The boy looked me up and down, his face red and cocky, “I don’t see what’s so special about you.”
“ Huh, I don’t see what’s special about you, either.” I was having fun, despite the subject we were disagreeing over.
“ I guess that makes us even.”
“ Guess so.”
He stuck out his hand, “I’m Henry.”
I shook it. “Venna.”
“ Want to sit next to me on the bus?” he asked, as it pulled up to the curb.
It got darker suddenly. The moon was out of sight, swallowed up by a thick cloud. My eyes began to strain. The trees were so dense and clouds so abundant the moonlight was useless to me. I should have brought a flashlight.
I’d walked far enough to reach the halfway point between our houses. There was a gate hidden by ivy at the back of Henry’s property. In a few minutes I could be at his backdoor. This wouldn’t be the first time I’d shown up, or the last. I felt certain of that, because I would always be drawn to him, strangely so. Being with him felt magical.
One smile from Henry and I could easily be reduced to putty.
Except I wasn’t walking to his house as a friend, my intentions were completely different. I wanted comfort. His warm gaze I loved so much, for him to hold me. I felt so safe and content when I was with him. I needed him. But did he need me?
It was time I found out, time to get my stupid feet to move.
Squaring my shoulders, I prepared myself to make the confession of a lifetime.
I’d not budged an inch when a twig snapped behind me.
Chapter 9
Where are you?
I texted Venna and passed through the ivy gate at the back of my property. I never heard my phone because I was in the shower. It was hard staying away from her, even harder knowing she needed me and wouldn’t admit it. But I had to try.
Her text had blown my good intentions though.
I took the trail, scanning the darkness for her. It was so quiet. Too quiet.
I started west, and was just turning to her house when I felt something out of place.
Venna wasn’t powerful enough for me to sense yet, and Zane’s energy was very distinct. It had a newness, probably because of his young age. So I should be the only magical being in the woods.
But I wasn’t.
The hair stood up on the back of my neck. Energy radiated from behind me, shifting the atmosphere and alerting me to an unseen presence. I forgot about heading to Venna’s house and swept my gaze around to hone in on the magical being close by.
North, around fifty yards, were two warlocks.
I ran head long for them.
They hadn’t reached her yet, but she was their target. I had no way of telling what their intentions were, so I wasn’t going to take any changes.
“Venna,” I called.
Her head snapped up. She squinted in the darkness for me. Her sight would improve once she started using magic.
“Henry?” she shouted, “Where are you?”
I pumped my legs, shooting past the warlocks, and put myself between them and her. “Are you alright?”
She peered past me, puzzled. “Who are they?”
I didn’t answer, keeping an eye on them. They were even closer now. The men sat on a fallen tree, waiting. One of them nodded in my direction. When I looked back down at Venna she was rubbing her arms as if she were cold. It was pleasant outside. I noticed the goose bumps on her skin and realized she sensed the warlocks too. She just didn’t know what was happening to her.
This was why she needed me.
If her father had sent them…no, I wouldn’t allow myself to think on it.
“Venna stay here, please.” I gripped her shoulders and spun her around, giving her a little nudge. She walked exactly where I wanted. I put her on the opposite side of a large oak. “Do me one small favor.”
“Fine, you don’t have to be so pushy.” She huffed, confused.
Could this be it?
I turned back and cracked my knuckles one at a time.
I cleared my head.
I was ready for anything.
Ready to defend.
To fight.
To die.
All for her.
I approached the
“ Huh, I don’t see what’s special about you, either.” I was having fun, despite the subject we were disagreeing over.
“ I guess that makes us even.”
“ Guess so.”
He stuck out his hand, “I’m Henry.”
I shook it. “Venna.”
“ Want to sit next to me on the bus?” he asked, as it pulled up to the curb.
It got darker suddenly. The moon was out of sight, swallowed up by a thick cloud. My eyes began to strain. The trees were so dense and clouds so abundant the moonlight was useless to me. I should have brought a flashlight.
I’d walked far enough to reach the halfway point between our houses. There was a gate hidden by ivy at the back of Henry’s property. In a few minutes I could be at his backdoor. This wouldn’t be the first time I’d shown up, or the last. I felt certain of that, because I would always be drawn to him, strangely so. Being with him felt magical.
One smile from Henry and I could easily be reduced to putty.
Except I wasn’t walking to his house as a friend, my intentions were completely different. I wanted comfort. His warm gaze I loved so much, for him to hold me. I felt so safe and content when I was with him. I needed him. But did he need me?
It was time I found out, time to get my stupid feet to move.
Squaring my shoulders, I prepared myself to make the confession of a lifetime.
I’d not budged an inch when a twig snapped behind me.
Chapter 9
Where are you?
I texted Venna and passed through the ivy gate at the back of my property. I never heard my phone because I was in the shower. It was hard staying away from her, even harder knowing she needed me and wouldn’t admit it. But I had to try.
Her text had blown my good intentions though.
I took the trail, scanning the darkness for her. It was so quiet. Too quiet.
I started west, and was just turning to her house when I felt something out of place.
Venna wasn’t powerful enough for me to sense yet, and Zane’s energy was very distinct. It had a newness, probably because of his young age. So I should be the only magical being in the woods.
But I wasn’t.
The hair stood up on the back of my neck. Energy radiated from behind me, shifting the atmosphere and alerting me to an unseen presence. I forgot about heading to Venna’s house and swept my gaze around to hone in on the magical being close by.
North, around fifty yards, were two warlocks.
I ran head long for them.
They hadn’t reached her yet, but she was their target. I had no way of telling what their intentions were, so I wasn’t going to take any changes.
“Venna,” I called.
Her head snapped up. She squinted in the darkness for me. Her sight would improve once she started using magic.
“Henry?” she shouted, “Where are you?”
I pumped my legs, shooting past the warlocks, and put myself between them and her. “Are you alright?”
She peered past me, puzzled. “Who are they?”
I didn’t answer, keeping an eye on them. They were even closer now. The men sat on a fallen tree, waiting. One of them nodded in my direction. When I looked back down at Venna she was rubbing her arms as if she were cold. It was pleasant outside. I noticed the goose bumps on her skin and realized she sensed the warlocks too. She just didn’t know what was happening to her.
This was why she needed me.
If her father had sent them…no, I wouldn’t allow myself to think on it.
“Venna stay here, please.” I gripped her shoulders and spun her around, giving her a little nudge. She walked exactly where I wanted. I put her on the opposite side of a large oak. “Do me one small favor.”
“Fine, you don’t have to be so pushy.” She huffed, confused.
Could this be it?
I turned back and cracked my knuckles one at a time.
I cleared my head.
I was ready for anything.
Ready to defend.
To fight.
To die.
All for her.
I approached the
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