When his eyes met mine, I knew he was thinking the same thing. He rubbed my hand in encouragement as we stared at the wall. I took a deep breath, took a step forward, and touched it.
Nothing.No electric charge. No magical current.
I looked over at him, doubting myself, and he encouraged me to try again. “Command your magic. Ground yourself, like you’re meditating. See if you can identify the part of you that answers to this place.”
I sat on a patch of grass, leaning against the wall. Raf sat next to me, still holding my hand. I closed my eyes and spiraled deep into myself. I began at my feet and worked my way up as I searched for answers.
Where are you? Help me. Please. Tell me what to do—how to reach you.
I scanned past my stomach and then stopped at my chest, feeling a slight tug.
I’m here. I’m real. I’m part of you—but you’re not ready. You need to get stronger. You need to find answers. Don’t forsake me. You’re on the right path.
I was so startled to feel my magicspeakto me, that my focus lapsed and the connection disintegrated into glittering dust. “M-my magic—I know it sounds mad, but itspoketo me. It told me that I need to find answers—thatI ama world walker… but that I’m not ready.”
Heat flooded my chest as I let it sink in. For the first time since arriving, I didn’t feel like a fraud. I wasn’t just a lost, lonely girl who’d stumbled into this world, but aworld walkerwho was destined to come here. None of this was a coincidence. This was my purpose.
“There is a reason we call this forest theWhispering Woods.It’s full of surprises. I’m glad we came tonight. I think you needed to know that this is real. That you areextraordinary…”
Raf stared at me with moonstruck reverence, the stars reflecting in his irises. I gazed back, lost in the galaxies that were his eyes. He inched closer as he brushed my wind-blown hair away from my face. A calloused thumb slowly trailed down my temple, over my cheek, to my lips. I stood frozen as he traced over them with infinite patience.
twenty
Ibreathed in tight, nervous gasps as he moved even closer… close enough for his scent to pull me in. The smell of leather and soap, of cedar and rain—it all combined to make my head spin. I sighed as the warmth of his body enveloped me. I felt so small in his arms… so safe.
He dipped his head, closing the last bit of distance between us. It was enough to make me startle and dart away.
He shook his head, like he was coming out of a fog and said, “I’m sorry. I lost my mind for a moment. The stars, the midnight adventure…” He ran his fingers through his wavy mane and sighed. “It won’t happen again. It has been too long since I’ve been with a woman.Clearly.”
Part of me hadwantedto kiss him and find out what those flawless lips would feel like—what that smart-ass mouth would taste like. But Galen was hisbrother. I refused to be part of a love triangle—or whatever it was between Galen and I. And it wouldn’t be wise to add an avalanche to their already rocky relationship. But he could’ve left out the part where he’d told me that he was feeling particularly desperate.
“Raf, this might’ve been the best night of my life. You, the stars, the magic in the air. Don’t be sorry. But I care for Galen… I’m notwithhim, but all the same. I can’t—I won’t go down that road with you.”
“I understand. Like I said, it won’t happen again.” Rafael turned back into his horse form without another word.
He dropped me off where he’d picked me up, the vine still hanging from my softly lit window. I stared up with dread, but a new wave of confidence washed over me. I was a world walker—I had a purpose. I gripped the rope, readying myself to saygoodbye.
Wordlessly, he shifted back into himself and placed two fingers over my lips, as if to silence me. He gathered me in for a hug and then… I was nothing but mist, flying towards my window at an alarming speed. I would’ve screamed, but it happened too fast.Seconds. And then we were standing in my room.
“You could’ve warned me!” I sent a string of curse words at him as I looked at my hands to make sure I was whole again.
“And miss seeing the surprise on your face?”
I was relieved that we were back to our normal banter, even if he took cruel delight in teasing me. “We didn’t do this on the way down because…?”
“I knew it wouldn’t have been aNight to Rememberif you didn’t get to climb out your window.” His smooth laugh reverberated through me as he looked deep into my eyes.
His expression grew serious. I was still gripping him. Silence stretched on.
I began to pull away, but he held me firmly, not letting me go. “So little Renegade, tell me the truth. How'd I do? Was it the ride of your life?” Before I could answer, he’d disappeared… and so had my book. But his laugh echoed on.
I couldn’t sleep. Too much adrenaline coursed through my veins. The image of a black stallion soaring through a sea of stars kept flashing into my mind every time I began to drift off. As the first soft wisps of morning entered my room, I heard a knock.
“Come in,” I yawned, before sitting up in panic and turning to the window.The rope.
It was gone. Relief flooded through me. Raf must’ve somehow removed it while I’d been tossing and turning in bed. I chose not to think about the details of how he’d accomplished such a feat without me noticing.
Galen burst through the door. He looked livid. His wild eyes scanned the room. “Where were you last night?” he demanded. Flame flickered from his fingers and my heart slammed against my chest in response.
