand. It will lead us into enemy territory." As Mycah said those last words, his eyes flickered to mine for just a brief second. "That is why we need to leave and strategize first. We cannot possibly just go walking back into—What do you think you're doing?!" Mycah grabbed Rydan by his arm when he started walking toward the huge, beautiful Weeping Willow tree. The one I used to feel safe under. The one I used to think of as my true home.

"I don't believe a word you're saying! Don't you get that?! Get your sick hands off me!" Rydan wrenched his arm out of Mycah's grip and kept walking to the tree.

"You're an Isil'Elda, Rydan. You're not human. Don't you get that?" Mycah followed him. "A very important one, I might add. If you get yourself killed because of your own stupidity, I will be the one our mother blames!"

Rydan whirled around to face Mycah. I was pretty sure I saw steam billowing out of his ears. "A what?! Our moth..." He couldn't get the word out. He shook his head, running a hand through his messy black hair. "What is wrong with you? Is this some kind of psychotic joke?"

"Rydan, you can feel it's true. I know you can. You have a gift. You know you're different. Don't you remember me?" Mycah suddenly stopped and looked to the ground, confusion passing over his expression. "Where's Xavier? When did he leave you?"

"STOP! Just...stop!" Rydan roared and started circling the large trunk of the tree. The cold wind whipped through my hair, stinging my eyes and making me squint. The long, graceful branches pulled toward Rydan. It was a beautiful sight.

"You're still so incredibly stubborn." Mycah raked a hand through his own chaotic midnight blue locks, mirroring Rydan's actions without even realizing it. "Didn't you see her? Didn't she try calling you?"

"Who?" Rydan instantly snapped around to face Mycah full on, his expression wild. He waited for Mycah's answer.

"The Dream Weaver. I do not know her or her name. She's the one who told me to come here. I've been looking for the Lassaira Ëlemmiire for the past eleven years, since our Kingdom's portal was destroyed. And now I've finally found it. But I do not know how our uncle has been able to infiltrate—wait...he's winning. He must be winning the war." Mycah's voice grew quiet and concerned, and again his eyes flashed to mine with pain. "We have to hurry. We have to go back. But not until we come up with a plan. If you and I are captured the moment we pass through, it would be the end for our people."

"What did she look like?" Rydan spoke so softly I almost missed what he said. I couldn't understand his expression. He looked crazed.

"Long blonde hair, piercing green eyes. It doesn't matter, Rydan. Did you not just hear what I said?" Mycah was exasperated, and I could see the tension he carried throughout his body.

"So it was real..." Rydan whispered to himself, his gaze cutting back to the tree. He looked scared. "How does it work?" he asked, waving a hand toward the tree.

Mycah hesitated. "You're royalty. Anyone birthed of royalty can pass through. Everyone else must be ordained. You just have to will it." He spoke the words tentatively. Like he wanted to tell Rydan but wasn't sure if he could trust him with the information.

"I'm...what?" Rydan rolled his eyes and shook his head in dismissal. "Whatever." He reached up and touched the trunk of the tree. Like pure, utter magic, his hand crossed the invisible threshold, disappearing into oblivion. He jerked his hand back like it was painful.

"Rydan, what is the matter with you?! Are you not listening to a word I am saying?" Mycah yelled, his British accent thick.

"Rydan?! What are you doing?" I finally found my words and chimed in with panic. No...he couldn't leave me. My chest started caving in the moment his bright mercury eyes flickered to mine, full of guilt, before going right back to the tree. STOP!! I wanted to scream.

But it was too late. He passed through.

"RYDAN!"

"RYDAN!!!" I screamed so loud my eyes instantly popped open, as my strangled voice cut through the darkest of nights. There was no moon. No moonlight to paint its soft glow over the expanse of the 'Duck Room.' To play with Mycah's deep blue eyes as he lay next to me, staring at me with pained concern. It was dark.

Very dark.

It matched my mood.

Four times. This was my fourth time tonight that I'd relived the events that happened earlier that day through a never-ending nightmare. I couldn't escape.

There was no escape.

I would find no solace in sleep from this.

My best friend was gone, and the memory of his departure was haunting me.

How could he do it? How could he just leave me like that? Now for round five, I went to swipe away the cruel tear that stung my cheek as it fell. Only Mycah's soft thumb got to it first. I looked up through my blurry vision and watched as he brought his hand to his lips and kissed the thumb stained with my salty tear.

"Please don't cry, love. My heart can't take it," he whispered so softly, so strained, I barely heard him.

I closed my eyes. Sleep kept dragging me back under, but my brain couldn't handle the memories, and an hour later I was back screaming Rydan's name each time. But a part of me wanted to see him again, even if it was only a memory.

So I would sleep.

I begged for sleep and was rewarded right away. Because at least there he was still alive. He was still safe. I couldn't even think about reality and what the truth might actually be. Mycah tried to warn him that he could be walking into a death trap.

I may never see him again.

And he just left.

Just like that.

# Chapter One

~Nari~

A week.

An entire week had come and gone since Mycah left me here in Kennebunkport, Maine to go back home. The day before that, Rydan left to go back to that same place. Which was also his home.

I was alone. All alone.

A week full of fake smiles and robotic pleasantries. A week of forced kindness and feigning interest. Sure, one week may not sound long compared to the concept of millennia of time.

But I swear I literally could hear the long hand scratching and crawling its way to the next minute slowly, painfully, and unbearably, as it made its way around the clock.

Torture.

Pure and utter torture.

Pain.

Could there ever be anything more painful than this? If it were possible, I'd never have ripped myself from my bed. I would be there right now, clutching for sanity and relief from the ache their absence had left me with.

My soul had been mutilated - stripped apart to be left bare and wanting, needing. Needing its other parts. Needing to be whole again. I realized this wasn't normal. Could it possibly be normal to feel like this? When Mycah left briefly last time, in the effort to protect me from evil, the feeling was similar to this. But I never could have imagined it being a million times worse than it was. He was too far away. I couldn't sense him. I couldn't feel him. He was just too far away. Like he had vanished off the Earth completely. And maybe he had...

I reached for my cell phone from my sweatshirt pocket at the risk of getting in trouble and let my thumb hover over the speed dial number I had set for Rydan.

#8

His favorite.

I needed to hear his voice. Always, since the moment he walked through that traitorous tree I once called ours, every call went straight to voicemail. But that right there was the only thing that had carried me through this excruciating week. The three seconds I got of his voice he'd recorded for his voicemail greeting.

I wouldn't with Mycah. I couldn't.

It hurt too dang much to even think of the sound of his voice in my head. But that didn't even matter - because he didn't have a voicemail greeting. Apparently there was no cell reception in their home land. Our home, I guess...A strange place filled with mythical creatures, or so Mycah says, and I was just supposed to up and accept it. Yeah, right.

An entire week and I still couldn't comprehend any of this.

Now, I was eighteen and for the first time in eight years Rydan wasn't here to tease me about being older than him. It wasn't by much, but he still liked to call me Ms. Oldie-pants for the entire day.

I couldn't take it! I was going crazy being left behind like this. Not to mention the psychotic break I experienced from the conversation Mycah and I had right before he left me.

"You healed me, Nariella. You did it. Not me. You." He tucked my long, dark brown hair behind my ear, waiting for my reaction. I could hardly make out his scent from the strong smell of briny ocean water that enveloped us.

"Huh?" was all I could muster. I think I heard my brain crack. Or maybe it was the sound of my world beginning to shatter...

"You're not human, love. Don't you know that? You couldn't possibly think someone with sparkling violet eyes like yours would be human." He lightly chuckled as he searched my eyes for the truth. His English accent that painted his velvety voice was way too sexy, but the words did not escape me, and they made for a good distraction to how alluring he was.

"What are you saying? Of course I'm human. My eyes...it's just a strange anomaly. That's all. I am human. I mean, sure I've always known I wasn't normal but only in the sense of my craziness. I'm human, Mycah." I pulled back from him and started to walk away in the opposite direction of where we stood on the beach along the Atlantic Ocean. I couldn't take this. I wasn't even sure I could handle him not being human. And Rydan...my god...Rydan....

"Nariella. You're a Healer. Do you have any idea what this means?" Mycah caught up to me with little effort. I tried to walk faster but it was no use...No pace I reached could be fast enough to out run Mycah. He was too powerful. His special abilities were insanely high off the crazy chart.

I immediately dropped to my knees, sinking into the rough sand below. How? How was this even possible?

"How?" I echoed my thoughts in a whisper.

"Yo! Nari! Earth to Nari!" Zaylie's high-pitched Australian accent combined with a knock on my head snapped me out of my daydreaming. Whether I was awake or asleep, I was assaulted by memories of the moments my world got flipped upside down like a burning pancake.

"Oh, what? Sorry, I was...distracted." I lightly shook my head and looked around. Empty. The classroom meant for our Literature class had already been cleared out.

"Class ended five minutes ago. We're going to be late for our next one. You okay?"

"No. I'm not okay, Zaylie. I'm not okay." I roughly grabbed my things and headed for the door. She followed.

"What's wrong? You've been acting so strange all week," she grabbed me by the arm making me spin around to face her. "You can tell me. What's going on, Nari?"

I stared into her soft, golden-brown eyes and hesitated. It was tempting.

Very tempting.

I wanted to break down and spill every detail I kept bottled up inside of me since the day Mycah crashed into my life. But could I? Would I be breaking some kind of elf law or something? As much as I loved Zaylie, I didn't exactly want to be carted off by the elf police and thrown into elf prison. Or hung by elf executioners.

Okay, I really had no idea how any of it worked...and my brain could not get over the word 'elf.'

"Well?" she said. Sincerity, trust, and love were all injected into that one little word as she squeezed my arm. I looked around the hallway for nobody's benefit but my own, because we were alone. Everyone else was already sitting in class waiting for the final bell that was about to ring any second.

"Okay. Wanna ditch?" I whispered. I had no idea why I was whispering, but I'd never cut class before and felt a bit of sneakiness was in order. Yes, I was an eighteen year old who acted more like an eight year old. What could I say?

"What?! Are you serious?" she matched my whisper.

"As a heart attack," I answered firmly.

"Let's do it," she whispered with a grin. I grinned in return, which felt foreign and weird, like I hadn't truly smiled in years, as we linked arms and started tip-toeing down the hallway toward the exit. "Why are we whispering?"

Zaylie squeezed my hand gently to comfort me. I stared down at our clasped hands, and then moved my gaze out to the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. I fidgeted on the sharp, hard rock that we sat on.

Could I do this? Could I tell her?

I opened my mouth...and then quickly closed it again. I could feel heat creeping up my face. I was embarrassed. How did one go about telling one of their best friends that their other best friend and person they were in love with were...Night Elves, exactly? I couldn't even think about telling her what Mycah claimed I was.

"Umm..." I slowly exhaled.

"...umm?" she repeated.

"Yeah. Um." I shot my eyes to hers for the briefest of seconds before looking back down at our hands again. Oh god. I couldn't do this. She'd think I was crazy. Heck, she'd probably run away screaming. I knew that's what I felt like doing when Mycah was confessing the truth to me that day at the Weeping Willow before Rydan found us there. Oh yeah, and not to mention before Mycah was shot with an arrow by an evil hunter from their world. I mean...our world. What if by telling her I would put her in danger? I would just die if she got caught in the middle because I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

"Nari, is this about Mycah? Or Rydan? I haven't seen those blokes in a while and you haven't mentioned a single word about them. Are they okay?" she tried pulling the truth out of me.

"I don't know. I don't know what's going on. It's driving me crazy," I finally said.

"Why don't you start from the beginning," she caressed my back slowly. "First, why don't you try telling me what happened between you two. Do you love him?"

"What? No, I don't lov...love him," I answered too quickly, suddenly feeling shy about actually saying my feelings out loud. I had never been in love before, so I've never had to confess those feelings out loud to anyone before either. I hadn't even told Mycah how I felt about him yet. He left before I got the chance.

"Ha! Please, girl. I see the way he looks at you. You've completely caught his fancy. And don't pretend he hasn't got yours. You're so obvious, ya know." She laughed. My cheeks burned in response.

"Ugh. Great. So the whole world knows?" I dropped my face into my hand and cringed. So. Embarrassing.

"And Rydan?" she inquired.

"I love Rydan, but like a brother. He's my very best friend. And you're right. I do...have feelings for Mycah. I don't understand them. They're so strong, it seriously scares the heck out of me. Is it normal to feel so strongly about someone you barely know? And so soon? It's like my soul feels less when he isn't near me. Now...it is even worse. I feel completely empty with him so far away." I decided I needed to grow up. I was eighteen now...I really needed to start acting like it. So I tried to explain these strange feelings to probably the only person in the world I'd actually want to, but part of me wondered if they had something to do with the whole elves thing. As much as I loved Zaylie and loved that I finally had a friend who was a girl to be able to share these deep parts of me with, was it possible that she'd even be able to understand?

"What do you mean, with him so far away? Where is he?" she asked, her eyebrows pulled together.

"He's gone. Mycah and Rydan left. They left me." I looked away and held my breath, trying desperately to hold back my tears. I didn't want to cry. I was so over crying.

"Mycah and Rydan did WHAT?!" Zaylie yelled, way too loudly, shooting straight up off the rock. I almost wanted to laugh at her reaction, but the overwhelming sadness from the situation was too much.

"Yeah..." was all I could manage.

"Tell me everything," she said sternly as she claimed her side of the rock again.

I looked over at the spot Mycah and I had stood just a week ago, discussing this very thing. I let the memory replay in my mind for the zillionth time.

"How?" I echoed my thoughts in a whisper.

"I don't know the details. I was very young. But I do know you're incredibly special, Nariella. And I don't just mean to me. You have to be special in order to be born a Healer. They are so rare," Mycah grew quiet, as if lost in thought.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why have you kept this from me until now if it's true?" I asked, not really sure I could endorse all the crazy just yet.

"That is precisely why I didn't tell you. If my uncle knew of your existence...if he found out you were a Healer...Nariella, I will do everything in my power to prevent that. Even if that meant keeping the truth about who you are...what you are...from you. I couldn't have you trying to heal the whole world if you knew what you were capable of. I couldn't risk your exposure. I only want to protect you, love. You don't understand what he is capable of. He brutally murdered my father and then after trying to get to me, he killed my mentor and Guardian, Ender, who was more like a second father to me than anything. I would die if anything happened to you, too." He stretched his fingers behind my ear and closed his eyes as he barely touched his forehead to mine. My stomach did a flip at the same time my heart skipped a beat.

"I'm so deeply sorry you've lost people you love, Mycah." I tried to keep my voice strong but the pain he showed in his eyes reached my heart and made it difficult to speak.

When he didn't respond, I sensed that I needed to change the subject. "So I'm a Night Elf too?" I bit out, trying to hold back my frustration at the unknown.

"No. You're not. You're a Tavas'Elda. A Wood Elf," he answered slowly; his accent made the words sound beautiful, despite their terrifying meaning. "My natural born enemy." He pulled me closer to him, as if this new information would scare me. But it didn't. It only confused me more.

"What?" I asked, not hiding my confusion.

"That danger you felt from me every time I was near...that was your natural instincts telling on me. I hated it. I couldn't take you being afraid of me. It is an ancient rivalry that has run in our blood for so long; I knew it couldn't be helped. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how you could be so close to Rydan. But it at least gave me hope that you could overcome it. I guess I'm lucky you didn't understand it," he chuckled toward the ground. Why did he have to look so sexy all the dang time?

"I have to go. I have to get out of here." This was too much. I felt like crumbling into a tiny pile of confusion. I shot up off the ground. I started to walk away, and then realized the one place I usually escaped to could no longer be my safe haven. The majestic Weeping Willow that Rydan and I spent so much time at was now off limits, according to Mycah. Apparently, as long as he stood on this side of it, there could always be an evil hunter going through it to come after him.

"Nari. I'm the one who has to go. I have to go back, and it has to be now," Mycah breathed out gruffly, pain evident in his voice. I spun around, shocked. There was no way he was leaving me too. Rydan was one thing, but I refused to be left behind while the two of them are off doing who knows what.

"You're joking, right?" I responded, knowing full well he wasn't. My chest tightened.

"I have to go after Rydan. I can't let anything happen to him. He's important, Nariella. He's my brother. I'm responsible for him. I don't know how far he's gotten, or if he has been captured already-"

"NO!" I covered my ears like a little kid. I couldn't handle the thought of something bad happening to Rydan. I just couldn't.

Mycah wrapped me in his arms. His delicious woodsy scent washed over me. I tried not to cry. Please don't cry...

"I'm so sorry, love," he whispered into my hair.

"I'll go with you. We can find him together," I said hopeful, my voice full of cracks.

"You can't. You have to stay here. At least here, you're safe. I cannot possibly let you anywhere near my uncle, lest you be discovered," he responded fervently, strategically. He was born a king; I could sense the authority in him. And then I could feel him suck in a breath and hold it, waiting for my reaction. Or maybe he could feel the overwhelming emotions of disappointment and despair crashing down on me.

"How can that be true? The Black Eagles...what if they come after me looking for the Sindora?" I reminded him of the human Austrian underground organization that had been hunting him for some strange but very important item that he wouldn't tell me anything about.

"They won't. I'll leave a trail away from here if by chance they do. They're not interested in you, love. Only me. And if they think I've left, they'll try to follow. Okay?" He tipped my chin up so that I'd look into his bright aqua eyes. And it killed me.

His intense stare left me breathless, and I could not turn away from the multi-faceted blues, purples, and greens he had me mesmerized with.

"I don't even think I believe any of this. Is this just a nightmare I'm not waking up from?" I asked quietly. Should I be scared he wasn't human? Scared that Rydan wasn't, and had never been? Scared that...I wasn't either? None of this made sense...If I didn't feel so drawn to the both of them, if it didn't feel so right to be near them, I would have run and hidden in a hole somewhere by now. But how could I run from myself?

"You know it's all true. I can feel that you know. You feel it in your heart and in your bones," he said, matching my volume.

"I don't want you to go." I sniffed, unable to stop the single tear that rolled down my face. It hurt to even say the thought out loud. He wiped it away with the back of his fingers.

"I know you don't. More than anything I can feel you don't," he pitched his voice low and drew closer to me. He bent to whisper in my ear, "And you must know, that no matter where I am, my every thought will be of you. Only you."

Then he pressed his lips to mine. Gently, slowly, he kissed me. It was a kiss full of longing and earnestness. Like he wanted me to remember him just by this kiss, and to memorize the way my lips felt tangled up with his. And I would. I raked my fingers through his hair and pulled him even closer to me, and memorized that too. The feel of his silky midnight blue hair laced through my fingers. The way his warm body felt pressed against mine - hard yet perfectly contoured to fit me.

The taste of salt mixed with vanilla sat on my tongue as he pulled away. I touched my face, realizing I was crying, and wiped the tears that were running towards my lips.

"I'll come back as soon as I can. Wait for me," was the last thing he said to me...

"I don't know if you'll believe me," I finally answered Zaylie and wiped the fresh tears away.

# About the Author

Bailey Ardisone was born and raised outside of Chicago, Illinois. She married the love of her life and spends her days submerged in books, movies, music, or art, and loves traveling. Fantasy books and movies have been a huge part of her life, and one of her greatest passions is Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Her sister contributed some of the writing in Sweet Oblivion and Sweet Escape.

Sweet Oblivion is the first installment of a series.

Look for the second book, Sweet Escape, the third, Sweet Requiem, and the final book, Sweet Redemption, where you will continue the journey with Nari, Mycah, Rydan, and Naminé as they embark on an unexpected discovery of their true selves and purpose.

Available everywhere now!

Contact or follow Bailey Ardisone at:

Website & Blog:

www.BaileyArdisone.com

Twitter:

@BaileyArdisone | @MycahNightly | @RydanOMalley

Facebook:

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