“There is nothing to discuss, Aurora.” He turned to me, his face a mass of emotions as he ran a hand through his dark tousled hair. “You were the one who ran off and became betrothed without telling me.” He laughed harshly. “I don’t even know what I am doing here. I should be in Eldoren with my people. Instead I’m here helping you chase after ghosts again.”
“You don’t have to, you know.” I sighed and looked out to sea. “You could go back. I don’t need you to protect me anymore. I can protect myself.”
“I know.” He came closer, pulling me toward him ever so slowly. “But that’s the thing.” His breath grazed my ear and my heartbeat sped up. “I can’t help myself.” He trailed his lips along my jaw. “Why is it I can’t stay away from you?”
He kissed me, his arms tightening around my waist. He pulled me closer, his hard body pressed against mine, and I melted into his arms. His kiss was urgent, hard, and insistent, as if it were our first, or our last.
When he finally broke away, his breath was as ragged as mine. We just stood there looking at each other, our foreheads touching and breath intermingling.
“Tell me everything that happened,” Rafe said finally, holding my hands in his, his storm-gray eyes gazing into mine. “Don’t leave anything out.”
We spent the rest of the night in his cabin talking. I told him everything that had happened to me since I left him all those months ago and went to Elfi. So much had changed, and both of us were different people now. I explained the relationship Tristan and I had down to the last detail, and what it was like to live with my grandmother and her fae court. I explained what I had heard about him and Katerina as well.
He listened quietly, but he did have questions, and I tried to answer them.
Rafe’s forehead creased and his eyebrows drew together as he tried to make sense of it. “So you are not in love with him?”
I shook my head. “No, silly.” I ruffled his hair and kissed him full on the lips. “I’ve only ever loved you.”
Rafe smiled and kissed me back, pulling me into his arms as we lay down on the small bunk, my head resting on his chest.
“Rafe,” I ventured. “Now that you know everything, what does this mean for us?”
He looked straight into my eyes. “I know now this is not the way you intended it to be,” Rafe said slowly. “But in the eyes of the fae court, you are still betrothed to Tristan. We cannot just ignore it and hope it will go away. At some point we will have to face it.”
I didn’t want to meet his eyes. “If we get out of this alive.”
He lifted my chin with a fingertip. “Things have been hard for us, Aurora,” he said, bringing my fingers to his lips. “But I have always loved you. I still do.” He drew my face toward him once more, his lips grazing my jaw. “And I suspect I always will.”
“What about Danica?” I asked tentatively.
He shook his head. “Danica was a distraction. To keep my mind off you.” He gave me a sheepish smile, but his tone was low and serious. “I don’t think it worked.”
I looked straight into his eyes. “But you did take her to your bed.”
His eyes were like storm clouds that seemed to be subdued. “No. It never went that far,” he clarified.
“But I saw you kiss her when she left your room that night at Caeleron Castle.”
“And that’s all I did.” Rafe’s eyes narrowed. “I am not a saint, Aurora.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
He kissed my forehead, and his gaze softened. “And I you.”
The next morning was dark and gloomy as the sun refused to show itself and hid behind a cloud like a shy bride. A strange mist seemed to blanket the sea beneath us and wound its way around the ship. Captain Jarvik was at the wheel, steering our vessel expertly toward it. The mist crept on deck, weaving itself around poles and sails as the wind died down and everything went still.
“We are close,” Captain Jarvik said, coming down to join us on the main deck.
Penelope raised her hands and pushed at the mist with her magic, but it only crept closer. “I have never encountered mist like this.”
“I have.” Ashara stepped forward and raised her staff. The jewel on its apex glowed as a light blue magic halted the flow of the mist, pushing it back.
Tristan raised an eyebrow as he stood on deck watching Ashara, his arms crossed. “Not bad, for a witch.”
Ashara smirked. “You haven’t seen anything yet, fae.”
A dark shadow seemed to pass through the mist as a second jewel on Ashara’s staff lit up. I tensed, my heart hammering as my eyes darted around the eerie thick mist. What else was out there?
“It is as I thought.” Ashara threw a quick glance at Penelope. “Demon magic. There is something else within these mists. We need to move. Now.”
Penelope raised her arms above her head and summoned a strong wind. She directed the wind at the sails as Ashara held her staff aloft, two stones glowing brightly and pushing back the encroaching mist.
The tip of an island came into view, and I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. The ship moved silently forward, slicing the water as Captain Jarvik steered us toward a small cove.
We anchored close to the coast, and the crew rowed us ashore, landing on the beach at the edge of a lush overgrown forest. The island looked massive, with hills and valleys that surrounded us and a landscape that seemed untouched for centuries.
We followed Captain Jarvik through a small overgrown path into the hills. The mist seemed to lift once we reached the island, and the sun lit our path
