Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
W ithout a word, I mounted Jet. Hiking one leg over the saddle, the skirts of my dress billowed around me—a sea of cerulean catching the wind and trailing behind. A heartbeat later, Maalikai mounted behind me.
His presence hit like a jolt—solid, inescapable, and far too close. Heat scorched where his body pressed against mine, and I cursed under my breath.
Damn him.
I was not ready for this.
My nerves surged, a wildfire beneath my skin, burning through every scrap of composure I had left. I was supposed to be in control. Instead, I was unraveling—my grip on myself, on everything, fracturing beneath his presence. My body was betraying me in ways I couldn’t afford.
Maalikai’s arms reached around me to grip Jet’s reins. His touch wasn’t lingering, not intentionally seductive—but it didn’t have to be. Muscles brushed mine, his chest warm and immovable against my back. It felt like being wrapped in a cage I wasn’t sure I wanted to escape.
I clenched my jaw, grounding myself in the reins beneath my hands, trying to drown out the way my stomach twisted.
No.
I didn't want this.
Not with him.
A breeze swept over us, carrying the scent of him—pine and snow and something wild. Of course he smelled like the damn mountains. Like a creature of the forest. Like freedom.
Jet took off, hooves pounding the earth beneath us. Each movement pressed us closer together, and I prayed Maalikai couldn’t see my face. If he did, he’d know. He’d see the war that had begun to rage inside me.
Time blurred as the forest stretched ahead, ancient trees rising like titans in our path. It was only when Maalikai loosened his grip that I realized I’d been leaning into him.
My lips parted without meaning to—but I held back whatever sound threatened to escape. He pulled away, and I hated the ache that came with it.
“So, what do you think?” His voice was low, close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath near my ear.
I stiffened.
“What do I think of what?” I asked, struggling to sound unaffected.
He chuckled, the sound rougher than expected. “Of this.”
Only then did I truly look. We were on the edge of the Aelinthian Forrest.
The trees here weren’t like the ones near home. They were older, deeper—like they remembered things no one else did. Greens so dark they drank the light. The kind of place where you didn’t walk without purpose.
Maalikai cleared his throat. I turned, startled to find him already on the ground, one hand reaching up toward me.
I hesitated before shifting in the saddle to face him. The moment crystallized, then froze, as he waited—like he was unsure of himself for the first time.
“Do you mind?” he asked softly.
The question stole my breath.
I nodded—but barely.
His hands slid to my sides, fingertips grazing my ribs, settling at my hips. I hated how aware I was of everything—every breath, every shift, every inch of him.
Then, without warning, he lifted me. For a heartbeat, I was weightless, my hands finding his shoulders instinctively and clinging to him like he was my lifeblood.
And Gods help me, it felt good.
Toogood.
The moment my boots touched the ground, I tried to pull away. Tried—and failed. Our bodies brushed, barely, and it was still too much.
I looked up, searching his face, needing to know if this was one-sided madness. But the way his gaze locked onto mine—unwavering and raw—made it impossible to deny the truth.
He felt it too.
His voice came out rough, like it scraped against something inside him. “Remind me never to get on your bad side. I think most men would kneel at the sight of you.”
“Because I’m a badass?” I offered, masking the heat in my chest with sarcasm.
“That too,” he said, lips quirking.
I cleared my throat, desperate to regain footing. “From where I’m standing, it doesn’t look like you’d kneel for anyone.”
“Maybe you’ll be the first.” His words swirled around me, stealing my breath.
We stood there, caught in silence that pulsed like a heartbeat. When he finally let me go, relief and regret hit all at once. I needed distance. Because if he’d held on a second longer, I wasn’t sure I would’ve let go.
He smiled—slower this time, like he could see right through me. Then he took my hand.
“Come with me,” he dared.
Without arguing, I followed him, feeling like I was in a trance until I stood just a foot from the first line of trees in the forest.
Taking a step forward, I trailed my fingers over the scales of the tree’s thick skin. Something ethereal anchored me in place. Splintering and blistering grumbled beneath my touch—the tree breathed, the sound the only evidence of its silent slumber.
An ancient magik washed over me, steadying the beat of my heart as it recognized me—as if it were calling to me. If the rumors were true, the magik that resided within the Aelinthian Forrest was very old. Very powerful.
“You do know my people fear coming here, don’t you?” I whispered, reverent.
Maalikai shrugged beside me, placing his palm next to mine. He was so quiet I could almost believe he heard the trees breathing too.
“It’s the magik. It tends to scare people away.”
My heart ricocheted. “You believe in magik?”
Magik was real… theoretically. I could feel it in certain places. The Gods supposedly had it, but...
“Don’t you?” Maalikai asked.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I believed.
“I mean, yeah. I believe in the stories of the mages. And I believe they might still be out there somewhere. But it’s not like Elowyn the baker is putting magik in her bread, you know?”
Maalikai chuckled. “Elowyn’s bread is pretty damn good,” he said, but I barely heard him, already caught up in my own thoughts.
Magik was everywhere in the stories of Agertheria. It didn’t make sense that it wasn’t a constant in our lives.
I thought back to the tales my mother told me growing up—the little boy who tamed wolves with his voice, the stranger who conjured power from mist and moonlight, weaving it into something that defied age and time—a shapeshifter in the daylight.
There was even a story about Aelinthian Forrest. A little girl wandered too far in and supposedly met a God. Not knowing whether it was a benevolent being or Ezekiel in disguise, the girl had used magik to test him. Impressed, the God let her live—and even guided her to safety.
They were fun stories. But let’s be honest: laughable. If magik was real, why had it disappeared? And where had it gone?
“Why did you bring me here?”
A soft, nearly silent sigh escaped him. “There’s something about this forest. Something I can’t explain.” He paused, eyes closing, fingertips twitching as they traced the bark. He looked like he was listening to something I couldn’t hear.
Could he feel the heartbeat beneath the surface too?
“It’s a feeling,” he murmured. “Like this place used to be something sacred… like it remembers. Most people are afraid of it—like the power is too much. It takes someone special to appreciate the beauty without being afraid.” His eyes opened slowly. My breath caught at the vulnerability in them. “I knew there had to be someone else who could see what I see.”
“What made you so sure it was me?”
A quiet, almost unearthly smile touched his lips. In the fading light, his skin glowed with something more than warmth.
“Because when I look at you, I see the same beauty.”
My stomach twisted, hollow and tight. My mind scrambled for a response that wasn’t awkward. Failing miserably, I defaulted to humor.
“I have the same beauty as an old, decrepit tree?”
Maalikai didn’t dignify it with a response. He stepped closer, the air between us growing heavier.
“An ancient power. Unapologetic. Pure. Like it doesn’t know the beauty or danger it holds. You can feel it, can’t you?”
My fingers twitched against the bark. The slumbering power crackled beneath my skin—undeniable.
“…Yes,” I breathed. “I feel it.”
“It’s beautiful.” He looked at me like his gaze could burn straight through flesh. “Come with me. I want to show you something.”
My heart kicked violently in my chest as I followed him into the trees—it was like a pack of Cindralyx were clawing at my ribs—restless, volatile, wild, and thrumming with power—hungry for something I couldn’t name.
The moment I stepped under the canopy, a chill crept over me. I’d never been inside this part of the forest before. The feeling was almost… unnatural.
And yet, something called to me.
Something deep.
Something lost.
Maalikai glanced back, his eyes raking down my body like the ghost of a tender caress.
“Are you okay?” I nodded, not trusting my voice. “It’s okay to feel overwhelmed,” he said. “It’s just the forest—and the magik within.”
At the word magik , goosebumps raced across my skin.
A strange hum stirred through me, tendrils reaching deep—something primal and impossible uncoiled in my blood, pulsing like it had always been there.
I stopped short, lips parting.
The sensation slipped away before I could name it.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Maalikai asked from ahead.
He blurred in my vision like smoke. My eyes snapped to his. I opened my mouth… but no sound came. Swallowing, I closed my eyes.
The feeling was gone.
“I’m fine,” I managed.
He didn’t look convinced. “Most men won’t even set foot in Aelinthian Forrest.”
I snorted. “Most men are idiots.”
Maalikai laughed.
It was the first time I’d heard him laugh—deep and rich and completely unexpected. And Gods, it caught me off guard.
“I’m not disagreeing,” he said.
“They’re also cowards.”
A second laugh—this one softer, like he was still getting used to the sound of it—disarmed my nerves.
“It helps to be hypervigilant,” he added.
I shifted, adjusting my stance. “Hang on. Give me a sec.”
Without warning, I hiked up one side of my dress and fastened it at the hip, then did the same to the other. When I straightened, Maalikai stared at me—wide-eyed.
“You came prepared to fight?” His gaze swept over me, pausing when it landed on one of the blades strapped to my thigh.
“Always. Got a problem with that?” I asked, letting venom coat my tone.
“No. I just find it incredibly sexy.”
My eyes locked with his, daring him to say more.
He didn’t.
He held my gaze, daring me to push further.
I cleared my throat, rolling my shoulders. “What were you saying about hypervigilance?”
“It helps if you focus on something. Tell me what you see—what you feel.” His voice was rougher now, and a self-satisfied smile tugged at my lips.
I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, everything had changed.
Sunlight streamed through the treetops, dancing over the muted oranges and browns below. Squirrels darted along high branches, so small they looked like mice. Arctic wind brushed my cheeks, tugging loose strands of hair across my face.
“I feel… free,” I whispered, the words escaping without effort.
Something deep and ancient stirred within me, a veil of power wrapping around my skin like protection. It pulsed in my fingertips, coiling in my blood like it belonged there.
Maalikai gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
“That’s because you are a truly beautiful creature.”
My heart squeezed tight. His words settled like chains around my heart—quiet, inescapable, and far too close to the truth.
Maalikai led me through the forest, silence surrounded us, but it was comfortable. It was pleasant just to walk in his company.
An hour dripped by as we meandered through the trees, following the winding stream until we came to a wooden bridge that looked like it had been made when the Gods still roamed the earth.
“Are you ready for this?” Maalikai questioned.
My eyes snapped to his. Azures swam wildly, challenging me. My reckless side screamed for the challenge.
“Just try and stop me.” I stepped passed him, ignoring the look that ignited an inferno.
Vines wrapped around the planks of the bridge, making it look like it came from a fairy tale; the man-made structure was now entangled with vines so tightly that the bridge had taken on a life of its own.
Lianas connected the ancient trees of Aelinthian Forrest to the bridge rails, shorter creepers fell over the side of the bridge and dragged in the crystal-clear water below, sending ripples through the stream.
Flowers blossomed along the rails, the sweet scent of jasmine filling the air, while purple pansies popped wildly with intense color.
As soon as I took my first step onto the bridge the canopy of leaves above us ceased to exist.
Air punched from my lungs as I realized what the trees of Aelinthian Forrest had been hiding. An ancient tree that demanded complete attention rose to the skies. I wouldn’t be surprised if its leaves brushed the tips of the stars.
Power crackled from it; even from this distance, it swarmed around me, making the air so dense it was difficult to breathe.
“It’s the tree of the Gods. The Tree of Life!” A mystified breath stilled in my chest: a hallowed exclamation.
Maalikai’s eyes met mine, they glowed luminescent in the incandescent aura of the tree.
Somehow, it glowed with a light that felt overwhelming and all-consuming. Maalikai claimed my hand again, leading me across the bridge and into the resplendent radiance of the anomaly that rose before me.
The roots rose so large from the ground that I would have to climb over them to reach the trunk.
Hesitantly, I reached out a hand to one of the large roots, the tips of my fingers tracing along the length, following the bark.
Power ebbed at my skin, lightning sparkling along my fingertips, jumping between each finger like it had a life of its own.
I jolted back. Brandishing my hand like I’d just been burned. “ What in Nexus?”
Maalikai’s hands were on me in an instant, his fingers cupping mine. “Does it hurt?”
I shook my head as I watched the lightning flares absorb into my skin, momentarily making them glow an incandescent purple light before they disappeared, the glow now completely nonexistent.
“Is that normal? Did it—did it electrocute me?”
It didn’t feel like something had shocked me. My eyes studied his as I looked to him for answers.
“Was it magik?” I asked quietly.
“Honestly, I have no idea.”
Maalikai stepped up to the tree, running his hand along it, as I had done. No lightning crackled along his fingertips; maybe I had already consumed the power from the tree?
“I can feel the power within it. But that’s it.”
Hearing Maalikai acknowledge aloud that there was something there to feel and that perhaps I had already harnessed it, gave me chills.
“I can feel it in my veins like a power source resides in my soul. Hibernating beneath the surface of my skin, as though it’s waiting for something. Waiting for me to release it,” I murmured, feeling like the words had come from someone other than myself.
“Do you feel like it’s going to consume you?”
Hysteria clawed through me. He spoke as if it was all real. As if what I was feeling was real.
“Like I’m going to spontaneously combust or something?”
He shrugged. “I guess so.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
Fingertips traced the curve of my cheek as Maalikai studied me like I was a wounded creature.
“You feel normal.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.
“So, I’m not going to die in a blaze of glory?” Humor masked my trepidation. If I was going to burst into flames, there was nothing I could do about it now.
“I really hope not.” He stepped closer, stealing my air. “Because then, I’d never get a chance to do this.”
Before I could move, Maalikai closed the distance between us. His hand hovered over my cheek, trembling slightly—like he wasn’t sure if touching me would soothe me or shatter me.
“Your beauty is pure and dangerously unapologetic,” he murmured. “You don’t even see it, do you?”
Almost without thinking, I leaned into his palm. The rough heat of it grounded me. His thumb traced along my skin, slow and reverent, like I was something sacred. Walls I hadn’t even realized I’d rebuilt began to crumble under the weight of his touch.
“Maalikai,” I whispered.
His name felt different on my lips now—fragile, forbidden. His thumb stilled, his breath catching. He didn’t pull away. He waited—silent, still, the unspoken question between us thick as the air.
He was going to ask if he could kiss me. Maybe he already had.
And Gods, I wanted to say yes. But just as the words danced at the edge of my lips, another image rose in my mind.
Sebastian.
His fire. His silence. The look in his eyes when I left him behind.
The ache in my chest bloomed, sharp and unbearable. I exhaled shakily, pulling slightly back, but not entirely.
“Don’t,” I said, barely above a whisper.
Maalikai’s hand didn’t fall right away. But his expression shifted—something between disappointment and understanding softening the angles of his face. Slowly, his fingers slipped from my skin, like letting go took effort.
His voice was quiet when he spoke again. “I wasn’t going to do anything you didn’t want.”
“I know,” I said, my voice barely holding. “That’s what makes it harder.”
His breath caught again, but this time, he didn’t close the gap between us. He let me stay in the space I needed.
Then, a flicker of movement behind me pulled his attention. His expression changed instantly, focus sharpening.
“What the?”
Whipping around, I froze.
Thousands of creatures glided through the air, floating to the sky like bubbles. Long tentacles dangled beneath them, carried in the wind as they climbed in the sky.
Beautiful fluorescent colors melded together in a sea of rainbow as the creatures bumped against each other before continuing to make their ascension.
In a trance, I reached a finger to one, its tentacles wrapping around my finger and suctioning to it.
“Don’t.” Maalikai’s eyes collided with mine. One second passed, then another, before relief smoothed his features. “They don’t hurt?”
I shook my head, if anything, it tickled my fingers as the tiny suctioning brushed against my skin, making tiny popping noises as it repositioned itself.
“They’re like tiny jellyfish that float,” he muttered, studying them.
My eyes snapped to Maalikai. “Jellyfish live in salt water, not fresh water.”
“Because when I’m referring to jellyfish that literally float in the air, that’s the most disconcerting piece of information; what sort of water they live in?” He had me there. “I think I’m going to call them air jellies.”
Maalikai reached out to a fluorescent pink jelly. As soon as it touched his finger, his body shuddered, a spasm jolting through him. His hand whipped back so fast that I almost didn’t register the movement.
“What the actual fuck? It stung me.” He sounded so offended.
I had to resist the urge to laugh. “Maybe they don’t like being called air jellies?” I shot back.
Maalikai edged out of the way of another jellyfish as it threatened to touch his skin. A smile tipped my lips. “If you’re afraid of the little air jellies, we can leave.”
Maalikai shot me a look that rendered me silent. “We should probably head back anyway; it’s going to get dark pretty damn quickly.”
“Mmm hmm.” I smirked at him and tried my own eyebrow raise at his expense.
“It’s not because I’m afraid of the air jellies,” he rebuked, with an indignant glare.
“Sure, it’s not.” I nudged him with my elbow.
A spasm rolled through him, his body vibrating as it buckled with a fierce shock. His body hit the forest floor, writhing in pain. As abruptly as the attack started, it stopped, instantly returning to normal.
What. The. Heck?
In an instant, I was at his side. “Are you okay?”
Cerulean eyes pierced mine, as he scooted backwards, as though he was afraid of me. He shook his head as if to clear it.
“That fucking hurt.” He shook out his arms like he was trying to get feeling to return to his limbs.
“What was that?” I demanded, my body instantly ice cold.
“Isn’t it obvious? You electrocuted me.”
My eyes grew wide with horror. He couldn’t be serious. All I’d done was touch him. “I…I didn’t.”
His eyes passed over my entire body, examining me with a caress that left a shadow of his touch. “Not you. The jelly.”
I looked at my hand where the jellyfish was still wrapped around my fingers. Gently, I disentangled it, letting it float into the air. I offered him a hand.
“Are you ready to test your theory?” A wicked smile tipped my lips.
He winced but took my outstretched hand without objection.
Son of a bitch.
He was right. No electrocution.
Maalikai stood to his full height, towering over me. “You’re immune to their electric sting.”
“How?”
His eyes met mine, shaking his head. “Honestly, I don’t know. I never even knew they existed. But I imagine it has something to do with the sparks we saw on your skin when you touched the tree.”
An odd hum spread through me, pleasant warmth caressing my skin. There was something about me that was actually special.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here before all the jellies start to attack,” I quipped.
A ghost of a smile sent my heart racing as he matched my pace. “I’m not afraid of the jellyfish.”
“Stay behind me; I’ll protect you.” I turned away from him, fully intending to walk through the jellies for him.
Before I made it more than a few steps, his chest pressed against my back, his arms wrapping tightly around my stomach. It wasn’t careful—it was instinctual, fierce, almost possessive.
He leaned in, his voice low and rough near my ear. “You’re insufferable.”
There was a pause.
A subtle shift in the air.
My breath caught, and for a second, I didn’t move. His presence was overwhelming—warm, steady.
Then, like he realized what he’d done, Maalikai froze, his arms loosening just slightly.
Just above a whisper—“Sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”
“It’s okay,” I said, softer than I intended.
My hands slid over his—not pulling him closer, but not pushing him away either. Just hovering there for a moment, like this held the weight of something that couldn’t be verbalized.
Gods, it felt good to be held in his arms.
But it was getting dark; if we didn’t move quickly, we would get lost in the forest. Disentangling myself from Maalikai’s arms, I made my way through the forest. With each step, my heart grew a little heavier until we reached the edge of the forest.
Time flew by abnormally fast as we rode Jet back to Ophelia. When I saw the path into town, my heart almost stopped.
In the distance, I could hear music and laughter coming from the center of town, where the feast was being held.
Silently, I dismounted, waiting for Maalikai to join me before meandering down the path leading back into Ophelia.
I looked down at my dress. Between the festival, the ride, and hiking through the trees, it needed a good wash.
“It looks better that way,” Maalikai quipped.
“What? Dirty?”
His smile was instant. “Dirty and pulled up so I can see those irresistible legs of yours.”
Scarlet stained my cheeks. “Maalikai…”
Maalikai’s body shadowed my own, his hand skimming my stomach as he reached around me, fingers grazing my ribs before falling to my hips.
Without looking, he untied one of the straps that held up the side of my dress. Air stilled in my lungs as he shifted his weight, his chest pressing against my back as he moved to the other side, letting it also fall gently to the ground.
“But I prefer to keep how fucking Gods-damned sexy they are to myself.”
“What?” I breathed.
"I’m an only child. I never learned how to share," he shrugged.
My breath was shallow, struggling to overcome everything that was him. When he stepped around me, facing me fully, the dark furrow of his brows made me bite my bottom lip, aching for something I wasn’t ready to admit.
This was it.
After this moment, I’d be little more than a fleeting memory. Just some girl he took on a wild adventure. But I wanted to be more than that. I wanted to be more than a memory.
I shuffled my feet in the dirt, trying to come up with something—anything—to make this moment last. Thankfully, I didn’t have to.
"So, what’s the verdict?" Maalikai asked.
My mouth went dry at the weight of the question. "What do you mean?"
"Do you regret coming with me?"
A smile crept across my lips, surprising even me. "No."
"Ah, see? You did have fun. And look there—I even made you smile." He paused. "It was the jellies, wasn’t it?"
"Definitely the jellies." I giggled, unable to hide my amusement. "Or maybe it was watching you get electrified."
His laugh was beautiful and carefree. Maalikai shifted closer, his hand brushing my arm.
"Oh, is that so?"
My breath hitched. "I… um."
He must’ve seen the panic in my eyes, because he placed a gentle, reassuring hand over mine. "Relax. I’m just teasing."
A hush settled between us, charged with everything unspoken.
Maalikai broke it first. "So... was our adventure enough to finally earn your name?"
I blinked, caught off guard.
I had completely forgotten I never told him. That moment felt like another lifetime.
"Nope. Not even close." The edges of my lips tugged into the smallest hint of a smile.
He tipped his head back, exhaling as if praying for patience. "Seriously?" My smile grew. "You do know you’re completely insufferable, right?"
"And I don’t even have to try." My tone was lilting, teasing.
Maalikai stepped closer, his fingers slipping through mine—slow and deliberate. The contact made me falter.
"What are you doing?" The breathless whisper escaped before I could stop it.
He cleared his throat. "Learning from my mistakes."
Intrigued, I raised a brow. "Oh really? And what lesson is that?"
"That no matter how honest I am, or how hard I try... you’re going to push back. So instead of waiting for permission, I’m just going to take a chance. I’m escorting you to the feast. No questions asked."
I arched a brow. "And if I object?"
"Then I’ll pray to every God and Goddess, that just this once, you don’t fight me. Please—let me win this one."
I bit my bottom lip, pretending to deliberate. "You do realize that you saying you’re not asking for permission is basically the same as asking for it.”
Maalikai shrugged, all cool defiance. "What can I say? The chivalry in me refuses to die." A few beats passed. Then— "Please. Put me out of my misery already."
I loved watching him squirm far too much. But he’d waited long enough.
I exhaled slowly. "Okay."
"Okay as in yes?"
"Okay as in—if you don’t act fast, I might change my mind."
He didn’t hesitate. In a heartbeat, he swept me into his arms, carrying me into Ophelia.
And with a half-smile tugging at my lips, I let him.
Just before we stepped through the threshold into Ophelia, I reached a hand to his chest, stealing his gaze.
“Can you please put me down.” Without a murmur of objection, he gently placed me on the ground, dexterous hands steadying me as he took hold of my hips.
His eyebrows drew together, furrowing. “Did I do something wrong?” The concern in his eyes almost broke me.
“Not at all.” I cleared my throat, fighting the urge to look down at the ground while I spoke.
“Then why are we stopping?” The puzzlement was plastered across his face; I didn’t blame him.
Taking a deep breath, I turned so I was facing him fully. My hands found his, taking hold of them, the walls to my heart completely crumbled to ash. “Emylia.”
Confusion flashed through his eyes for only the briefest second before they widened.
“My name is Emylia.”
The surprise on his face softened to delight. “It’s nice to meet you, Emylia. ” Before I could take a step, he lightly squeezed my hands. “Can I tell you a secret, Emylia?”
My heart jumped a little at my name on his lips. “Okay.”
A single brow rose, and I knew what he said next would either make me laugh or piss me off.
“I already knew your name, I just wanted to hear it from your own lips.”
Heart squeezing inevitably, I willed myself to keep breathing. “Is that so?”
Maalikai took another step forward, stealing my breath. “Mmm hmm.”
Fuck me.
The way he said that with an irresistible growl, was beyond me.
Against my better judgment, I held my ground. We were so close I could taste his breath as it mingled with mine. “Can I say something?”
Casually playing with a lock of my hair, he twisted it lazily through his fingers. “Shoot.”
A deep breath stilled in my chest, closing my eyes, I pushed through the trepidation. “Thank you.”
The shock in his eyes was visible. In an instant, his hand stilled, my seemingly forgotten hair, falling back to my cheek. “For what?”
Air stilled in my lungs. My mouth became desiccated, my tongue caged. Just for this single moment in time, I needed to be more.
I needed to be brave and tell him what I was actually thinking.
“Thank you, for taking me on this adventure.”
His eyes collided with mine–quiet, fierce–and in that moment, I knew: this wasn’t the end.
It was only the beginning.