My eyes snap open. I’m wrapped in Cael’s arms. I lift my head and find him asleep. I don’t know how we became tangled up in each other, but my heart hammers and my entire body flushes with warmth as he tightens his hold around me, pulling my form even closer to his.
“Are you all right?” he rasps, blinking sleepily at me.
“I’m fine. I was just… dreaming.”
“Did you remember anything new?” he asks.
“No.” The lie burns like acid on my tongue, but I do not want to share such an intimate dream. Especially since I do not know if these feelings I have for him are mine or are they just lingering memory from our lives before?
I give him a faint smile. “We should go back to sleep.”
“I’ll rest just for a bit.” He grins. “I’ve always been a light sleeper. Wake me if you need anything.”
I nod, but in truth, I won’t wake him unless it’s an emergency. The dark circles under his eyes tell me he’s exhausted, and he needs some sleep.
As he closes his eyes, I lie awake, listening to the nocturnal sounds of the forest. It’s cold, but I won’t suggest we build a fire. I suspect Cael didn’t make one for fear it might draw attention to us. I’d rather be a bit chilled than an easy target for more bandits.
Besides, I’m still wrapped up in his arms and I’d prefer to remain this way. Not just for warmth, but because being with him like this… it feels right and I’m reluctant to leave his embrace.
My dream replays in my mind—the memory of my life before this one. I study Cael. His white hair hangs down just over his eyes, and I carefully brush it back. Everything about him draws me in, but I’m so confused.
How can I love a man I just met? And how do I know he’s the same man I remember from our past life? What if I’m different as well?
After all, wasn’t I the one who just made a point of telling him we are not exactly them: Bryndon and Alora?
I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I don’t remember enough of that life to know one way or the other. All I know is I have feelings for Cael—strong ones—I just need to figure out if they’re really mine or if they belong to the person I once was.
His eyes are still closed in sleep, and I can’t help myself. I snuggle against him, breathing deeply of his masculine scent—a strange mixture somewhere between forest and rain.
As I lie awake, I think of the map and how far away our destination seemed from where we first started. Our first day on our own, and we were already attacked. These guys weren’t even dark mages. They were just regular bandits, trolling the roads and looking for victims.
I’m ashamed how easily they were able to subdue me. I managed to kill one of them, but if it weren’t for Cael I would have been raped and killed. I curl my hands into fists at my side. If I’m going to survive here, I need to learn how to fight—and I need to learn fast.
Willow and Talina alluded to the idea I should be able to wield some sort of power. Cael discovered his in the heat of the fight, but I didn’t. If I have any powers, I need to figure out how to tap into them—the sooner, the better. I hate the idea of running across more bad guys and feeling as helpless as I did today.
I look at Cael. He protected me, and I want to make sure I can protect him as well.
Chapter 20
Kyra
The early morning rays of the sun peek over the horizon, setting the forest alight with soft yellow and orange muted tones. Cael opens his eyes and gives me a sleepy smile. He reaches out as if to cup my cheek but pulls his hand away at the last second as if thinking better of it.
“How are you feeling?”
I’m completely mesmerized as his teal eyes stare deep into mine. I force my gaze away before I answer. “I’m just a bit sore, but it’s not bad. What about you?”
He lifts his hand out before him, then closes his eyes. A small ball of flame hovers over his palm, and I stare at it in wonder.
A smile curves my lips. “How did you do that? I thought you weren’t able to recreate it?”
“I dreamed about it last night.” He grins. “It was as if I remembered a lot of things. How to do this,” he curls his fingers into his palm, snuffing out the flame. He opens them again, and another ball of fire appears. “And how to fight as well.”
I sigh heavily in frustration. “I wish I could remember things like that.”
“I think it’s this place,” he says, giving me a pitying smile. “The fact we’re here. I think… with time, we’ll start regaining more of our memories and our abilities.”
“I hope you’re right, but in the meantime, I want you to teach me how to fight.”
He looks down, his brows knitting together in deep contemplation. I half expect him to offer resistance to the idea, but he looks back up and meets my eyes evenly. “As you wish, my queen.”
I give him a beaming smile.
After we eat breakfast, we take the horses down to the stream for water. He secures them to a nearby tree, then turns to face me.
“Have you had any training before?”
With a heavy sigh, I lift my gaze to the tree canopy, ashamed to admit this.
“I’ve actually studied martial arts before, but… when those guys came at me… I don’t know what happened. It was like I—I froze up and forgot everything. All of my skills were just… gone.”
“It’s normal to react that way when you’re faced with something terrifying.” His eyes meet mine with a knowing look. “It could happen to
