The way I craved this woman I hardly knew made no sense. An overwhelming urge to run to her in the physical realm and wrap myself in her dark, rich skin while I ran my hands through those braids overtook me. The way they swung with the beat of her hips when she moved. It drove me mad in a way I couldn’t explain.
“You are insufferable. As this is the only way for any of us to remain in communication, I am forced to be the liaison between our two groups.”
I stared at her cocked eyebrow, and I swear I was a fucking goner.Don’t worry, we’ll be back tomorrow.My hand twitched, daring to brush my finger against hers, touching her hand and tracing my thumb along her wrist. Raya jumped back, surprised by the second, lingering touch.
“What are you doing?”
Don’t you think it’s odd that you can mind-speak to me when you’ve never been able to do it with anyone except for King Dargan?
“I—uhm—haven’t tested that theory.”Her breathing hitched, and her chest rising and falling increased.
Don’t you think it’s strange that we can now see each other while we are mind-speaking?I stepped closer and reached out my hand to her, praying she would take it. Just one more touch might calm my racing heart.Don’t you feel it?
She didn’t take my hand, but she didn’t move away either. She left me in limbo. There was still hope.
“Feel what? You have been nothing but rude to me since I was forced to enter your mind. I feel nothing for you except you are Lana’s friend, and against all of my better judgment, she’s grown on me over the last few weeks. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her after the kindness she has shown me.”
I grinned at how Raya hated that others were entering her life who loved her. She was about to have to add me to that list.She does that. It’s hard not to love her. But that’s not what I’m talking about, Raya, and you know it. There is something between us. Something that neither of us has ever felt before.
“Don’t you say it,”she whispered. Her eyes darted around like she wanted to escape, but I knew if she truly wanted to leave, she could cut me off and disappear. She’d done it before.
I stepped even farther into her space and cradled her cheek in my hand. An electric jolt passed over my entire body and exited my fingertips into Raya. Her gaze flickered between my hand and my face, confused as to what had just happened between us.
See?I cupped the other side of her face.We are something. The Fates themselves know it to be true.
“I know nothing of the Fates or their wishes.”She stepped back out of my grasp. “But whatever it is you’re thinking might be happening—it can’t be. They don’t exist anymore.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.Except we do know it to be true. Look at Kade and Lana.
Raya stormed off farther into the abyss of my mind, but I couldn’t let her leave yet. I wasn’t ready for her to go.Raya, come back.I ran after her and caught up to her in mere moments. I stopped just past her, so she faced me.Don’t leave. Just talk to me.
“There is no talking to you. Not when you’ve got these crazy ideas in your idiot head. Now get out of my way, or I’ll make you.”
Is that a threat?I couldn’t help my smirk. My smile had always worked in the past whenever I’d tried to woo a lady. I was always told it was one of my best qualities. I had a feeling things would be harder with Raya, and Fates, I’d do anything to win her heart.
“Hah, you have no idea.”Without warning, she dropped and swiped her leg out, knocking me off balance.
As I fell to the ground, I grabbed the tunic of her shirt, bringing her down to the imaginary floor. Raya landed on top of me and proceeded to try to punch my side. I blocked her attack with my forearms and wrapped my left leg around the outside of hers. Grabbing her arm, I brought her body close to mine and thrusted my hips up, flipping her over, so I sat on top of her.
She lay there panting. “Let. Me. Go.”
Leaning down, I brushed a few loose strands of hair out of her face and whispered in her ear.You can try to fight this all you want, Raya, but I’ll be here waiting when you’re ready to admit it. Whether in my mind or Brookmere, or Mysthaven, or in Atheria now, I will always choose you.
Shock and then indignation crossed her face, before she disappeared from beneath me, leaving me alone in the chamber of my mind specifically carved out for her.
With my heart racing and anxious butterflies filling my stomach, I left my mind and returned to the crackling fire at the campsite. Breathing in the smoky air grounded me in reality as the stars twinkled above.
I was totally screwed. Raya was mine. I would do whatever it took to win her trust and get her to admit what this was.
I’d found my mate and I’d prove to her that the Fates got it right with us.
For as long as it took.
Chapter 18
Lana
We arrived back at the Knotted Willow the next afternoon, just in time to make dinner with the rest of camp.
