“Oh sorry, sir, we don’t have anything on us,” I apologize, smiling politely. He turns around and steps towards other people. How come it is this busy out here this late? Everybody must be night owls. Just like Braxton. I stroll towards the brown horse, petting it on its soft nose, before making amends to walk away. But Braxton stops the man and pushes something in his hand. I watch the old man, his eyes lighting up, signaling to us to get in.
“To the coast off Koteld at the end of Ilanos, where we can get transport to Taploz.” My eyes wide as I look at Braxton. He opens the carriage, but I just stand there—frozen as I watch him do these things so smoothly.
“Well.” He gestures to me to get in. “Ladies first,” he groans. I shake my head and a chuckle escapes my throat.
“Well thank you, gentleman.” I plop down on the red couch in the carriage, and Braxton doesn’t even get the chance to sit down, because the horse already starts to trot away.
“Don’t get the wrong impression of me, Honey. I am not a gentleman or the type of man a girl like you wants,” he groans as he sits down.
“Who said I want you? I hate you, remember?” I tease, pushing my shoulder teasingly against his. A shiver runs over me as ourbodies touch. The left corner of his mouth lifts up and a warm feeling fills my chest. He doesn’t move away from my touch.
We don’t talk for the rest of the ride, nor do any of us move away from our shoulder brushing against each other.
A beautiful harbor comes into view, and I push my hands on the glass off the carriage like a little child. It must have been an hour ride, but because of me staring outside at all the different landscapes it felt like a minute. People walk around as loads get loaded off ships and strong men carry wooden boxes around. There are people walking here and there and I can’t even imagine what this place would look like during the daytime. My eyes wide and I can’t help the smile appearing on my face. The carriage stops and the man opens the door. I jump out and look everywhere. I spin around widening my arms as I scan the place amazed. Cobble stones cover the streets and houses in a funny pattern and aside the streets are wooden lanterns into a pad towards the harbor. My feet drag me towards the water. There must be at least eight moorings and three ships at this moment.
“Do you like it?”
Braxton appears next to me. I watch him with a smile from ear to ear. He puts his hands in his pockets as he frowns.
“Are you crazy!” I cheer. “This is better than I could have imagined. I love it.” Something is stuck in my throat, as I realize I have been kept away from all of this for eighteen years. Braxton’s face softens as he reaches for my hand.
“You should feel the water. It is great, different, maybe some would even call it magical.” He shrugs, fidgeting his hands, the slightest blush appearing on his cheeks. Is he nervous? I nod enthusiastically, following him towards the water. He unties his shoes as he steps into the soft sand of the beach next to a mooring. I kick off my shoes. My feet feel the warm sand between my toes. I look down at my wiggling feet. I have neverbeen to a beach, felt sand like this. I throw my arms in the air and run towards the sea.
“Woohoo!” I cheer sprinting forwards. As I run, I throw my clothes off and before I know it my feet enter the cold water. I hesitate for a minute, standing in only my undergarment. As the sea splashes over my feet I run in, splashing the sea up with my hands. I sit down and use my signet, letting the water around my hands light up, making it able for me to see under water and heat the water up.
My hair is drenched as it lays on my shoulder. I turn around to see Braxton standing there with only his feet in the water. He smiles, but I catch him clenching his jaw.
His white teeth blink in the moonlight as he watches me carefully. He smiles and his dimples look down at me. His shirt is off, but he doesn’t get in. If it weren’t for the tension in his shoulders I would say he couldn’t be more handsome. I can feel him in my mind, and he can probably hear me think but I don’t care. His blue eyes shine brighter with the white moonlight on it and for a second, I am sad that I control the sun instead of the moon. A shiver rolls over me and the blush has already reached my cheeks. I’m glad that it is dark so he can’t see it. I watch him as he moves towards me. He doesn’t get in. His shoulders are stiff, but I don’t push.
At once, I feel really naked compared to him. He is standing there, half clothed while I lay in the water almost naked. Goosebumps appear on my skin. He rubs his finger on his forehead as he holds our eye contact.
“Do you want me to turn around?” he coughs out, and I would swear he sounds nervous. He must see me swallow and bite my tongue to hold the answer in because he turns around and flies the clothing towards me as I step out.
“Thank you, Brax,” I murmur softly. I thought he didn’t hear it, but I was wrong.
“You’re the one I should thank,” he whispers. I turn to him, but he is already walking towards the mooring again. How are we going to go to Taploz anyway? I almost forgot about the trials. I pull my shirt over my head and attach my fighting leathers, bolting after him.
“Wait for me!”
I tap my foot and bite my fingernails as Braxton paces in circles. My breath is stuck in my throat as panic rises. No, not now. How are we going to get to the other side? The boat will take too long.
“I am going to teleport us,” Braxton hisses. My jaw drops and my eyes wide. What?
“How are you going to do that?” I ask surprised. He gives me a cocky grin, raises his hand and lifts me off the ground. “Put me down,” I yell in a command. “How do you do that?”
“I am a tele,” he answers, looking at the ground, like that should explain it.
“I know you are a tele, but I didn’t know you were that kind of a tele?” I snap. He gives me this cocky grin again, but looks frustrated.
“That is because I don’t want anybody to know,” he hisses. Before I can think of a way to respond to that, he grasps my hand from behind my back. Power tingles through my body and I press my eyes close hard. Everything goes white. Light flashes from everywhere. And don’t forget I am the light wielder, but it isn’t me who does this.
Time and space collapse and everything comes together.
When I open my eyes, I am on the island.
Braxton has teleported us all the way to Taploz.
Chapter 22
