Ser Aeron shook his head gravely, then walked away, pulling the door closed behind him.
“You’re going to usewho, Auraelia?” Daemon asked, his brow scrunched in confusion.
Ignoring his question, Auraelia walked to where Piper was sitting on the bench seat by the windows. “Do you think you could preoccupy Xander and Aiden for a bit?” she asked in a hushed tone.
Piper canted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing slightly as they searched Auraelia’s face—like if she looked hard enough, she could see the meaning behind her words or read her mind.
Letting out an exasperated breath, Auraelia held out her hand. “Go ahead. What do you see?”
Over the last few months, Piper had been working on progressing her abilities. She spent hours practicing calling visions of the future to her and attempted to replay scenes of the past. Though she had vastly improved, it still helped when she made contact with the person whose life she was trying to glean.
Piper nodded and grasped Auraelia’s hand, closing her eyes briefly before opening them to the wide, vacant stare that always accompanied her visions.
Fragments of what Piper saw filtered into Auraelia’s mind as she allowed bits and pieces to flow between them. Flashes of a smile. Stars dancing in crystal clear waters. A cloudless winter night sky, with a nearly full moon shining against the velvety black backdrop.
As the images faded and life came back to Piper’s eyes, a small smile tilted up the corners of her lips. “It’s a littlecoldfor a swim,” she whispered, winking at Auraelia as she rose from the bench. Auraelia curled her lips inward, stifling the chuckle that tried to break through. The inner workings of her best friend’s mind never ceased to amaze and amuse her.
“Come on, boys, let’s go find some food. Aiden, looks like you’re staying here tonight, so your game with Raneese will have to wait a little longer.”
Piper strolled toward the door, patting Daemon on the chest as she passed him. “Havefun.”
The confused look on his face was priceless as his head swiveled from Piper’s retreating form back to Auraelia. When the door latched, he faced her fully and asked, “What was that about?”
Walking over to where he stood next to the table, she grinned. “I’d like to show you something first.”
“Oh?”
Nodding, Auraelia gently laced her fingers with his. Warmth filled her veins, her magic stirring in response to his touch. But beneath that familiar heat was a subtle cool caress. Like she was toeing the line between standing in the shade of a tree and the rays of the sun.
Daemon’s hand tightened around hers, excitement and confusion clashing together in the vibrant greens of his eyes. “I–I canfeel you.”
“You can feel me?” she asked, her heart galloping in her chest like a wild stallion.
Nodding, Daemon pulled her to him. With their entwined hands pressed between their chests, she could feel the thunderous pace of his heart where it hammered behind its cage. “It’s like sunlight in my veins. Warm and welcoming.”
Bringing her hand up to his lips, he placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. As they held each other’s gaze, it was as if time stalled around them. It could have been mere seconds or minutes that passed before the world seemed to begin spinning once more.
“What did you want to show me, Auraelia?”
A broad smile stretched across her face as she looked up at him. “You’ll see.”
Daemon smiled in return, his chuckle rumbling in his chest as he shook his head. “I do believe that is your favorite phrase today, Princess.”
Releasing his hand, Auraelia wrapped both arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Daemon stood stock still for a fraction of a second, the embrace seeming to catch him off guard before his arms encircled her shoulders, and they were engulfed in shadows.
Chapter Sixteen
Daemon
As his shadows slipped away, the chill of the winter air kissed his cheeks while the last remaining fragments of sunlight rained down, bathing them in the soft, peachy glow of dusk.
“Where are we?” Daemon asked as he scanned his new surroundings.
Spindly trees, with bark flaking off their trunks, stood in rows before him, their branches nearly bare as the last remaining leaves and flowers refused to fall.
Auraelia unraveled herself from his embrace and linked her fingers through his, tugging him forward as she made her way toward the grove of trees. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“I guess that’s your alternative version of ‘you’ll see’?” Daemon asked, shaking his head as a chuckle rumbled up his throat.
