The sun was an obnoxiously bright orb, blinding me as I oriented myself.
Where was I?
I tried to sit up, then promptly toppled back down. My legs were useless—all of my limbs were. There was a ringing in my ears as I heard my name over and over again. I closed my eyes.
“Marigold… Marigold… Come back to me. It’s Raf—keep breathing. Stay awake.” I was in his arms. He looked so worried, but all I felt was… confusion. Why was he being soloud?
I was so tired. If I could just sleep for awhile… then maybe…
“Marigold!” he was shouting again.
“What?” I grumbled. Let me rest. He lifted us off the ground and we began moving. I sank into him, not caring where we were going.
I heard my mother’s voice. “Goldie, wake up. Fight the sleep. You burned out. You need to stay awake.”
It felt so real that I attempted to raise my head. “Mama?” I called out weakly. Another hallucination. A deep cold was creeping over me, gnawing at my bones, setting my flesh on fire. I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my teeth from chattering as I thrashed back and forth.
“It’s just me… it’s Rafael. I need to warm you up—quickly. Stay with me.”
“If you continue to shout, I’m following the light,” I groaned, before my eyes rolled to the back of my head.
A cool mist kissed my skin, making me wonder if Aku had arrived to takeme away. Death’s strong grip burned hot against my frigid skin as he held me firmly and led me to eternal darkness.
My vision was fuzzy, but I was able to pick up shadow and light. I was curled up in someone’s lap… covered in a heavy layer of blankets. There was a fire crackling nearby.Galen. My lids fluttered. I licked my dry lips, trying to form his name, but instead found myself being pulled back into an endless sea. I thrashed, desperate to resurface, before sinking into darkness.
Cold air hit my face as I trudged through a damp, soggy forest. The smell of wet leaves, evergreens, and morning fog greeted me like an old friend.
This place was eerily familiar. Infact…I took in my surroundings with a grin. I knew exactly where I was. These were the woods that surrounded my first home. I greedily gulped down the fresh air, looking up towards ominous rain clouds.
Dew clung to my lashes, my hair. I pulled a hood over my head, trying to fight the chill seeping into my bones. A branch snapped and I turned, following the sound. Wylks? My heart jumped to my throat.
A giggle echoed behind me. My mother’s laugh. A flash of golden curls disappeared behind a wide tree trunk. I didn’t waste a second before I was sprinting after her. Dirt went flying as my boots kicked up mud. “Mama!” I called.
Only silence answered. “Mama?” I said again, uncertainly. Nothing. My gut wrenched as I realized I’d lost her. She’d been right there and I’d lost her.
I turned back towards the path, halting when she suddenly materialized in front of me. The color was drained from her face—her were eyes wide and filled with terror. “Run,” she said, grabbing my wrist roughly. She was frantic.
“What?”
“RUN!” she cried.
My eyes shot open as my heart slammed against my rib cage. It had only been a dream. Things were sharp once more. I was staring at an unfamiliar maroon paisley wallpaper. Layers of gauzy, black fabric covered shuttered windows. There was a sweet smell in the air; perfume and… opium? I’d only had laudanum once—years ago when I was sick with scarlet fever. The thick, saccharine scent was difficult to forget.
“Goldie, can you hear me?” Raf.Not Galen. His voice was thick with emotion.
“Y-yes. Where are we?” I tried to sit up, to get out of his arms, but he didn’t give an inch.
“We were training. You built a whole damn castle out of ice. I tried telling you to stop, but you were…unyielding. I eventually took your hands andforcedyou to stop. And then you collapsed.”
He hadn’t answered my question. A dark brown tendril fell over his forehead as he stared at me. I gazed back. The Prince of Shadows, too beautiful to be real. Straight, prominent brows, deep-set eyes, a jaw chiseled from sandalwood…and those lips.
Full lips. It was disgusting, how delectable they looked.Grotesquelykissable. I wanted to brush my thumb along the center crease of his bottom lip—a spot he frequently bit when he was trying to smother a smile. But as I tried to lift my hand, I whimpered in pain and was ripped away from my fever dream.
I was out of my mind—completely befuddled.I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath. I didn’t want Raf. I was with hisbrother. Feeling humiliated, I croaked, “I’m fine. I’m just feeling a little weak and... discombobulated.”
"Discombobulated?" he huffed, shaking his head. "I'll take that overdead. You terrified me. Was that your way of trying to get even with me?"
"No, of course not. I just—" I glanced down at the wool blanket I was wrapped in, noticing the scratchy texture against my bare skin. Wait a minute, was I… was Inakedunder theseblankets?
