know of Mendina? She is destroying kingdoms and scattering the royal lines but why? What does she gain? And if nothing, what revenge—whose revenge is she seeking?”
Valentino stops stirring and turns to look at me. “What did you just say?”
“What?” I lean back a little, scared I said something wrong.
“We don’t know why she’s doing this. We never have. All we know is she is going after anyone with royal blood, and yet you just named the only two possibilities. You’re right, she isn’t gaining anything, which means the only logical explanation is that she’s doing this for revenge.”
“Does anyone realize this? Has anyone spoken to her, or just run from her?”
“If you’re close enough to speak to her, you usually don’t walk away.” He turns back to our food and begins ladling it into bowls. I take mine, grateful I accepted the offer for food. No spoons, so I drink it up.
I’m glad to see Valentino doing the same as I put my bowl down. I’m genuinely surprised at how tasty it was. “You are welcome to cook for me anytime.” I snicker.
“You’re welcome.” He bumps my shoulder. I laugh, glad to see that it looks like we’re getting back into our regular routine.
“I have another question. Working at the stables that just happened to be where the gate was? Coincidence or planned?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Planned. Your adoptive parents own the stables.” I begin to look hopeful. “However, the gate is now forever sealed.” He must’ve seen that hope and now the disappointment. “I’m sorry, Shanice. I wish it could be different but we can’t leave a portal between worlds open. The things that might happen could end both worlds. Its best left sealed.”
I look up, hoping to see even a glimmer of stars beyond the treetops. “Are there any other worlds?”
“I’m sure there are.” He looks up. “We should sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
I nod and return to my blanket, shivering and all. I hate the way he changes in an instant. Be my friend or be distant but don’t be both. I lie down and turn my back to the fire, longing for a little more privacy.
If I know anything about myself, I know that when I sleep tonight, dark dreams will haunt me. Even if they are only dreams of what my life was. I close my eyes, though, in hopes of actually resting before we ride for endless hours tomorrow.
The cold wind blowing through the trees makes it almost impossible to fall asleep. At first, I only shiver but as the wind picks up and the night passes, the wind turns into chilly blasts that have me shaking.
Warmth covers me. I bolt upright and turn. Valentino has moved from the other side of the fire and is now kneeling beside me. “Shhh.” He doesn’t explain but simply lies beside me on my blanket and puts his on top of us, his back to mine, and sleep consumes me.
Warmth envelopes me, the singing of birds playing above me. I open my eyes, wide awake. The nightmares I feared never came and the shivering stopped. I don’t move as I realize that one of Valentino’s arms is wrapped around me and my head is laying on the other.
I gaze over his face, appreciating every inch of it. He’s beautiful. And oh, so not mine. I heave a sigh, wishing that were different.
“Good morning,” he mumbles, eyes still closed.
I bite my lower lip, trying to keep from laughing but it doesn’t work. “Good morning.” I want to kiss him so bad. I can honestly say I never thought I would go camping with him, so this alone is a dream come true.
But still, we can’t lie here forever. “We need to go,” he says, as if replying to my thoughts. He doesn’t move, though, so neither do I.
“Mmhmm. You get right on that.” I close my eyes again and snuggle a little closer.
“Shanice,” he says.
“Hmm?”
“You have three seconds to get up before I use more forceful methods to get you up.” His threat is given with a smile, which really makes it hard to take
Valentino stops stirring and turns to look at me. “What did you just say?”
“What?” I lean back a little, scared I said something wrong.
“We don’t know why she’s doing this. We never have. All we know is she is going after anyone with royal blood, and yet you just named the only two possibilities. You’re right, she isn’t gaining anything, which means the only logical explanation is that she’s doing this for revenge.”
“Does anyone realize this? Has anyone spoken to her, or just run from her?”
“If you’re close enough to speak to her, you usually don’t walk away.” He turns back to our food and begins ladling it into bowls. I take mine, grateful I accepted the offer for food. No spoons, so I drink it up.
I’m glad to see Valentino doing the same as I put my bowl down. I’m genuinely surprised at how tasty it was. “You are welcome to cook for me anytime.” I snicker.
“You’re welcome.” He bumps my shoulder. I laugh, glad to see that it looks like we’re getting back into our regular routine.
“I have another question. Working at the stables that just happened to be where the gate was? Coincidence or planned?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Planned. Your adoptive parents own the stables.” I begin to look hopeful. “However, the gate is now forever sealed.” He must’ve seen that hope and now the disappointment. “I’m sorry, Shanice. I wish it could be different but we can’t leave a portal between worlds open. The things that might happen could end both worlds. Its best left sealed.”
I look up, hoping to see even a glimmer of stars beyond the treetops. “Are there any other worlds?”
“I’m sure there are.” He looks up. “We should sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
I nod and return to my blanket, shivering and all. I hate the way he changes in an instant. Be my friend or be distant but don’t be both. I lie down and turn my back to the fire, longing for a little more privacy.
If I know anything about myself, I know that when I sleep tonight, dark dreams will haunt me. Even if they are only dreams of what my life was. I close my eyes, though, in hopes of actually resting before we ride for endless hours tomorrow.
The cold wind blowing through the trees makes it almost impossible to fall asleep. At first, I only shiver but as the wind picks up and the night passes, the wind turns into chilly blasts that have me shaking.
Warmth covers me. I bolt upright and turn. Valentino has moved from the other side of the fire and is now kneeling beside me. “Shhh.” He doesn’t explain but simply lies beside me on my blanket and puts his on top of us, his back to mine, and sleep consumes me.
Warmth envelopes me, the singing of birds playing above me. I open my eyes, wide awake. The nightmares I feared never came and the shivering stopped. I don’t move as I realize that one of Valentino’s arms is wrapped around me and my head is laying on the other.
I gaze over his face, appreciating every inch of it. He’s beautiful. And oh, so not mine. I heave a sigh, wishing that were different.
“Good morning,” he mumbles, eyes still closed.
I bite my lower lip, trying to keep from laughing but it doesn’t work. “Good morning.” I want to kiss him so bad. I can honestly say I never thought I would go camping with him, so this alone is a dream come true.
But still, we can’t lie here forever. “We need to go,” he says, as if replying to my thoughts. He doesn’t move, though, so neither do I.
“Mmhmm. You get right on that.” I close my eyes again and snuggle a little closer.
“Shanice,” he says.
“Hmm?”
“You have three seconds to get up before I use more forceful methods to get you up.” His threat is given with a smile, which really makes it hard to take
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