HAVEN OF SMOKE AND SHADOWS

LIGHT AND FIRE SERIES- BOOK 3

GINGER LI

Haven of Smoke and Shadows

Book 3 in the Light and Fire Series

(c) 2020 by Ginger Li

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be used in articles or reviews. For permission requests, write to the author at ginger.li.writes@gmail.com.

Ebook ISBN 978-1-7334522-2-9

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any similarities or resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or places is entirely coincidental.

Cover design by Story Wrappers

Editing by Liz the Error Eliminator

THANK YOU!

Dear reader, thank you for making it this far in my Light and Fire Series. I am so incredibly grateful for your support. You rock! Hopefully, you love this next chapter in Lia and Kieren’s journey as much as I do. (If you want to read my thoughts on writing this book, click here.)

As a way to shine some light into the world, a portion of all profits will go to non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting human trafficking.

Also, a huge thank you to my super talented cover designer and editor. You made my book shine!

Finally, lots of hugs and kisses to E, F, and M. You three brighten up my life with laughter, creativity, and love. Thank you for being my number one fans. ILY!

CONTENTS

1.  Lia

2.  Lia

3.  Lia

4.  Kieren

5.  Kieren

6.  Kieren

7.  Kieren

8.  Lia

9.  Lia

10.  Kieren

11.  Lia

12.  Lia

13.  Lia

14.  Kieren

15.  Lia

16.  Kieren

17.  Lia

18.  Lia

19.  Kieren

20.  Kieren

21.  Lia

22.  Lia

23.  Kieren

24.  Lia

25.  Kieren

26.  Lia

27.  Kieren

28.  Lia

29.  Lia

30.  Lia

31.  Kieren

32.  Lia

33.  Kieren

34.  Lia

35.  Kieren

36.  Lia

37.  Kieren

38.  Lia

39.  Kieren

40.  Kieren

41.  Lia

42.  Kieren

43.  Kieren

44.  Lia

45.  Lia

46.  Kieren

47.  Lia

48.  Lia

49.  Kieren

50.  Lia

51.  Lia

Sneak Peak- Book 4: A Heart So Dark

Also by Ginger Li

Dear Reader

About the Author

1 LIA

Even though it was Lia’s second time traveling between worlds, the sensation of walking through something solid into that amorphous between-space was still rather jarring. All around her, the portal resembled translucent melted glass. She reached out, slipping her hand through the cool, dense surroundings. Did all portals feel like a thick wall of fog? Were there other exits to different worlds? She peered around, straining to see, but only one patch of light beckoned brightly up ahead.

Warm, humid air greeted her at the other end. Overhead, an achingly familiar sky sprawled out, where a lone sliver of moon ruled over its starry court.

“So this is the Dark World?” Griffith eyed the forest of trees. “It looks nothing like I imagined.”

“Because it’s not some barren, desolate place?”

“You said it. Not me.” He grinned. “Despite missing a moon, your sky seems oddly brighter. But besides that, it looks exactly like Solair.”

What about her powers? Would they work the same here as they did back there? “Can I try something?”

“Sure.”

Lia reached out and took Griff’s hands in hers. “I want you to think of a memory. Any one. I’ll try to see it.” She shut her eyes tightly.

Nothing.

She tried again. Still nothing. Lia’s eyes fluttered open. Her abilities were gone. She dropped his hands and gave him a hug. Finally, she was well and truly home.

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” she murmured. “It means everything knowing that someone here understands.”

Griffith returned her embrace. “I wouldn’t have let you come back alone. Besides, it would destroy Kieren if anything happened to you. No matter what he said. He still cares about you.”

Temper flaring, she pulled out of his arms. “Sure. That’s why he couldn’t even come with us to say goodbye.” Not only had Kieren made it abundantly clear that he didn’t care for her romantically, but he had also accused her of liking his best friend.

Griffith’s expression softened. “Oh, Lia, you couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Come on.” She made a point of looking away so that he wouldn’t see the way her expression wobbled. “Let’s head out.”

“Of course. I look forward to seeing your village.”

As they made their way through the woods, Lia tried her best to forget about Kieren and the heartbreak that she left in Solair. Walking faster than she normally would, the muggy air soon caused the back of her tunic to stick uncomfortably to her skin. She rolled up her sleeves, desperate for a breeze to cool her overheated skin.

Beside her, Griffith unbuckled his cloak. “It’s much warmer here than it is in Solair.”

Lia was about to tell him about the joys of air conditioning when a loud roaring sound filled the air.

“By the moons, what sort of beast is this?” He whipped out his sword and warily eyed the airplane that flew overhead, its white and red lights blinking in unison.

“It’s not alive. You’re looking at a machine.” Realizing that he had no idea what she was talking about, Lia racked her brain, trying to figure out how best to explain what they’d just seen. “That’s an airplane, and it’s manmade. People here travel in them.”

His eyes remained glued to the blinking lights in the sky. “Your people fly?”

“Not all the time. And planes are only one of the ways we travel.” Sensing his eagerness to learn, she launched into a list detailing all their different modes of transportation. By the time Lia had finished, they’d left the forest and were approaching the road.

Griffith’s eyes grew as round as saucers when he saw the cars race by. “I think I’ll like it here.”

Lia may have grown up in this world, but even she couldn’t help but feel like she was seeing everything through new eyes. His excitement was contagious. “That’s nothing. Wait till I introduce you to the internet and cell phones. Prepare to have your mind blown.”

He stopped mid-step. “And having your mind blown is a good thing?”

“Definitely.” She linked an arm through his. “Come on. We’re almost home.”

2 LIA

The familiar neon glow from the Two Moons Diner’s sign shone in the distance, beckoning them like a beacon.

She pointed. “That’s where we’re headed.” A feeling of happiness bubbled up inside.

“No magic, eh?” Griffith stared at the sign in disbelief. “And how exactly is everything glowing? I don’t see any candles anywhere.”

“Electricity, my friend. It was a wonderful invention.”

“Electricity? More like elec-trick-ity.” He smiled and his dimples made an appearance. “Whatever this is. It’s amazing.”

Feeling lighter than she had in weeks, Lia’s steps quickened as she navigated her way through the diner’s packed parking lot. But she didn’t get very far. Every couple of steps she had to stop and wait. Like a kid in a candy store, Griffith paused several times to admire the vehicles. Question after question poured from his mouth the entire time.

“And what is this one called?” He pointed to a sleek red motorcycle.

“It’s a motorcycle. My dad actually--” She paused mid-sentence, remembering that the last time she rode one was with Kieren. At the thought of the silver-eyed warrior, a soft pain filled her heart.

“Your dad what?” Griff asked.

“Never mind. Come on. We’re almost there.”

Determined not to cry, she kept walking to the building’s entrance. Laughter and a blast of cold air escaped through the diner’s double doors as a group of customers exited. Lia watched them leave, frozen in place.

For so long, she had dreamed about coming home. But fear kept her from stepping inside. Would Gabby forgive her for leaving? Would her godmother even believe Lia about Solair?

Seeming to notice her hesitation, Griffith placed a hand on her shoulder. “This is where your family lives?”

She nodded. Gabby, Holly, and even Billy weren’t related to her by blood or DNA, but they were her family now.

“Then they’ll understand.”

She gave Griffith a small smile and opened the door. A familiar bustling sight greeted her. Everything was just as Lia remembered, and she felt herself relaxing at the predictability of it all.

Marge, the middle-aged blue-haired hostess, stood by the door, writing something down on a seating chart. Looking up, her mouth spread into a warm smile. “Well, if it isn’t a sight for sore eyes!” She pulled Lia in for a tight hug and then let go, eyeing her up and down. “You look thinner, Lia-girl. Have you been eating enough?”

Before Lia could explain, there was a flash of movement beside her. The sweet smell of vanilla perfume filled the air and two sturdy arms held her tight.

“Mija, it’s a good thing that you’re alive. Because if anything bad had happened, I would have killed you.”

Judging from her godmother’s tone, Lia knew she was in deep trouble. But she couldn’t help smiling anyway. This was finally happening. She was home.

Gabby gave a small grunt before pulling away. “Marge”—she motioned to the hostess—“watch the floor. My goddaughter and I have some catching up to do.”

Warning bells rang in Lia’s mind. “Listen, Gabby; I’m so sorry.”

Her godmother held up a hand as she took a long look at Lia’s outfit. Lia crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly realizing that her tailored black pants, boots, and leather harness, while slightly odd in Solair, were definitely out of place in New Jersey.

“I am so angry at you, I could scream.” Gabby took a deep breath and exhaled. “But I’m not going to because we run a family establishment.” Her godmother then eyed Griffith. “And who is this?”

“This is my friend. Griffith.” Lia shoved him in front of her like a shield, hoping his presence would cool her godmother’s temper.

Gabby’s furious expression morphed into a radiant smile. “It’s so nice to meet you. My name’s Gabby. I’m Lia’s godmother. Welcome to my restaurant. Any friend of my goddaughter’s is a friend of mine.”

She shot a glare in Lia’s direction before beaming at Griffith again. “Why don’t you both come upstairs so we can catch up?”

“Of course.” Griffith gave a slight bow. “It’s such a delight being here, in your world.”

What was he saying? Lia elbowed him. Hard.

“I mean, your fine establishment,” he quickly corrected himself.

Gabby’s eyebrows shot up for a moment, but she didn’t say a word. Instead, she turned and led them through the dining area. Several customers eyed Lia and Griffith with odd expressions, but no one said anything. The din of the restaurant soon faded as they walked up the worn stairs to Gabby’s, and now Lia’s, home.

Stepping inside, Lia’s godmother motioned toward the robin’s egg blue living room filled with colorful knickknacks. “Please, make yourself at home.”

Awkwardly, Lia and Griffith sat side by side on the ancient leather couch.

“Would you like anything to drink? Water? Tea? Juice?” Gabby gave Griffith a long glance. “Ale?”

Lia’s jaw dropped.

“What? Didn’t think I’d know about the customs of your Solairan friend here?”

This time Lia didn’t miss the knowing look in her godmother’s eyes. How could Gabby possibly have known about Solair?

“Water is fine, ma’am,” Griffith responded, eying both women warily.

“And you, Lia?” Gabby’s angry gaze met hers. “Will it be water for you too? Or have you developed a taste for ale?”

Lia shook her head. “Water’s fine. Thanks,” she mumbled.

Gabby left the living room and soon the sounds of clinking ice and the humming microwave filled the air.

“How does she know about my world?” Griffith asked.

“I can answer that,” Gabby called out from the kitchen. “If my goddaughter had trusted me and sought my permission before venturing to another world with strangers, we could have avoided this whole uncomfortable situation.”

“I think you’re in trouble,” Griffith mouthed.

No kidding. By the time Gabby returned with a tray filled with drinks and snacks, Lia felt her nerves wound so tight they were almost to the point of snapping.

“Would you like something to eat, Griffith?” Her godmother placed the food on the coffee table.

“Thank you.” He took a bite of a chocolate chip cookie and his eyes widened. “These are delicious. How are they so soft and warm? I don’t see a fire anywhere.”

Gabby gestured to the kitchen. “I used the microwave.”

“It heats the food by zapping it with tiny invisible waves,” Lia explained.

Griffith shot her a confused look.

“It’s science. Not magic. My dad taught me how they work. He taught me a lot of things, actually.”

“Seems like your father knows quite a bit. When will I get to meet him?”

Lia’s breath hitched and she smoothed an invisible wrinkle in her pants. “It’s just Gabby and me now. My parents both passed away.”

“Lia’s mother, Farrah, was the same when she first arrived.” Gabby slid beside her and gave Lia’s leg a gentle squeeze. She then eyed the sword on Griffith’s hip. “Without the sword, though.”

“I’m so sorry, Gabby.” Lia could feel the prickle of unshed tears behind her eyes. “I should have told you everything in the first place. But I didn’t think you’d believe me, let alone know anything about Solair. How do you know about Solair, anyway?”

Gabby took a sip of tea. “I’ll tell you. But first, I want to know the name of your handsome silver-eyed warrior. He seemed very interested in you, if I remember correctly.”

Really? That was the first question her godmother wanted to ask? “His name is Kieren,” Lia muttered before savagely biting into a cookie. “And he’s not mine,” she made sure to emphasize.

Gabby gave her a knowing look. “I can tell there’s a story there. But we can talk about that later.” She took another sip of tea. “To answer your previous question, Farrah was always fairly private about her past. I never minded because it was just her way. One time I saw her waiting on an older gentleman dressed in Renaissance-style clothing. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but it seemed like they got into a bit of an argument. When I approached her about it later, Farrah told me everything—about her life in Solair, her past as a mage, and her having to leave because of some prophecy.”

“Wait a moment,” Lia interrupted. “What prophecy was my mother referring to?”

“She told me that a monster, the World Eater, was going to hunt down her daughter.”

Lia grew uneasy. Her mother knew all this time? “Why would mom keep something like that a secret from me?”

“Please don’t be too angry. Farrah loved you so much. She wanted you to live a normal life. She was trying to protect you by not telling you.”

“She also probably assumed you would never be found here,” Griffith reasoned. “Why would you when there’s no magic?”

Logically, that made sense. But the betrayal still stung. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this when Sage and Kieren came into the restaurant that day?”

“I promised Farrah that I’d help keep you away from Solair. That’s why I purposely left things vague. I couldn’t outright lie to you. You’d already lost both your parents. It didn’t seem right to keep you away from your grandfather too. But I didn’t want to break my promise to my best friend. I was going to tell you everything once they’d left. I just never thought you’d leave with them.”

Uh-oh. Lia sat up a little taller as she prepared herself for the scolding that was bound to come.

“Mija? What were you thinking? Getting Holly to lie for you?I knew something was fishy when I read your text about learning to surf.”

Lia inwardly cringed. It was common knowledge that even though she loved the beach, she hated swimming in the ocean.

“And then I had this dream where you told me you weren’t really in California.” Gabby shook her head, furious. “It only took two chocolate muffins to pry the truth from Holly. Dios, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t have gone to the police. What could I have said to them? Told them my goddaughter had traveled to another world and was in danger because of some monster? They would have thought I was crazy.”

Lia shifted uncomfortably. Her godmother’s dream sounded oddly similar to the one she had in Solair. “In this dream, did I talk to you at the restaurant?”

“Yes.” Gabby seemed surprised. “How did you know?”

Griffith and Lia shared a look. “If this world is cloaked from magic, how can you still communicate with people through dreams?” he asked.

“You can talk to other people in dreams?” Gabby stood. “I need to hear this story from the beginning. But I’d better microwave more cookies first. It seems like we have a lot to catch up on.”

3 LIA

A dozen cookies and a whole box of tissues later, Lia had shared everything that had happened to her in Solair, including Cedric’s betrayal, Kieren’s transformation into a dragon, her injuries, the World Eater trapping her in a dream, and her final battle with Kieren. Even though most of the events happened weeks ago, the memories still felt too close to the surface and her raw heart broke again and again.

“I wonder if you could do the same thing from this side of the portal,” Griffith mused.

“What? Lia asked.

“You know”—he expertly dunked a warm cookie into a glass of milk—“talk to people in their dreams. That would be a really handy skill to have. Then Sage and Kieren could just tell you what they find out.”

Lia’s heart stumbled on hearing Kieren’s name again. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore the deep ache in her soul.

“It’s probably better that she doesn’t try though, right?” Gabby reasoned. “Didn’t Lia come back to stay hidden from the World Eater? Seems like magic might draw him here.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Griffith agreed. “But it would be good to have a way of talking to people.”

“So the sword is real?” Gabby pointed to Lia’s hip.

Lia nodded and unsheathed her blade, displaying the weapon before slipping it back into its scabbard. “I surprised myself when I learned how to use the thing. You know how much I hate PE. But there was something about being there. And training with Azriel really made things click.”

A corner of Gabby’s lips curled into a smile. “Yes, you mentioned his name several times. He’s the handsome blond Verduran, right?”

Lia blushed. Perhaps she described Azriel’s appearance a few too many times.

“You know, you learned how to use a sword really fast. Like unnaturally fast.” Griffith took another bite of a cookie. “And I don’t think it was just Azriel’s teaching. I wonder if it was also the fact that you’ve got Verduran blood. Or maybe because you had Kieren’s dragon inside you?”

Perhaps. She had never thought about that before, but now the possibility worried her. Would her sword fighting abilities decrease? She needed to keep them up for when she returned.

If they wanted her to return.

Lia tried ignoring the doubt creeping in the back of her mind. Of course she would return. She was the Light.

Gabby’s cell phone buzzed on the coffee table. “Wow. Ten o’clock?” She eyed the screen. “I didn’t realize it was so late already. I missed karaoke night. Hopefully, Marge didn’t provide a running commentary during her emceeing like last time. The customers don’t always appreciate her input.” She sighed. “I’d better go downstairs and help with cleanup.”

“That small glass box somehow allows you to communicate with people downstairs?” Griffith’s eyes practically lit up at the possibility.

“Oh, that’s right I forgot you don’t have technology in Solair. Yes. This is a cell phone,” Gabby explained. “It helps us talk to people in other places. Not just downstairs, but anywhere in the world. I’ll look into getting you one too. You’ll need a phone if you’re going to stay with us and attend school.”

Griff’s mouth fell open. “I can stay here with you?”

“Of course. I’ll just clear out my other crafting room.”

Lia covered her mouth and said in a loud stage whisper, “She’s clearing out her scrapbooking and quilting room. That means she really likes you!”

Gabby pretended to scowl. “Mija, I’m not throwing the items out. I’ll just find other places to keep everything.”

Seeming oblivious to their banter, Griffith kept his eyes glued to the phone. “And how does this smooth glass object work?”

“It’s a mini-computer. There are these cell towers that communicate with satellites, and when you talk, your voice is…”

Lia stopped, seeing confusion creep over her friend’s face. “You know what? Never mind. Just wait till you meet Billy. He’s like a tech super-nerd. The guy’s always at the diner, and he’s a bona fide genius. You can pick his brain about every piece of tech you see.”

Griffith’s brow furrowed. “This tech super-nerd bona fide genius is a friend?” He spoke slowly, as if trying to get his head around the unfamiliar terms.

“Yeah, he and Holly are probably my closest friends here. Oh, you’ll love Holly too. She’s bubbly, fun, and knows everything that’s happening at school. We can take you around town and—”

“Wait just a second.” Gabby’s tone was firm. “Before you plan any outings, you need to hear me out. I understand why you went to Solair, but it doesn’t change the fact that you left without asking my permission and lied to me. I’m not going to accept this behavior without some sort of consequence. So here’s my punishment. You will work at the diner every day until the start of school.”

That was it? Lia fought back a smile. It was early August. So that would be less than a month. Which wasn’t too bad considering she’d already planned on helping out anyway.

“And you’ll have no cell phone privileges that whole time, since that’s what you used to lie to me.”

Lia nodded. That made sense. But it also didn’t seem like much of a punishment since she still had her laptop.

“And there’s one more thing,” Gabby continued.

Lia braced herself. No doubt, her godmother would have saved the worst for last.

“You’re going to the homecoming dance,” Gabby finished.

Lia let out a loud groan. Dancing with boys? A fancy gown that required special underwear? Sure, she’d worn beautiful dresses in Solair. But that was another world—one far away from the hormone-filled, sweaty groping of boys she’d known since junior high.

But not all dances were like that. A small corner of her mind remembered how good it felt to have Kieren’s arms around her. Lia quickly pushed the memory away. The faster she forgot about him, the better. She needed to move on because he certainly had.

“No arguments. You will go to the dance, and you will have fun.” Gabby’s voice was stern, but a triumphant smile curled her lips.

“That doesn’t seem like much of a punishment.” Griffith eyed both women, disbelief written across his features. “No whipping? No time in the stocks? Attending a dance seems relatively painless.”

“You’ve never gone dress shopping before, have you?” Lia complained.

Gabby placed a hand on her hip. “You running for homecoming court, mija? Because it seems to me like you have an excellent chance at winning drama queen.”

A small giggle escaped Lia’s lips.

“What can I say? I’m a tyrant.” Gabby shrugged. “Lia, go get your friend acquainted with his new room. Just push aside any piles of fabric for now. You might even find some men’s clothes in the closet. Are either of you hungry?”

As if on cue, Griffith’s stomach rumbled.

“Seriously?” Lia rolled her eyes in disbelief. “You just devoured two plates of cookies.”

“Not a problem.” Gabby walked toward the door. “There’s bound to be leftovers.”

Griff grinned. “Thank you, Gabby.”

“My pleasure. And welcome to the Dark World. You’ll find it’s a much, much nicer place than they led you to believe.” She winked.

“Gabby,” Lia called out.

“Yes, mija?”

“I’m really sorry about everything.”

Gabby nodded. “What’s done is done. We move on and from now on you’ll tell me the truth. Te quiero, mija. I’m just glad you’re back.”

4 KIEREN

“What are you doing here? And where’s Lia?”

The sky above Solair’s grasslands was still mostly dark, with the first pale strokes of morning now appearing just above the horizon. Kieren couldn’t see the robed figure’s face, but he could certainly feel the accusation behind the speaker’s tone.

Sage pulled his white mare forward. “We’re here to speak with Minerva. Lia finally awoke, and she’s returned home.”

The figure stared in Kieren’s direction. Still unused to his new form, Kieren casually adjusted the clasp of his cloak, making sure to keep his back hidden. Despite trying to shift back, his wings were still there from last night and he didn’t want to explain their presence just yet.

The Verduran watchman tilted his head, appearing to study Kieren a minute longer before finally lowering his hood to reveal Eldric’s scarred face. Dark shadows rested under the man’s eyes and a layer of rough stubble covered his chin.

Eldric dismounted. “Follow me. She’s expecting you.”

Sage nodded stiffly, his usually smiling face assuming a grim mask. Given what they had learned from Lia’s encounters with the World Eater, the once mage’s wariness was understandable. For years, Sage believed that his wife had died at the hands of a Verduran child who had the ability to absorb other people’s energy. But when the World Eater dream-napped Lia and showed her his memories, they had discovered the truth was something vastly different.

Years ago, Minerva had asked Adalia to help capture and subdue a powerful young boy. But instead of this child being responsible for her death, a fellow guard, a mysterious man with white hair had murdered Lia’s grandmother. Sage and Kieren had left Cairn to seek advice from Minerva about Kieren’s shifting, but also to find out the truth.

Why had the Verduran leader lied to Sage all these years? And who was the guard that killed Sage’s wife in cold blood?

Eldric held up his pendant and uttered an ancient, secret language. They sky before them rippled and they stepped through the magical barrier separating the Verduran village from the rest of Solair. Like before, a huge bonfire greeted them. Behind the crackling and swaying flames, dirt paths lead to dozens of tents decorated with twinkling lights and strings of colorful fabric flags. Despite it being quite early, a handful of villagers were already out, watching as Eldric led them through the maze of dwellings.

“Sage, Kieren.” Minerva greeted them inside her tent. Azriel sat beside her, lounging on a chair. Making no move to stand, his golden eyes seemed to follow Kieren’s every movement.

“Hello, dragon boy,” Azriel taunted.

Unable to restrain himself, Kieren’s wings flexed and extended beyond the confines of his cloak.

There was a quick sprint across the tent. Sword drawn, Eldric lunged forward, positioning himself between Kieren and Minerva. “He shouldn’t be here. His kind is unstable and violent. And our people—”

“Peace.” Minerva silenced the watchman with a raised hand. “I’ve known since the beginning what Kieren is. And I will not rescind my hospitality. He is welcome here.”

Scowling, Eldric didn’t lower his sword.

“Lia and Griffith left us yesterday,” Sage explained. “We came here to talk, not to fight.”

“That’s a lie,” Eldric spat. “His kind always brings trouble.”

A low growl escaped Kieren’s lips. He already expected this sort of response to his new form, but he couldn't deny that the man’s rude remarks still cut him deeply.

Show him what we can do, the dragon within whispered.

No. They were here to get answers and closure for Sage, not start a fight. Kieren reigned in his temper and willed his wings back down.

“Eldric? Your weapon, please.” Although politely worded, Minerva’s request still carried a warning. “They are our guests.”

Several tense moments later, the watchman finally lowered his sword, but he remained by Minerva’s side.

“So, where is the delectable Lia?” Still sprawled lazily on a chair, Azriel watched the group’s interactions with obvious amusement.

“Before we tell you, you’ll need to answer our questions,” Sage replied.

“Of course, my friend.” Minerva seemed taken aback. “What is this about?”

“Who was the guard that accompanied you and my wife to retrieve the boy?”

“His name was Fearson.” Minerva glanced over at Azriel in confusion. “But why are you asking about events that happened so long ago?”

“Because that man murdered my wife.”

The once mage’s accusation struck the village leader like a blow to the face. “No. That’s not possible.”

Azriel scrambled to his feet and pointed an accusing finger in Sage’s direction. “How dare you blame a Verduran Guard of such a crime! What proof could you possibly have?”

Keeping his emotions tightly controlled, Kieren turned to meet Azriel’s glare face on. “We saw it happen.”

Surprise and disbelief were now written over all the Verdurans’ faces. Clearly, Minerva, Eldric, and Azriel had no idea what they were referring to.

Sage’s shoulders fell. By the slight trembling in his hands, it was obvious the older man wasn’t capable of explaining everything. So Kieren shared how Lia had seen Adalia being murdered by a fellow guard in the World Eater’s dream.

Minerva’s face was pale. “Fearson told me the boy had murdered her. He was a guard, just like us, and I had no reason to doubt him. I am so sorry.”

“I believe you,” Sage said in a hushed tone.

“But you were right to question me. There is something that I need to confess.”

A sense of foreboding tightened like a noose around Kieren’s heart.

The village leader cleared her throat. “I’m afraid I haven’t been honest with you. Any of you. Lia’s not the only person here who’s spoken to the World Eater. He’s also been in contact with me. With all our people, actually.”

“Is this why everyone healed so suddenly?” Eldric’s eyes narrowed. “It had nothing to do with the medicine, did it?

Kieren was surprised by the Verduran’s accusatory tone of voice. What was Eldric referring to?

Minerva’s mouth tightened into a thin line and she shook her head. “No. It had nothing to do with the herbs. Like Lia, the enemy visited me in a dream. Somehow her power called to him when she transferred Kieren’s curse onto herself. The World Eater threatened to hurt the villagers if I didn’t bring her to him. I didn’t think he was capable of hurting so many people. And even after everyone started getting sick, I wasn’t sure it was his doing.”

“Then why did you send Lia and me to steal medicine?” Azriel asked.

“If it truly was just an illness, I wanted to give our people a fighting chance. But in case it was the World Eater’s doing, I needed to get Lia far away from his grasp.”

Eldric’s anger momentarily morphed into disbelief. “How could you have kept this a secret from us?”

“What could she have said?” Azriel murmured. “Minerva didn’t know.”

“She should have told us her suspicions,” Eldric snapped. “Several villagers died, including Amma. And I almost lost Ariadne. Her silence put our people in danger!”

“Ariadne is better now, Eldric.” Azriel reached out to put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You didn’t lose her.”

“Don’t.” Eldric ripped his shoulder away. “Don’t try to comfort me. I’ll not be so easily manipulated by your slippery tongue.”

A look of hurt passed over Azriel’s face before he stiffly withdrew his hand.

The tent filled with an uneasy silence and Kieren couldn’t get Minerva’s revelation out of his head. Somehow, the World Eater contacted both her and Lia. How could a child captured all those years ago grow up to be powerful enough to intimidate people across worlds?

“What happened after you and Fearson brought the child back to Verdura? I would have thought they’d punish the boy for murder.”

“That should have happened,” Minerva agreed. “Fearson said he would take the child to the queen. I should have followed up, but I was still grieving the loss of my friend.”

“We need to find the World Eater and end this once and for all.” Sage glanced pointedly at the village leader. “You must teach the boy to shift.”

“I won’t condone this.” Eldric crossed his arms over his chest. “He’ll be a danger to everyone.”

The Verduran is right, Kieren’s dragon purred. I am magnificent. I could easily tear this village to shreds.

The beast clawed against the mental barriers keeping him in place. Although the pain was excruciating, Kieren held his dragon at bay.

You won’t be hurting anyone today.

“It seems to me that Kieren has already shown that he can exert control.” Minerva’s eyes ran across his face. “You have my word, Sage. I will teach him. Our enemy has already proven to be more cunning and powerful than any of us originally realized. If we wish to defeat him, we will need all the help we can get.”

5 KIEREN

“Let go of your control. Feel your form slipping away. Imagine yourself falling into a pool of water,” Minerva intoned.

Refusing to meet the village leader’s gaze, Kieren kept his eyes shut. He was currently sitting inside her tent, trying to control his shifting. The smoky smell of burning candles wafted around him.

“You’re slipping, sliding underneath. Give yourself permission to let go.”

Something slithered just below the surface of his skin. Feeling his wings unfurl, Kieren tensed, fighting to maintain control over the creature that constantly battled for dominance.

“I trust you.” Minerva’s voice was steady and calm. “When Sage brought you here, I allowed you to stay with my people because I saw your self-control. You are worthy. You are capable. You are more powerful than your beast. And now is the time to prove it to yourself.”

Kieren’s jaw tightened. It had been about four moon cycles since he and Sage returned to the Verduran village. Four weeks of enduring Eldric’s hostile glares and seeing the villagers’ frightened looks every time they saw his wings.

Dragon shifter. Apparently, Kieren’s kind wasn’t just terrifying to Solairans. They were frightening to Verdurans as well.

Feeling his temper rising, Kieren took deeper breaths, forcing his breathing to slow down. Thankfully, Minerva had shown herself to be a faithful supporter. Observing the law of hospitality, the rest of the village followed her lead. They reluctantly accepted him in their midst, but he still felt the sting of their discomfort and their angry, accusatory glances.

“You can’t keep your other form trapped inside forever,” Minerva continued. “He’s part of you now. Let go of who you believe yourself to be. Imagine yourself as the dragon. Give in to the urge to change. Shake off your old identity like the snake shedding his loose skin. Imagine yourself as a butterfly, ready to emerge from your chrysalis. Burst free and become acquainted with your new form.”

Kieren let out an uncomfortable cough. Seriously? Had Minerva just compared his deadly fire-breathing monster with a delicate butterfly?

Come now, human, the dragon whispered in amusement. Why not do as she asks? I’m nothing more than a harmless insect.

Kieren’s hands tightened into fists. I will only allow you to emerge if you submit your will to mine.

The monster raked a claw against the mental barrier. As if I would ever bow to you.

Fighting to maintain control, Kieren’s breathing grew uneven and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

Not as easy as she led you to believe? Something twisted in the dragon’s tone. Something dangerous. The woman knows nothing. You’ll never be able to let me out without succumbing to all of me.

That’s not true. Kieren remembered warming Lia’s motionless body after the World Eater kidnapped her. You loaned me your heat to help her.

A deep, hollow pain filled the hole where Kieren’s heart used to dwell. He missed Lia, more than he’d realized he would. Was she safe? Had she forgiven him? Had she moved on and found someone else? Someone better?

You let her go, the dragon snarled. She was ours, but you let her go off with that boy.

She’s better off with Griffith than a monster.

A blast of heat shot from Kieren’s chest and his wings whipped out, knocking over a pile of books before crashing into the sides of the tent. Gritting his teeth, he quickly retracted them and opened his eyes, fully expecting to see Minerva’s angry face.

Instead, she calmly picked up the fallen items. “Still no progress, I see.” It felt like her ancient gaze took in everything, even the secrets that Kieren didn’t want to reveal. “Have you ever considered that your dragon might not be a curse? That, maybe, it’s a blessing in disguise?”

He let out a disbelieving laugh. “Since when did gifts come in such a horrific form?”

“Perhaps you came into your abilities for such a time as this.” She pursed her lips and motioned towards the tent’s entrance. “We are done today. You are free to go.”

Kieren left, hating how some small part of him continued to stew over her words. Minerva was wrong. There was no hope for him, and it would be best if he just accepted that fact. Lia would never need help from a monster.

“I take it the training didn’t go as planned, dragon boy,” a teasing voice called out.

Kieren looked up and saw Azriel and Eldric walking towards him. Seeing the snickering golden-haired warrior would have been bad enough. But seeing Eldric’s scarred face was infinitely harder because Kieren knew the source of the man’s pain.

When he first arrived in the village, Kieren tried to clear the air between him and Ariadne. Although the potion maker didn’t care much for him, Kieren hoped she would allow him to connect with his half-sister, Lilith. Broaching the topic hadn’t been easy, but the situation had become infinitely worse when Kieren had learned that Lord Riehl was also responsible for the scar on Eldric’s face. Ariadne had listened to Kieren’s apology, but she made it very clear that he would never have a relationship with her or her daughter.

It seemed like Kieren would forever deal with the scars that his father’s abuse left behind.

“So you still can’t shift,” Azriel remarked.

Kieren’s jaw tightened.

The Verduran tsked. “Fail at one thing, but perhaps you’ll succeed at another. Are you up to doing some work around the village? Or is your little ego too damaged to do anything useful?”

Still smoldering from his failed lesson, Kieren imagined himself punching the smile off the watchman’s face. Almost as if he could read Kieren’s thoughts, Eldric crossed his arms and glared.

Shame and regret immediately blanketed Kieren. Would he ever escape the ghosts of his past?

6 KIEREN

“First, you’ll bring those baskets inside the tent.” Azriel pointed to the woven twig containers filled with recently harvested crops. “And then we’ll make some deliveries.”

Taking a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow, Kieren grunted. His arms and back were already sore from fixing and maintaining the villagers’ tents. Now he was scheduled to help at the farm too. A thick layer of earth covered his boots and he tried to ignore that fact he probably smelled no better than the happy pigs wallowing in mud several steps away.

Despite its location in the middle of the Solairan grasslands—a place known for its poor soil quality and deadly twisters—the Verduran village managed to support almost one hundred occupants. Kieren had wondered how it was all possible. But after weeks of working on the farm, he’d seen firsthand how they survived. Talvi, an older forest gnome, was the mastermind behind feeding them all.

Growing enough food for an entire village required excellent planning and constant hard work. It didn’t, however, seem to require much verbal communication. Since working on the gnome’s farm, Kieren had only heard the farmer using a handful of human words. Grunts, gestures, and exaggerated facial expressions were typically used to get his point across.

Talvi tapped a filled basket and motioned toward one of the five large storage tents. The frown on his face caused the wrinkles between his blazing white eyebrows to become even more pronounced. Kieren nodded before lugging the enormous basket of potatoes inside a tent. Once done, he jogged back to grab the basket of cabbages they’d harvested today.

“You’re not what I expected.”

Kieren spun around, struggling to believe what he’d heard. Had the gnome just spoken to him? And in a complete sentence? “Sir?”

Squinty dark eyes stared back at Kieren from rough, bark-textured skin. “You. Dragonling.” Talvi took a step forward, the top of his pointed hat just barely reaching Kieren’s chest. “You’re not what I’d thought you’d be. I thought your kind only wanted to destroy what others worked so hard to build.”

Your kind? Kieren tensed at the term.

“But I was wrong,” the gnome continued. “You’re clumsy. But not as destructive as I expected.”

Was this a compliment? “Thank you,” Kieren murmured with surprise.

Several of the nearby gnome girls, all either daughters or nieces of Talvi’s, chuckled softly behind their tiny wrinkled hands. Their shoulders and pointy cloth hats shook with laughter.

The older gnome shot a look of warning in their direction and grunted two times. All the girls except one quickly scattered. The lone female gnome stared at Kieren with obvious interest before running off to follow the others.

Talvi shook his head before quietly plodding away.

Azriel walked over, clapping his hands. “Making female friends and getting their guardian’s approval? Impressive.” The Verduran wiggled his fingers at the gaggle of gnome girls, who’d now congregated farther away. Several turned darker shades of brown as they enthusiastically waved back. Talvi glared at Azriel and then grunted two more times at the girls, who quickly scattered again.

Azriel chuckled.

“What did he just say to them?” Kieren asked.

“Typical fatherly stuff. Said the girls were too young to think about marriage, and they needed to get back to work.”

Was that so? Apparently, two grunts expressed quite a bit.

Azriel smoothed out an invisible wrinkle on his spotless tunic and Kieren wondered again just how the Verduran managed to avoid doing any of the dirty work. “You should feel honored that the girls were even looking your way, Gnomes are notoriously insular folk. If this were Verdura, they wouldn’t even associate with you. Or any of us, in all honesty. They mostly keep to the forests and their own kind.”

That seemed surprising given the mix of villagers currently working in the fields. Verdurans ranging in all different colors, sizes, and shapes peacefully harvested side by side. Kieren watched the idyllic scene, a part of him envying how each worker played an essential role in contributing to the village’s well-being.

“We’re a mixed lot, but we are united on one significant front.” Azriel regarded Kieren expectantly.

“You’re all Verduran?”

Azriel’s eyebrows raised. “So there is humor behind your sour disposition. True, but not the answer. Everyone here is looking for people lost or left behind.”

The Verduran stared beyond the invisible barrier separating the village from the rest of Solair. “Sometimes I imagine going home and finally being free of this tiny patch of earth. But then I see this”—he gestured toward the farm—“and I realize the miracle we have here. All these Verdurans, working together despite their backgrounds and painful histories. This community is a beautiful, beautiful thing.”

A familiar green-skinned girl scampered up to the grumpy gnome farmer. The sight of her seemed to break Azriel free of the rare reflective mood that he was just in.

“Hello there, little Lili,” Azriel greeted. “What brings you to the farm today?”

Lilith glanced their way, her yellow eyes narrowing slightly at Kieren. “Mama asked me to pick up some things before the twister hits tonight.” Keeping her eyes on Azriel, she skipped over. “Eldric said it should be a big one, but we would be fine. Do you think he would let me come with you? Just to see?”

Azriel tapped her playfully on the nose. “Perhaps one day, when you’re older.”

Kieren was surprised to hear the two of them speaking about the weather with such calmness. “Shouldn’t we warn the villagers?” The power of the grassland winds was legendary. There was no way the tents could withstand such gales.

“You shouldn’t interrupt other people’s conversations.” Lilith stuck out a tongue in Kieren’s direction before running towards Eldric’s approaching figure.

Azriel chuckled. “It would appear your charm only works on females of the gnome variety.”

The scarred Verduran scooped up Lilith in one arm. “It’s time,” he told Azriel before walking away.

“Let’s go, dragon boy. Time to make some deliveries. Then tonight, you’ll finally get to see what Eldric’s special talent is.”

Kieren remembered that Eldric helped Ariadne to make medicine for the rest of the village. “Potion making?”

Azriel shook his head. “Not even close.”

7 KIEREN

Heart pounding, Kieren stood there, staring at a frighteningly large column of twisting air. One moment, they’d passed through the invisible barrier protecting the village, and the next, a giant speeding vortex of air appeared out of nowhere, whipping the surrounding grass field into a frenzy.

Squinting, he strained to keep his eyes open amid the wild winds. “Tell me again, why aren’t we moving everyone out of harm’s way?” The column of air would undoubtedly tear through the tented village.

Azriel’s blond hair whipped loose of its hair tie and covered part of his face. Tucking a long strand behind his ear, the Verduran let out a half-laugh, half-holler that was soon swallowed by the roaring winds. “No need to get your scales bent out of shape,” he shouted. “Eldric is taking care of it. He senses the twisters and curves them around the village. The preventive work we’ve done lately will ensure that the tents remain secure.”

Kieren snuck a look at the Verduran mentioned. His eyes closed; a small smile appeared on Eldric’s face.

“Look.” Azriel pointed. “It’s happening now.”

The turbulent black cloud came to a halt before changing direction and moving eastward. Kieren couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This was it. Eldric was saving the village. Next to him, Azriel let out another whooping yell. Ecstatic, Kieren was about to let out his own celebratory cry when a scrap of color caught his attention.

A small yellow item fluttered helplessly, caught in the grip of the speeding black column. Frowning, Kieren studied the flying object. What was it?

A tiny cry, almost like the mewing of a kitten, cut through the winds. Kieren fearfully scanned the whipping stalks of grass until he glimpsed a green-skinned child running from the twister.

“Please tell me Lilith also has storm-controlling powers?” Kieren yelled over the noise.

“No, why?” Azriel asked.

Fear gripped Kieren’s heart. His half-sister was never going to outrun the approaching winds. “Eldric, you’ve got to change the twister’s direction again! It’s Lilith. She’s out there.”

The scarred watchman’s eyes snapped open. His face drained of all color as he spied the child. “I’ll try,” he said through uneven breaths. “But I’ve already used too much power.”

“I’ll get her!” Azriel mounted his horse and galloped toward the winds.

Kieren watched as the distance between the girl and the twister diminished with each passing moment.

You know what you need to do, his dragon whispered.

No. Kieren couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t transform. An image of Lia’s scarred arms appeared in his mind. That’s what happened when he lost control. People he cared about got hurt.

Lilith tripped and Kieren’s breath caught. She wouldn’t make it.

A burst of energy rippled through his core. Kieren stumbled off his horse, moaning as he fell onto all fours. The air around him shimmered as a thousand blades simultaneously tore his skin. And then, without warning, he was propelled into the air. Massive gusts of wind rushed around him, mercilessly buffeting his scaled body back and forth. Kieren frantically flapped his wings, struggling to pull his body out of the twister’s hold.

A high-pitched shriek caught his attention. Below, a small figure grasped helplessly at the long grass as the wind tugged her legs into the air.

Acting on instinct, Kieren pulled his wings in close and dove, reaching Lilith seconds later. With as much gentleness as he could muster, he picked up the girl in his claws and held her close, battling the winds to fly her away from certain death.

The rapid thumping of her tiny heart beat against his scales. A pair of small arms wrapped around his chest. “Thank you, brother,” she said, before bursting into tears.

A reassuring grunt escaped Kieren’s lips, and he held the child even closer as he flew back to the others and landed.

Azriel took the girl out of Kieren’s grasp and held her until she stopped crying. “You silly, sweet girl. What were you thinking, flying a kite?”

“Lilith!” Eldric’s face was pale, and his eyes shone a little too brightly.

The young girl pulled out of Azriel’s embrace and ran to Eldric, who fell to his knees and crushed her in his arms.

“I’m so sorry,” she whimpered. “I thought it would be safe since you were controlling it.”

Eldric held on to the girl for a moment longer and kissed the top of her head. “Now you can see why that wasn’t the best idea.”

“Is that the only one?” Azriel scanned the horizon. “Are there other twisters coming?”

Eldric shook his head.

Kieren watched their exchange while remaining in his beast’s skin. He was able to understand what they were saying, yet he felt oddly removed from what was happening around him.

Releasing Lilith, Eldric turned and stared directly into his dragon’s eyes. Kieren lowered his head, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. What would they think, seeing him in this frightening form?

Lilith pulled herself out of Eldric’s grasp and ran over to Kieren, hugging one of his scaled arms.

“Seems like you’ve made a new friend,” Azriel said, amusement in his voice. “Can’t criticize her taste, I suppose. The girl is still young.”

Kieren snorted, sending a flicker of flame in the irritating man’s direction.

Azriel arched his brow. “Shifting, flying, and fire-breathing? What else can you do, dragon boy?”

Kieren was about to shoot another flicker of flame in the Verduran’s direction when he sensed another hand on his arm. He turned in surprise.

“Thank you,” Eldric said. “You saved Lilith and for that, I owe you everything.”

A slight rumble escaped Kieren’s throat.

Azriel slowly circled Kieren’s dragon. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you should change back into your normal, sulky form before we return. It’s better that you depress the villagers instead of frightening them.”

Why change back? Why not stay like this? The dragon whispered seductively in Kieren’s mind. You’re stronger. Faster. You can fly. And now you’ve tasted it. Ultimate freedom. Endless power. Why return to your old self? There’s nothing left for you in that form besides heartbreak.

With a grunt of frustration, Kieren shook his head and pawed at the ground, trying to block out the voice.

Eldric grabbed Lilith’s hand and pulled her behind him.

See? the voice whispered. They are afraid of you. Fear is power. A surge of pride, deep and dark, poured forth, surprising the small, still-human side of Kieren.

He took in the Verdurans’ fragile forms. His beast was right. No one would look down on him now. It didn’t matter that Kieren had no home, family, or people to return to. He could create his own kingdom, make his own rules. A bright burst of flame escaped his lips, illuminating the concern in Eldric’s eyes.

“Come on, Kieren.” Azriel spoke sternly and drew his sword. “You’ve made your point. Stop joking around. Shift back.”

Weapons? They meant to control him? Kieren whipped his tail against the ground. The Verduran’s steel was nothing. He was more powerful than them all.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought a dragon,” the cocky Verduran remarked. “But don’t worry. I’ll go easy on you since you’re Lia’s friend.”

Lia.

Images of a beautiful warrior with stunning mismatched eyes and a headful of wild, raven-black hair came to mind. Even now he could hear her carefree laugh.

A burst of pain mixed with longing filled his chest. Lia wouldn’t want him to be like this. He wasn’t this monster. Beneath the claws, wings, and scales, he was still human. He was still Kieren.

A great shuddering tore through his body, and he fell to the damp earth. Someone carefully placed a heavy cloth over his bare shoulders.

Kieren let out a low moan. His entire body ached as if it had been broken apart and put together again. Frightened by how close the beast had come to completely taking over, he kept his eyes closed a while longer.

“Come on, brother,” a child’s voice whispered in his ear. “Let’s go home. I need to make a new kite.”

Kieren pried his eyes open and found Lilith watching him, smiling.

“Why don’t we give your brother some space?” Eldric gently tugged the girl away and turned her around.

Wrapping the heavy cloak around his naked body, Kieren stiffly stood.

“Glad you finally got over your tantrum, dragon boy.” Azriel had already sheathed his sword and mounted his horse.

Kieren scowled. Really? The man was still taunting him?

“No need to be so grouchy,” Azriel chastised. “You ought to be thanking me, you know.”

“For what?” The words felt scratchy and unfamiliar in Kieren’s throat.

“For giving you the key to transforming back.”

The key? What in the moons was the Verduran talking about?

The girl. Lia, the dragon whispered.

“So you are also smarter than you appear.” Azriel winked. “You’re welcome.”

8 LIA

Lia leaned back against the Formica counter, taking in the scene before her. Afternoon sunlight streamed into the diner. Around her, customers sat enjoying their coffee, tea, and desserts, never even for one moment realizing that they were sitting in a world that existed in tandem with at least two others.

Although it had been about a month since she returned, Lia still felt sluggish and slightly out of sorts. Home didn’t quite feel like home anymore.

She had attempted to dream of Kieren and her grandfather, hoping to replicate what happened with Gabby and communicate with them across worlds. But it seemed like her magical abilities were well and truly blocked.

“No! Don’t do it!” Griffith called out.

On the far side of the counter, Griff sat between Billy and Holly. As usual, Billy was tapping away furiously on his laptop keys while Griffith watched on in amazement. Not paying attention to what the boys were doing, Holly brushed a lock of curly hair from her face as she typed something into her phone.

Lia’s heart warmed at seeing her three closest friends spending time together. Billy was probably showing Griffith another video game. Lia had already lost count of the number of esports games she watched and tech conversations she had been privy to. But the ex-dragon hunter was always hungry for information, soaking up every new piece of knowledge like a sponge. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise her if Griff already knew more about all the latest gadgets than she did.

“Do you want to join them?” Gabby took a break from stacking the glasses and motioned to the trio.

Lia tore her eyes away. “That’s fine. I still have an hour left of my shift.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ve done enough for the day.” Gabby gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder. “Go. Be with your friends. I can handle it.”

“You sure? I thought I was still doing penance for my crimes.”

“Oh, you are.”

As Lia pondered her godmother’s enigmatic response, Holly slid into the chair beside her. “Are you ready to go?”

Lia’s suspicions were further aroused by the enormous smile plastered on her best friend’s face. “Go where?”

“Homecoming dress shopping.”

“What?” Lia’s response came out as a strangled squawk. “Isn’t it too early to get a dress? School hasn’t even started yet. I’ll just wear what I wore last year.” She shot her godmother a pleading look. “Are you sure you don’t need me to do anything else? Maybe I should wipe down the counters? They’re feeling kinda sticky.”

“Like I said before, mija, don’t worry about it.” Gabby’s grin widened. “Consider this my gift to you—a bit of free time to have some fun.”

So this was the punishment her godmother had in mind. Lia groaned. “But what about my uniform?” She gestured to the pink dress that all the waitresses wore. “Can I at least change out of this first?”

Holly shook her head. “No time. Stores close in a couple hours. So you’ll just have to wear that. Don’t worry. Pink is all the rage now.” She linked arms with Lia and tugged her towards the door.

If there was ever any time to have magical abilities, this would be it. Lia sent desperate mental cries for help to Griffith.

Nothing.

Heads leaned close, Billy and Griffith both looked away from the computer screen to share a smile. Griffith shyly nudged Billy’s arm before resting his cheek on the other boy’s shoulder.

Lia smiled at the sweet sight.

“They’re just going to spend the day playing video games and watching YouTube videos.” Holly slipped her phone into her purse. “Meanwhile, we’ve got a date with destiny.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Griffith looked up and waved a hand in her direction. “Billy’s showing me this video where people explode watermelons using hundreds of rubber bands. I’ll catch up with you tonight.”

“See? They’re fine.” Holly tugged her toward the door.

Groaning loudly again, Lia allowed herself to be dragged away.

9 LIA

“I’m exhausted.” Lia plopped down on a bench and debated for a moment taking off her sneakers. “We’ve been to a million stores already, and neither of us has even come close to finding the right dress.”

Standing next to her, Holly took a swig of her extra-large caffeinated drink, hydrating herself like an athlete. “Four. We’ve been to four shops. I thought you were good at math.”

She was. Perhaps Holly had a point. Lia took a bite of her baked pretzel. “Okay. But we must have tried on a million dresses. That’s gotta count for something.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Holly glanced at her phone. “There’s about an hour left before the mall closes. Let’s try one more store.”

Lia stuffed the rest of her pretzel into her mouth. “Fine. I’m carb-loaded. But if we don’t find anything there, then I’m just going to admit defeat. And you’ll just have to accept that the homecoming dance was not meant to be.” Lia glanced over at her friend to see if she was buying her logic.

Holly’s eye roll said it all.

“Please?” Lia begged.

Her best friend shot her a ‘you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me’ look. “No. Then we do what every teenage girl does—we’ll get dresses off the internet.”

“If that was your plan all along, then why drag me around the Nine Circles of Hell?”

“Nice one, Dante. I brought us here to support local businesses. Come on, one more stop, okay? I left the best store for last. Vestidos!” Holly pointed to the consignment shop on the bottom floor of the two-story mall. “The dresses there are guaranteed to be unique. So we’ll be sure to stand out.”

Great. That was something Lia never aimed for. Unique dress or not, standing out was never a problem for her. She already towered over most the girls and half the guys in their high school.

Lia followed her friend into the store with few expectations. As far as she was concerned, she was merely there to support Holly and serve her jail sentence. Finding a dress that fit would be nearly impossible, almost like discovering that unicorns were real. But as she browsed through the racks, Lia had to admit that perhaps her friend was right. The store certainly contained a lot of dresses.

“Look at this! Isn’t it gorgeous?” Holly held a single-strapped sky blue dress against her body and spun. The chiffon twirled along with her movement. “It’s just my size, and it’s only forty dollars. Score! That leaves more than enough money for jewelry and shoes.”

Even Lia couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement. The blue did complement the color in her friend’s eyes.

“But I won’t get my hopes up yet. I don’t want to jinx it.” Holly scanned the rest of the aisle and pulled out a handful of other dresses. “Okay. This gives me some options. You ready to go to the fitting room?” Eyeing Lia’s empty hands, she let out an exasperated sigh.

“What? I’m looking! See?” Lia pulled out a random, wrinkled polyester dress and winced. “You know I hate shopping. This is completely overwhelming.”

“And that’s why I’m here. Hold these.” Holly shoved her pile of chosen dresses into Lia’s arms. “You’re on my turf now. I’ll pick a couple for you.”

Before Lia could protest, Holly was off, scouring the racks again like a woman on a mission. Within a few minutes, she returned with several gowns.

“Here. I found a bunch of good options for you too.” They exchanged their piles of dresses. “Come on, let’s go try them on.”

Gowns in hand, they walked to the back of the store and into the changing rooms.

Lia had barely zipped herself into the first dress—a heinous ruffled yellow gown that resembled a bridesmaid’s dress from the 70s—before Holly called out, “Are you ready?”

“Yeah.” Lia stared at the mirror. She looked like a frilly banana. “But this is definitely not working out.”

“Well, come out so I can see. And you can check out what I’m wearing because I think I’ve found the one!” Holly sang the last word.

Lia pushed back the dressing room curtain to see her five-foot-five friend wearing the single-strapped blue dress from before.

“Wow.” The dress showcased her friend’s curves and legs. “This is it,” Lia replied with certainty.

Holly beamed and spun around again. “Eat your heart out, Dylan.”

“Forget him. He had his chance. You look fabulous.”

“You’re right.” Holly’s smile faltered as she eyed the faint patches of scars on Lia’s arms, the results of burns from Kieren’s dragon and a sword injury received during her brief stint as a thief. Feeling self-conscious, Lia hid her arms behind her back.

“You ever going to tell me how you got those?” Holly asked. “Geez, Lia. Those look serious.”

“I’m fine.”

Holly’s brow furrowed. “Ok. You don’t want to talk about that? Well, why don’t you tell me where you really went at the beginning of summer?”

Still unsure what to say, Lia opted to keep her mouth shut. After apologizing to Holly weeks ago, she told her best friend that she ran away to ‘find herself.’ It was a flimsy excuse, and they both knew it. But Holly never questioned her too much about it.

Until now, apparently. Holly’s eyes narrowed. “Silent on that too? Maybe you’d like to tell me why you’ve suddenly taken up running? You used to hate sports.”

“Just wanted to try something different. I thought it might be nice to get in shape.” Lia hated keeping secrets from Holly, but the reality of what happened in Solair seemed so preposterous, she didn’t think her friend would believe her.

Holly let out a lengthy sigh and fiddled with a ring on her finger. “Okay. I won’t push you to reveal all your secrets. For now. Because I love you. But we will revisit this again. You know that, right?”

Lia nodded. She tried to smile, but she could feel her lips tremble.

Holly reached her arms around Lia and gave her a tight squeeze. “You’re my best friend. I’m not trying to push you. I’m just worried about you.” Turning her attention to Lia’s dress, she stuck out her tongue. “That’s definitely not the look we’re going for. Go put on something else.”

Lia gave a mock salute before returning to her dressing room to try on the myriad of rainbow-colored gowns. The red dress was too short. The orange dress was too low cut—and even Holly agreed the color was hideous. The green gown was decent but had a stain on the back that Lia just didn’t want to deal with removing. And the blue one just looked plain weird.

As she was slipping out of the last gown, a salesperson announced that the store would close in fifteen minutes.

“Can we just call this a win because you found your dress?” Lia peeked out from behind the dressing room curtain.

Holly was sitting on a chair, already back in her T-shirt and jeans. “No. You have one more dress to try.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes. The last one was my favorite. Just humor me, okay?”

Lia slid the curtain back and studied the final selection, a two-piece outfit with a delicately beaded scoop-neck top and a separate long, flowing light-pink skirt. “My entire back’s exposed.” Lia ran her hand over the beads. “There’s no way I could wear a bra with this.”

“Good thing you don’t need one,” Holly called out so loudly that Lia swore everyone in the store could hear her.

She gazed down at her nonexistent chest. “Jerk.”

“I heard that. And quit stalling.”

“When did you get to be so bossy?” Lia grumbled as she shimmied on the top and then stepped into the skirt.

“You think I got to be student council president for two years by being nice? Well, partially. But it’s also because I can be a real witch if I have to. Now, put on that dress. And while you’re at it, tie up your hair.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Lia giggled and put her hair up into a messy bun before turning to look in the mirror. An involuntary sigh of appreciation escaped her lips.

“You’d better be decent because I’m coming in!” Holly stormed into the changing room with more pomp than Napoleon himself. When she spied Lia, she stopped, speechless.

Both girls wore matching grins.

“Oh my gosh.” Holly held up her arms. “Look at this. I literally just got the chills. This is it. The dress works—the sparkly top, the exposed midriff, the delicate skirt. Even the updo. It’s perfect. You look like some modern-day fairy queen.”

Lia couldn’t argue. She smiled and swished the skirt around, feeling almost magical.

As they left the store, both with a new dress, Holly suggested they get frozen yogurts to celebrate. Lia couldn’t help but agree. Sitting on a bench outside the mall, they ate their desserts and watched the other shoppers walk by.

“Are you ready for the start of the school year?” Holly asked.

Lia licked her spoon. “Yeah. Gabby took Griffith and me back-to-school shopping. I think we’re all set.”

“I can’t believe this is the first time he’s attending school in America.”

Lia nodded and stuffed another scoop of yogurt in her mouth, not trusting herself to say anything more. Forced to explain Griffith’s presence, she and Gabby had come up with the backstory that he was Gabby’s nephew from England. Homeschooled his entire life, Griff didn’t have a good grasp of slang or technology. Lia kept waiting for Holly to see through all their layers of lies, but her best friend clicked so well with Griffith that she hadn’t asked any questions.

“It’ll be a crazy experience for him,” Holly continued. “I mean, coming from a small town and all. And his parents being so overprotective that they wouldn’t let him use any technology! Like any. Remember when he saw the TV for the first time?”

Lia laughed. How could she forget? Griffith had sat there for over an hour, his eyes glued to the screen on the diner wall and his hand wrapped possessively around the remote. He’d changed the channels so often that the customers complained of headaches.

“It’s good that he has Billy to show him around too,” Holly added as she tossed out her bowl and spoon.

Having finished their treats, they hopped into Holly’s car. After being out in the late August sun for over an hour, it was like stepping into a hot oven. The leather seats stuck uncomfortably to the back of Lia’s legs and beads of sweat dotted her back.

Holly immediately cranked up the air conditioning. “So, are you going to take Griffith to the dance?”

Lia fanned her face. “No. Why do you ask? You interested in going with him?” She asked the question lightly, but inside she worried about her friend’s response.

“It would be fun to go with Griff, but only as friends.” Holly turned the car out of the mall parking lot. “Anyway, I don’t think I’m his type. I suspect he’d rather go with Billy.”

Lia breathed a sigh of relief. “Yeah. I get the same feeling too.”

“Do you think they’re a thing? You saw them flirting at the diner, right?”

“Yeah.” Griffith always seemed happier whenever Billy was around.

“I think it’s sweet.” Holly tapped her fingers on the steering wheel while they sat at a red light. “But I don’t know if either of them are going to make a move. What do you think? Does Griffith ever talk to you about this kind of stuff?”

“No.” Lia remembered their conversations in Solair. “Actually, I’m not sure Griff even told any of his friends back home.”

“Wow. His upbringing in England was really that conservative?”

“Something like that.”

Holly frowned. “Well, I hope they go together. As a couple. It’d be nice if one of us had a real date. Even if it isn’t me.”

“Hey, I know your cousin’s leads didn’t work out. But there are other guys at our school.” Lia gave her friend’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “And we could just go with each other like we always do. We’ll have fun.”

“You know what? You’re right.”

Lia could already see the wheels in her friend’s head spinning.

“We’re finally seniors,” Holly concluded. “Let’s make this year one to remember.”

She put on some music and they spent the rest of the ride singing along. Once they slid into the diner’s parking lot, Lia waved goodbye to her friend before slipping inside.

“How was it?” Gabby called out from the cash register. “Did you find a dress?”

“Surprisingly, yes.” Lia held up the shopping bag.

“Wonderful! I can’t wait to see it. Are you hungry?”

“Not really. Holly and I ate a bunch of snacks at the mall. Where’s Griffith?” She peered around the crowded restaurant, but didn’t see Griff or Billy anywhere.

“He’s out back.”

“Thanks.” Lia headed upstairs to change.

“Mija?” Gabby called.

“Yeah?”

“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

Lia noted the woman’s serious expression. “Is this about the birds and bees? Because Mom and Dad gave me that talk already. The cat is out of the bag. I know babies come from storks.”

“Dios, no!” Gabby’s face reddened. “It’s not that. I’m just worried. Is everything okay? Because sometimes I hear you. At night.”

Lia swallowed. During the day she rarely had a moment to think about what had gone wrong between her and Kieren. But sometimes, in the suffocating silence of the night, loneliness would hit so hard that she cried herself to sleep.

Gabby frowned. “Are you still upset about that boy who came to the diner? Kieren?”

All the feelings that Lia kept at a distance during the day threatened to escape. “I love you, Gabby, but I don’t want to talk about it. I just can’t.” Not without unleashing a flood of emotions.

“Fine. Pero if I ever see that boy again, I will give him a piece of my mind for breaking your heart.”

“Well, he’s probably not coming back.” Lia sprinted up the stairs and into her room before she’d heard her godmother’s response. Tearing off her sweaty pink uniform, she changed into a black sports bra and some jogging shorts.

For the past couple of weeks, Lia had worked hard to stay in shape, with early morning runs and evening sword-fighting practice with Griffith. Every night they ran drills behind the restaurant until the sky grew dark. It was grueling work, but she kept at it knowing that she couldn’t just sit around waiting for Sage to get in touch.

Sometimes, if the diner wasn’t too busy, Gabby would come out and watch them train. Thankfully, for all the worry written on her godmother’s face, she never once said a word. Gabby knew about the monster that awaited them.

With her emotions still in an uncomfortable jumble, Lia grabbed her sword and ran downstairs and out into the backyard.

Griffith had better be ready because today, Lia was itching for a fight.

10 KIEREN

For one perfect moment, Kieren floated peacefully in the star-filled sky, soaring in the quiet, lonely space above the wispy clouds and just below Solair’s twin moons. Then, with a quick flap of his wings, he arched his body down and sliced through the diaphanous clouds before pulling up again.

Up until that fateful moment weeks ago when the twister hit the grasslands, Kieren would never have thought he’d experience this feeling of freedom again. Thank the moons, and Eldric, nothing in the village had been destroyed. But a world of change had occurred since then. After finding out that Kieren had rescued her daughter, Ariadne had warmed to him. While the potion maker would always remember Lord Riehl whenever she looked at Kieren’s features, at least she no longer viewed him as a monster too.

Word of Kieren’s bravery spread through the village as well, causing a massive thawing in the other Verdurans’ hearts. A dozen children and a handful of unmarried females now followed him around when he performed his routine tasks. The young ones often asked to see his wings and dragon form, while the older girls seemed content just to watch him. Kieren didn’t necessarily like the added female attention, but it was moons better than the fear-filled looks from before.

Of course, Azriel wasted no time in poking fun at him. For the most part, Kieren didn’t mind. Nothing Azriel did really bothered him anymore, not since the Verduran had given him the key to shifting between his dragon and human form.

Lia.

The dragon within stirred. It had been quieter as of late. The frequent transformations and nighttime flights seemed to calm his inner beast. But whenever Kieren thought of the beautiful half-blood mage, his dragon would awaken, appearing eager for her return.

Kieren released a final gust of fire, enjoying the way the flames momentarily lit the night sky a brilliant orange. Then, with a deep breath, he dove. Faster and faster, Kieren raced toward the bright lights of the village, euphoric pleasure filling him the entire way.

“You flew even higher tonight,” Sage commented when Kieren’s dragon landed with surprisingly soft-padded steps.

Kieren bowed his head, communicating his agreement. In his dragon form, he still wasn’t able to make any recognizable sounds besides the occasional roar or grumble. Closing his eyes, he focused on shifting back.

An image of Lia flashed through his mind, along with a burst of emotions. Joy. Sadness. Longing. Regret.

Kieren braced himself for it—the change that always came. When he opened his eyes, Sage had already placed a cloak over his back. Kieren took it thankfully and walked over to his horse, where his clothes awaited him.

The once mage turned his eyes away. “I may have figured out a way to get to Verdura.”

Kieren tensed. How had Sage managed to get around the magic ban?

“We’ll need Magnus and Cade’s help,” Sage contined. “It’s time. You’re finally in control of your dragon and we need to bring Lia and Griffith back. Will you be able to work with my granddaughter?”

“Certainly.” Kieren cleared his throat and fought to keep his voice calm. “We are still friends, after all.”

Liar. The dragon let out a soft sigh of contentment. She is ours.

11 LIA

Lia sat at the cafe table, trying to read the same passage for the eighth time, but failing miserably. She needed to finish the novel by Monday for English, but it was difficult filtering out the two girls at another table who were chatting about homecoming dates. Realizing that she probably wasn’t going to get any work done, Lia closed her book and sighed. Studying at the mall bookstore on a Saturday afternoon might not have been the best idea if she wanted to get homework done.

They just finished the first weeks of the new school year and Lia already felt like she was behind. It didn’t help that everyone, from the doe-eyed freshman to the jaded seniors swamped with college applications, was talking about the dance. And with it being held the day before Halloween, there seemed to be an extra amount of crazy going around. Some girls, like the ones next to her, seemed to eat, sleep, and dream of homecoming and dates. Frankly, Lia was getting sick of hearing detailed play-by-plays of who was going with whom.

Her phone buzzed and she debated whether to check her text messages. She still had two more lengthy chapters to comb through.

“Tell me again what your dress looks like?”

The girl’s voice edged its way into Lia’s thoughts. Who was she kidding? She wasn’t going to get any work done here. With a sigh, she gave in and looked down at her phone.

Griffith: Sup?

Lia: Sup?

Griffith: Did you notice how I’m down with the lingo?

Lia: Yeah…Congrats? You sound like a middle-aged man trying to recapture his lost youth.

Griffith: Very funny. Billy taught me that greeting.

Lia: Oh dear. I’ll have to talk to him about that. We’ll get him caught up with the current decade in no time. If he tries to sell you on the benefits of having a mullet, back away!

Griffith: ?

Lia: It’s an ugly haircut from the 80s. Google it.

Griffith: Yikes. I see what you mean. You still in the bookstore?

Lia: Yes. And not getting much work done.

Griffith: Great. Then I don’t feel bad for interrupting. You need to come to the shoe store now. Holly says it’s an emergency.

Lia: ?

Griffith: A fashion emergency.

Lia: OMG. Not a real thing.

Griffith: Holly’s glaring at you.

Lia: Oooh, I’m quaking over here with my chai tea latte.

Griffith: Please come upstairs. Holly needs your opinion on some shoes. It’s life or death. #dontkillthemessenger #actuallykillmenow

Lia: Haha. #youndon’tusehashtagswhentexting

Lia: Why didn’t she just text me?

Griffith: Her phone’s dead.

Lia: Fine. Send me a photo and I’ll look at them.

Griffith: Told her that. She wants you to see them in person.

Lia: Which shoe store are you in?

Griffith: Second floor. Billy already left. I’m the only guy in here. Please come soon.

While Lia sipped her tea, trying to decide whether to head on up, her phone buzzed several more times.

Griffith: Where are you?

Griffith: Are you coming?

Griffith: I’m surrounded by shoe-hungry females and I’ve nearly been blinded by the pile of discarded sparkly evening shoes #thestruggleisreal #beautyispain

Lia let out an unladylike snort, causing some tea to spill onto the table. The pair of girls at the next table stared at her. Blushing, she wiped her face and turned back to her phone.

Lia: So don’t look!

Griffith: Help me! Why are there so many choices? Want me to send a photo of shoe mountain? I know how to do that now.

Lia: That IS a lot of shoes.

Griffith: I’m calling it Mt. Ve-shoe-vius. Get it? Like we learned in history?

Griffith: Why aren’t you laughing?

Griffith: So…are you packing up now?

Lia: No. I’m still sipping my tea and trying to ignore your texts so I can pretend to finish my homework.

Griffith: I’m dying.

Griffith: Come on.

Griffith: Please. Please. Please. Now Holly’s asking my opinion on two identical pairs of sandals. They’re strappy stilettos BTW. Why do females torture themselves like this?

Lia: If we take time to wear the stilettos, you can take the time to admire the stilettos. Suck it up. No sympathy here.

Griffith: I’ve debated stabbing myself in the eye with one of these heels, but I’ve refrained from doing so because I don’t have health insurance and according to Billy that’s a big deal here.

Griffith: Never mind. Don’t worry about me. It doesn’t matter anyway. Holly said she would only take me to the hospital after she found the perfect pair of shoes. I would bleed out by then.

Griffith: Hello? Are you there? At this rate, I’ll be forty by the time she’s chosen.

Lia: Why did you agree to go shoe shopping with her in the first place?

Griffith: She promised me a pretzel.

Lia: That’s it?

Griffith: I have simple needs.

Lia: Not worth it.

Griffith: But they’re so crusty on the outside and buttery soft on the inside. Not like the hard biscuits back in the castle.

Lia: Still not my problem. Let this be a lesson to you. Next time think with your brain instead of your stomach. I’m putting my phone on silent so I can finish my homework.

Griffith: Nooooooooooooooo!

Griffith: Wait!

Griffith: She also promised to tutor me in calculus. Mathematics here is brutal.

He had a point. Griffith’s previous mathematics education was the equivalent of elementary school mathematics here.

Lia: Joke’s on you, my friend because I would have helped you. For FREE.

Griffith: THIS IS HOLLY. GET YOUR BUTT UP HERE SO I CAN DAZZLE YOU WITH SOME SERIOUSLY HOT SHOES.

Lia: OK. Be there in a few.

Griffith: That’s all it took? Capital letters? Because LOOK I CAN DO THAT TOO!

12 LIA

Dozens of fluttering paper signs announcing club sign-ups and advertising this year’s An Evening in Paris–themed homecoming dance filled the hallways of Exeter Prep. Desperate to avoid anything that encouraged romance and love, Lia tried to steer clear of the posters as much as she could. But it was proving to be an impossible task. Was it just her imagination, or was every available inch of wall and locker space covered with advertisements?

It also didn’t help that Holly was a member of the homecoming dance decorating committee. Her best friend knew practically every tiny detail about the upcoming event and insisted on sharing her plethora of knowledge with her friends, whether they liked it or not. Lia had already seen photos of most of the decorations—hundreds of sparkly silver stars hanging from the rafters, a red carpet for when attendees entered the ballroom, glowing table lights, and the pièce de résistance: a giant light-up Eiffel tower that the AP art students had created. Holly swore that it stood over nine feet tall.

Letting out a loud sigh, Lia ripped a paper flier off her locker and shoved it into her backpack.

One down. A thousand to go.

“What did that piece of paper ever do to you?” Griffith’s face appeared next to her, a pair of sunglasses resting atop his head.

Lia couldn’t help but smile. “Sunglasses? Indoors? Wow. You’ve changed.”

“When stuck in the Dark World, you do what you must to survive the primitive conditions.” He shrugged. “And in this case, it means wearing knock-off Ray-Bans.”

Lia placed a hand over her chest. “Such a sacrifice. But wait. Weren’t you just last week raving about our world and the amazingness of microwave pizza?”

“Don’t go there, Lia. Apparently, I have a soft spot for junk food.” Griffith lifted the hem of his shirt to reveal the bottom portion of his dragon tattoo, smooth brown skin, and taut, defined abs. “Good thing I joined the wrestling team to stay fit.”

A group of nearby girls stopped chatting to watch their conversation.

“Put that away.” Lia looked pointedly at the onlookers. “Are you trying to get mobbed?”

“Good thinking.” He lowered the shirt. “I’m not too worried. You could take them. I’ve seen you fight.” He tapped a beat on her locker door. “So. Do you have a date for the dance?”

“Why? You asking?”

“Maybe.”

This time, she didn’t need to look at their audience to feel the invisible daggers shooting from their eyes.

Griffith flashed them a dimpled smile. “What?” he asked a little too innocently. “Just saying hello to my friends.”

Lia chuckled. Exeter Prep was a small school. New students were a rarity, which meant that Griffith was practically a celebrity. Of course, his muscled physique, tattoo, friendly manner, and violet eyes didn’t hurt.

“I see.” She smirked. “Well, perhaps you should ask one of your new friends to the dance. You seem to have plenty of interested female parties.”

Griff gave her a sympathetic look and leaned in close. “I couldn’t care less about them. I’m asking you, Lia, because even I can tell that homecoming is a big deal here.” He gestured to the giant hand-painted poster across the hall. “You’re my friend, and I would love to take you. But I also understand if…you know.”

It was obvious who he was referring to, but Griff didn’t want to name the giant elephant, or in this case, dragon, in the room.

I see you’re not wasting any time.

We’re just friends.

Lia’s smile wobbled. How did Kieren’s words still hurt even after all these months?

“Lia?” Griffith placed a hand on her shoulder. “You okay? You just kind of just disappeared there.”

Warmth rushed to her cheeks. “Sorry. I just got a little distracted. Thanks for the invite, but we’re just friends. I don’t want to keep you from going with someone you really care about.” She made sure to say the last part really loudly.

Around them, conversations instantly resumed. Smiles, some shy and several suggestive, were aimed in Griff’s direction.

He rubbed his neck, looking sheepish. “Yeah, well, we’ll see about that.”

“Go for it. In fact, now could be your chance.” She pointed to the pair of students walking over.

Billy approached them with another equally tall brown-haired senior who Lia recognized from cross country.

“Hey, Billy. Hey, Gabe.” She looked over Billy’s T-shirt. “Holy Shift! Look at the asymptote on that mother function! Nice one.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

Gabe shot Lia a friendly smile. “It looked like you two were having a serious conversation over here. I hope we aren’t interrupting.” He eyed Griffith with curiosity.

“Nothing important happening here. I just asked Lia to the dance and she rejected me.” Griffith dramatically placed a hand over his heart. “I may never dance again.”

Lia gave him a not so gentle nudge with her elbow. “He’s just kidding. There’s nothing going on between us. We’re just friends,” she said loudly for the benefit of Griff’s admirers. Lia then lowered her voice and whispered conspiratorially, “I had to say no. I couldn’t handle his fan club over there painting a large bullseye on my back.”

“He has a fan club?” Billy’s face turned an unusually bright shade of red.

“Oh, I’m just kidding.”

“Right.” Billy adjusted his glasses. “Gabe and I just came from programming class. We were just talking about our upcoming project.”

“Hey, Billy. Have you seen the new app I downloaded on my phone?” Griffith asked.

“No.”

Griff gave him a radiant smile. “Man, you’re going to love it. Why don’t I show you on our way to lunch?”

Lia watched the two walk away and whispered a silent prayer that Griffith would make his move. He and Billy deserved a shot at love.

“He seems like a nice guy.” Gabe nodded in their direction.

“Who? Griff or Billy?”

“Both. But I was talking about Billy.”

“Yeah. He’s quiet, so it’s hard to get to know him. But he’s a really sweet guy.” Lia turned around and shut her locker, expecting Gabe to leave. But to her surprise, he stayed.

Like most students at prep, Lia and Gabe had known each other peripherally since elementary school. She had only said a handful of words to him until she joined cross country this year. She didn’t know him that well, but from what she could tell, Gabe was friendly and well liked. Standing this close to him, she noticed again that he was also quite good looking, with smooth olive-toned skin, light brown eyes, and a warm smile.

“So,” she said, trying to fill in the awkward silence between them, “you’re in AP programming with Billy?”

Gabe nodded. “Yeah.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re not only the student council vice president and captain of the cross-country team, but you’re also a tech genius?”

He chuckled. “Don’t let the class fool you. I’m barely scraping by. I’m definitely no Billy. But I do enjoy the challenge of programming.”

“What do you guys learn in there anyway?” Lia zipped up her backpack. “Python? C++? Java? Or is it more website design and HTML?”

Gabe gave a low whistle and shot her an appraising stare.

“What?” She suddenly felt herself getting defensive. “Women can know about programming too.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that the only Java most people our age know about exists inside coffee houses. Or erupts out of volcanos.”

Lia stuck out her tongue. “Hate coffee. And that’s lava, by the way.”

“Exactly.” He grinned.

“I learned a bit about all that stuff from my dad. He tried to show me the beauty of programming a couple of times.”

“And did you find it?” He glanced at her with interest. “The beauty, I mean?”

Lia’s stomach flip-flopped and she found herself noticing just how amazingly long and dark his eyelashes were. On a girl they would be enviable. On him, well, they looked really good. Embarrassed by her odd train of thought, Lia took a step back, trying to distance herself from the intensity of his gaze. “I know a little HTML, and I can write some basic programs. But my dad didn’t have time to show me much more before he got sick.”

Gabe’s face fell. “Oh shoot. Listen, I didn’t mean to…I mean, I’m really sorry about your dad.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She deliberately kept her tone light. People always got weird when they remembered that her parents had both passed away. But Lia never blamed them. It was something that most teenagers never had to deal with.

Gabe ran his fingers through his short brown hair. “Geez. I came here specifically to talk to you and I can’t believe I’m completely botching this up.”

“You came to talk to me?” she parroted back, surprised.

“Yeah.”

A small tingle ran across her skin and she tried squashing the feeling that something important was about to happen. “Did you want to talk to me about cross-country? Have they canceled the meet after school?”

“No, this isn’t team related. Although, I was glad when you joined this year. We always need strong runners. And you’ve got great legs…” A look of sheer embarrassment crossed his face. “No. Wait. I mean, your legs are nice looking, but they’re great for running.”

The fluttering sensation filled Lia’s stomach again. What was happening here? Was he flirting with her?

“This isn’t quite what I imagined happening.” Gabe shook his head. “Look, I’m just going to spit everything out before I mess up even more. At first I wasn’t going to ask because I thought you’d be going with Griffith since I see you two hanging out so much. You two just made sense together. But at our last council meeting, Holly told me that you and Griff are just friends and that I should ‘woman up’ and ask you. Her term, by the way, not mine. Although I love my mom and I’ve got girl cousins and I fully support women’s lib. And now I’m babbling.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Do you have any plans for Homecoming?”

Lia stared at him, dumbfounded. “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking?”

Gabe placed both hands in his pockets and gave her a sheepish smile. “Was my delivery that bad? No, wait. Don’t answer that. I don’t think my male ego could take it.”

She was stunned. Was this really happening? Gabe was cute. He was a skilled team captain and, according to Holly, a capable vice president who contributed a lot of great ideas. But Lia had never thought about going out with him. She couldn’t accept his invitation. Could she?

We’re just friends.

Her stomach twisted. If she hadn’t met Kieren, she probably would have considered Gabe.

“Sure,” she answered before she could talk herself out of it. “I’d love to go to the dance with you.”

“Really? Awesome. We’ll have a fun time together.”

“Yeah.” And she found herself giving him a genuine smile.

“I’ll pick you up around six?”

“Sure.” She pulled out her phone. “I live over the diner. What’s your number?” After he gave it to her, she texted him. “There. Now you have my number too.”

“Thanks. By the way, I love that place. Best chocolate milkshakes in town.”

He’d been there before? Lia racked her brain, but she couldn’t remember ever seeing him.

Gabe must have seen her confusion, because he rushed to explain. “I used to come in with the team after meets. You may not have noticed me since there were so many of us in matching outfits. It’s hard seeing the lone runner in the herd. But I’ve seen you working. A couple of times, actually. You’re kind of hard to miss.”

Oh. Feeling self-conscious, she twirled a loose strand of hair around her finger, unsure how to proceed.

“Are you heading to lunch now?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Can I walk you over?”

“Sure. I’d like that.”

During their brief walk over, Lia learned that Gabe was a nickname for Gabriel and that he was the eldest of four children, allergic to peanuts, and made a mean spaghetti and meatballs. His favorite food was his abuela’s enchiladas, and his favorite ice-cream flavor was mint chocolate chip. Soon all the nervous butterflies from before disappeared as she found herself enjoying his lively manner and laughing when he described the antics of his spirited younger siblings.

“And that’s how I chipped my tooth.” Gabe stopped outside the lunchroom entrance. “I guess this is where we go our separate ways.”

“Aren’t you going in?” Lia spotted her friends already seated inside.

“Nah. I gotta head to the library. I’m getting tutored.”

“Is it through the tutoring club? Because I’m one of their volunteers. What do you get help in?”

“English. Science and math make sense to me. But writing essays? Not so much. It feels like the words get all mixed up in my head. What do you tutor?”

“Calc, algebra, geometry, trig, pre-calc,” Lia rattled off the list.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. “So you’re not only a milk-shake expert and a cross-country runner who’s heard of programming languages, but you’re also a math genius?”

An unfamiliar feeling of pleasure swept through Lia. She shrugged, embarrassed. “I’m really not that big of a deal.”

“I gotta disagree with you.” He leaned in and gently brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. “You kind of are.”

Lia’s cheeks flamed again and she awkwardly pulled away. “Thanks,” she stuttered.

His grin widened. “I should also ask—what color dress are you wearing? So I know what color corsage to get you.”

Lia played with the strap of her backpack. “It’s cream and light pink. Kinda sparkly.”

Gabe’s eyes held hers and Lia’s pulse picked up. “I’m sure you’ll look beautiful in it.”

The comment sent a rush of tingles dancing across her skin.

13 LIA

Lia found herself beaming as she stepped inside the crowded lunchroom.

“So?” Holly looked up from her phone.

Ignoring her friend’s expectant expression, Lia casually sat down.

Holly’s face fell. “He didn’t do it.”

“Do what?”

“Lia!” There was a protective slide in her best friend’s voice. “Did a certain good-looking, cross-country-running vice president finally take the advice of his commander in chief?”

“Is that what you’re calling yourself these days?” Lia calmly pulled out her sandwich.

“What are you two talking about?” Griffith asked.

“Oh my gosh.” Her best friend squealed. “You’re glowing. I knew it! Gabe totally asked and you said yes!”

Lia fought against a grin and lost. But then she shot Griffith a cautious look. What would he think of all of this?

“I like Gabe,” Griff said, allaying her fears. “He seems like a friendly guy.”

Great. She relaxed a little, but there was just one last worry niggling at her. “Are you okay with me going to the dance with someone else?” she asked Holly. “I can always tell him I changed my mind. We can still go together, you and me, just like we always do.”

“No freaking way.” Holly shook her head. “You’re going with Gabe. I’m like your fairy godmother; I practically arranged this date. And if you two go out after this, I get to choose your couple nickname. I’m thinking Glia, or Labe.” Her eyes lit up with the thought.

“Definitely not Labe.” Billy wrinkled his nose. “Sounds too much like—”

“Everyone calm down,” Lia interrupted. Things were quickly getting out of hand. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There won’t be any nicknames. It’s just one dance.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that.” A knowing look crossed Holly’s face. “I think he’s looking for something more. My loyal VP has been interested in a certain waitress for quite some time.”

Really? Lia’s heart skipped a beat. “Well, Marge does look pretty hot in her uniform,” she joked.

Completely ignoring her feeble attempts at deflection, Holly continued, “He never had the guts to say anything till I urged him to. So you’d better go. And you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve already got my dates. Billy and Griffith are taking me.”

“Sorry, Lia,” Griffith added. “But Holly’s got the better deal. She gets two hot guys. Just wait till I show off my dance moves. They’re out-of-this-world good.”

Lia rolled her eyes. “Seriously?” she mouthed.

Griffith grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

“Well I don’t know how you can be so cocky when you’ve only just begun listening to pop music a couple of months ago,” Holly commented before sipping her drink. “And Lia, you can repay me for getting you two together by letting me do your makeup.”

“Fine,” Lia agreed. “But no smoky eyes.”

Placing a manicured hand over her chest, Holly opened her mouth in an ‘O’ shape. “I can’t believe you went there. That hurts. I was only twelve when the incident happened.”

“It was really bad, Holls.” Lia struggled to keep a straight face.

Her best friend sighed and then held up her left hand while using her right to draw an X over her chest. “Cross my heart and swear on our friendship, and my eternal love of all baked goods, that I will never repeat the heinous makeup mistakes of the past.”

Holly raised her eyebrows pleadingly and Lia tapped her chin, pretended to think it over.

“What’s happening?” Billy asked.

“They’re doing that thing again where they’re talking with facial expressions,” Griff responded.

Lia finally pulled away from Holly’s gaze. “It was in junior high, before you moved here. Holly got her first-ever makeup palette. Our spring dance was coming up, so she volunteered to give me a smoky-eye.”

“I really wanted to be a makeup guru,” Holly added. “And to be fair, it was fashionable back then.”

“Right.” Lia stretched out the word. “Well, young Holly had quite the heavy hand. One of the boys who asked me to dance—”

“Stupid Jake Dumbrowsky,” Holly interjected.

“Right. Good old Jake asked me how I managed to get punched. In both eyes.”

Griffith and Billy broke out laughing.

Holly crossed her arms over her chest. “Laugh it up, you two. But that was six years and a dozen cheap makeup palettes ago. I’ve learned a lot since then. This time, I’ll do the perfect job with Lia’s hair and makeup. She’ll look so good, Gabe won’t know what hit him.”

14 KIEREN

“So, you’ve been to the Dark World before?” Azriel asked, flipping through several books.

Kieren wasn’t fooled by the man’s seemingly disinterested manner. He had been living in the village long enough to know that the highly intelligent Verduran was always observing and analyzing what went on around him.

“Yes. I went with Sage to bring Lia back here.” Kieren finished polishing his sword and slipped it back inside its holder.

“And no magic exists there?” Eldric made a face. “How do the inhabitants even survive?”

“Well, there isn’t really any magic in Solair now,” Kieren defended.

Eldric waved his hand dismissively. “That’s only because of the ban. Which, I should add, is ludicrous. Just how many of your farmers aren’t capable of producing as many crops as they were before? And how many of your healers are struggling to take care of your sick? When your leaders took away magic, they hurt everyone. Not just the mages.”

Kieren gave his friend a sideways glance. “Tell me again where you got all this information?”

“We hear things. Even out here in the grasslands.” Azriel smirked. “You don’t know all of our secrets.”

Yet. “You’re right.” Kieren walked across the tent and picked up his leather harness. Even though people in the Dark World didn’t carry weapons, he was still going to go fully armed. Just in case. “I don’t know the identities of all the spies you placed in the castle, well, except for the maidservant assigned to Lia.”

The two Verdurans’ astonished expressions confirmed his suspicions.

Eldric drew a deep breath. “How long have you known?”

“That Keldi was a Verduran, or that she was your sister?” Now it was Kieren’s turn to smirk. “Because I realized both things at once. We may be friends now, but even you don’t know all my secrets.”

Azriel’s laughter filled the tent. “You continue to surprise me daily, dragon shifter.”

Eldric cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. “Never mind; we can talk about this later. I promised Ariadne I would help her spell more pendants, so I won’t be able to see you off.” He waved a hand in salute. “When you see Lia, tell her we’ve all missed her, especially my Ari and Lilith.”

It was impossible not to notice how Eldric’s typically gruff tone always seemed to soften when he spoke about his new family. The man was all smiles now after he and Ariadne finally pledged to love and honor each other in a small ceremony a moon cycle ago. Kieren felt privileged to have witnessed such a commitment. It was rare to find one’s true soul mate.

Is that so? his dragon remarked. Then why did you let Lia go?

Go away. Kieren grumpily responded. We’re just friends.

So you keep saying.

“I heard you’re bringing Lia to visit the mages under the mountain?” Azriel noted.

Kieren tightened a buckle and grunted in affirmation.

“And then what?”

“We’ll go after the World Eater and Fearson.” Kieren spoke confidently, but inside he worried. Their task felt nearly impossible. No one knew how to find the prophesied destroyer of worlds, not to mention that Lia still hadn’t developed any magical powers that would help her defeat the enemy.

Do you doubt the girl? the dragon asked.

Kieren scowled. Of course he didn’t. I trust her. But there’s no way I’m letting her do this on her own.

How do you know if she will even accept your help?

Kieren stiffened. I’m going with her. No matter what.

Good, his beast approved. There may just be a little dragon in you yet.

“Imagine that.” Kieren peered over at Azriel. An odd indecipherable expression crossed the Verduran’s face. “After all these years, we’ve finally figured out a way to return home.”

“You don’t seem too excited at the prospect.”

Azriel shrugged. “You of all people should understand that we can’t always outrun the ghosts of our past.”

Kieren was left to ponder that statement when the Verduran spoke again. “And just so we’re clear, how did things end between you and the lovely Lia?”

The question dug into Kieren’s still-healing wound. “Fine. We left as friends.”

Moons. The label grated on his nerves more and more each time he said it.

I wonder why that is? his dragon remarked smugly.

“Really?” Azriel arched a brow. “So, you lay no claim on her? She is free to pursue others?”

A prickling heat ran across the surface of Kieren’s skin.

The Verduran dares to challenge you?

“Yes. Because we’re just friends,” Kieren responded as much to his beast as to Azriel. “She is free to pursue whomever she wishes.”

“And what about the kiss that you shared?”

Kieren glared at the other man. Why did Azriel have to remind him of that one perfect moment before everything fell apart? “It was a nothing more than a mistake,” he snapped.

The Verduran met his eyes with a look of amusement. “Care to take advice from someone a little older and better looking than you? Sometimes, the heart recognizes the truth, even when the head does not.”

15 LIA

“That’s it.” Holly stepped back after spraying Lia’s hair. “It’s perfect. I’m done.”

Coughing, Lia waved the sweet-smelling cloud away. Just how much hairspray had Holly used? Enough to create another hole in the ozone, it seemed. The clock next to her bed flashed 5:49. Gabe would be here at any moment.

Lia reached up to scratch an itch on her face.

Holly slapped her hand away. “Don’t you dare. You’ll smear the makeup.”

Lia wiggled her nose. “Isn’t the setting spray supposed to prevent that?”

“Technically, but we still can’t take any chances. Right now you’re a Monet wrapped up in a Matisse shoved inside a Dali.”

Lia stared at her friend, baffled. Had Holly inhaled too much of the hairspray?

“Hands off. You have to look perfect when Gabe gets here.” Holly let out a sigh of exasperation and waved at Lia’s face. “This is a work of art.”

Well, that seemed a stretch. “But what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Please. It’s itching.” She wiggled her nose again.

“Fine.” Her best friend took pity on her and gently scratched. “There.”

Lia let out a sigh of relief. “What happens if I need to scratch my face later? Are you going to be my official nose scratcher all night?”

“Maybe.” Holly’s lips curved into an evil smile.

“Alright, Picasso. Fine. Scratch my nose for all I care. If you’re done, can I at least take a look now and admire your work?”

Holly tilted her head and studied Lia’s face for several seconds longer. “Fine. Close your eyes, and I’ll walk you over to the mirror.”

They slowly made their way to the mirror hanging off her bedroom door.

“Okay. Open your eyes now,” Holly said.

An exotic, gold-dusted princess stared back at Lia. Turning to admire the loose chignon resting at the base of her neck, Gabby’s delicate gold earrings twinkled in the bedroom light.

“See?” Holly’s reflection grinned next to hers. “I told you. You’re a work of art.”

“Thank you.” Lia eyed her friend’s dramatic eyeliner and full, red lips. “You look pretty stunning yourself.”

“I know.” Holly batted her eyelashes at her own reflection before letting out a small happy shriek. “Gabe’s going to die when he sees you. This is all going perfectly according to my master plan.”

They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” Lia called.

Her godmother stepped inside, wearing a small witch’s hat and black lipstick. Griffith came in after her, openmouthed.

“You both look lovely,” Gabby gushed.

“You look pretty beautiful yourself,” Lia replied. “Or should I say boo-tiful?”

Her godmother patted her purple wig. “Given that Halloween’s tomorrow, I figured I’d start getting customers in the mood.”

It was a Two Moons’ tradition. Every year, the diner held an all-you-can-eat pancake dinner. Kids and their parents gorged themselves on ghost-shaped pancakes before trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. The event was so popular that the local newspaper had even dubbed it a ‘spooktacular deal.’

“I was going to play it cool, pero I can’t help myself. Girls, please?” Gabby motioned for them to stand together and pulled out her cell phone.

Holly assumed a camera-ready pose while Lia stood next to her, smiling awkwardly.

Griffith jumped in front of them. “I’m bombing you.”

“Photobombing,” Holly corrected. “You’re photobombing.”

“Right. Sorry!” he apologized. “Bombing refers to a violent explosion, whereas the other is just my attempt at being humorous.”

Holly shook her head. “It’s hard to believe that you even grew up in this century.”

“Sometimes I find it hard to believe myself.” Griffith adjusted the bowtie around his neck and placed an arm around Lia’s waist. “You both look great, but can we take a moment to appreciate the only male in the room? No one has mentioned how good I look in this tuxedo.”

Holly examined his bowtie. “Wow. This isn’t a clip-on. I’m impressed. Tres classy, Griffith.”

“Thank you. Gabby and I watched several online tutorials before figuring it out.”

“You do look dashing.” Lia straightened the bowtie, which was one of her father’s. “My dad would have been proud to have you wear it.”

Griffith pulled her in for a side hug.

“Watch the hair!” Holly chastised, smacking his arm.

He pulled his arm back. “Ouch. That hurt.”

Meanwhile, Gabby was already taking photos. “I can’t believe this. I still remember when you were just a toddler trying to climb onto the diner stools. And now look at you. Your mom and dad would have been so proud, mija.”

At the mention of her parents, Lia’s eyes grew misty. “Don’t start.” She tried smiling. “Or I’ll ruin the makeup Holly took hours to do.”

“Si. I won’t. That’s it. I’m done.” Lia’s godmother pretended to zip up her lips. “I’ll head downstairs and let you finish up.”

“Wait. I’ll go with you,” Holly called. “Mom said she’d get here after work. She might be here already.”

After the two walked out, Griffith sidled up to Lia. “So it’s just you and me right now.” His smile wavered. “How are you doing? Are you alright?”

Lia slipped her lipgloss into her bag. “It’s been three months, Griff. They still haven’t contacted us. What if something’s happened to them? There’s no way for us to know.”

“You’re right. If only we had cell phones in Solair.” He gazed lovingly at his smartphone. “You would be so helpful there, wouldn’t you?”

Lia fought back her laughter. “Should I leave you two alone?”

“No. We’re fine now.” Griffith kissed the phone’s screen and slipped it into his pocket. “Honestly, I’m worried too. But we shouldn’t think about it tonight. Kieren is a trained warrior, and Sage has more lives than a cat. They can take care of themselves.”

“I guess you’re right.”

Griffith’s back pocket vibrated, and he pulled out his phone and texted furiously in response.

“Who are you talking to?” Lia asked.

“Billy just sent me a photo of himself in a tux. See?”

So used to seeing the tall blond in t-shirts and jeans, Lia grinned at the sight of her friend in formal wear. “A white tux? He pulls it off.”

“I know.” Griffith’s gaze lingered on the photo before he put his phone away again. “Billy’s going to meet us at the venue. I think he’s just trying to avoid the paparazzi.”

“Paparazzi? When did you start using that word?”

“Since Gabby introduced me to the newspapers by the checkout counter.”

“You mean the tabloids? That isn’t real news.”

“Oh, I know.” Griffith chuckled. “But I like to play along whenever she finds an Elvis article she likes. Did you know they recently spotted him in a retirement home in Minnesota? Apparently he left music to become an insurance salesman.” His phone dinged and he began texting again.

Lia couldn’t help but feel excited about her friend’s new fledgling relationship. Grabbing her bag, she made her way out of her bedroom before turning off the light. “You and Billy have gotten pretty cozy these past few months.”

Griffith looked up. Now standing in the dark room, his face and violet eyes were lit up by the phone’s lit screen. “Yeah. He’s become a really close friend.”

Lia was about to pry some more, but then her phone buzzed too. She pulled it out of her bag to peer at her messages.

Holly: El Guapo’s here.

Lia: Who?

Holly: Gabe. I gave him a nickname.

Lia: K. Be right down.

As they walked out into the living room, Lia’s heart began beating faster, but she wasn’t sure whether it was with anticipation or fear. A small feeling of guilt crept into her stomach. “Hey, Griffith?”

“Yeah?”

“You’ve known Kieren for a long time, right?”

Griff placed a warm hand across her shoulders. “He’s my best friend. But my answer is still the same. Go. You deserve happiness.” He took her hand and led her out the door. “Come on. Let’s go greet your date.”

The sounds of customers and the smells of sizzling meat and fried food greeted them downstairs. Lia looked around, but she didn’t have to search too hard to find her date. Gabe sat at the counter, next to Gabby, Holly, and Holly’s mother. Lia gave him a small wave.

Gabe stood up and walked over. Lia’s heart skipped a beat at the way his eyes lit up when he looked at her. “You look beautiful. Here, this is for you.” He placed a corsage around her wrist. “I know it’s strange because it doesn’t have flowers. But my mom made it. She has a thing for succulents.” He glanced at her nervously.

“I love it. You look really nice too.” She let her eyes wander from the gorgeous corsage to his well-fitting tuxedo and gelled hair.

“Thanks.”

“Alright, kids.” Gabby pushed them all together in front of the counter. “It’s photo time.”

“Can you take one for me too?” Griffith handed Gabby his phone. Holly and Gabe followed suit.

“Hope you don’t mind being embarrassed like this,” Lia whispered.

“You mean having photos taken in front of complete strangers?” Gabe motioned to the diner’s guests, many of whom were smiling and pulling out their own phones to take pictures. “Don’t worry about it. My mom already took a hundred of photos before I left. Besides, I get lots of practice taking awkward photos during the holidays. Our family’s huge. Takes forever to get a good shot.” He eyed the rubber bats dangling from the ceiling. “Except we don’t normally use bats as props. I take it that someone around here is batty about Halloween.”

Lia pretended to sigh. “And here I thought we were connecting. But, alas, now the night is ruined. I can’t have a pun lover as my homecoming date. It’s just too much.”

“Did you seriously just say alas?”

“Smile,” Gabby called out.

Lia smiled for the photo before continuing, “When my mom was alive, she loved decorating for Halloween. After she passed away, the Halloween spirit kinda jumped to Gabby. Every year, we pick up a few new things.” Lia gestured to the life-size Frankenstein by the doorway. “Gabby’s motto is ‘go big or go home.’”

“I think it’s all perfect. My family loves your fa-boo-lous decorations and pancakes. They come here every year.”

Lia laughed. “I like how you snuck that one in there.”

They posed again for more photos, but this time, she found it easier as she was already smiling from Gabe’s comments. “I hope you don’t keep up the puns all night, or I may need to pun-ish you.”

Now it was Gabe that groaned.

“Hold on, gang,” Gabby called out. “How do I get this phone back into camera setting?” Holly broke ranks to help.

“I haven’t been able to come with my family the past couple of years,” Gabe explained. “Cross country always seems to have a meet on Halloween.”

“But this year we only have practice.”

He nodded. “And that’s why I’m joining my family here tomorrow night.”

After hearing all of his stories, Lia found herself genuinely looking forward to meeting them. “Cool. I’ll be working.”

“Dressed up?”

“Of course. But my costume’s top secret. I’d tell you what it is. But then I’d have to kill you.”

“Really? You’ve intrigued me. I’ll definitely be here.”

A tingle of happiness ran down her spine.

“Closer.” Gabby motioned with her hands.

Lia moved closer to Holly.

“Do you mind if I put my arm around your waist?” Gabe asked.

“Yeah, sure.” Lia tried sounding casual, as if she didn’t care. But the truth was she kind of did.

His arm rested against her hips as the side of his body moved closer to hers. Lia’s thoughts suddenly chose that exact time to return to a certain silver-eyed hunter.

“Say cheese,” Gabby instructed.

This time, Lia forced herself to smile.

“Hey, Miss Gabby?” Gabe relaxed his hold on her. “Would you mind taking another one? But just the two of us this time?”

“But I’m so photogenic!” Griffith pouted.

“Let’s go.” Holly dragged Griffith out of the shot. Fighting a grin, Lia tried to ignore the pointed looks that her best friend shot her way.

Gabe stood behind her and carefully placed both hands on her waist. Lia stilled. She couldn’t help but notice the warmth that was spreading from where his skin was touching hers.

“Sorry.” His breath brushed against her bare back. “My mom made me promise to take one of just the two of us. I don’t want to let her down. Plus, I need proof to show my little brothers.”

“Proof of what?”

“That I’m taking a gorgeous girl to homecoming.”

Laughter and something else bubbled out just as Gabby took their photo. These weren’t the same fluttery butterflies that she’d felt with Kieren, but Gabe was funny and nice. And he made it infinitely clear that he wanted to be more than friends.

If only Lia’s heart would give him a chance.

16 KIEREN

The light from Solair’s twin moves cast an eerie glow over the clearing, highlighting the lone white boulder marking the permeable space between worlds.

“Is there any way I could convince you to come with me?” Kieren asked Sage. The once mage had just revealed that he wouldn’t be going with Kieren to get Lia and Griffith. Surprised, Kieren couldn’t believe that he was expected to head to the Dark World on his own.

The older man shook this head. “There are things I must do before your journey to Verdura. You’ll have to go alone.”

“But who will open the portal on the other side?”

“My granddaughter will.” Sage handed Kieren a small leather bag. “Give this to Lia. She’ll know what to do.”

Kieren took the item and watched as Sage performed the ritual to travel across worlds. This time, he didn’t shrink back at the sight of the other man’s blood.

“Be safe.” Sage placed a weighty hand on Kieren’s shoulder. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

Kieren nodded and then stepped through, what would have appeared to any person walking by, solid rock. Like before, the space between the two worlds felt oddly cold. He didn’t stay there for long and soon found himself back on solid ground, in the middle of a dark forest. One look at the placement of stars and the single, lonely moon, and Kieren knew that the magic had worked. He was now back in the Dark World. Equal parts nervous and eager, he hurried through the woods, not stopping until he reached the blinking lights and hard black path that led to the diner.

And Lia. Kieren’s heart raced at the thought of seeing her again.

He finally slowed down when he reached the restaurant. Since his last visit, the building had undergone a drastic transformation. A large pair of identical grinning black cat statues flanked the entranceway, greeting him as he stepped inside. The amount of orange and black decorations gave him more reason to pause. Why was the room littered with so many gourds with carved faces? And who thought it was a good idea to hang dead bats from the ceiling?

A green-skinned statue stood by the doorway. Kieren carefully tapped the man’s chest, surprised that it was hollow. Green skin? What imaginations these Dark Worlders had. If Kieren didn’t know better, he would have thought there were Verdurans here.

“Getting into the Halloween spirit early, are we?”

“Pardon me?” Kieren eyed the woman with vibrant blue hair.

She let out a low, raspy chuckle. “Welcome to the Two Moons Diner. Will it be a table for one tonight?”

“Good evening.” Kieren gave a slight bow. “I’m not here for supper. I come looking for two people. Do you know where I can find Griffith and Lia?”

The woman adjusted her thick, round glasses and slowly tilted her head, giving him the impression of a curious owl. “If you’re talking about Gabby’s kids, then you’ve just missed them. They left for the dance about an hour ago. Griffith looked so handsome in his tux. And Lia’s gown!” The woman clucked. “That girl doesn’t often get dressed up often, but she should. She’s a stunner.”

Disappointment hit Kieren square in the chest. "They went to a ball, together?”

The woman looked at him with astonishment. “You must be new to these parts. Exeter Prep’s homecoming dance is tonight at the Manor. It’s a real hoighty-toighty place. I’ll bet they spent a pretty penny to hold it there. Now, back in my day, we held our formals in the school’s gymnasium. Smelled like old gym socks and vinegar, but it was good enough for us. Course kids these days have such fancy tastes with their Facebooks, Twittering, and Instantgrams.”

As she spoke, Kieren nodded along, pretending he understood, but all he kept hearing was that his best friend and Lia were at a ball of some sort. Together. Kieren tried not to think about them dancing with each other. Or Lia dancing with anyone else for that matter. “Thank you,” he interrupted. “Can you tell me how to get to this manor? It’s important that I find them. Tonight, if possible.”

The woman peered at him with her owl eyes and then pulled a pencil out of her massive mountain of hair. “Course, hon. I don’t know the exact address, but I can give you directions.” She began sketching on a sheet of parchment. “You leave here and drive straight. Then go past two sets of lights; the first one’s going to flash because they still haven’t finished fixing it yet even though it’s been weeks already, which is beyond my understanding because we pay hefty taxes in there parts. And then after the second set of lights you make a sharp right. Mind the gravel though because it can be slippery. The Donally’s son last month got into—”

“Marge!” A woman with bright purple hair, a small pointy orange hat, and black-and-white striped legs strode over. She offered Kieren a cautious smile. “Sorry for interrupting, but did I hear that you’re looking for directions to the homecoming dance?”

“Yes,” he responded with a tilt of his head. “My name is Kieren. I’m searching for my friends—Griffith and Lia.”

“I see.” The woman’s expression instantly became guarded. “And how exactly do you know them? Are you school friends?”

Her sharp eyes took in every inch of his appearance and he suddenly felt the urge to make sure he was leaving a good impression. “No. We go further back.”

Like worlds back. But she didn’t need to know that little fact.

The woman’s suspicious expression dissolved into a disarming smile. “Any friend of Griffith’s and Lia’s is a friend of mine. And you’re just in luck. I’m heading over to the Livingston Manner right now.”

“You are?” Marge swiveled in the direction of the other woman. “But why? It’s so busy tonight.”

“I have to run an errand.” The woman with purple hair gave Marge a sharp glance before turning back to Kieren. “Why don’t I drive you there? Unless you want to follow in your own car.”

Kieren stiffened. “No. I’ll go with you. Thank you.”

“What lovely manners.” Marge eyed Kieren with admiration. “Now back in my day, young men—”

“Be back soon, Marge.” The woman waved. “You’re in charge while I’m out.”

“Sure thing, Gabby.” Marge smiled, shifting the soft wrinkled folds of skin. “It was nice meeting you, hon.”

“You too.” Kieren followed Gabby outside, wondering why her name triggered something in his memories. Finally he figured it out. This was Lia’s godmother. Now, even more determined to make a good impression, he relaxed his grip on the hilt of his sword.

“I always get a good parking spot. Perks of owning the place.” She motioned to the red carriage in front of them. “Go ahead, get in the car.”

That’s right. It was called a car. He took a step forward and ran his fingers along the unnaturally smooth metal, unsure how exactly to get inside.

“Need help?” Gabby walked over and pulled a small, hidden handle. A door swung open.

“Thank you,” Kieren murmured.

“Of course.” She waited until he was inside before shutting the door behind him. Then she entered on the other side. “You’d better buckle up. There are some crazy drivers around here, especially tonight.”

Right. Buckle up. He twisted his body and looked for a buckle. But all he could find was a strap with an odd, dangling metal square.

“Let me get that seat belt for you.” Lia’s godmother leaned over and snapped the thick strap across his chest before doing the same to herself. Now snugly restrained, Kieren gripped the strap as the car rumbled to life, rolling backward with a jerk before moving forward. Once he became accustomed to the movement, he let go of the strap and brushed his hand against the door, marveling at the smoothness of the material and the ride.

“I’ve never seen you around here before.” The woman’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Tell me, how do you know Lia and Griffith?”

“Griff and I have known each other since we were children. Lia and I met several months ago.”

Was it just Kieren’s imagination, or had the woman’s expression tightened? “And you say you’re good friends with them both?”

The seat belt felt uncomfortably restrictive as he shifted in his seat. “I was. Once.”

Without warning, they jolted forward. Kieren grabbed hold of the fabric strap.

“Sorry about that,” Gabby apologized. “I had to catch the light. Now, tell me more about how you all met. Sounds like there’s a good story there.”

Avoiding her gaze, Kieren stared at the white and green lights whizzing by. What could he say without this woman thinking he was insane?

The car swerved a couple more times. “By the way, don’t be embarrassed about having trouble with the door and seat belt. Griff had a tough time with both of those too.” They stopped abruptly at a flashing red light. Kieren held his hand out to keep from hitting the front panels.

Now Gabby turned to face him, her smile gone. “And you don’t have to lie to me. I already know all about Solair.”

He stared at the woman in surprise. “They told you?”

Something behind them made a loud honking sound and Gabby flicked her eyes back to the road. The car jolted forward again. “I knew about your world before my goddaughter left with you. I was best friends with Lia’s mother. Farrah told me everything about Solair—how your people banned magic and how she was forced to leave. Years ago, I promised Farrah I’d watch over Lia. And that’s why I don’t want you near her.” She pointed a finger in his direction. “I know all about you. You’re the boy that broke her heart.”

“You’re right. I hurt her,” he said, almost more to himself than to her.

Gabby slid the car between two cars and parked.

Kieren snuck a look at Lia’s godmother, fully expecting to feel the full brunt of her anger. But now the expression she gave him was different. Softer.

“I promised myself that the next time we met, I’d go full Mama Bear on you. But dios, it’s obvious you’re suffering as much as Lia is.” She let out a quite sigh. “I need you to answer one question for me. And you have to tell me the truth.”

Kieren nodded. “Of course.”

“Do you love my girl?”

Of course he did. Lia was as essential to him as earth, air, and light. He loved her so much that he would fight for her. The only reason he pushed her away was to keep her safe. Because if anything were to happen to Lia, it would destroy him.

Gabby watched him carefully. “I see.” She pointed to the brick building before them. “We’re here. They’re both inside.”

Kieren took no delight in the building’s beauty. With its meticulously manicured lawn and rows of trees wrapped in thousands of sparkling lights, this looked like the perfect place to hold a romantic ball. And Lia was inside. With his best friend.

The realization made Kieren utterly miserable.

“You’re here to take them back, aren’t you?” Gabby murmured.

He carefully chose his words, knowing that no matter what he said, he’d break the woman’s heart. “I know you love your goddaughter. But Lia has to come back to Solair. The fate of our worlds depends on her.”

Gabby turned away, and for a moment, Kieren wondered if she was going to cry.

“I understand. Pero please don’t make her return with you right now. Let her stay until tomorrow night.” Gabby sniffled and he pretended not to see the tears the woman swiped from her face. “It’s been so hard for Lia since her father’s death. But tonight, she’s having fun, hanging out with her friends, and dancing with her date.”

Kieren found it difficult to swallow. He remembered how Griffith had supported Lia when they left. It made sense that she would run into his best friend’s arms. “I hope Griffith and Lia are happy together.”

“Griffith? No. Oh, honey, Griffith’s not Lia’s date. They’re not together like that; he’s gay.” She covered her mouth. “Dios mio, did I just out your friend to you?”

Out? Since when was Griffith ‘in?’ “Didn’t Lia attend the ball with Griffith?”

Lia’s godmother closed her eyes and mumbled under her breath, “All those parenting books have prepared me for this moment.” She opened her eyes again and began speaking in a very slow and deliberate manner. “You know your friend Griffith? He’s gay. As in, he’s interested in boys. Not girls.”

“What? No. That can’t be—” Or could it? Kieren froze, mentally revisiting a handful of their previous interactions. Sure, Griff enjoyed talking about females. But when was the last time he had actually expressed interest in someone specific? He searched his memories, trying to pull out the name or face of a girl his friend liked.

But for some reason, his mind kept drawing a blank.

“You really didn’t know, did you?”

Kieren shook his head, embarrassed. How had he missed the signs? This was his best friend. Someone who had grown up knowing all of Kieren’s darkest secrets. How could he not have realized? Ashamed, Kieren thought back to the last words he said before Griffith and Lia left Solair. His friend was telling the truth when he said he just wanted Lia’s friendship.

The realization should have made Kieren glad, but now he grew even more troubled. Griff may not have any romantic interest in Lia, but apparently, someone else did. And if she had gone to this ball with this other person, the feeling must be mutual.

“Who was Lia’s date?” The question tasted like ash in his mouth.

“Gabe. He’s a schoolmate of Lia’s.”

A feeling of panic rose in his chest. Kieren gripped his seatbelt and forced out another question, desperate to keep his mind from spiraling. “Why do you want us to leave tomorrow?”

“Well, for starters, it’s Halloween.” Gabby gestured to her clothes and hair. “It’s a holiday where people get dressed up in costumes and eat way too much candy.”

Kieren nodded, but his eyes kept wandering to the beautiful building in front of them, and he kept trying to push out the images of Lia in the arms of another man. “And that’s why you don’t want them to leave until tomorrow night? So she can celebrate this holiday with you?”

“She never told you, did she?” Gabby rummaged through her bag and pulled out a thin white stick. “Don’t you dare tell Lia I’m doing this. She thinks I quit.”

One of the car’s windows lowered, and a bright flash of flame lit the end of the cylinder before an acrid smoke filled the air. Gabby exhaled a puff of smoke outside. “It’s not only a holiday for Lia. It’s also the anniversary of her mother’s death.” The woman took another puff from the glowing white stick before flinging it out the window. “Let her stay tomorrow and properly mourn. And then take her back.

Kieren and Lia had never really talked about the specific details behind her mother’s death, but he knew how much Lia loved her. “You have my word,” he found himself answering. “For her sake, we will go back tomorrow night.” Sage would have to wait. If Lia needed an extra day, Kieren would give it to her.

“Thank you.” Gabby gave him a small smile and gestured toward the building again. “Don’t you want to go inside?”

And ruin Lia’s night? He fiddled with the belt. It hurt knowing that she was inside with someone else. Someone less dangerous than Kieren, who could give her the things that he never could. “No,” he decided. “I’ll just wait for them at the diner.”

Gabby patted him on the knee. “Let’s head back. I’ll introduce you to my friend Elvis and get you a hamburger and a milkshake. I’ll bet world traveling builds up quite an appetite.”

She started the car and they pulled out of the parking lot. Watching the twinkling lights fade into the distance, Kieren couldn’t help but feel like he was saying goodbye to Lia all over again.

17 LIA

Lia had never been overseas before. But the moment she stepped into Livingston Manor’s grand ballroom, she felt herself transported to Paris. Above, thousands of sparkling lights and metallic stars dangled from exposed wooden beams. A replica of the Eiffel tower stood in the corner of the room, wowing partygoers with a dazzling light display. Glass vases filled with blushing peonies and showy lilacs decorated the center of each table. Everything in the room spoke of magic and romance, and Lia couldn’t help but be swept up in it all.

She fell into step beside Holly. “This is amazing.”

“I know.” Her best friend grinned. “Seeing as it’s our last year here, I wanted to make it the best dance yet.”

“Well, you definitely succeeded.”

Holly took a sip of punch and then pointed to the dance floor. “Looks like your date is having fun.”

Surrounded by cross-country teammates and Griffith, Gabe danced, clearly not caring how he looked. Their eyes met across the room and Lia let out a giggle at his goofy antics. Calling out, he waved her over.

“Go on.” Holly gave her a little nudge. “You’re being summoned.”

With the beat thrumming through her body, Lia walked over and slid besides Gabe.

“Nice moves,” she yelled out.

He smiled. “Thanks.”

The music soon transitioned into another popular song.

“This is the one!” Griffith cried out. “Get back!” The crowd of dancers around him spread out and cheered as he shocked them with steps that looked like they came straight out of a music video.

“Surprised?” Griffith danced beside Lia.

“Definitely.”

“Good. It means all the time I spent last week watching videos instead of studying wasn’t wasted.” He did another twirl.

Holly joined them and she and Lia began belting out the words to the chorus. Jumping around, surrounded by her closest friends, Lia sang and danced her heart out for the rest of that song and the next. But then the heavy percussion faded away, transitioning to the beginning chords of a slow ballad. Around them, pairs of students coupled off. Griffith took Holly’s hand in his and whirled her away, leaving Lia alone with Gabe.

“Shall we?” Gabe held out held his hand.

Lia bit her lip. “I’m pretty thirsty, could we get something to drink instead?”

His smile wavered and he lowered his hand. “Sure. Stay here. I’ve got it.”

Lia watched his retreating figure, upset and embarrassed.

“What are you doing?” Holly dragged Griffith over. “Why aren’t you two dancing?”

“I was thirsty and Gabe offered to get me something to drink. Actually, I’m kind of tired too. I’ll just sit this one out.” Lia hurried back to their table and took a seat next to Billy.

“Not dancing?” she asked.

Billy shrugged. “I don’t do very well in large groups. Plus, I’m not a very good dancer.”

He kept his eyes down, but every so often, Lia couldn’t help but notice the way he stared wistfully at the dance floor.

Lia recognized the face of longing when she saw it. “You know what? It really doesn't matter if you’re a good dancer or not. The room is so dark no one is going to pay attention to what you’re doing.”

“Perhaps. But I’m fine right here too.” Billy adjusted his glasses. “Why aren’t you out there? You looked like you were having fun.”

“Just tired,” she quickly answered.

The slow song faded and a loud beat began playing over the speakers again.

“Here you go.” Gabe brought over two cups of punch. “Sorry that took so long. I ran into some friends at another table. Hey Billy,” he nodded, “What are you doing sitting out?”

“I can’t dance,” Billy answered loudly over the thumping baseline.

“I see.” Gabe placed the drinks on the table. “Has anyone showed you the foolproof formula to dancing?”

Billy seemed to perk up. “Formula?”

Gabe gave him an encouraging nod. “Sure. It’s like programming. You do the right steps and you’re bound to get a good result. Every single time. I’ll show you the classic side to side method. Master it and you can dance to any song.”

Billy glanced back at Griffith before nodding. The two boys walked over to the dance floor, leaving Lia behind. She sipped her drink and watched her date tapping the beat out for Billy before moving his feet side to side. A couple of seconds later, both boys were shuffling their feet in a similar fashion. Griffith and Holly joined the pair and soon they were all swaying side to side. Grinning, Gabe gave Lia a thumbs up.

She found herself mirroring his smile.

Holly came over and tugged on Lia’s arm. “You ready to join everyone?”

“Sure. Why not?”

The rest of the night passed in a whirlwind of singing, dancing, and eating. When the slow songs inevitably came on, Lia would make any excuse to get off the dance floor. She kept waiting for Gabe to comment on her reluctance to slow dance, but instead, he sat beside her, distracting her with jokes or funny commentary about their classmates and teachers.

All too soon, the DJ announced the last slow song of the evening.

“You ready to sit down?” Gabe asked, already heading toward their table.

Lia started to follow, but then she stopped. What was she doing? This was her last homecoming and she had spent at least half of it sitting down. And all for what? Kieren already told her he didn’t care for her. “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to dance.”

“Really?” Gabe’s eyes widened. “I mean, yeah. I’d love that.”

He held out his hand. This time, Lia took it. Warm and solid, he guided her to the edge of the dance floor. As he placed his other hand on her waist, his fingers brushed against the sliver of exposed skin, causing her to shiver.

Gabe’s grip immediately loosened. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she responded, slightly embarrassed. “It tickled.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners. “Well, then, I promise to be a little more careful.” This time, he reached a little lower, resting his hands on the waist of her skirt before drawing her closer. Tentatively, Lia wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

The smell of cologne filled her nostrils and Lia’s thoughts turned to another, smokier scent.

Pushing the memory away, she tried to enjoy the way she felt in Gabe’s arms.

18 LIA

As the song’s last poignant chord floated away, the ballroom’s lights brightened, sweeping away the final remnants of magic from the evening.

Gabe’s hands remained on Lia’s hips. “I’ve enjoyed myself tonight.”

Her cheeks grew warm under his earnest, steady gaze. “Me too,” she replied. And she found herself meaning it.

“Hey, you two.” Holly appeared next to them with one arm wrapped around Billy and the other around Griffith. “We’re heading back to the diner for a post-homecoming party. You joining us?”

Gabe’s hands left her hips, but one hand slid down to hold hers. Lia waited to feel something from the intimate act, but surprisingly, she felt nothing. “Sorry, I need to head home, but I can drop Lia back.”

“Are you sure?” Griffith eyed their joined hands. “It’s not a big deal if she just rides with us.”

Holly gave him a not-so-subtle tug. “I’m sure Lia’s handsome gentleman is more than capable of driving her home.”

“You sure, Lia?” Griff asked.

Did she want to spend more time with Gabe? Yes. No. Her emotions flip-flopped from moment to moment.

“You guys can head back without me,” she finally murmured. “I’ll ride back with Gabe.”

“Well, you heard the girl.” Holly pulled both boys toward the door. “Take your time getting back, Lia. And don’t do anything I wouldn’t.” She stopped mid-step, a mischievous gleam twinkling in her eye. “Actually, please do.”

Lia groaned. Next to her, Gabe laughed. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

She grinned. “Yeah. Well, it’s a best friend’s duty, I think.”

“Hold on for a moment.” Gabe ran back to the table to grab his jacket and then slipped his hand back around hers. “Ready to go?”

“Sure,” she replied, deciding not to pull her hand away.

After leaving the dance, they soon located his yellow Volkswagen Bug in the parking lot. By now, the night had grown noticeably chillier and Lia shivered getting into the passenger seat.

“Here.” Gabe slid into the driver’s seat and offered her his jacket. “It’ll take a moment for the heat to get cranking.”

“Thanks.” She shot him a grateful look and placed his jacket around her shoulders.

After he started the engine, the inside slowly warmed up.

Lia poked the three plastic flowers on the dashboard. Their smiling yellow faces bobbed in unison. “I like your car.”

“My mom got it right after college. If you can’t tell, she kinda has a thing for the color yellow and daisies.”

“I get it. They’re cute.”

“You should see them during the day. They’re solar powered, so the flowers really boogie.” His laughter filled the car. “Yeah, this vehicle’s such a chick magnet.”

“Really?”

“It is.” He smirked. “For other moms.”

After they both laughed together, they passed the remainder of their trip in comfortable silence. A couple of turns later, Gabe pulled into the parking lot and parked two spots away from Gabby’s car.

Lia could already see her friends inside, chatting at the counter. Other seniors, still in their gowns and suits, filled most of the other tables.

Gabe unbuckled his seat belt. “Wow. The place is packed.”

“We usually close at ten, but Gabby’s probably keeping it open later because of the dance.” She unbuckled her seat belt too and fiddled with the material of her sparkly skirt.

“Do you work in the diner every night?”

“If I’ve finished my homework, then yeah. I don’t mind though. It’s like my second home. My dad worked long hours at the university, so I grew up helping Mom and Gabby here. We even spent a couple Thanksgivings in the diner too.”

“Sounds nice. Like having one big extended family.”

“Yeah.” Lia smiled, remembering the dinners they’d shared with the customers. “Thanksgivings were fun, but Halloweens were the best. It was always my mom’s favorite holiday. She used to say that it was the one night of the year for magic and fun. I believed it when I was younger, but after the accident, everything kind of changed.”

Early Halloween morning four years ago, her mother had left to go shopping. It was raining hard, and she’d insisted that a bit more Halloween decor would help lighten the kids’ moods.

“A dozen or so jack-o’-lanterns should cheer anyone up,” her mom had claimed right before leaving.

That was the last time Lia saw her mother alive. A truck in an on-coming lane had lost control on the wet roads and crashed into her mother’s vehicle. Mourning his wife, Lia’s father had completely drowned himself in work after that. He’d finally begun investing in a relationship with Lia again about a year ago, but then he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Hey, are you okay?” Gabe placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed.

She blinked at the flood of memories, trying to hold back the tears. “I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin our night. I had a really great time with you.”

“Don’t worry about it. I enjoyed going to the dance with you too.” A sweet, hopeful smile curved the corners of his mouth and Lia felt a twinge of guilt creeping in. She tried ignoring it, reminding herself that she liked hanging out with Gabe. He was easy to talk to and made her laugh. He also made it very clear that he was interested in her.

Lia kept wishing she felt something more for him, but for some reason, her heart still wasn’t over Kieren.

“It’s getting late. I should probably head in.” She let go of his hands and slid toward the door but found herself stuck. She’d caught her skirt on something.

“Here, let me help.” Gabe reached out and pulled the material off the parking brake. “There,” he said.

“Thanks.” She reached to open the door.

“Wait.” Gabe’s hand grazed the exposed sliver of skin at her midriff.

Startled, she glanced back.

His face reddened and he quickly dropped his hand. “Look, I’m just going to spit this out. I like you. A lot. And I was wondering if maybe we could hang out. But this time, just the two of us?”

Lia sat there, stunned. “You mean like a date?”

“Yes. That is if you want to—-” His eyes widened in surprise as he pointed to the passenger window. “Um, do you know that guy?”

Lia turned.

Staring through the window was the angry face of the boy who’d broken her heart.

19 KIEREN

Kieren sat at the counter, drinking a chocolate milkshake and feeling rather exposed. Dressed in a short-sleeved shirt made of the most comfortable material he had ever worn and a pair of thick blue trousers, he kept reaching for a phantom sword that no longer rested at his hip. Gabby had insisted that he change clothes and leave the harness and weapons upstairs, citing that his appearance would scare the customers. Kieren hated putting his fighting gear away. But when in a Dark World…

“So, what’s your relationship to Griffith and Lia again?” Holly asked. Kieren noticed the way she regarded him with amusement. One of Lia’s best friends, Holly barely made it to his shoulder. But what she lacked in height, she made up for with personality. The girl was quite possibly the nosiest person Kieren had ever met.

“We go way back,” Griffith jumped in. “Kieren and I grew up in the same town in England. We were as close as brothers.”

“That’s right,” he went along with Griff’s story. “It’s a small town, nothing like this one.”

Holly’s eyes narrowed. “And you flew to America just to visit Griffith?”

Thankfully, Gabby had already filled Kieren in with enough details to create a credible story. “When Griff told me about all the fun he was having here, what with the dance and Halloween, I just had to come and see the great land of New Jersey for myself.”

“Great land of New Jersey?” Holly wrinkled her nose. “Who says stuff like that?”

“Don’t they celebrate Halloween in England?” Billy asked.

Kieren and Griffith shared a look.

“Yes.” Griff nervously tapped the tabletop. “But it’s just so much more extreme here. You know what they say. Everything is bigger in America.”

“Yeah. Halloween’s cool, but you still haven’t explained how you just happen to know Lia too.” Holly watched Kieren with interest as she sipped her coffee. “Because she’s never told me about you.”

“They’re pen pals,” Griff answered. “Lia and Kieren met online and started writing emails to each other. It was just a coincidence that Kieren and I already knew each other.”

Kieren nodded. He had no idea what meeting on a line meant, but he wasn’t about to change the story now.

“Pen pals?” Holly laughed. “That’s so third grade.”

“That’s probably why Lia didn’t tell you. She was probably embarrassed by it all,” Griffith said agreeably.

“So Griffith is Gabby’s nephew. And he was friends with Kieren in England. And Lia is Kieren’s pen pal?” Billy frowned. “The chances of all three of you knowing each other like this are incredibly rare.”

“Rare but not impossible, right?” Griffith patted the other boy’s arm.

Kieren fought back a grin at seeing his friend panicking.

“Did you and Lia meet through some sort of Pen Pal app?” Billy continued, clearly not letting the issue go. “Or was it through Facebook or Instagram? And how did you use the internet when Griffith never had access to it? Didn’t he see you using technology?”

App? Facebook? Internet? What was Billy talking about?

Holly rolled her eyes. “No one uses Facebook anymore.” She glanced at the door. “By the way, has anyone noticed that Lia’s not here yet? I bet she’s still hanging out with Gabe. Didn’t they look so good together on the dance floor? I mean, man. Talk about the sparks flying.”

Uneasiness crept into the pit of Kieren’s stomach. “Gabe?”

“Yeah. He was Lia’s date for tonight.” Holly turned to Griffith. “What do you two think? Will they start dating after this? I think they should because they seriously make the best couple ever.”

A growl escaped Kieren’s throat. The way she was talking about it, things already seemed rather serious between Lia and Gabe.

“Come on, Holly.” Griffith gave Kieren a sharp look, warning him to stay calm. “They went to one dance. You can’t expect that level of commitment right away. We’re just teenagers.”

Kieren crossed his arms over his chest, resisting the urge to yell. “So tell me more about Lia’s date.”

That was apparently all Holly needed to start singing Gabe’s praises. “They’ve only just started seeing each other. Gabe’s a senior too. He’s captain of the cross-country team and vice president of the student council.” She began listing his features, ticking each one off on her fingers: “He’s tall, got great hair and nice chocolatey eyes. He’s cute. And, most importantly, he’s a really good guy.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “Apparently, he’s had a crush on Lia for a while but couldn’t get up the nerve to tell her. Isn’t unrequited love sweet?” She let out a dreamy sigh.

Sweet wasn’t the word that Kieren would use. How about annoying? Or infuriating? Kieren pushed aside his chocolate milkshake, no longer feeling hungry. “Gabe sounds almost too good to be true. Do you know if Lia feels the same way?”

“Maybe that will answer your question.” Holly motioned to the large glass window at the front of the restaurant. “See that yellow car?”

Kieren’s eyes narrowed on the small, brightly colored carriage outside.

“That’s Gabe’s,” she continued. “I bet he’s making his move and asking her on another date right now.”

Kieren looked closer and could see them inside, heads leaned close together, laughing.

Moons, Lia looked just as he remembered. Beautiful. And happy.

He was too late.

Around him, everyone resumed talking. But Kieren no longer cared to join in their conversation. His attention was now fully focused on the car outside.

When Lia and Gabe laughed again, he gripped his milkshake glass tightly, spilling some of the cold drink on his hands. Kieren told himself to stop looking, but like a moth drawn to a flame, he couldn’t pull his eyes away. Lia now turned away from Gabe and stared out the front window, sadness etched into her beautiful features. She reached for the door, seeming like she was about to leave, but Gabe pulled her back. Lia turned back, clearly startled.

Kieren immediately saw red. How dare Gabe touch her? One moment Kieren was at the counter, and the next, he found himself heading toward the front entrance.

Someone grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?” Griffith hissed.

Kieren ripped his arm away and charged outside where the biting autumn air did nothing to cool his swiftly mounting temper.

20 KIEREN

Lia’s date spotted him first and said something that Kieren couldn’t hear. When she turned, her bright blue eyes—contacts he now knew—held his. Her initial look of surprise quickly morphed into anger.

Kieren hesitated. What was he doing? This wasn’t how he’d imagined their reunion.

The car door burst open and Kieren drank in the details of her appearance: the slight rosy flush of her cheeks, the constellation of freckles over her nose, and the glossiness of her lips. After months of missing her smile, she was right there in front of him, close enough to touch.

And she was with someone else.

Her angry glare never left his face. Kieren briefly contemplated apologizing for barging in on her like this. He clearly wasn’t thinking before he acted. But then he changed his mind when Gabe climbed out of the car and stood beside her. Clearly cautious of the intruder, Lia’s date slipped an arm around her waist.

Icy fear slithered across Kieren’s skin when she made no move to shrug it off. Was he too late? Did she care for this boy?

“I’m sorry.” Gabe shot him a wary look. “But who exactly are you? We were having a private conversation in there. And it seems like your presence is upsetting my girl.”

His girl? Kieren curled his hands in fists, wanting to rip her from Gabe’s arms. But he held himself back, purposely avoiding Gabe’s eyes and allowing his gaze to linger on Lia instead.

She stiffened visibly.

“Did you enjoy your night, Lia?”

“I did.” She tugged at the large gray jacket draped around her shoulders. “What are you doing here?” A brief look of hurt crossed her face.

Kieren slowly exhaled, hating that he was the reason for her pain. “My sincere apologies for interrupting your conversation.” He bowed stiffly and kept his tone cool. “Good evening, my name is Kieren. And you are Gabe, I presume? Lia’s date?” The word left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Gabe turned to Lia. “Do you know this guy?”

“I do. This is Kieren. We’re just friends.”

Inwardly, Kieren recoiled at the hated term, cursing himself for even using it in the first place. “I’m visiting Lia and Griffith. Lia and I are pen pals. We are very intimate acquaintences.” He gave a small smirk, waiting for her to contradict him.

To his irritation, she didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, she turned to the other male, and her expression softened. “Gabe, I had a really lovely night. And, yes. I would like to go out with you again. Just the two of us.”

All signs of suspicion fell from Gabe’s face, replaced by an emotion that pierced Kieren’s heart like thorns.

Hope. The other man stared at Lia with so much hope that Kieren felt himself drowning with despair.

“That would be amazing.” Gabe shot Kieren an easy smile. “Nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around.” He leaned in and gave Lia a kiss on the cheek. A pretty blush crept over her skin.

No. Kieren’s skin burned and he felt his icy exterior begin to crack.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Gabe murmured before turning back to his car.

The blood roared in Kieren’s veins, screaming for him to do something. “Wait!” he called out.

Gabe turned back, still wearing the expression of a man who believed he’d already won.

“You forgot this.” Kieren pulled the jacket from Lia’s shoulders. “Take it. She won’t be needing it anymore.”

Gabe looked at Lia. Once again, Kieren saw that horrible, fragile emotion on the boy’s face. “Do you want to keep it? I can get it from you at school tomorrow. Or you could keep it until our date.”

No!

As if she could hear his thoughts, Lia silenced Kieren with an glare. “Thank you, Gabe. But you should take it. I’ll be fine.”

She tugged the clothing from Kieren’s hand and walked over to Gabe, giving Kieren ample time to study her essentially bare back. This is what she chose to wear to the dance? Kieren glanced at her smooth skin and fumed, fighting the urge to pull her close.

The moment the yellow car left the parking lot, Lia turned to Kieren, her eyes flashing as she prepared to unleash the full brunt of her anger. “What did you think you were doing causing a scene? Couldn’t you have waited until we were done?”

“You mean until you were done lying to him?”

“I wasn’t lying to him,” she snapped.

“You most certainly were,” he snapped back. “You let Gabe believe there was a possibility of something more when there is none.”

“Why do you even care?” Lia took a step closer. “Who gave you the right to butt into my life? There could be more between us. Gabe’s a great guy, and there’s no reason he and I can’t be in a relationship. After all of this is done, I’m going to come back. I’ll date nice, normal guys and be an ordinary girl.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” he roared. “You will never be an ordinary girl.”

She stared at him with pleading eyes and whispered, “Why not?”

Tired from fighting the longing to be near her, Kieren took a step closer. “Because you are extraordinary.”

Lia’s breath hitched. Forgetting himself, Kieren reached out and placed a hand against her cheek. He stood there, staring into her eyes and for a moment, it felt like they were caught on the edge of something more. But then gust of wind blew around them, sending the nearby fallen leaves into a frenzied dance around the parking lot. Lia jerked away, wrapping her arms around herself.

She was still close enough to touch, but the distance before them never felt so wide. Kieren let his hand fall back to his side. Whatever connection they just shared snapped apart.

“I can’t believe you said we were pen pals,” she grumbled, deliberately avoiding his gaze. “What are we? Seven? Nobody does that anymore.”

Thankful that she was no longer furious at him, Kieren followed her lead. “It was Griffith’s idea; he announced it to your friends, who were all watching you through the window.” He pointed to Holly, Billy, and Griffith at the counter. The three quickly looked away.

“So you’ve met Holly and Billy?”

“Yes. And I had a long chat with Gabby before that. We came to an agreement.”

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You did? About what?”

“I was going to take you and Griff back tonight, but your godmother convinced me that we should return tomorrow night.” His jaw clenched. “You do realize that’s why I’m here, don’t you? Not to destroy your dreams for romance, but to take you back to Solair. Sage has found a way to travel to Verdura. It’s time, Lia. We’re going to stop the World Eater.”

“And then what will we do?” She scowled. “Kill him? No. I won’t agree to that. I’m sticking to what I told you before. I know what the prophecy says, but something doesn’t add up. I can feel it in my gut. The World Eater isn’t a complete monster, and I refuse to hurt him if I don’t have to.”

Kieren wasn’t so sure that she’d feel the same way after hearing what the World Eater had done. Their opponent wasn’t nearly as innocent as Lia believed. But Kieren also wasn’t sure that his initial beliefs about their prophesied enemy were correct either. Reflecting on his own metamorphosis from man to monster, Kieren knew the world no longer existed in such black-and-white terms. No one was born evil. Something must have happened to transform the caged child found all those years ago into something else.

“You could be right,” he admitted. “But I stand by my decision to send you back here. You needed to be kept safe.”

They stood at an impasse for several moments longer before Kieren let out a sigh of frustration. “Please, I don't want to rehash the same argument over and over.”

“And I just want you to trust me.”

The pain in her voice nearly broke him. “I did. I do,” he insisted. How had things gone so wrong between them when he was just trying to do the right thing? “I’m sorry that I hurt you. I hope your feelings for me won’t prevent you from coming back. Solair and Verdura need you.” And Kieren needed her too, but he kept that final thought to himself.

Friends. They were just friends. He couldn’t offer her any more. Not when he was nothing more than a glorified monster.

Together, they silently entered the restaurant.

“Evening, Lia. Evening, handsome friend of Lia’s.” The blue-haired hostess gave him a wink.

“Good evening, Marge.” Kieren bowed. The older woman patted his shoulder before shooing them over to the counter.

“I can’t believe you’ve even won over Marge,” Lia grumbled.

Kieren gave her a small smile. “I can be quite charming when I want to be. By the way, you look absolutely stunning tonight.”

It was true. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on. Kieren tossed the compliment out there, hoping to make her smile. Instead, he was rewarded with another scowl.

“Oh. My. Goodness.” Holly came up to them. “I don’t know what just happened outside, but for a moment I thought we were going to have a real West Side Story–style rumble in the parking lot.” She eyed Kieren with curiosity. “What did you say to her? Because I’ve never seen my best friend look so hot and bothered.”

“Holly!” Lia looked at her friend in disbelief.

Holly laughed. “Seriously. I want to know. You three were giving me some legit love-triangle vibes.”

Love-triangle? Vibes?

“It can’t be a love-triangle if Kieren and I are just friends,” Lia huffed. “There’s nothing going on between us. Can we please not talk about this right now?”

“Oh no.” The other girl’s eyes sparkled. “You’ve heard about all my boy dramas for years. Now it’s time to hear about yours, starting from when you and tall, dark, and broody met online.”

Kieren raised his brows, fighting to keep the smile off his face.

“Sorry,” Holly said, sounding anything but. “I’m an avid reader of romance novels and currently have zero romantic outlets.“ She motioned to both of them. “And all this is just screaming out for a creative backstory. What Pen Pal app did you use anyway, Lia? Because if there are guys like Kieren on there, sign me up.” She popped the p sound.

“Um, Holly?” Billy interrupted.

“Yeah?” She kept her eyes on Lia and Kieren.

“We should probably go. It’s almost midnight; I need to head home.”

“Oh shoot. Is it that late already? Okay. I gotta go since Billy’s my ride back. Let’s put a pin in this and resume this conversation mañana. Don’t even think about backing out. Bye, Prince Broody!”

Kieren stared at the other girl’s departing form, equal parts entertained and baffled.

“She’s something else, isn’t she, my brooding prince?” Griffith stood beside him.

Kieren agreed. Holly was a spitfire alright, capable of interrogating him while simultaneously keeping Lia on her toes.

“I’m heading to bed.” Lia didn’t even wait for his response before walking away.

Kieren watched her go, hating the wall that sprung up between them.

“What were you thinking, going out there?” Griffith shook his head.

Kieren shrugged. “She looked upset. I just wanted to be there for her.”

“Really? It had nothing to do with the fact that she was holding hands with Gabe and wearing his jacket?”

Kieren purposefully avoided his friend’s pointed glances.

“Listen. I will always be your best friend, but now I’m Lia’s friend too. And as her friend, I have to say something on her behalf. You can’t just tell her that you only want to be friends and then act like a jealous boyfriend when other guys notice her. Because trust me, dudes are noticing her.”

Kieren’s jealousy spiked. “Dudes?”

“Dudes. Like in multiple guys. Don’t try changing the subject. This is about you. I was there when you said she was just a friend.”

“Why does any of this matter, anyway?” Kieren frowned. “It doesn’t seem that Lia cares very much about me anymore. She has Gabe now.”

“Wow. The finest Solairan education was apparently wasted on you. You’ve got everything wrong. There’s no doubt that Lia cares about you. She cried her eyes out for a whole month after we left Solair.”

“And that’s why she agreed to go to a ball with someone else? Because she cares about me?”

“No.” Griffith jabbed a finger in Kieren’s chest. Hard. “You don’t get to be angry at her. It’s not like you gave her an option. You can’t blame her for wanting to live her life. What exactly are your intentions with Lia, anyway?”

“I’m going to take her back to Solair. And then, I’ll do what I can to help her beat the World Eater.”

“So you don’t have any feelings toward her, besides loyalty and friendship?”

Of course Kieren cared for her more than that. But he refused to admit it out loud, even to his best friend. The truth of his feelings seemed ridiculous now. What could he offer her? Half-dragon, half-man, he was only barely in control of the beast that now permanently lurked within.

“You’ve gone all moody again,” Griffith remarked. “Fine. Since you won’t answer my first question, perhaps you can answer this one instead. What do you want from Lia?”

The answer was easy. Everything. Kieren wanted to be the person she shared her adventures with, the first person in the room that she looked for, and the one she trusted to help her with anything.

“Friendship.” The lie came easily from his lips. Kieren had lost the right to ask for anything more.

“So Lia hanging out with Gabe or me doesn’t bother you in the slightest?”

The hurt was obvious in his friend’s expression. Kieren’s mouth tightened. He couldn’t fix what happened between himself and Lia, but he could make things right with his best friend. “Griff, I’m sorry I accused you of trying to steal Lia away. I realize now just how wrong I was. And I’m sorry I never thought to ask you about things. You don’t have to hide anything from me. Ever. Billy is a nice guy. You two seem good together.”

Griffith’s startled face broke out into a small smile. “Next to you, he’s one of the best guys around.”

21 LIA

Lia shivered as she slid out of the beautiful sparkly top and tulle skirt and into her flannel pajamas. The heater in Gabby’s old apartment always took a moment to warm up her drafty bedroom. As she made her way toward the adjoining bathroom to brush her teeth, hushed voices and heavy footsteps outside her bedroom caught her attention. Griffith and Kieren were in the living room, probably preparing to retire for the night too. Unsettled that the boy who broke her heart was now just a wall away, she quickly brushed her teeth.

Seeing Kieren had torn open her barely healed heart and laid out her deepest secret. Lia was still in love with him. Even when she was annoyed at the way he interrupted her date, she couldn’t deny the happiness she felt seeing his face again.

The door to Griffith’s bedroom closed and someone inflated an airbed. Lia tiptoed over and placed an ear against their paper-thin shared wall, but the only sounds she could make out were low, muffled voices. Disappointed, she sank to the floor with a sigh. Now, away from the magic of the dance, reality set in. Tomorrow night her life was going to irrevocably change again. She’d return to Solair to face an enemy powerful enough to destroy worlds.

The question was, could she do it? Could she be the Light that everyone hoped she would be? Sure, she and Griffith had been practicing, but really, what use would a sword be against a creature capable of absorbing energy and kidnapping people in dreams? Lia still had yet to cast a proper spell. And, of course, there was the issue of Kieren. Could she handle only being his friend if it meant having him in her life?

The clock on her alarm flashed midnight. It was finally Halloween. She pulled out a small, worn book of fairy tales from her bedside table, ready to begin the same ritual she’d performed every year since her mother passed away. Inside the front cover rested a handwritten note, worn and wrinkled from being folded and taped countless times. Pulling it out, Lia read the message left to her all those years ago:

Merry Christmas, dear heart. You are the best gift your father and I could have hoped for. May this book of fairy tales give flight to your imagination and strengthen your heart with characters and worlds that, in some ways, are as real as you and me. Although one day you may grow too old to believe in such stories, hopefully, tales such as these will allow childhood gifts like wonder, bravery, kindness, and faith to take root and flourish in your heart.

Sweet girl, you are my hope and my beautiful Light. No matter where life takes you, whether to another state, another country or even another world, your father and I will always love you forever. To the moons and back.

Light? Moons? Another world? Funny how Lia had read the note countless times and never once noticed those words before. But now they leapt off the page, like giant blazing signs pointing to her mother’s knowledge of the prophecy and her ties to Solair and Verdura.

Why had her mother kept it all a secret? And if Gabby knew, had her father known about her mother’s past as well?

With both parents gone, Lia would never know. And with the knowledge of what was about to come tomorrow, she had never felt more alone. Wiping away the tears from her cheeks, she turned the page and began to read.

22 LIA

The next morning, Lia struggled to open her eyes. With a moan, she finally pried them open, determined to make the most of a difficult day. It was Halloween, and she’d do her best to honor her mother’s memory.

Right on cue, there was a gentle knock on her bedroom door.

“Come in.” Lia called out, already knowing who it was.

Gabby peered in. “Morning, mija,” she said a little too brightly. Walking in, she brought a tray laden with food over to the bed.

Lia moved over to make space for her godmother. When her mother was still alive, she always served Lia breakfast in bed for Halloween. After all these years, Gabby still remembered, carrying on the tradition when her mother couldn’t. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.”

“Of course I had to.” Gabby slid the tray onto Lia’s lap. “You’ve had jack-o’-lantern pancakes with orange juice every Halloween since you were a little girl. It’s important that we honor tradition… especially today.”

Lia knew what her godmother really wanted to say. Especially when it was the anniversary of her mother’s death. Especially when Lia was returning to Solair tonight. Especially when no one knew if she would even return.

Gabby took a sip of coffee and gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Lia moved the tray off her lap and wrapped her arms around her godmother’s curvy form. “Te quiero. Everything will be okay. I’m still the same Lia.”

“Te quiero, mija. I wish Farrah and Peter could be here to see how much you’ve grown. They would have been so proud of you.” Gabby’s voice hitched and she kept her chin on Lia’s head for a lengthy moment before letting go. “Okay. I know what I just said about pancakes and tradition, pero what if we did something crazy today? You skip school, and we close up the restaurant and hang out, just you and me. Spend some quality time together before you leave.”

For a second, Lia considered the offer. A couple of hours to escape? What would she want to do with this last day on earth?

The answer came easily: spend time with the people she loved.

“That’s a great idea,” Lia responded, “but I think we should do it as we’ve always done. I just need everything to be normal.” She would make one last happy memory before heading off.

“Alright then.” Gabby put down her coffee cup and cupped Lia’s hands in hers. “We’ll do it like we always do. Make this the best Halloween ever.” She handed Lia a fork, and they began eating.

A small moan escaped Lia’s mouth when the sweet syrup covered pancakes hit her tongue.

“How was your dance last night?” Gabby asked between bites. “I was in the back room, checking the pantry. When I came out, you’d already headed upstairs.”

“It was really fun.”

“Gabe was a gentleman, I assume?”

“Yeah.” Lia pushed a piece of pancake around her plate. “He’s even asked me out on a date.”

“Really? And what did you say?”

Lia chose her words carefully. “I told him I’d like to. Once I get back, of course.” She stuffed two large pieces of pancake into her mouth, hoping to calm her nerves.

Gabby stiffly wiped her mouth. “I also finally met your Kieren.”

“He’s not mine,” Lia quickly responded before schooling her face into a calmer expression. “I mean, Kieren just sees me as a friend. We’re just friends.”

Gabby raised both brows. “So I keep hearing. Good. Because the boy has too many tattoos. The bands on his arm are beautiful, but he’s so young and there are so many.”

Lia swallowed uncomfortably. “Well, the bands mean something. Both Kieren and Griffith used to be dragon hunters. Each band represents a dragon Kieren’s personally killed.”

All color drained from her godmother’s face. “Dios, what sort of world asks its children to kill monsters?” She took Lia’s hand in hers, her eyes appearing a bit too bright in the morning light. “It’s really happening, isn’t it? You’re really leaving.”

Not knowing what she could possibly say to make it sound any better, Lia mutely nodded.

“And you can stop this monster?”

Lia bit her lip and nodded again. She would certainly try.

Gabby gave her hand a tight squeeze. “Then I’m glad Kieren’s working with you. Mija, you’re strong and fast. I’ve seen you training with Griffith. But I feel better knowing that someone who’s killed that many monsters has your back.”

“Wow.” Lia let out a quiet chuckle. “What happened to all that talk about getting out your bat and giving him a hard time?”

“Don’t worry about us. We reached an understanding.”

“Which was?”

“Oh, that’s between him and me. I do like him, though. He’s good people.” Her godmother glanced at Lia’s alarm clock. “You better get ready soon. The boys already left with Billy. I called Exeter this morning. They’re allowing Kieren to follow Griffith around today.”

Lia’s stomach tied up in knots. Kieren… at her school? She wasn’t sure she was ready to see her two worlds collide.

23 KIEREN

Kieren leaned back against the stone wall, watching Griffith and Billy chatting animatedly inside the truck. He assumed they were continuing their lengthy debate about the pros and cons of a particular photo editing app. Although he was still uncertain what an app was, Kieren left the car anyway, doubtful he could handle any more information. Billy’s earlier lecture about the internet had already given him enough to think about.

Truthfully, besides cars and motorcycles, Kieren had little interest in learning about this world’s technology. He wasn’t sure what Griffith found so interesting about it all, but he was glad to see his best friend happy. When the pair laughed again, Kieren turned away to give the couple some privacy.

Glancing around the high school, he wished Lia was here with him now, even if all she did was argue and glare at him with those beautiful eyes. Feeling the glances of other students on him, he avoided their curious gazes and tugged at the sleeves of the T-shirt he’d borrowed from Griffith. A little too small, its soft material snuggly hugged his arms.

“Sorry about that.” Griffith ran up the stairs, a smile etched on his face. “When Billy starts talking tech, it’s hard to stop from joining in.”

“Not a problem. I took the opportunity to stretch my legs.” Kieren peered over at the departing truck. “Doesn’t Billy attend school too?”

“He’s going to find parking. Since most seniors have cars, spots are scarce.” Griffith tightened his jacket around himself, eying Kieren’s exposed arms. “Are you sure you're not cold?”

While most people around them were bundled in sweaters and light jackets, Kieren felt no need to dress warmly. The crisp, biting temperatures no longer bothered him. “I’m fine. One of the perks of being a monster, I suppose.”

Griffith waved at a group of passing students. They returned his enthusiastic greeting while shooting Kieren more inquiring looks.

“I see you’ve made a lot of friends here,” Kieren observed.

“Yeah. People are always friendly to the fresh meat.” Griffith waved to another student.

“Fresh meat?”

“Oh. Sorry. It means that I’m new. And now that you’re here, you’ve become the fresh meat. Oh, hey, Caroline and Danielle!” Griffith greeted a pair of approaching females.

The taller girl had long blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Oddly, she looked like she was wearing clothing modeled on the skin of a bear. The shorter, curvier female had an olive complexion and black hair, which was plaited into two thick braids. Dressed in a short black dress, her kohl-rimmed eyes studied Kieren with notable interest.

“Hey, Griffith.” The girl with the dark hair spoke first.

“Hi, Danielle. Are you dressed as Wednesday from The Addams Family?”

“You guessed it.” Her eyes swept over Kieren’s arms. “Want to introduce us to your new friend?”

“This is Kieren. He’s from my hometown and is shadowing me for the day.”

“Hey.” She ran a finger up his forearm, pausing at each of the twenty-one inked rings. “Nice tats.”

“Thank you.” Kieren jerked his arm away, annoyed by the intrusion of space.

“I’m Caroline.” The blonde giggled good-naturedly as she pulled a hood that looked like a bear face over her head. “I figured today was the perfect day to wear my onesie.”

Kieren guessed her odd attire must have something to do with Halloween. “Pleasure to meet you both.” After giving them a brief smile, he turned his attention back to the crowd of entering students, many of whom were wearing bright and garish outfits.

“Wow.” Caroline giggled. “I just love your accent.”

“Thank you.” The bear girl kept staring at him, so Kieren added, “I like yours too.”

The two girls exchanged looks.

“So, are you going to go to the party tonight?” Danielle asked, twirling a braid around her finger.

“Probably not,” Griffith answered. “I’m going to help out at the diner, I think. I heard it gets pretty crazy there at Halloween.”

“That’s a shame.” Danielle frowned. “You should totally come when you’re done helping. And bring Kieren too.”

Attend a Dark Worlder party where he’d have to make awkward small talk? Kieren groaned inwardly at the thought.

“It should be a great party.” Danielle thrust her cleavage in Kieren’s direction. He averted his gaze.

“Zara’s parents are out of town at the moment.” She rested her hand on Kieren’s upper arm. “You don’t even need to wear a costume, but you can if you want to. There will be loads of good music and great company.”

He gently slid her hand off his arm. “Thank you for the invitation. But I’ll probably follow Griffith’s lead and work at the diner too.”

“That’s too bad.” Caroline pouted.

Danielle tugged on Caroline’s sleeve. “Come on, we better go. See you two later.”

“They’re nice girls.” Griffith watched them leave. “Super friendly.”

Kieren arched an eyebrow. “Yes. I’m sure they are.” He continued studying the smaller groups of students hurrying into school.

“She probably took the other entrance in.”

Kieren dragged his eyes from the crowd. “Who?”

“Lia. She has study hall first period. So you won’t see her here.”

“I wasn’t looking for her.” To emphasize his point, Kieren turned back to the crowd but found he was no longer as invested in people watching.

“Sure you weren’t. And that’s why you’re sulking now.”

Kieren crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not sulking. I’m admiring their costumes.” A tall boy wearing a fuzzy orange-and-black striped outfit walked by, carrying a large cat head in his arms. Several girls followed him, dressed in very short matching outfits. Their skirts swayed in unison as they passed.

Griffith waved to the tiger-boy, who waved back. “That’s Matt. He’s the school mascot and an absolute riot. Everybody’s excited for assembly today. The homecoming game’s this weekend.”

Once again, the obvious excitement in his friend’s voice took Kieren by surprise. “You’ve really adjusted to life here, haven’t you?”

Griff stared at him as if the answer was obvious. “Of course I have. The kids are my age, and they’ve never had to think of anything beyond school, families, and friends. You and me, we’ve lived in the war’s shadow our entire lives. I mean, did you ever find it weird that they recruited us to hunt monsters when we were still kids? Here, teenagers just get to be teenagers. Solair will always be my home, but life is good here.”

Kieren eyed his friend’s wistful expression and felt oddly uneasy. All this time he assumed that Griffith would return to Solair. But what if that wasn’t the case? “Do you want to go back?”

“Part of me does.” Griffith hesitated. “I miss you and Soren and my dad. Maybe even Asher too, but don’t tell the big lug I said that. But I’d be lying if I denied that a large part of me wants to stay. There’s a future here that doesn’t involve violence and death. And I’m just starting to make a life here. I—” He paused as something in the distance caught his attention.

Kieren studied Billy’s approaching figure and knew exactly what his friend was feeling.

“Don’t worry,” Griff added. “I know where my responsibilities lie. This world is like a wonderful dream. I’m just trying to enjoy it all before I wake up.”

Griff’s somber reflection struck a chord with Kieren. After all the horrors they’d faced together, his friend deserved some happiness.

“What are you doing outside?” Billy seemed surprised.

A radiant smile transformed Griffith’s face. “Waiting for you, of course.”

Billy smiled shyly in return. “Thanks.” Adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat. “So, Kieren, are you ready for your first day in an American high school?”

“The cliques. The mean girls.” Griffith placed a hand dramatically over his heart. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world.”

Kieren thought back to the monsters they’d hunted in Solair. “I’ve dealt with worse,” he said with assurance. Because really, how bad could high school be?

24 LIA

Why would the World Eater ask her to stop him? It didn’t make sense. And why hadn’t Minerva told them the child they captured was actually the World Eater? Unless she hadn’t known in the first place. And who was the man with the white hair? Lia rolled her pen between her fingers, wishing she had asked Kieren her questions last night.

Except that they weren’t exactly on the best of terms right now, what with him barging in on her date with Gabe.

“Lia? Lia?”

What? She snapped out of her thoughts and returned her attention back to Señora Delgado.

“Lia? ¿Cuál es la respuesta correcta?”

Shoot. Lia scanned through her textbook, scrambling to find the answer. What were they talking about again? The location of Mateo’s flower?

The rest of the class sniggered in amusement.

Maybe they’d already moved on to the next reading. Lia stumbled to find the right words. “Um, lo siento, Señora. No sé. Repite, por favor.”

Señora Delgado sighed. It looked like she was about to say something more, but luckily the bell rang, saving Lia from further embarrassment.

What was the matter with her today? She hurriedly packed up her things and joined the exiting crowd of students. Spanish was her worst subject, so Lia always made sure to pay careful attention in class. But ever since breakfast, her mind had refused to concentrate on anything. Like light through a prism, her thoughts kept scattering. Even Holly, who was usually happy to do most of the talking on their way to school, had noticed she’d lost Lia’s attention several times.

“Hey!” A familiar voice greeted her from behind her open locker door.

Lia turned around. “Hi, Gabe.”

“Happy Halloween!” he greeted. “Care to guess who I am?”

She studied his odd choice of outfit—a Superman T-shirt underneath a button-down shirt. “Clark Kent changing into Superman?”

“You got it!” Gabe scrunched up his face and eyed her up and down. “Yours is a little harder to guess. Is it a pretty high school student?”

A blush warmed Lia’s cheeks. “These are just my normal clothes,” she mumbled. “I’m saving my costume for the diner.”

“Right. The annual Halloween Pancake Dinner. Can’t wait to see what you’ll be.” Before Lia could say anything, he fell into step beside her as she headed toward the lunchroom.

“Are you getting tutored again today?” she asked.

“Yup.” Gabe made a face. “I want to get my paper finished by Friday, so Sarah and I are working hard to get it polished.”

“Isn’t it due next week?”

“Yeah. But I need time to knock this one out of the park. Gotta keep up my GPA for college. Plus, I wanted to keep my weekend free.” He cleared his throat. “That’s actually what I came to talk to you about. I’ve been thinking a lot about last night.”

“Really?” Lia swallowed nervously.

They stopped in front of the library. “I really liked spending time with you.” He gave her a wide smile. “And that’s why I thought, why let the fun times stop there? I know this is totally last minute, but I was wondering if you were free to hang out this Saturday? Maybe we could go to the homecoming game together. Or if that’s not your thing, we could catch a movie. There are some good action movies out, but I’m also down for horror or even”—he lowered his voice—“romantic comedies. You know, in case you’re interested in those. I’m not too manly to cry in public.”

Feeling torn, Lia stared at his eager expression unsure how to respond. She wanted to say yes, but the truth was, she wasn’t going to be here this weekend and probably wouldn’t be back from Solair for at least a few weeks.

If she made it back.

“Hey! Earth to Lia.” Gabe waved a hand in front of her face. “You okay?”

She shook her head and laughed nervously. “Oh yeah, sorry about that.”

“No worries. Are you alright? You looked kinda sad.”

Lia let out a small sigh. Kieren was right. She couldn’t keep leading him on. She needed to come clean and tell him the truth. “Listen, Gabe. You’re a really nice guy.”

“Uh-oh.” The smile fell from his face. “You said ‘nice.’ That’s like the kiss of death for any relationship. This is where the ‘but’ comes in.”

Lia fiddled with the strap of her bag. “It’s just that I’m going away with Griffith and Kieren tomorrow.”

“Oh.” He seemed genuinely surprised. “Is Kieren the angry guy that came out to my car last night?”

And who apparently watched their interactions like some creepy stalker. “Yeah, that’s him. I’m going with both of them to visit their hometown.”

“Like an exchange trip to England?”

“Sure. You could think of it like that.”

To Lia’s surprise, Gabe didn’t seem too upset. “Ok. I can work with that. When will you come back?”

“Not sure. A couple of months.” She hoped.

“That’s cool. Let’s take a rain check for when you’re back.”

“Really? You’ll wait for me?” Lia stared at him in disbelief. “I don’t want to string you along.”

A small smile crossed his face. “I don’t mind. Some girls are worth waiting for.”

Oh.

He looked at her shyly. “So, can I see you when you return?”

“Sure. It’s a date.” Lia tried to smile, but for some reason, her heart grew heavier with each word.

25 KIEREN

Kieren had thought he could handle anything. After all, he’d hunted and killed the great, ancient beasts of Verdura. He’d worked with a once mage and traveled through hidden portals between worlds. He’d played a role in exposing and dethroning Solair’s treacherous king. And he’d even learned to control his inner dragon.

But after three periods of algebra, earth science, and a foreign language called French, Kieren had reached his limit. Since when had mathematics required so many letters? And why would anyone care about the exact makeup and structure of rocks? Fortunately, lunch was next and eating was something Kieren could easily manage.

But once again, the Dark World proved him wrong.

The cafeteria was more than ten times the size of the dining hall back home. Just seeing the number of students crammed inside was overwhelming. Luckily, he and Griffith joined Billy and Holly at a table on the edge of the room.

As he pulled out the brown bag lunch that Gabby packed earlier that morning, Kieren spied Danielle, Caroline, and two other girls across the room. Keen to avoid more of Danielle’s unwanted attention, he averted his eyes, hoping they didn’t see him.

Too late. The girls made a beeline for their table.

“Hi, Kieren.” Danielle placed a hand on the back of his seat. “Saw you in earth science. How’s your morning gone so far? You enjoying public school?”

He leaned forward, eager to get away from her roving hand. “I think it’s wonderful. Very different from where Griffith and I grew up.”

Obviously not taking the hint, Danielle moved her hand again so that it brushed against the back of his shirt.

Nearby, Griffith choked on his drink. Kieren glared at his friend, who then shrugged his shoulders a little too innocently.

A short, curvy redhead with rabbit ears stepped closer to the table. “Hey, my name’s Stephanie. Griff said he was homeschooled. Were you homeschooled too?”

Distracted by the amount of metal in her mouth, Kieren had to look away as he answered her question. “Yes. I’ve never attended public school either. You could describe our experiences more as an apprenticeship model. We learned everything we needed to know by doing.”

“Wow.” Giggling, Caroline, the one in the bear skin, brushed a long blonde strand behind her ear. “That’s so cool. I wish we had something like that here.”

“And you have to leave tomorrow?” Stephanie appeared to be trying to pout, but the metal in her mouth pulled her lips in odd directions.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Kieren responded, trying not to stare. “I have to return home to attend to some business.”

“That’s a shame.” Another girl with long black hair wearing a pair of giant butterfly wings sighed. “I’m Zoey, by the way. I saw you in French class. You were great for your first time speaking the language. You’re a natural.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Somehow Danielle’s hand had now reached the back of his shoulder.

Sitting beside Griffith, Holly dramatically rolled her eyes. Biting back a chuckle, Kieren tilted his head slightly and met her pained expression head on.

She looked away. “Hey look, there’s Lia.”

Gabe and Lia stood outside the cafeteria, clearly in the middle of a conversation. Jealousy snaked its way around Kieren’s heart. It was obvious from Gabe’s expression that he was smitten. But Kieren wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Lia nodded along to whatever he was saying, but the expression in her eyes didn’t match her smile. It looked like she was upset about something.

A heavy cloud of perfume filled the air, and Kieren turned to see Zoey and Danielle on either side of him, effectively boxing him in. Danielle rubbed his back, and he pushed her hand away, growing more irritated.

Zoey adjusted her fabric wings. “Since you’re only here for one more night, you have to come to the Halloween party tonight! You have to live a little. Plus, everyone will be there. Right, Caroline?”

The blonde girl giggled. “Yeah.”

Moons. Did she do anything besides giggle?

Danielle gave Zoey a heated look. “I’m sure Kieren’s done plenty of living. I mean, have you seen these tattoos?” She traced her finger across the bars. “What do the rings even mean?”

“They don’t mean anything.” He shifted his body and pulled his arm away. “I just liked the design.”

“That’s so cool,” Danielle purred. “I’ve always wanted to get tattoos, but my mom is super against them. So we’ll be seeing you tonight?”

Kieren shot Griffith a look, silently pleading for help. But his friend shook his head with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Next to him, Holly smirked.

Great. At least someone was enjoying Kieren’s discomfort.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think so.” He pulled his chair farther away from the table and the girls. “Like I said this morning, I plan to spend the night at the diner with Griffith and Lia.”

“Come out with us. I’m sure Lia wouldn’t mind.” Much to his annoyance, Danielle stood and took a seat in his lap.

A small growl escaped his lips. Kieren always treated women with respect. But this girl’s brazenness was pushing him too far. What did she think she was doing? He placed his hands around her shoulders, about to slide her off when a voice behind him asked, “What wouldn’t I mind?”

Lia looked down at him, hurt etched in her face.

Kieren panicked, suddenly realizing what this looked like.

“Oh, Lia!” Danielle pulled his hands around her body and nuzzled her face against Kieren’s chest. “We were just telling your English friend here that he should come out tonight. But Kieren keeps insisting that he has to help you at the diner. Can’t you let him go out? Just for a bit? You don’t want to keep him cooped up and surrounded by kids all night, do you?”

Lia ran her eyes over where his hands rested on Danielle. Right above her chest. Her mouth formed a thin, tight line.

No! Kieren wanted to shout. This wasn’t what it looked like.

“Oh my gosh, are you guys together?” Danielle asked in a grating, high-pitched tone.

“No. We’re not.” Lia’s eyes were hard. “Kieren can go to the party. He’s free to do whatever he wants. With whomever he wants. We’re just friends.”

The words struck him like a slap in the face.

With a scowl, Holly stood. “It’s getting a little too crowded at the table. Come on, Lia. Why don’t we go someplace else?”

“Don’t go,” Zoey said. Out of her lips blossomed a perfect pink sphere. She bit the pink ball, and it deflated. “We could just pull up a couple more chairs.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lia eyed the exit. “I actually came in to tell you that I’m skipping lunch today and heading to the library. Got to do some Spanish studying.”

“You sure?” Holly looked worried.

“Yeah. I’ll catch you all later.”

“So now you can come!” Danielle squealed even before Lia left the cafeteria. Instantly, she began typing on her cell phone.

This had gone far enough. Lia had misread the situation and he was now left with these silly girls. Angry, Kieren lifted Danielle off his lap and placed her on the seat next to his.

“But I was just about to take a selfie with you.” She pouted. “We look so good together.”

“I’m not interested,” Kieren growled. “Please pardon me, ladies. I won’t be joining you for lunch or tonight’s party. I came here to visit Lia and I plan to spend as much time with her as I can.”

“What?” The four girls simultaneously protested.

“Please excuse me.” He left the table and hurried away, hoping he could still catch her.

26 LIA

Lia stormed through the hall. She didn’t know where she was heading, but she was sure of one thing—she needed to get as far away from Kieren and that group of girls throwing themselves at him as quickly as possible. Squeezing her hands into fists, she marched past the library, the gym, and finally, out of the building. Unfortunately, the cool temperature and bright afternoon sunlight did nothing to soothe the anger that blazed inside.

Forget Kieren. He was no longer hers. And forget Danielle and her smug smile. Forget all the other girls. They could have him for all Lia cared. None of it mattered anyway. Today was the anniversary of her mother’s death, and tonight she’d leave behind everyone and everything she knew, to fight a monster she didn’t know how to beat. She should be focusing on that. But instead, her foolish heart still wanted to be with someone who cared so little for her.

Stupid Kieren.

Stupid girls.

Stupid prophecy.

Stupid, stupid heart.

Her upper lip trembled and the tears threatened, but she refused to allow them to fall. She was tired of getting upset over things that could never be.

Lia bolted past the football field. Strong from all those cross-country practices, her legs kept going until she reached a nearby playground. Stepping inside the gated area, she kicked the ground, spraying a handful of mulch into the air. Still reeling, she sat on a swing and pumped her legs, determined to work the anger out. Higher and higher she rose until the wind rushed against her heated skin and it felt like her feet would brush up against fall’s barren tree branches.

Nothing was going right.

Her parents were gone.

Kieren had never been hers.

Then why did her heart still belong to him?

With a loud cry, she dragged the swing to an abrupt stop. Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, Lia placed her head between her knees as big, ugly sobs erupted from her body. Sadness and anger poured out, washing over her and leaving her unsteady in their wake. What was she doing still mourning Kieren? She needed to get over him because loving him was tearing her apart.

“Lia. I’m sorry.”

She froze. Lia didn’t need to turn around because she would know that voice anywhere. It was Kieren. And he’d caught her in the middle of crying. “Go away.” Wiping her face, she tried to salvage some small portion of her dignity. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

Paying her no attention, he folded his long, lean figure awkwardly into the swing next to hers. She tried to ignore the way the T-shirt strained against his corded body.

“Shouldn’t you be with your harem?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t exactly call them a harem.” There was a hint of laughter in his tone, which just served to further annoy her. “And besides, they’ve probably disbanded. I told them I wasn’t going to attend their party.”

A small part of her felt better after hearing that while another, larger part felt annoyed at the first part for even caring. “Why not? There will be music, dancing, and probably underage drinking. All sorts of Dark World fun.” Her words dripped with sarcasm.

“It’s not really my scene.” A corner of his mouth lifted and his silver eyes held hers, refusing to look away. “Griffith’s taught me a few sayings here and there. I’m picking up the colloquial slang, you might say.”

A flutter of longing struck and Lia tore her eyes from his, determined not to lose herself in his gaze again. Neither one said anything for a while after that and the space between them filled with the weight of broken promises and unspoken words. Being this close to him, she felt like she was drowning in a perpetual sea of maybes and what-ifs.

Kieren cleared his throat and without meaning to, she glanced at his lips, triggering unwanted memories of what it felt like to kiss them.

Oh, traitorous heart. Hadn’t it already learned its lesson?

“Do you want to talk?” Kieren’s voice was quiet.

“No.” Leaning against the swing’s chain, Lia tried her hardest to ignore him. But it was futile when every single fiber of her being lit up in his presence. He was like the sun and she was a flower, basking in his attention.

“What are you thinking about now?” his words interrupted her thoughts.

She mentally counted to three and then gave herself permission to look in his direction again. “Nothing.”

Bad decision. Once again, his silver eyes held hers captive. “Is that so?”

Lia wanted to scream. Was this how it would always be? Would she forever be affected while everything seemed so easy for him? She rubbed her temples and exhaled slowly. “Why are you here, Kieren?”

“I came to bring you back to Solair.”

“No. Why are you here? In this park? With me?”

A genuine look of surprise crossed his face. “Things between you and Gabe looked tense. And then you left the lunchroom so quickly; it was obvious you were upset.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I came to see if you wanted to talk about whatever was bothering you. We used to be able to talk about things.”

Right. He was here because he wanted to be a good friend. Lia crossed her arms, trying to keep her frustration bottled up inside. “Well, not that it’s any of your business, but Gabe asked me out on a date for this weekend.”

Kieren’s expression instantly turned cold and distant. “And you agreed?”

The change in his demeanor was so sudden, Lia was getting a serious case of whiplash. “You know I couldn’t. I have no idea when we’ll be back, but I’m sure it’ll take more than a few days to take care of everything.”

“I see.” His answer was clipped. “And how did Gabe take the news?”

“He said that he understood. That he’d wait for me to come back.”

His expression darkened. “And what about you? Will you wait for him?”

The question poked at all her painful, broken pieces and she found herself weary. Weary of arguing. And weary of her heart.

Lia sat a little taller, calling on all her strength to end this conversation cordially. She would be civil, especially if they were going to be spending time together. “Thank you for checking up on me. But can we please not talk about this right now? I don’t want to argue with you anymore.”

To her astonishment, he reached out and gently took her hand in his. A small jolt of electricity ran across her skin.

“I’m sorry.” Kieren gave her a smile and she saw the mixture of pain and guilt in his eyes. “I wasn’t trying to start a fight. Can we just go back to the way things were?”

Unsure how to respond, she merely stared at their intertwined hands. It felt so good to be near him again.

Suddenly, her pocket buzzed. Startled, Lia pulled her hand away.

Holly: Lunch is almost over. Where are you?

Holly: Did you know the brooding prince left seconds after you?

Holly: Why aren’t you answering?

Holly: Is Prince Broody with you?

Holly: OMG! He’s totally with you!

Holly: ?

Holly: Sorry. I temporarily lost consciousness. My imagination ran wild and burned a hot, sexy hole in my brain. You’d better tell me everything. Seriously.

Holly: Warning bell just rang. I don’t care what you and Prince Broody are doing.

Holly: Forget what I just said. I do care. But you’d better get your skinny butt back soon. You’ll be late for class.

A smile tugged at the corners of Lia’s mouth.

“Is everything alright?” Kieren peered over her shoulder.

With their faces now just inches apart, Lia could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. It was intoxicating. She forced herself to pull away. “It’s Holly; she’s wondering where I am. We’d better get back.”

He gave her an odd look, but followed her lead. “Look, I’m sorry about last night too. I shouldn’t have spoken to you and Gabe like that. I clearly overstepped my bounds.”

“It’s fine,” she lied.

“Are things between us mended, then? Because I don’t know what I would do without you…” he stumbled. “Your friendship, I mean.”

The label still pierced her heart, but like a dutiful soldier, Lia kept the smile plastered to her face. It was time to finally move on. “Yeah, me too,” she forced out.

27 KIEREN

Kieren stared at the scene before him with amusement, almost tasting the candy-fueled buzz of anticipation in the air. The Two Moons Diner overflowed with staff dressed as insects, witches and vampires, serving tables filled with excited children wearing even more fantastical outfits. Everywhere he turned, crazy colored masks, feathers, capes, sparkles, and wings assaulted his eyes, not to mention the orange plastic pumpkins that seemed to peek out from every bit of spare space.

Dark Worlders were strange creatures indeed.

“So, let me get this straight.” Kieren turned to his friend. “Children wearing costumes walk door to door and beg strangers for sweets?”

“Right. And the kids have to do it a certain way.” Griffith closed his eyes as he recited, “Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat. If you don’t, I don’t care; I’ll pull down your underwear.”

“They talk about undergarments?” Kieren bit back his laughter. “That seems rather extreme.”

“Well, Billy said it’s an old rhyme. Kids these days just say the first part: ‘trick or treat.’ Then adults open their doors and give them candy.”

“No one actually plays a trick on anyone?”

“It doesn’t seem like it.”

Kieren eyed Griffith’s Solairan outfit. “And I take it you’re wearing your hunting gear as a costume?”

Griff nodded. “Today’s our last night here. I wanted to join in the festivities, immerse myself in their culture.”

A pair of kids in black robes with white painted faces walked up to them. “Cool costume,” one said.

“Is your sword real?” the other asked.

“Yes, it is.” Griffith unsheathed it to show them.

Their eyes grew large, and they ran off to tell their parents.

Griffith resheathed his weapon. “You should get changed. Then you too could be the envy of every blade-loving child.”

Kieren looked down at the T-shirt and jeans he still wore from this morning. “I think I’ll stay in these garments. They seem more fitting for the holiday since they are a costume to me.”

Marge walked by wearing a yellow-and-black striped shirt and wings. It was only beginning to grow dark outside, and the poor woman’s antennae were already drooping.

“The waitstaff look exhausted.” Kieren glanced around. “Where’s Lia?” After their time in the park, he had only been able to see her briefly after school.

“Upstairs, showering and changing. She just finished cross-country practice.” Griffith shot Kieren a sly glance. “You know what cross country is, right? It’s where females and males run for long distances in nothing but extremely short pants and sleeveless T-shirts. Lia joined this year so she could stay in shape for fighting. Gabe’s the team captain.”

As Kieren imagined Lia’s long legs, he caught Griffith grinning at him. “It’s not like the two of them are running alone,” he scowled. “And why would I care anyway? She can run with whomever she wants. We’re just friends.”

“You say that word like it’s a curse!”

That’s because it was. Seeing her today in the park, hurt and crying, and not being able to comfort her like he wanted to had been pure torture. Pretending to support her decisions with a smile, even if she chose Gabe, was causing Kieren to fray at the edges.

“I’ve accepted that it’s all we can ever be,” he explained, unable to keep the pain from this voice. “Don’t you see? I would never want to bind her to someone broken like me.”

“Moons! You really are an idiot sometimes. You know that we’re all a bit broken, right? And even broken things, especially broken things, deserve love. You’re not fooling anyone here. We all see how you look at her.”

“And just how do I look at Lia?”

“Like it physically pains you not to be near her.”

Kieren shifted uncomfortably, hating that his friend was right. His heart would always hopelessly, irrevocably be hers.

“Gabby?” he called out to the kitchen. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help out?”

Gabby’s face appeared in the window. Her hair was slightly disheveled. One of the kitchen staff had called in sick at the last minute, so she had been filling in. “The girls will be down soon to help with serving.” She shot Kieren a grateful smile. But I could use some help back here. How much dish-washing experience do you have?”

“Not much,” he replied. “But I’m a quick learner.”

“That’ll do. Come on back.”

“You can run away from me, but you can’t run away from your feelings!” Griffith teased.

Perhaps not. But Kieren would certainly try. Ignoring his friend, he went into the kitchen.

Gabby handed him an apron. “Here’s the sink. When you turn this knob, water comes out. Dirty plates come through here, and you empty them and then spray them down here.” She demonstrated. “Then put them in the machine like this.”

It seemed easy enough. Kieren threw himself into the mindless work.

“So, Lia told me about your plans.” Gabby stopped chopping her vegetables. “You three are going to leave tonight after the restaurant closes?”

Kieren sprayed a dish covered in a sticky brown substance. “Yes.”

“She also said that she wasn’t sure when you’d be back.” Gabby resumed her chopping, this time, noticeably faster.

Kieren put down his sprayer. He knew what the woman was really asking. Would they make it? Would Lia be alright? “I believe in your goddaughter. But truthfully, no one knows what to expect. The portals to Verdura have been closed for years.”

“Pero she will come back, won’t she?” Gabby had stopped chopping again and was now staring at him.

Kieren could see the fear and love lingering in her eyes. “I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that’s the case.”

Gabby dropped her knife and wrapped Kieren in a tight embrace. The heady scent of her sweet perfume enveloped him. “That girl means the world to me. You keep her safe and bring her back. And while you’re at it, make sure you bring yourself and Griffith back too.”

Kieren’s arms tightened around her shoulders. “I swear upon the moons that I will bring her home.”

“Thank you.” Gabby pulled away and dabbed at her eyes. “It’s the onions, by the way. They always make me cry.”

He nodded and wisely kept his mouth shut; there wasn’t an onion in sight.

While Gabby returned to her chopping, Kieren lost himself in the noises of the kitchen and the rhythm of rinsing and stacking dishes.

Sometime later, a gentle tap on his shoulder drew his attention.

“Break time.” Gabby handed him two plates of burgers.

He carried the food out to the counter, where Griffith still sat, his head bent over his cell phone.

His friend’s eyes lit up when Kieren placed a plate in front of him. “These look great.” Griff took a bite and moaned. “I know they’re just a disk of meat placed between two pieces of bread. But something about the combination of beef, bread, vegetables, and sauce is pure magic.” He continued eating with gusto.

Eyeing his friend with amusement, Kieren took a bite of his burger. Griffith was right. The food was delicious, but it still settled uncomfortably in his stomach.

28 LIA

Holly dabbed eyeshadow on her eyelid. “So what you’re saying is that tonight, you’re leaving with Griffith and Prince…I mean, Lord Broody to go through a magic portal in the woods to visit another world?”

Lia opened her closet door and pulled out her Halloween costume. “Yup.”

“This is crazy; you know that, right? I mean, certifiably crazy. Other worlds? And you’re some sort of prophesied savior, and Griffith and Kieren are serious fighters? I mean, Kieren, I could believe. He can be scary. But Griffith? Sure, he’s in great shape. I remember the pool party at Amanda’s. But really? Are we talking about the same guy who likes learning new dance moves and talking video games with Billy? I can’t imagine him wielding some sort of knife.”

“Blade.” Lia slipped on her sparkly rainbow tutu. “It’s called a blade.” She began applying her face makeup.

“Right. Blade. Cute tutu, by the way. Sorry.” Holly shook her head. “Let’s rewind to where you were this summer. You’re telling me you weren’t just couch surfing with friends that I’d never heard about. Instead, you traveled through a rock into another world and learned how to do magic and fight?”

“Exactly.” Lia turned to admire her own face. She might not wear makeup on a daily basis, but she could still draw a decent rainbow.

“I don’t know.” Holly frowned. “All this sounds too wild. If you weren’t my best friend, I’d think you were making it up. What did Gabby say when you spoke to her?”

“She already knew about Solair.”

Holly covered her mouth. “No freakin’ way. How?”

“Mom told her before she died.” Lia slipped the unicorn ears and horn over her head. “I know this sounds crazy. But I’m telling the truth. Come with us tonight and see for yourself.”

Holly screwed up her face, a sign she was deep in thought. “Alright. I will.”

“Good. I don’t want to lie to you anymore and I want you to be there.” Lia gave her best friend a playful nudge with her hip. “I’m going to miss you.” Her voice wobbled.

“Don’t cry.” Holly capped her lipstick and wrapped her arms around Lia. When their headbands got tangled, both friends pulled back and laughed.

Holly adjusted her cat ears. “Well, if this is all true, I have a hard time believing you plan to spend your last night serving pancakes to little kids. Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, riding that motorcycle around? Or binging on ice-cream?” She flipped her hair with her hand. “Or, like going to like, an epic Halloween party?”

Lia laughed at her friend’s impression. The incident in the cafeteria only happened earlier today, but it already felt like a lifetime ago. “But don’t you see? This is my epic party. I love Halloween. Seeing cute kids in costumes and handing out pumpkin pancakes and milkshakes makes me happy. It’s what Mom and Dad loved to do.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Holly laughed evilly and rubbed her hands together. “Let’s feed the little gremlins until they burst.”

“What?” Lia pretended to be shocked.

“Just kidding. How can I help make this the best last night on Earth for you?”

Lia stared at her closest friend since elementary school. “Just be here with me like you always are and hand out candy. And when we’re done, come to the woods with us to say goodbye.” A small lump formed in the back of her throat and she turned away before Holly noticed.

“I can do that.” Holly adjusted her black tail before painting on her nose and whiskers. “You need more glitter, by the way. Especially here and here.” She pointed to Lia’s cheeks and temples. “Here, let me.”

Lia closed her eyes and allowed her friend to fix her makeup.

“There. Now you truly embody a magical unicorn.”

Lia gave her sparkly tulle skirt a twirl and adjusted her rainbow socks. “This is definitely a costume that four-year-old me would have loved.”

Holly smoothed down her form-fitting black shirt and yoga pants. “I was a cat when I was younger. But I’m a whole lot sexier now.” She let out a long purr and scratched at the air. “Is Gabe coming tonight?”

The flutter of butterflies filled Lia’s stomach. “Yes,” she responded casually. “He mentioned dropping in with his little brothers.”

“And you told him that you’d go out when you came back?”

Lia nodded.

“Lordy, my rom-com-loving heart can’t take all of this angst.” Holly pretended to swoon. “Broody and our friendly athlete-next-door in the same room? I’m glad I have front row seats. And you’re sure there’s nothing going on between you two?”

“You mean Kieren and me?”

Holly’s eyes widened. “No. You and Gabe.”

Lia blushed, realizing her slip up a little too late.

“Oh. My. Goodness.” Holly did a little dance and let out a shriek. “I knew it. I knew it! Something’s already happened between you two. It’s a love triangle. Girl, spill it!”

“It’s nothing.” Lia tried to calm her romantic friend’s overly active imagination. “Kieren and I kissed a couple of times in Solair. But we’re just friends now. That’s all he wants from me.”

“Please. I don’t believe that for a moment. But let’s forget about what he wants and focus on you. What do you want?”

Lia bit her lip, afraid to say anything. It all seemed so ridiculous now, to pine over someone who didn’t care for her like that.

Holly’s face burst into a beaming smile, and Lia could practically see the cartoon hearts floating above her best friend’s head. Uh-oh. She had to squelch her friend’s unrealistic expectations. Not every love story had a happy ending. “Please don’t get any ideas, Holly.”

“No. Freaking. Way. You like him.” Holly pointed. “And I see the way Lord Broody looks at you. It’s like you’re a giant tub of frosting, and he can’t wait to eat you up. Or maybe more like you’re a big old bowl of chocolate ice-cream, and all he wants is to lick—”

“Whoa, there!” Lia blushed.

“I can’t help it.” Holly fanned herself. “I’ve been on a diet too long. I’m having serious food fantasy issues.”

“Clearly you’ve got sexy dessert brain because your hunger’s made you batty. Yes, I like Kieren, but he doesn’t like me like that.”

“Well, he’s an idiot, and he’s lying. Seriously, Lia, you gotta trust me. Years of reading romance novels have sharpened my mind. I can spot an HEA a mile away.”

“HEA?”

“A happily ever after.” Holly raised a brow. “Come on, look at the details. It’s obvious you like him. And Kieren clearly has feelings for you. Anyone with eyes can see that. I mean, think about it. His posturing with Gabe. Running after you during lunch. Lord Broody’s drawn to you. You’re the Earth to his moon. He’s always around you, circling you.”

“No way.” Lia tugged Holly’s cat tail playfully. As desperately as she wanted this to be true, she couldn’t allow herself to be hurt again. “Enough romance talk. Let’s go create some magic for the kiddos.”

29 LIA

By eight o’clock, the last pair of parents herded their exhausted, candy-filled twins out of the diner. Now, the only remaining patrons were a handful of teenagers and lone customers.

Lia swiveled back and forth on a stool, her achy legs dangling in front of her. Staring mindlessly into the dining area, she wondered if anyone would notice if she slipped off her Converses. As usual, they were killing her. Resting on the counter beside her were her unicorn horn and tail. She’d removed them a while back. Hopping off the stool, she stretched her arms over her head before massaging her lower back.

They’d made it. Gabby would figure out the exact count later, but Lia was sure sales topped last year’s numbers. The night had been filled with plates piled high with pancakes, several spilled drinks, dozens of plastic pumpkins overflowing with candy, and armies upon armies of overexcited children. Waitressing any night was tiring work. But waitressing on Halloween was a herculean task. And Lia loved every exhausting minute of it.

“So many kids,” Holly mumbled, her head resting on the counter. Lia was surprised to find her friend still awake. She hadn’t moved in the last half hour.

Gabby peered over from the cash register. “You all did wonderfully. Thank you.”

“I don’t know how you do this every single year,” Griffith said, staring blankly at the salt and pepper shakers. “I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”

“You did great for a first-timer,” Gabby added.

He shook his head. “I thought I had a handle on things. But Gabe’s table finally did me in.”

Lia chuckled. As promised, Gabe had arrived at the start of the dinner rush with his entire family, which included his parents, three younger brothers, and both sets of grandparents. The waitstaff had to drag several tables together to fit everyone in. And while Gabe’s younger brothers were adorable, they were also very energetic. And loud. Halloween was their favorite holiday and it had taken all the adults at the table to calm the trio’s candy-induced excitement.

“Gabe’s mom is a saint,” Holly mumbled. “How can you have that many children under one roof and still be so calm?” She pulled herself up and smirked at Lia. “They all seemed to like you, though. Quieted down real fast when you got to the table.”

Lia felt her cheeks heat. One of Gabe’s brothers had asked if she was his girlfriend, which had led to Gabe and Lia wearing matching blushes. It wouldn’t have been so bad if his mom hadn’t pulled out a phone and asked for a photo of the two of them together.

“Milkshakes, anyone?” Kieren brought over a tray containing four tall metal cups.

“Are you trying to revive us with sugar?” Griffith immediately perked up. “Because that will definitely work.”

“Thanks, Broody.” Holly grabbed one. “Diet be damned. It’s my cheat day.”

“Thanks.” Lia took the drink Kieren offered, careful not to let their fingers touch. If they were going to be friends, she needed to set certain boundaries. And skin-to-skin contact of any sort was definitely something she would avoid.

He took the empty stool next to hers and gave her an appraising look. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, but I liked your unicorn costume.”

“Thanks.” She gave him a small smile and relaxed slightly. Things didn’t feel as awkward between them as she worried. Perhaps they could make this work.

“What sweet nothings are you whispering in my friend’s ear?” Holly called out from the other side of the counter.

Lia shot her friend a warning look.

Deliberately ignoring Lia, Holly addressed Kieren again. “And what’s your costume supposed to be, Lord Broody?”

He glanced down at his T-shirt and jeans. “Typical high school student?” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

For a moment, Lia pondered what it would feel like to kiss that corner of his mouth. Embarrassed, she took another quick sip of milkshake, hoping it would cool her down. What was she thinking? Friends didn't picture themselves kissing other friends.

Kieren’s response earned an almost audible eye roll from Holly who then turned to Griffith. “Who are you texting?”

“Billy. He finally got off work. So he’s stopping by before we leave.”

Like a rock dropped through a sheet of glass, Griffith’s words served as a painful reminder of what was to come. And just like that, all the joy that Lia had felt tonight dissipated.

“I should go upstairs to pack and change.”

Gabby’s solemn expression mirrored Lia’s. “Alright, mija.”

“You coming?” Lia casually eyed Griffith and Kieren.

“I’m ready,” Griffith said. “I didn’t bring anything except for these clothes and my blade.” He lovingly stroked his cell phone. “Soon we will part. But I will always remember you. My own. My precious.”

A giggle escaped Lia’s lips at his Lord of the Rings reference.

“Don’t worry,” Gabby called out. “I won’t pull a Frodo. I’ll keep it safe until you return.”

Until they returned. Lia tried not to even consider the other possibility, but it slipped into her thoughts anyway. This might be the last time she saw Gabby and Holly. She bit her lip and the room seemed to tilt under her feet.

A warm hand rested on the small of her back. “I’ll come up with you,” Kieren murmured.

Hyper-aware of his presence behind her, Lia headed upstairs, trying to ignore Holly’s shocked face and Griffith’s waggling eyebrows.

30 LIA

The last glittery remnants of the night swirled down the drain one burning-hot shower later. Lia tried stretching the shower as long as she could, knowing she would miss modern amenities in Solair. Now wrapped in her favorite fluffy towel, she opened her closet and pulled out the uniform that Keldi had so lovingly sewed for her. But putting it on proved to be more difficult than Lia remembered. Unable to keep her hands from trembling, she struggled to tighten the last buckle on her harness.

Someone knocked on the door. “Lia?”

The familiar masculine voice wrapped around her heart, filling it with a twinge of sadness and a heady wave of longing. Heart racing, she fought to regain control of her emotions. “Coming,” she called out.

When dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, Kieren was handsome—in a bad-boy-turned-model kind of way. It was obvious why the girls at school flocked to him. But now that he stood before her, his very presence filling the doorway to her bedroom, Lia found herself unable to tear her eyes away. Dressed in his Solairan hunting attire, Kieren was all sharp, sleek lines and angles.

Handsome no longer cut it. The lights from the bedroom played off the planes of his face and broad shoulders, casting parts of his face and body in shadow. She allowed herself to admire the warrior before her. He looked dangerous. A true predator of predators.

A knot of desire formed at the base of her stomach and before she could stop herself, a small sigh of appreciation escaped her lips. Despite her brain screaming at her to get a grip, her heart still clearly had a thing for this powerful, sword-wielding male.

A low, gravelly chuckle escaped his lips and Lia knew that he had noticed her staring.

“What did you want?” she asked, pretending that he didn’t have an affect on her.

To her surprise, Kieren gently took a lock of her wet hair and rolled it between his fingertips. The intimate contact further rattled Lia’s already unsteady nerves.

“Do you like what you see?” he taunted.

She lowered her gaze. “It’s nothing special.”

“Really?” Smirking, Kieren took a step closer and the tips of their boots touched. Lia’s breath caught as he released the strand of hair and drew a path down her cheek. With a deliberate gentleness, his fingers ran along her jawline and traveled down her neck. Lia’s skin heated with the contact and she leaned into his touch, acutely aware of their shared breaths and the unsteady pounding of her hungry heart.

“Kieren,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”

A chuckle reverberated against her chest as a pair of strong arms encircled her waist, pulling her in closer. Hard on soft, curve against muscle, their bodies now fit together, as close and as perfect as two pieces of a puzzle.

“If you have to ask, then I’m not making my intentions clear enough.” His eyes were like molten silver and there was no mistaking the intent in his gaze.

“You are mine,” he growled. And then he kissed her.

Hungry and desperate, his lips claimed her, marking her as his. Lia wrapped her arms around his neck and they stumbled backward, falling onto her bed. Desire tightly coiled in her lower belly and she pulled him closer, desperate for some sort of release.

“Kieren? Lia? You two okay? Need any help?” Griffith called out.

Kieren leapt back, and Lia bolted upright. Her lips felt swollen and her face flushed with heat.

“We’re fine,” Kieren called back. “Just helping Lia with her harness. We’ll be downstairs in a moment.”

“Alright.” Griffith’s footsteps faded downstairs.

The weight of everything that just happened settled between them. “So, I take it you don’t just see me as a friend?” Lia instantly winced, hating that those were the first words out of her mouth.

“Moons, I’m beginning to hate that word.” Kieren chuckled and sat down beside her on the bed. “I was being an idiot. Truth is, I haven’t seen you as just a friend for a long time.”

Lia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You haven’t?”

He shook his head. “I came so close to losing you and I had it in my mind that the World Eater would capture you again. Or worse yet, that I’d lose control of my dragon and hurt you again.” He struggled for a moment and Lia could see the sadness in his eyes. “I pushed you away because I was trying to protect you. But I ended up hurting you even more, didn’t I?”

“I was so angry at you.” The truth fell easily from Lia’s lips. “I hated that you didn’t trust me.”

“I’m sorry.” He slid closer and ran his thumb over her cheek. Lia tried her best not to melt on the spot. “I was wrong. You weren’t the weak one. I was. Please, will you forgive me?”

“Of course.”

“Mija?” Gabby’s voice called from the living room. “You’re taking a rather long time. Do we need to have a very uncomfortable conversation about the birds and the bees?”

“No,” Lia quickly responded, horrified.

“I’m just helping her with her harness,” Kieren added.

“That better be all that you’re doing in there,” Gabby grumbled. “I’ll see you downstairs then.”

Lia let out a giggle and began running her fingers through her wild hair.

“No. Please don’t.” He gently brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I want to remember what you look like at this very moment.”

“Messy?” she teased.

“No,” he said softly, all laughter gone. “I want to remember the moment that I was yours and you were mine.” Cupping her face in his hands, Kieren gave her the gentlest of kisses before resting his forehead against hers. “I love you. And I promise you that starting from today I will do my best to show you. We will always be a team, you and I.”

He loved her? Momentarily losing the ability to speak, Lia found she could only nod in response. A low, rough chuckle escaped his lips before he leaned in and gave her a kiss so deep that it curled her toes.

Finally, he pulled away. “I do like the look of a freshly kissed woman.”

She blushed, trying to push down the delicious shiver at his words. “Yes, well get used to seeing that.“

His smirk bloomed into a dazzling smile that made her feel giddy. “I should go. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Then, after one final caress of her cheek, he left.

Lia muffled several happy screams with her pillow before falling back onto her bed and staring up at the ceiling. Had that really just happened? Her mind swam as she tried to take everything in. Kicking the air and letting out another quiet happy shriek, she climbed out of bed.

While braiding her hair, her eyes came to rest on the strip of photos taken at the fair all those years ago. That was the day that her parents pulled her out of public school to protect her and give her a fresh new start.

And here Lia was, about a decade later, about to embark on another life-altering journey. But this time, she would be the one protecting others. A lump caught in her throat. “I love you guys.” She kissed the photos before placing the frame back on her dresser. Grabbing her bag, she gave her bedroom one last glance. “I’ll be back soon,” she whispered before turning off the light.

31 KIEREN

Kieren still couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. When he’d checked on Lia, he certainly hadn’t expected her to open the door with wet hair and that sweet, seductive smile. Everything had changed the moment he gave in to the urge to touch that smooth strand. Placing his fingers to his nose, he could still smell her faint strawberry scent. He exhaled, remembering the softness of her lips and the way she’d responded to his touch.

Now he could finally see the truth that Griffith had already known—Lia loved him. Scars, monster, and all. The realization brought another smile to his face.

“Nice outfit. Where’s Lia?” Holly asked when she saw him.

“Still upstairs, getting ready.” Kieren eyed the two new additions to their group. Billy had arrived and now sat shoulder to shoulder with Griffith. The two were holding hands. Holly sat beside the other newcomer, a familiar cross-country runner.

Kieren’s eyes narrowed. Gabe had returned, presumably to see Lia. A part of Kieren understood and even admired the other suitor’s gumption. Lia was brave, beautiful, and kind. It was no wonder Gabe was smitten. But another, larger, part was ready to bid the other boy farewell.

Lia was his.

Deciding to be the bigger man, Kieren took a seat on the other side of Gabe. “Good evening.”

“Hey.” Gabe eyed Kieren’s outfit. “Wow. You and Griffith really went all out for Halloween. The leather even looks distressed. That’s real commitment. Where do you even find costumes like that?”

Kieren thought back to Griffith and Billy’s lengthy conversation in the car. “The internet.”

Gabe opened his mouth to respond, but he froze. His eyes looked over Kieren’s shoulder to something behind him.

Kieren turned around. No, not something. Someone. Correction. His gorgeous someone. Lia’s eyes met his, and Kieren’s heartbeat nearly exploded. She shot him a shy smile before noticing Gabe behind him. “Hi, Gabe! What are you doing here?”

Kieren’s jaw clenched as she gave her homecoming date a hug.

As Lia let go, Gabe stared appreciatively at her backside.

“Moons, her face is up there,” Kieren snapped when the boy’s gaze lingered a little too long.

“I knew that.” Gabe’s face reddened. “You look amazing, Lia. I didn’t think it was possible, but I like this costume better than the unicorn one.”

Kieren fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of course Gabe did. Her form-fitting attire highlighted every wonderfully feminine curve. He glanced over at Lia, wondering how she was going to respond.

“Thank you.” She placed a hand on the other boy’s arm. “It’s good to see you. But why are you here?”

Gabe picked up a small gold purse from the counter. “To return this. You left it in my car the other night. Just thought I’d bring it back and see if you were available to hang out.” Deliberately avoiding Kieren’s glare, he looked around at the others. “But it seems like you have a little party going on here already. If you’d like, I could just stay and hang out with you.”

Kieren crossed his arms over his chest. No. That wouldn’t be happening.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Lia bit her lip. “It’s just that we’re leaving tonight.”

Gabe’s brow furrowed. “In costumes?”

“It’s a medieval festival,” Griffith chipped in. “We’re driving there tonight in costumes because we’re Rennheads. Die-hard Rennheads. We just love a good Renaissance festival.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” Gabe looked questioningly at Lia. “But I thought you said you’d be gone for a couple of months?”

“I will be. We’re flying to England after that.”

“Well, I won’t keep you guys.” Gabe leaned closer to her than Kieren would have liked. “I meant what I said before. I’ll be waiting for you to get back.”

Kieren let out a low growl. That was it. If Gabe wasn’t getting the hint that she wasn’t interested, Kieren was more than ready to step in and explain things. Taking a step forward, he was about to speak, when another hand firmly pulled him back.

“Hey, Kieren.” Holly shot him an overly eager smile. “Why don’t I show you something over there?” She motioned to a table on the other side of the diner.

“I’m fine here,” he grumbled, glaring at Gabe.

“Oh Broody. You’re worse than deep fried desserts at the county fair.”

What was she talking about? Kieren glanced at her in confusion.

“You’re way too thick headed and dense!” She hissed into his ear. “It’s obvious that Lia has more brains than Bella and you’re her vampire and Gabe is the hot shirtless werewolf with a six pack.”

Werewolf? Six pack? Momentarily trying to decipher her strange sayings, Kieren allowed Holly to lead him away. When they were finally out of earshot of the pair, Holly let go of his arm but Kieren kept his eyes glued on the pair across the room.

“What was that you said to Gabe before?” Holly asked. “Oh yeah, eyes over here.” She jabbed a finger into his arm. Hard.

Kieren reluctantly gave her his attention.

“We all know something happened between you and Lia upstairs. The goofy smile on your face and Lia’s happy expression say it all. So I’m going to be nice and give you a piece of advice. You want to be worthy of my best friend? Don’t be that domineering alpha male. Lia doesn’t need to deal with a dude brawl right now. Today’s the anniversary of her mother’s death and—if all this magical world-traveling stuff is true—quite possibly her last time home for a while. So put your stupid ego aside and let our girl talk to Gabe without you looming all big and scary over her shoulder.”

Kieren was about to argue that it wasn’t like that, but Holly jabbed him with her finger again. “Don’t you trust her?”

“Of course I do,” he growled.

Holly raised her eyebrows and eyed his right hand, which he then realized was gripping the handle of his sword so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He quickly let go.

“I wasn’t going to actually use it.”

“Sure, Broody.” Holly gave him a placating smile. “Now, watch our girl do her thing.”

Kieren turned back and saw Lia say something to Gabe. The other boy’s face fell. He looked over in Kieren’s direction before nodding and walking away.

“See the power of soft skills, my friend? Lia just let him down gently. Looks like she’s Team Broody after all.”

“And what about you?” Kieren couldn’t help but smirk. “Are you Team Broody?”

“I’m Team Lia. I fully support my friend in all of her decisions.” Holly then scowled and punched his shoulder. “But always remember, even though you’re worlds away, I’m still watching you. You make her cry again, and I. Will. End. You.”

At the spitfire’s threat, Kieren let out a quiet laugh.

“You okay?” Lia walked over and Holly took the opportunity to slip away.

Kieren reached out and tentatively took her hand in his, marveling that this was all really happening. “I’m better than okay.”

“Good.” Her fingers then tightened around his. “Then let’s go.”

32 LIA

Once again, Lia was venturing into the forest, but this time, she was surrounded by the five people she cared for most in this world. By now, it was a little after ten. A lonely crescent moon hung in the sky. With trick-or-treaters at home, tucked into their beds, the suburban neighborhood surrounding their diner was finally quiet and still. Only the headlights of a random car highlighted their forms as it drove by. To anyone who passed, their group appeared like nothing more than a bunch of tired Halloween partygoers heading home.

The “Private Property” sign at the edge of the woods failed to deter them from entering. Leaving behind the last remnants of civilization, the group marched on, fueled by nerves and guided by phone lights. Following the others, Lia was hyper-aware of every rustling branch, footstep, cough, and unfamiliar animal sound. Dread mounted with each step and she couldn’t shake off the ominous feeling that she was like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

“We’re here,” Kieren called out from the front of the line.

The group parted and Lia made her way to join him. There, in a quiet moonlit clearing, stood a familiar white rock.

“So this is it?” Billy looked around. “This is where we finally prove the existence of parallel universes?”

“This is where the magic happens,” Griffith responded.

Gabby appeared by Lia’s side and took hold of her hand. “Promise me you’ll be careful? All of you?” Her gaze swept across Griffith and Kieren too.

Lia gave her godmother a tight squeeze before letting go.

“Are you ready?” Kieren asked quietly.

She nodded, swallowing down any remaining feelings of doubt. With trembling hands, she pulled out her grandfather’s two gifts: a smooth piece of white chalk and a piece of folded parchment. Lia mentally rehearsed the neatly printed words again.

Gabby’s arms wrapped around her shoulders, interrupting her thoughts. “You take care. I’ll miss you.”

Holly joined them and Lia was surprised to see her friend’s face damp with tears. “I keep hoping that this is just a big elaborate hoax.” Holly gave her a sad smile. “But that’s not the case, is it?”

With tears now sliding down her own cheeks, Lia shook her head. “I’ll miss you, but I’ll be back soon. Hopefully, before the spring musical.”

“You’d better.” Holly barked out a laugh. “Or I’m coming after you.”

A couple of steps away, Billy and Griffith stood apart from the group, whispering to each other. Billy then shuffled over to Lia, giving her a chance to read his T-shirt for the day: The physics is theoretical, but the fun is real.

“Nice one.” She sniffled.

“It seemed fitting.” He awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, and she responded by pulling him in for a tight hug.

“I’ll bring Griff back once we’re done. I promise,” she murmured in his ear.

Billy pulled away and gave a quick nod before trotting over to rejoin Griffith.

Kieren walked over and placed an arm around her waist. “Are you ready?”

Lia leaned against him. Her stomach felt like it was tied up in a series of complicated knots. “As much as I can ever be.”

“You can do this. I believe in you.” A broad smile swept across his face, making her feel warm from the inside out

“You’re right,” she announced, feeling more sure of herself. She knew what she had to do. She had seen her grandfather cast the spell before. “And I’m going to start now.”

With chalk in her hand, Lia carefully traced the shape of an arched doorway onto the stone. Satisfied with her work, she rubbed the chalk from her hands and tugged the golden blade that Kieren gifted her out of her boot.

“Wicked,” Holly said from somewhere behind her.

Lia’s grip tightened around the handle. Before she had the chance to change her mind, she sliced the knife across her palm. Hissing with pain, she watched as a line of blood appeared. This was it. There was no turning back; it was time to once again leave this world behind for the other.

“She’s bleeding.” There was a note of panic in her friend’s voice.

“Shhh, we need to trust her,” Gabby comforted.

Trying to ignore what was going on behind her, Lia squeezed her palm, causing more blood to appear. Then she traced her hand over the chalk doorway while whispering, “Open now and let us through, to travel to places both old and new.”

This was it. Hesitantly, she reached out and pushed, but the only thing she felt was…hard rock. Startled, she placed her palm on the solid surface again. It was the same as before. Nothing happened.

Had something gone wrong?

Just as she was about to pull her hand away, the stone’s surface grew noticeably warmer. Like a plant emerging from a seed, something Lia could only describe as a deep power awoke within her, unfurling living, breathing shoots of energy. She tugged her hand away as swirls of light dashed across her skin like tiny glowing fish. Feeling hopeful, Lia reached out, and this time, her glowing hand slipped inside the rock.

Lia had done it. She had opened a doorway between two worlds. “Guys, we need to leave now.”

Both Griffith and Kieren looked at her, their eyes wide with surprise. Griffith opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something, but Kieren shook his head and approached her first. Carefully placing one hand against her cheek, he whispered, “I’m so proud of you,” before stepping through.

After embracing Billy one last time, Griffith trotted over. “Nice job.” He gave her a wide grin and then he too, disappeared into the rock.

Dreading this final goodbye, Lia glanced over at Holly and Gabby. The two, who now had their arms around each other, called for Billy to join them. Lia gave the trio a wobbly smile. She would miss them desperately, but deep down she knew that they’d be okay. They had each other.

“I love you,” she called out.

And then, before hearing their replies, Lia stepped through.

33 KIEREN

Where was she? Lia should have emerged through the portal by now. And why was she glowing when she cast the spell? Kieren continued pacing, briefly stopping every now and again to glance at the giant white rock.

The patches of light glimmering beneath the surface of Lia’s skin were beautiful, but nothing like that had happened when Sage opened the portals. Fear snaked in the pit of Kieren’s stomach. What if something had gone wrong with her magic? Or worse yet, what if she had chosen to stay?

“Try not to get all broody on us. She’ll be here.”

Kieren wished he had Griffith’s confidence. But he had seen firsthand the way she cared for Gabby, Holly and Billy. It was obvious they were her family. What if Lia had a change of heart and chose to remain with them? He couldn’t fault her for that.

Please. Come back to me. Kieren stared at the rock, willing her to appear.

No one emerged.

Something must have happened to her. What had Kieren been thinking? He should have insisted that she go through first. Kieren took a step toward the stone, about to enter the portal again when a slender black leg emerged.

In one step, he crushed the emerging figure in his arms. Holding her for several moments, he breathed in her sweet, strawberry scent.

“Hi.” Lia nuzzled her face against his chin. “Miss me?”

Kieren gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead. “Always.”

She pulled away and stared at her hands. “Oh good. I’m glad I’m back to normal now.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Kieren found a clean piece of cloth from his satchel and wrapped her injured hand. “Did it hurt? Your skin was glowing.”

Lia shook her head.

“We should definitely tell Sage about that.” Kieren hoped that the once mage would have a good explanation.

“Wow.” Griffith placed himself between Kieren and Lia and wrapped an arm around both their shoulders. “That wasn’t my first time at the rodeo, but man, what a ride!”

Kieren pursed his lips, fighting a smile. “Still using your Dark Worlder expressions, I see.”

“It seemed appropriate.” Griff gave him a knowing look. “So, I’m guessing something finally happened between you two lovebirds?”

Lia’s eyes met Kieren’s.

“I knew it!” Griffith raised a fist into the air. “Took you two long enough, but I knew you’d eventually work everything out. Now all I have to do is come up with a nickname for you two.”

A gust of wind whipped through the woods, interrupting Griffith mid-thought. Noticing Lia rubbing her arms, Kieren clipped his cloak around her shoulders, earning him a grateful look. His heart warmed, thankful that he had a lifetime of opportunities to take care of her.

“So what are we doing now?” Griffith peered around the Black Forest. “Can’t say I’m keen on staying in this particular patch of woods too long.”

“Sage’s cottage is nearby.” Kieren pointed in that direction. “I told him I’d meet him there when we got back.” Hopefully, they hadn’t worried the once mage too much by extending their stay in the Dark World.

The trio walked in silence until they spotted the light from Sage’s cottage. It was a welcome sight amidst their velvet black surroundings. First to reach the door, Kieren knocked, but no one answered.

He tried again. “Sage?”

Still, no one responded. What was the once mage doing out at this time of night? Griffith shot Kieren an uneasy look. They were both thinking the same thing. Something was wrong.

“On the count of three,” Kieren began. “One, Two, Three.”

Simultaneously, they slammed their shoulders into the wooden door. It burst open to reveal a motionless figure on the ground. The gray parlor of the older man’s skin too closely resembled that of Lia’s all those months ago for Kieren’s liking.

“Sage!” Lia placed her head on his chest. “He’s still alive. I can hear a faint heartbeat.”

“Do you think this is the work of the World Eater?” Griff asked.

Kieren checked the older man’s body but could find no physical injury that might have caused him to fall into such a state. “It’s the only thing I can think of to explain this.”

“But why would the World Eater do this?” Lia asked.

Kieren had several guesses, but now wasn’t the right time to speculate. “Let’s figure that out later. Right now we need to take your grandfather to see Minerva. Perhaps she or Ariadne will know what to do.”

“I’m coming too,” Griffith said.

“Are you sure?” Kieren eyed his friend in surprise. “Don’t you want to head back to Cairn?”

“Course I’m sure.” Griff glanced at Lia. “Friends stick together. And something tells me you’re going to need my help on your journey. Reina and Soren will understand.”

Kieren gave his friend an appreciative nod as he tried to figure out what to do next. The trip up north would take a few hours, but that amount of time could mean the difference between life and death, especially when they didn’t know how long Sage had been in this state.

Why not fly? Having remained silent in the other world, Kieren’s dragon now stirred, as if waking from a deep sleep.

Could he? Kieren pondered the possibility. He still had his pendant so no one would see them. But was he strong enough to carry three others? He’d only ever carried Lilith before. Not wanting to risk their lives, he ultimately chose a more conservative route.

“Get the horses,” Kieren told Griffith.

His friend nodded and then left the cottage.

A quick search inside soon uncovered Sage’s pendant, which Kieren handed to Lia. They met Griffith outside.

“But I don’t understand.” Lia eyed the pendant in her hand. The light of the stone shone brightly on her worried face. “Why do we even need these? Cedric’s no longer king, and we aren’t doing anything illegal.”

“You’re not, but I am.” Screwing his eyes shut, Kieren called to the fire that constantly burned within. I need you.

A small puff of smoke brushed against Kieren’s insides Why should I help?

For her.

His dragon let out a burst of fire, and Kieren felt a snap of power slice through his back as a pair of wings tore through the slits in his leather harness. The two snowy mares nearby whinnied nervously.

When Griffith reached out to touch one of his wings, Kieren shot him a warning look and slapped his friend’s hand away.

“Alright.” Griffith held up his hands in defense. “They’re sensitive. I get that.”

Kieren glanced over at Lia, nervous to see what she thought of his new appendages. The look on her face was one of admiration and something more.

“So, are you ready?” Griffith asked.

Returning back to the task at hand, Kieren helped Griffith carefully lift Sage’s body onto one of the mares before mounting the horse himself. His wings curved protectively around the once mage’s unmoving form.

Once Lia and Griffith were ready, they raced through the night, galloping as if they were chased by some terrible, invisible enemy. Soon the tall trees of the Black Forest gave way to grasslands. Kieren checked the man in his arms. Maybe it just his imagination, but the once mage’s body no longer felt so cold to the touch. Kieren knew he should be pleased, but raising the man’s temperature felt like an insignificant victory. Sage still hadn’t stirred, and they were nowhere near close to understanding what had happened.

Another hour passed. The domineering silhouette of the Culver Mountains now loomed to the west, which meant they were about an hour away from the village and by Kieren’s guess, only a couple of hours from daybreak. Lia lay huddled against Griffith’s back, Kieren’s cloak drawn tightly around her. Her eyes stared vacantly into the distance.

Kieren frowned. It hurt him to see her like that, but he knew that the most important thing was to get Sage to the village as quickly as possible.

Finally, a pair of lone lights blinked in the distance. Kieren jerked his horse to a stop.

Two watchmen in loose-fitting brown robes approached, riding atop their black-as-night stallions.

“State your business, dragon shifter,” one of the riders challenged.

“Azriel, this is no time to play games.” Kieren unfurled his wings to reveal the once mage’s motionless body. “We need to speak with Minerva.”

Both watchmen lowered their hoods, revealing Azriel and Eldric’s mutually concerned faces.

Eldric glanced suspiciously at Griffith. “And who is this?”

“This is the Solairan I told you about,” Azriel responded. “Griffith helped us obtain our agreement with the queen.” He arched his golden eyebrows. “Good to see you again, Lia. Care to give that poor mare a break and ride a real stallion?” Azriel’s lips curved into a teasing smile.

Kieren’s first impulse was to punch the man in the face and publicly claim her as his. It didn't matter that he considered Azriel as a friend. But Holly’s earlier reprimand still rang in his ears and Kieren wanted to show Lia that he was different. That he trusted her. So instead, he waited for her response, gripping his sword and not saying a word.

There was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes. “I’m fine with Griffith. Thank you.”

Azriel peered at Kieren curiously before nodding. “Perhaps later, then.”

Eldric held up his pendant and whispered several words. The air in front of the riders shimmered, and one by one, they rode through.

34 LIA

Sage lay in Eldric’s old tent, looking utterly too pale and fragile. Lia sat beside her grandfather, holding his wrinkled hand, hoping that he’d wake up. It was times like this that she wished she could somehow access her magic. But even though she dug deep inside, trying to will something, anything to happen, nothing changed. Sage still hadn’t stirred.

Beside her, Griffith shifted his weight and tapped his finger against his leg. Within the tight confines of the tent, he practically bursted with an enormous amount of nervous energy. Standing on her other side, Kieren was the exact opposite. Silent and still, a permanent scowl rested upon his handsome face.

Minerva and Azriel stood near the other side of the bed. The blond Verduran looked as worried as Lia felt and grey circles rested underneath the village leader’s eyes. “Eldric should be back with Ariadne soon,” Minerva murmured.

Griffith flopped his body beside Lia’s and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “It will be okay. We freed you before. We’ll free Sage too.” He gave her a hopeful smile and Lia wished she could believe him.

“This is all my fault,” Kieren growled. “If only I hadn’t brought you back later than we’d planned. Then maybe we could have prevented all of this from happening.”

Was that why he was so quiet? Had he been carrying this guilt on his shoulders the entire time? “No,” she said firmly. “If it was anyone’s fault, it was mine. I should have been here for him. I made the mistake of staying longer.”

“You both need to stop being martyrs,” Griffith chastised. “The only person at fault here is a world away.”

“Perhaps it’s time you told them, Minerva.”

Azriel spoke so quietly that Lia almost thought she’d imagined the words. Before she could ask him to clarify what he meant, Eldric stormed into the tent, closely followed by Ariadne.

The Verduran’s yellow eyes lit up as Lia ran over to hug her.

“Don’t worry,” Ariadne comforted. “We’ll fix this.”

Minerva cleared her throat. “Now that we’re all here, there is something I need to tell you. Months ago, we learned that the World Eater was the one behind our village’s illness. He purposefully hurt our people because I wouldn’t help him find you.” The village leader stared directly at Lia.

Her stomach fell. Was she the reason so many Verdurans became ill?

“He reached out to me in my dreams, ordering me to find you.” Minerva’s voice faltered. “I refused and he tried forcing my hand by punishing our people. But that wasn’t the first time I’d felt the full extent of his power.”

“Right, you met him when he was still a child.” Lia remembered the horrible memories the World Eater shared with her. “You asked my grandmother to help you bring him back to Verdura. And you accused him of murdering her, but it wasn’t the World Eater. It was another guard.”

The village leader nodded. “That man’s name was Fearson. But that’s not the incident that I’m referring to.”

Lia found herself growing more unsettled. Beside Minerva, Eldric and Azriel looked entirely too grim. Neither one seemed able to look at Lia. Or Kieren, for that matter.

What was going on?

“About five years ago, the World Eater attacked me in my dreams,” Minerva explained. “He demanded that I do something for him. He wanted me to help the king transform boys into dragons.”

No. This couldn’t be true. Shock twisted like a knife in Lia’s stomach. Minerva was King Cedric’s silent partner? She cursed boys into becoming dragons?

“No!” Wave upon wave of fury poured off Kieren’s body. Two fearsome wings sliced through his harness, their presence dominating the tent.

Swords drawn, Azriel and Eldric leapt in front of Ariadne and Minerva. “Kieren,” Eldric warned. His eyes looked conflicted, but his voice was firm. “You have to control your beast.”

“Did you know?” Kieren turned his ire towards the two watchmen. For a second, the anger in his eyes changed to anguish. “All this time, when you called me brother to my face, were you just playing me for a fool?”

Eldric’s lips pressed together to create a thin line. “No. We only found out after you left.”

“I am so sorry.” Minerva took a step toward Kieren, but the scarred watchman held her back. “I hated what we did. But I was trying to protect my people.”

“I made the potion for her,” Ariadne quietly admitted. “But this was before I knew—”

“You killed Silas!” Kieren’s anguished howl cut her off. “You murdered other people’s children.”

Tears flowed down Ariadne’s cheeks. “I’m sorry. I was so broken. I didn’t care what happened to anyone outside this village. But now I realize how wrong I was. Please believe me, I grew to hate what we had to do. But if it wasn’t the boys, he would have hurt the villagers. Maybe even my Lilith. I couldn’t risk it. She was the only bright thing in my life for so long.”

Kieren’s expression turned feral and the air around him heated and rippled. Without a second thought, Lia slipped past Eldric and Azriel and wrapped her arms firmly around Kieren’s waist. His muscles strained against her embrace, as if there was some great power within him, yearning to break free, but Lia refused to let go.

She knew he felt betrayed and hurt. But she didn’t want him to feel like he was going through this alone.

Finally, Kieren’s body relaxed and his wings retracted and disappeared. Pulling Lia in close, he gently kissed the top of her head before letting her go. “No more lies, Minerva. You need to tell us everything.”

The village leader nodded. “Ariadne made the potions, and I helped to administer them, transforming myself into Lord Roth from Rosetta. As you already know, our initial attempts were failures.” She held up a black stone pendant with two golden moons carved onto it. Lia recognized it immediately as the necklace that King Cedric used to control Kieren’s dragon. “You were the only one who successfully transformed with the pendant. When the World Eater heard of our success, he stopped visiting my dreams. I naively thought that was the end of it. But after Lia transferred your curse to herself, he reached out to me again. This time, he asked for Lia. When I refused, my people paid the price.”

“Then it appears our enemy wants something from us once again.” Azriel eyed Sage’s waxen form. “The only question now is what?”

All eyes turned to Lia. She swallowed, hating that she was probably the answer to that very question.

35 KIEREN

Kieren stood just outside Eldric’s tent, staring at the early morning sky, wishing he was anywhere but here. The moment they’d finished the meeting, he rushed outside, desperate for the quiet and space to process his thoughts. Although he knew he should be proud of himself for pulling his dragon back before hurting anyone, the truth was, the only emotions he felt were sadness and anger. Minerva and Ariadne’s betrayal cut too deep.

But if he were to be honest with himself, that wasn’t the only thing bothering him. Seeing Sage’s unresponsive form reminded Kieren too much of what had happened to Lia months ago. The memory of being that close to losing her almost broke him again. He stared out into the grasslands, tempted to shed his human form and take flight.

“What I wouldn’t do for a cup of coffee right now or a chai tea latte.” Somehow Griffith managed to slip next to him without making a sound. “A good one, mind you. Not that prepackaged swill sold in the grocery stores.” A yawn escaped his friend’s lips. “Lia’s going to get some sleep. She’s hoping to contact the World Eater through her dreams. You want to go back in and wish her luck?”

Unable to look his friend in the eye, Kieren stiffly shook his head. He couldn’t see her right now.

Griffith kicked at the ground. “Look, I know you’ve got a lot to process at the moment. But you know what? We just don’t have time for that right now.”

Kieren’s eyes narrowed and his emotions came pouring out, like a thick, black poison. “Why can’t you allow me this moment to grieve? I’ve been lied to and manipulated this entire time. Everything has been taken away from me. My father’s a villain in every sense of the word. My brother died because he was a test subject for some horrible spell, which I’ve just found out was cast on him by people I once viewed as friends. I’m cursed to live my life as a dragon shifter. Lia’s about to subject herself to the will of an unpredictable monster, and I—” His words caught in his throat. “And I can’t do anything about any of it.”

To Kieren’s annoyance, Griffith simply shrugged. “You’re right. This situation seriously sucks. And you have every right to go all Lord Broody on us.”

Really? He chose this moment to use Holly’s unfortunate nickname?

Griffith crossed his arms. “But let me ask you something. You think you’re in a horrible situation? Well, you’re not alone. Lia’s mother kept secrets from her. Her father passed away less than a year ago. She left the people she loves behind, with no guarantee of ever seeing them again. Her grandfather is currently a stone person. And she’s just learned that her family was targeted by some crazed super villain, who she’s prophesied to fight to the death. So while you’re busy throwing yourself a pity party, I’m going to see if my friend needs anything. Because right now, she’s scared and alone and fighting for all of us.”

Griffith took a couple of steps toward the tent before turning back. “I’m sorry for what you went through. But you can’t change the past. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can cry and complain about your life, or you can start right now and change your future.” Shooting Kieren a disappointed look, Griffith slipped into the tent again, leaving Kieren’s jaw clenched and his face burning.

36 LIA

After everyone finally left, Lia sank back into the chair at her grandfather’s side. Bone tired, she should have fallen asleep by now. But every time she shut her eyes, a rising tide of unanswered questions crept into her thoughts and kept her hostage. If anything happened to her grandfather…

No. She couldn’t think about that. Not when there was still hope. Yawning again, she curled herself into the chair. The physical and mental exhaustion of the night finally caught up with her. Closing her eyes, she gave in to sleep’s sweet embrace.

Somewhere in the hazy, gray space between wakefulness and slumber, Lia became aware of someone else’s presence in the tent. She tried to open her eyes, but sleep kept its tight hold over her.

“Are you awake?”

Lia’s body and mind fought to answer, but the voice felt impossibly far away.

A cool breeze rushed over her face.

“So you’re shaking it off a la Taylor Swift?” the voice asked.

Lia smiled in her sleep. That must be Griffith, she concluded. Only he would use a reference like that.

“If you’re asking whether I decided to set aside my fear, then yes,” a deeper voice responded. “Moons, I don’t think I’ll ever adjust to your Dark World sayings.”

Recognizing the voice as Kieren’s, Lia struggled to rouse her body.

Griffith chuckled. “Pleased to see you’re doing the right thing, Broody. I wouldn’t disturb her though. The girl is sound asleep. I’ll leave you three alone, then.” Another gentle rush of air traveled across Lia’s face.

Wait! she wanted to cry out. But her mouth refused to open.

Somebody placed something heavy and warm over her body, and a pair of soft lips brushed against her forehead.

Well, that was nice.

“We’re working on bringing you back, Sage. But you need to fight this. Do you hear me, old man? Wake up, please. Your granddaughter needs you.”

The desperation in Kieren’s voice pulled Lia from her sleepy haze. Her eyelids fluttered open to see him hunched over the bed. Two beautiful leathery wings extended from his back and wrapped around her grandfather’s body. Studying the lines created by this protective gesture, Lia remembered how Kieren’s warmth guided her back from the World Eater’s enchanted sleep.

Even more determined to save her grandfather, she shut her eyes again, willing herself into an uneasy slumber.

LIA FOUND herself seated at the diner’s counter. The hum of the air conditioner filled the air. She ran a hand over the cold glass of chocolate milkshake in front of her. Everything seemed familiar, but something about the scene didn’t feel quite right. Was this a dream?

The front entrance opened, and a figure wearing nothing but a pair of trousers emerged from a thick black fog. Bright red eyes contrasted with his pale, hyper-angular face.

Lia stood, uncomfortable with seeing the World Eater in a space that she held so close to her heart. “What have you done to my grandfather?”

The World Eater took another step forward. The weight of his gaze fell on her. With a blink, his red eyes faded to an icy blue.

Frustrated Lia cried out, “Why won’t you answer me?”

He pointed to his throat and opened his mouth. A bloody stump of flesh sat in the spot where a tongue ought to be.

She felt ill at the horrific sight. “What happened?”

The World Eater dragged a finger over his lips.

“Did someone cut it out?”

He nodded twice.

Lia was about to ask who would do such a thing, but realized that she needed to ask yes or no questions. “Did you make the villagers sick because Minerva wouldn’t bring me to you?”

He nodded.

Lia’s heart fell. So that part was true. “And did you force Minerva to turn boys into dragons?”

The World Eater nodded again.

She swallowed, not liking where this was going. “Did that have to do with me too?”

Another nod.

Her stomach clenched. Everything Minerva said was true. All these people suffered because of her. “What about Sage? Did you take my grandfather to find me?”

He nodded again.

Lia felt sick. The monster in front of her had caused the deaths of countless people and placed her grandfather in a vegetable-like state. Because of her. She placed a trembling hand on the hilt of her sword. “Well, I’m here now, so you can release him. Now.” She drew her weapon, readying herself to fight.

The man shook his head and mouthed two words in response.

“What are you waiting for? Don’t you want to fight?

He repeated the same words over and over, growing more frantic each time.

“What are you trying to tell me?” She mirrored his jaw movements. “Rind me? Lyme meat?”

The World Eater shook his head and began to cross the empty diner. Lia lifted her sword, ready to strike.

When he stopped several feet away, she watched, wary. With a flick of his wrist, the sword in her hand ripped out of her grasp and clattered to the ground. Before she could pick it up, he appeared at her side, wrapping his icy fingers around her wrists.

“Let go,” she shrieked, trying to pull away. The ground shook and around them the lights of the diner flickered on and off.

He immediately dropped his hands.

Lia grabbed her sword off the ground and pointed it at him. “What do you want from me?”

The World Eater pressed a hand to his chest while mouthing a single word.

“Me?” She studied his mouth. “Are you trying to say me?”

He nodded and mouthed another single syllable word before placing his hand on his chest again.

“Fly me?” Lia struggled to understand. “Fight me? Find me?”

Relief swept across the World Eater’s gaunt features. The man nodded furiously and kept repeating the two words several more times, “Find me. Find me. Find me,” as the diner disappeared around her.

37 KIEREN

Kieren let out a low moan. Something kept pushing repeatedly against his right wing. Annoyed by the jostling, he awoke, blinking against the sun’s bright rays.

“Could you move these giant pieces of leather?” a muffled voice complained. “It’s getting entirely too hot under here.”

Instantly, Kieren retracted his wings, and to his astonishment watched as Sage sat up. The once mage’s face was flushed and covered in a light sheen of sweat. “I take it you’re responsible for that warmth. Thank you, son. But please don’t ever do that again.”

Kieren let out a small chuckle, drinking in the sight of the older man’s returned color. “Good to have you back.”

“Sage!” Lia jumped out of the chair she’d squeezed herself into last night, causing Kieren’s cloak to fall to the ground. She scrambled onto the bed and hugged her grandfather. “How are you feeling? I was so worried.”

As he returned her embrace, the older man gave a contented sigh. “Much better now, child.”

Not wanting to ruin their reunion, Kieren quietly slid off the bed, ready to give them a moment alone to catch up.

“Wait, don’t go.” Lia gave him a small smile. “Thank you for keeping us both warm last night. Stay. Please.”

You couldn’t have done it without me. His dragon let out a proud puff of steam.

“You’re welcome.” Kieren pushed the hair out of his face, slightly embarrassed by the gratitude. “If you’re feeling up to it, Sage, perhaps you can tell us what exactly happened?

The once mage sat up with a grimace. “When you didn’t show up after a couple of hours, I decided to make my way to you. But something went wrong when I opened the portal. There was a painful tugging around here.” He pointed to his chest. “It felt like I was being torn in two. So I closed the portal and struggled home, thinking that I needed to rest. And that’s all that I remember.”

Sage studied both of them. “The next thing I knew, I found myself here, crushed under a heavy pair of impossibly heavy wings. I assume by your somber expressions that what happened to me had something to do with the World Eater?”

Lia filled in the missing details, sharing their reasons for staying longer and how they’d found Sage unconscious. Kieren then explained about Minerva and Ariadne working with Cedric under the World Eater’s order to transform boys into dragons.

“Lad, I’m so sorry.” Sage’s expression was troubled. “I’ve known Minerva for several decades. I understand that she did it to protect her people, but that doesn’t make it right.” Clearing his throat, the once mage peered at his granddaughter. “If I’m awake now, then I assume you spoke to the World Eater?”

Biting her lip, Lia nodded.

Guilt washed over Kieren. “What happened? Did he hurt you?”

Lia shook her head and fidgeted with the sheets. “He didn’t do anything to me. He couldn’t even talk because someone cut out his tongue. He just kept mouthing ‘find me’ over and over.”

Her voice wobbled. “I don’t understand. We’re prophesied to fight each other and every horrible thing that he’s ever done so far was so that he could find me. But when we meet, all he wants to do is talk to me. Is there something more to the prophecy? Something that we’re missing?”

Rubbing his temples, Sage let out a very tired sigh. “I need to speak to Minerva. It’s time we met with Magnus and Cade.”

Kieren crossed his arms. Something felt off about the man’s response. What was the once mage not telling them?

“Are you sure you don’t need to rest first?” Lia placed a hand on her grandfather’s arm. “I mean, you just woke up.”

Sage shook his head and gave her hand a loving pat before sliding off the bed. “I’ve already spent too much time sleeping. We all have, in fact.” And with that mysterious statement, he shuffled outside.

Oddly, the tent felt smaller in his absence.

Lia’s eyes found Kieren’s. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For keeping my grandfather safe and warm.”

“Don’t worry about it. You did most of the work.” And it was the truth. If Lia hadn’t faced the enemy there was no doubt in Kieren’s mind that her grandfather would still be unconscious.

“Maybe I did. But you definitely helped. Do you remember when the World Eater trapped me months ago? I almost didn’t make it back.”

How could Kieren forget? Even now, remembering Lia’s silent and unmoving form brought back feelings of fear and helplessness. “I almost lost you and I couldn’t do a thing.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” She walked over to him. Now just a few breaths apart, every portion of his body tingled with the undeniable awareness that happened between a boy and a girl. Lia reached her arms around his neck and gave him the gentlest of kisses.

“I was broken. But I found the strength to return because I felt this warmth, your warmth, and followed it. To you. You saved me.”

Unable to keep his hands away, Kieren pulled her in and held her tightly. They stood there for a while, just holding each other. Even though the future still loomed grimly ahead, for the first time in a long while, Kieren felt settled; like he’d finally caught a glimpse of the home he’d been searching for.

38 LIA

With its fluorescent stalactites and schools of glowing fish, the secret cavernous area within the Culver Mountains was every bit as beautiful as Lia remembered. She found herself admiring their surroundings as much the second time as she had the first. As they made their way across the underground lake, a familiar white stone building soon appeared. Finally, they reached the last hidden stronghold of Solair’s remaining mages.

Kieren stopped rowing. “I can see it now.” A sense of unmistakable awe filled his voice.

“How is this possible?” Lia asked her grandfather. The last time they were here, Kieren hadn’t been able to see past the protective spells guarding the school.

“He’s a dragon shifter now. It makes sense that Kieren is connected to the magic here as well.” Her grandfather disembarked and walked toward the gleaming white structure.

Lia couldn’t help but grin as Kieren stood frozen in the boat, admiring the magnificent building before them. She tugged his sleeve to get his attention, and he followed her onto land.

The pair caught up with Sage at the school’s main entrance. Grasping the worn bronze handle, the once mage knocked. Almost immediately, a narrow slot in the door slid open.

“Name and purpose?” a gravelly voice asked.

Sage leaned forward. “Must we, Cade?”

The slot closed, and the ancient door swung open to reveal a large, scale-covered man dressed in a simple brown robe. Although Lia had seen Cade’s hulking, lizard-like features before, she still found his appearance jarring.

Cade’s eyes flitted from Lia to Kieren and back to Lia again. “Is this some sort of joke, Sage?”

Her grandfather shook his head. “We’re here to see you and Magnus. As I previously explained, Kieren’s completed his transformation. He’s able to control his beast. And the World Eater has attacked another victim.”

Fear crossed their host’s eyes. “Who?”

“Me.”

Cade’s gaze fell on Lia and she couldn’t help but feel like he was peering inside her. “Are you sure? It’s too much to ask of them. I thought we had more time.”

Sage placed a hand on Cade’s broad shoulders. “As I recall, you too were once young and brave.”

“You make it sound as if I’m ancient,” the lizard-like mage grumbled.

“Certainly not. You are younger than me, after all. And I’m as old as rocks, remember? Come, friend. It’s time for us to speak with Magnus.”

Cade’s shoulders fell and he gave a small nod. “You’re right. Come inside then.”

“No blindfold this time?” Kieren asked. If he found the mage’s appearance odd, nothing about his expression seemed to indicate that.

Their scaled host turned around. “There’s no need. You’re one of us now, dragon shifter.”

A smile curved up one of the corners of Kieren’s mouth. “An outlaw?”

“Of sorts,” Cade responded before leading them inside.

The school’s impressive domed entryway soon led to a long, well-lit hallway. Colorful tapestries of various plants and flora adorned the stone walls, giving the place a homey feeling.

As they turned right, the sound of multiple high-pitched voices greeted Lia’s ears. Strange. Magnus and Cade were supposed to be in hiding. So why did it sound like they were entertaining visitors?

“Seems like the new venture is going well,” Sage remarked.

“A little too well.” A rough laugh escaped their host’s lips. “Your little monsters are proving to be quite a handful.”

Monsters? Lia shot Kieren a confused look, but he just shrugged and gave her a playful smile, making her think that he already knew what the two other men were talking about.

What was she missing?

Cade opened a pair of heavy wooden doors to reveal an enormous library and a handful of children surrounding a pair of adults: one towering wall of a man and one petite Verduran spy. Six pairs of eyes turned to them.

“Keldi!” Lia squealed. Laughing, they ran to each other and hugged. “What are you doing outside the castle?”

“Ash and I just came to take the kids home.” Keldi pointed to the giant warrior.

Kieren greeted his friend, but Lia’s eyes were drawn to the children. A slender blue-skinned boy laughed at something a shorter boy with dark hair and mischievous eyes had said. Standing there with his hands on his hips, the dark-haired child bore a striking resemblance to Asher. Next to the two boys stood a gangly girl and boy who shared almost identical gap-toothed smiles and freckles.

“My apologies, Asher. I do hope we didn’t interrupt your class.” Sage’s eyes shone bright with merriment.

“Course not. We were just about to head off.” The giant warrior tipped his head in Lia’s direction. “Nice to see you again, Adalia.” A smile transformed his fearsome face.

“You can just call me Lia now.” She motioned to the children. “Who are they? It looks like they keep you quite busy!”

“In more ways than one.” Keldi walked over to Asher and nested herself perfectly against the giant’s side. Lia raised her eyebrows and Keldi responded with a wink.

“Perhaps someone should explain to my granddaughter what’s happening here,” Sage suggested.

“Come on, children,” Cade called out. “Let the grownups talk for a moment. Go take one more walk around the garden with Magnus before you head home.”

The wild-looking curly-haired boy sighed. “Do we have to, Uncle Ash?’

Asher shot the boy a stern look that sent the child scrambling to follow the others. “That’s my nephew,” he explained with a shrug of his shoulders. “He’s got mage blood in him. Knows my sister will skin him alive if I tell her he’s not doing the work.” There was a definite note of pride in the man’s voice.

That still left three children that Lia didn’t recognize.

“Oni, the blue-skinned boy, is the one that they found in the crate,” Keldi explained. “Joshe and Philippa are siblings. Kieren and Griffith found them on a farm in Umbra.”

Now Lia knew who they all were, but that still didn’t give her any information on what they were all doing with Magnus and Cade. “Why are they all here? I thought this place was supposed to be a secret.”

“It was,” Sage explained. “But times are changing. The ban created years ago stripped mages of their power. But it didn’t prevent children born afterwards from developing magical talents. There aren’t as many children nowadays being born with abilities. But the ones that are identified are given the opportunity to come here and learn.”

Lia looked at all of them, astonished. “But what about the laws? How do you even find all of them?”

“Turns out Silver Spoons isn’t as rule-abiding as we all thought.” Asher grinned. “Go on. Tell her, Kieren.”

“It wasn’t just my doing, you realize,” Kieren began.

“Don’t be so humble.” Asher gave him a hard pat on his back. “This one arranged for everything.”

Kieren rubbed the back of his neck, looking adorably embarrassed. “When Soren and the queen received reports of strange happenings around the kingdom, Griffith and I went to investigate. That’s how we met Joshe and Philippa. And then we found Oni in the crate.” A momentary bit of sadness flickered in his eyes and Lia knew he must have been thinking about his father imprisoning and torturing Verdurans. “I told Asher that we should go out and find these special children and protect them.”

“He convinced the Queen herself,” Asher interrupted. “I volunteered to bring the children to school. And this one joined me once she saw how brave and handsome I was.” He gave Keldi a kiss on the top of her head.

“I came because I believed in the work you were doing,” Keldi spoke sternly, but there was a hint of teasing in her eyes. “I wasn’t swayed by your good looks.”

Lia couldn’t help but grin. She remembered her friend’s previous interest in Asher.

“Reina’s proving to be a different ruler from her father,” Kieren said with conviction. “The school is kept secret for now. Only she and Soren know about it. For fear of outright rebellion, she hasn’t overturned everything that her father built up, but she is slowly dismantling things.”

“What about Oni?” Lia thought about the blue-skinned child. “Why would a Verduran child come here?”

“Turns out he’s half Solairan,” Keldi said. “Minerva gave him permission to come here and learn. We bring the kids here for a moon cycle, and then they go home for a few days.”

“But what about your—Lia paused, unsure what to say about her friend’s past employment—“work at the castle?”

Asher gave Keldi another indulgent smile and Lia couldn’t help but grin. Clearly, the giant was infatuated with the pixie-faced woman. “You can say it. My Keldi was a wonderful spy. But Minerva’s allowed her to do this instead. So as you can see, we’ve got a lot of reasons to thank that man over here.” He pointed to Kieren. “He figured out a way to help these children. And he helped me find my better half.”

“It was a joint effort,” Kieren conceded.

The door to the garden burst open, filling the air with a familiar spicy floral scent. Asher’s nephew ran in and grabbed hold of his uncle’s leg. “You ready to go? It’s Mother’s birthday tomorrow, so I have to make it home tonight.”

Asher looked apologetic. “Sorry. The boy’s right. Matilda will have my head.”

Lia gave Keldi one final hug. “I’ll miss you.”

“And I shall miss you too.” Keldi peered at Kieren. “I was wrong about your lord. He is a good man.”

Keldi gave her arm a final squeeze before leaving to join the others, who were making their way to the door. Only the boy with the soft eyes and gap-toothed smile remained behind, whispering something in Kieren’s ear. They both glanced at Lia before whispering again.

Once the group had left, Sage and Cade spoke quietly near the garden’s entrance. Lia joined Kieren by the fireplace, curious to find out what he and Joshe had been whispering about.

“What do you want to know?” Kieren wrapped his arms around her and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

Lia stared at him in surprise. “Is it that obvious?”

“You get this look in your eye when you’re thinking about something. So, go ahead, ask away.”

“What were you and Joshe talking about?”

Kieren looked sheepish. “You. Joshe is clairvoyant. He gave me a prophecy when I first met him. It was back before I regained my memory; when you were staying in Minerva’s village. He told me ‘The lady thief means well.’”

“Lady Thief?” Lia chuckled, remembering when she and Azriel tried stealing medicine for the villagers. That seemed like a lifetime ago. “Not sure I was much of a thief back then. Azriel and I got caught red-handed.”

Kieren smirked. “Don’t sell yourself short. We might have caught you, but you managed to successfully steal two things that day.”

She searched her memories for the second object. “The box of Verduran herbs, and what else?”

His expression softened. “My heart.”

39 KIEREN

As laughter erupted from Lia’s lips, the room instantly became brighter, even warmer somehow. “Is that what you say to all the girls?”

Kieren cleared his throat and met her gaze. “I meant it.” It was all he could say, and it was the truth. Even when he couldn’t remember Lia’s name or face because of the spell she’d cast, his heart had always known and loved her.

“Oh.” Her eyes widened and a pretty blush spread across her cheeks.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise?” A lean man with smiling eyes and peppered gray hair glided over. His long purple robe trailed gracefully behind him.

Lia’s eyes left Kieren’s face, and her blush deepened. “Hello, Magnus.”

“How wonderful to see you again.” The mage placed both hands on her shoulders and exaggeratedly kissed both cheeks. “Welcome, goddaughter of Sage. You’re no longer playing the role of a simple country girl, I see. Fitted fighting attire? I applaud your bold choice of outfit.”

Lia ran her hand over the row of buckles on her harness. “Yes. I suppose things have changed a bit since we last met.”

“Indeed. Well, no matter the occasion, you look fabulous. Pants on women? Simply scandalous, and I approve.” The mage turned his attention to Kieren, and his smile grew noticeably less friendly. “Greetings, hunter. Welcome back to our humble abode.”

Kieren responded with a slight bow, noticing the way the man studied him. “Good to finally see you. But, sadly, I can no longer claim that title. The hunters were disbanded once we killed the last dragon in Solair.”

Magnus’s eyes glittered with interest. “Sage?” He waved Lia’s grandfather over. “Kieren is not wearing a blindfold, and he’s just informed me that he is no longer a hunter. Please explain what’s going on. What naughty secrets have you been keeping from me?”

Lia’s grandfather placed a hand on Magnus’s back. “Cade’s left to speak to the children. Why don’t we wait for his return? We have much to discuss concerning the Light.”

A surprising range of emotions flashed across Magnus’s face and Kieren instantly felt himself being examined again and found lacking. “He’s the Light? No. It can’t be. The boy has no potential. I see nothing.”

“And you wouldn’t.” Cade entered the library and pulled a small blue vial from his robe. “It’s time for you to remember.” There was an undeniable tenderness in the gruff man’s voice.

The small jar looked surprisingly similar to the one Lia had given Kieren that night in the cell.

“You stole my memory?” Surprise crossed Magnus’s delicate features, followed by outrage. He pushed away Cade’s outstretched arm. “How dare you! Who gave you the right?”

Standing as still as a statue, the scaly green man continued to hold out the vial, taking Magnus’s anger without moving or responding.

“Everything will soon become clear.” Cade sounded like he was soothing a frightened animal, which seemed befitting considering the skittish look in Magnus’s eyes. “It was the only way. We wanted to protect Farrah.”

“You knew my mother?” Lia looked at Cade, astonished.

“Farrah was your mother?” Kieren watched uneasily as Magnus pulled away from Cade and took several tentative steps toward her. “Just who are you, girl?”

Not liking how this was looking, Kieren placed a hand around her waist, ready to pull her away if the need arose.

“Cade,” Magnus cried out, his voice growing more distraught. “Who is Farrah? Why do I know her name, but can’t remember what she looks like?”

The bulky green-skinned man took one of Magnus’s hands in his. “Drink this. It’s time to wake up and remember.”

Magnus looked furious. “Very well. I hope my younger self at least made the potion taste good. Cheers,” he said with a bitter laugh before downing the contents of the tiny bottle.

Cade whispered something in his friend’s ear. Magnus’s eyes widened, and a look of relief passed over his features. As his entire body relaxed, Cade caught him in his arms and carried him to one of the chairs.

“It shouldn’t take long now,” Sage whispered.

40 KIEREN

They didn’t have to wait long for the potion to take hold. Moments later, Magnus’s eyes shot open, glowing as brightly as the twin Solairan moons. The mage blinked a couple of times before staring at the green-skinned man crouched over him with a new focused intensity. “Cade? Is that you?”

The lizard-like mage’s face broke into a rare smile.

“I remember,” Magnus whispered before pulling Cade down and kissing him.

Sage sniffled loudly and Kieren was surprised to see the older man in tears.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it before.” Magnus turned his gaze on Lia. “You look just like her.” He wrapped Lia in a hug. “So Farrah made it to the Dark World? That’s where you’re from, isn’t it? Where is she? When can we see her?”

Lia stood there, with a brittle smile frozen to her face. Kieren’s gut churned at the sight. He could practically feel the wave of fear and panic rising through her.

Instinctively, he reached out and took her hand. She didn’t look at him, but her fingers entwined tightly through his.

“My mother passed away about four years ago.”

Cade covered his mouth. “Child. I am so sorry. Farrah was a good, brave woman.”

“She was much more than that,” Magnus emphasized. “She was our best friend. All these years, I’ve lived as a ghost of my former self. The world has passed me by and I cannot believe that I’ll never see her again. Oh, my dear, dear girl. I am so sorry.”

Lia wiped away her tears. “Thank you.”

Kieren rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand, wishing he could do more to comfort her. “Will someone please explain what is happening here?”

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Magnus shook his head. “I should have seen the dragon in you before. But then again, how could I? With my memory gone, I missed the clues.”

“Perhaps it’s time we told them,” Sage suggested.

“Yes, of course.” Magnus stroked his short beard, his previously playful demeanor now gone. “Lia, your mother and I were best friends. We trained together, here, in fact.”

“The pair of them were always getting into trouble.” Sage sounded exasperated, but there was a sparkle of amusement in the older man’s eyes. “My daughter and Magnus constantly pushed the boundaries of magic, oftentimes trying out spells that they had no right to attempt.”

“So we burned off our eyebrows.” Magnus shrugged his shoulders. “Me, more than once. But that wasn’t bad considering all the possible trouble we could have gotten into. You only know a fraction of your daughter’s experiments, Sage.”

Lia’s grandfather held up a hand. “And for the sake of my sanity, I would like to keep it that way. I don’t think I could have slept back then if I’d known everything the two of you were up to.”

“Farrah and I shared an abnormal interest in oddities.” Magnus gazed lovingly at the giant scaled man next to him and Kieren found himself wondering what Cade’s story was. “She was also the one who introduced me to Cade. I still remember the day we met. Do you remember the several cups of ale, the talking snake, and—”

“The magic mushroom?” Magnus and Cade spoke in unison, laughing together.

Sage cleared his throat.

Cade let out a loud snort and Kieren would have sworn that the man looked even greener than before.

“Yes, perhaps that’s a story best saved for later,” Magnus reflected. “Lia, I’m not sure how much your grandfather has told you about our ways. But one method used to identify children with mage potential is through their ability to do seemingly impossible things. Like talk to animals, or manipulate the elements. Sometimes a very special few will see visions, like our young friend Joshe. Most abilities continue to develop, but usually the ability to tell prophecies disappears once a mage begins seriously practicing magic. That was certainly the case for me. Farrah and I first met when I was sixteen. The moment I saw her, it was like something inside me awoke, and I had my first and only prophecy.”

“What did you see?” Lia asked.

“I told Farrah she’d have a child with blue and green eyes who would befriend a dragon and save our worlds.” Closing his eyes, Magnus recited:

“Three become one, green mixed with blue

A daughter you’ll birth, with abilities anew

Light joins the dark, pure heart and scaled wing

Enemies unite or all perish amidst great suffering

A dragon will wake and calm a heart full of unrest

Darkness befriends Light, to bring out her best.”

“It’s talking about me.” Lia looked at Kieren, astonished. “Three become one? That has to refer to how I’m born from three worlds. And the part about scaled wings and a dragon, that must refer to you, right?”

What do you think now, hunter? Kieren’s dragon huffed proudly. I’m not just a curse, am I?

Kieren was shocked. Did his dragon speak the truth? All this time he saw his shifter abilities as something to be feared. But if Magnus’s prophecy was correct, then Lia needed a a dragon to defeat the World Eater.

“This doesn’t make sense,” he found himself saying. “Why would the World Eater order Minerva to create more dragons, when the Light is supposed to partner with a dragon to save the world?”

“That part still remains unclear,” Sage replied.

“Life does have a way of surprising us. Before all this, I was the son of a pig farmer.” There was a sad and faraway look in Magnus’s eyes, but then he shook his head and chuckled. “I knew much more about raising livestock than magic, and there I was, frightening a girl I’d only just met.”

“Even back then, you knew how to catch people’s attention,” Cade teased.

Magnus gave him a doting look. “Correct as usual, my love. Of course, afterward, I was horribly embarrassed. I tried to take back what I’d said. But Farrah knew my outburst was a sign of potential. She made me promise to keep my prophecy a secret. We never talked about it again until the day her mother left and never returned.”

“That’s when I told Farrah everything that I knew about her mother’s Verduran heritage and my own vision,” Sage explained.

“Farrah connected the two prophecies,” Magnus continued. “She realized that her child would be the one prophesied to battle the World Eater. After King Byron passed a law to close the portals and tattoo the mages, Farrah, Cade, and I came up with a plan.”

“You created the portal to my world,” Lia concluded.

Magnus gave her an appraising look. “Precisely. Farrah wanted to go to the Dark World because she thought the World Eater’s magic wouldn’t find her. Although I hated the idea of losing my best friend, I had to protect her and her child. So I did what any young and entirely too cocky mage would do, I created an illegal portal to a magic-less world.”

“Then why remove your memories?” Kieren wondered out loud.

Magnus appeared uncomfortable. “Subjecting myself to the mind-altering effects of magic wasn’t originally part of the plan. When you lose your memory, you also lose a part of yourself, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

Kieren nodded. He remembered feeling confused and lost after Lia removed his memories.

“About a dozen young mages went into hiding to guard our schools,” Magnus explained. “But Cade and I heard rumors of guardian mages being discovered and tortured. I worried that if they found us, they’d uncover the illegal portal I created. I couldn’t let anything happen to Farrah, so we devised a plan to remove my memories. I never meant to forget my best friend, but I had to in order to protect her.”

“But the spell punished both of us, didn’t it?” Magnus placed an arm around Cade’s waist. “I was left without memories while you were tasked with the burden of remembering everything.”

With a gentleness unexpected in a man his size, Cade planted a kiss on Magnus’s cheek. “I didn’t mind. Those memories were treasures to me.”

Magnus smiled softly and then addressed Sage, “So now you’ve located the Light and the Dragon. What do you need from me?”

“We need you to create a portal to Verdura.”

“You want me to circumvent the ban? Creating a new portal in these conditions would be near impossible. And yet…” Magnus paused and rubbed his chin. Kieren could practically see the interest glowing in the mage’s eyes. “The challenge does intrigue me. What is improbable is not impossible. Give me some time to try something out. I might have a solution for you. And leave me some of Lia’s blood.”

A soft growl escaped Kieren’s lips. There was no way that man was going to cut Lia.

“Peace, dragon shifter.” Magnus held up a hand. “I won’t hurt the girl. I created the portal to the Dark World using Farrah’s blood. Although I have only that instance to refer to, I suspect Farrah’s blood worked because she was born of two worlds.”

“Then use my blood.” The words came easily from Kieren’s mouth. “I too am born of both worlds.”

Magnus’s eyebrows raised. He paused for a moment, seeming to consider the possibility, but then shook his head. “I appreciate your sincerity. But Lia’s blood would be infinitely better because it draws on the power of all three worlds.”

“It’s alright, Kieren.” Lia held out her hand. “Here. Take as much as you need.”

Cade walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a small glass vial and a blade.

An uncomfortable prickling heat passed over Kieren’s skin when he saw the blade move and several drops of ruby liquid fill the vial. Taking deep breaths, he forced his emotions down. Lia didn’t need his fear. She needed his strength and support.

Once they’d finished, Magnus wrapped Lia’s hand with a piece of cloth. “Give me two days to complete the potion.” The mage paused and seemed almost shy. “Would you like to stay with us while you wait? There is so much to catch up on. Oh, the tales I could tell you about Farrah. Like about the time we—”

Before he finished his thought, Sage jumped in. “No. Thank you, friend. There is still so much that we need to prepare beforehand.”

Interesting. Kieren’s eyes met Lia’s and he held back a smile. Clearly, both of them were thinking the same thing. What sorts of trouble did Lia’s mother and Magnus get into all those years ago?

41 LIA

“So.” Ariadne gave Lia a sideways glance across the wooden table covered with flowers and herbs. “Are things alright between us?”

Lia twirled the stem of the white aster in her hand. They’d arrived back from speaking with Magnus and Cade late last night. Exhausted from lack of sleep and uneasy about their upcoming trip to Verdura, she wasn’t sure how to answer her friend.

“Lia?” Ari’s yellow eyes stared at her, open and vulnerable.

With a sigh, Lia placed the flower down on the table. “You and Minerva hurt a lot of innocent people.”

“I know.” The potion maker looked like she was about to crumple into tears.

“Don’t be upset.” She took Ariadne’s hand in hers, hating the distance that sprung between them overnight. “I just need time to process all of this. We’re still friends. Please remember that. If we don’t return from Verdura, I don’t want you to think any differently.”

The implication of her words fell like heavy rocks.

“Don’t say that!” Ari snatched her hand away. “You’re the Light. You must make it back. For all of us.”

Certainly the potion maker understood that no one knew what they were going to find in Verdura. Lia bit her lip. Hating to see her friend upset, she plastered a fake smile on her face. “Of course. You’re right.”

The weight in Lia’s stomach only grew heavier when she stepped into Minerva’s tent.

“Good afternoon,” the village leader greeted.

Sage, Kieren, Griffith, and Azriel were already inside. Judging from Kieren’s stormy expression and Griffith’s nervous foot tapping, they were in the middle of a heated discussion. Lia tried catching Kieren’s attention, but for some reason, he kept avoiding her gaze. Confused, she finally turned away.

“Hey, you.” Griffith walked over and gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze.

Minerva pointed to a map spread out the table in front of her. “I wanted to give you a little background on Verdura before you stepped through the portal. As you can see, our country consists of one large island and several smaller surrounding islands. The queen lives here, in the capital city of Elladia. It’s the largest city in Verdura and has the most varied population. To the south is Treefoil Forest and Orgun Mountain. That’s where most of your waterfolk, fyrefairies, and satyrs live. Earthkins, tree fairies, and gnomes live here, in the Western Woods while centaurs and plains folk occupy the grasslands to the east. Up north we have the Isidro mountains. The land there is poisonous to most, so you won’t find any inhabitants there besides the occasional rock giant. Are you following so far?”

Lia gave a small nod. Verdura was made up of different types of people and creatures. That made sense, given the variety of citizens she’d already seen in the village.

Minerva continued, “Each group has its own governing body, but the queen holds ultimate power over all of Verdura’s inhabitants. Most Verdurans are born with affinities to specific types of elemental magic.”

“Like how the fyrefairies create light, or the gnomes are skilled at growing things,” Lia concluded.

“Exactly. Only a few are gifted with more specialized magic, like my ability to shapeshift or Eldric’s power to control the weather. Tomorrow, the four of you—Azriel, Kieren, Lia, and Griffith—will cross through the portal and make your way to Elladia. You must find and convince Fearson to tell you everything he knows about the location of the World Eater.”

Lia looked at her friend in surprise. “You’re coming with us, Griff?”

He nodded. “I’m going to help.”

“And why aren’t you coming, Sage?”

Her grandfather shot her an apologetic look. “I wish I could. But without my magic, I wouldn’t be much help there.”

This saddened Lia; she’d only just returned to Solair, and now she had to leave him again.

“How is this exactly going to happen?” Griffith asked. “Is Lia just going to walk up to the man and say, ‘My name is Lia Yang. You killed my grandmother. Tell me where the child you found years ago is. Then, prepare to die.’”

“Seriously?” Lia suppressed a giggle. “A Princess Bride quote?”

Griffith shrugged. “I just figured the situation could use a little levity.”

“I don’t know about this Princess Bride, but Lia most certainly will not be threatening Fearson.” Minerva’s tone was stern. “In fact, once you get the World Eater’s whereabouts from him, leave him alone. Do not provoke him. He is dangerous.”

“Griffith’s just joking,” Lia tried explaining. “But he does have a point. Why would Fearson even talk to me?”

“Because his younger brother will vouch for you,” Azriel replied.

Lia eyed the Verduran’s confidence with surprise. “And just how will we persuade his younger brother to do that?”

“You already have.” Azriel gestured to himself and smirked. “Hello, princess. You have my full support.”

Lia’s mouth fell open. “You’re Fearson’s brother? Why didn’t you tell us before?”

“Kieren’s not the only one with a sordid history. In the past, my older brother and I tended to misuse our powers. Although, compared to Fearson’s ability to manipulate metal, my magical talents always seemed rather pathetic.”

Lia gave Azriel a long, hard look. “And just what are your abilities?”

“I thought you would have guessed by now.” Azriel watched her through half-lidded eyes, his voice as smooth and enticing as molten chocolate. “I manipulate people’s emotions. Love, hate, fear, desire, I can make you feel them all.”

Lia’s senses immediately went on high alert. Was he doing something to her now? She searched her heart for a change in emotion. Nothing felt off.

“Think back, Princess. Was there ever a time when you felt something more than friendship for me?”

Her cheeks flushed with warmth. “The Remembrance Festival. I felt something when we danced. That was you?”

Azriel’s only response was a proud smirk.

“Excuse me?” Sage snapped as Kieren simultaneously roared, “That’s enough!”

Kieren’s eyes silvered, and his expression morphed into something darker. “Watch what you say in my presence, Verduran.”

“I can handle this.” Lia felt angry and hollowed out. That Azriel had tried to manipulate her emotions felt like a violation of the worst kind. She stared him down, furious. “You’d better not be trying anything now.”

Azriel blinked and had the decency to look somewhat apologetic. “Like I told you, I only succeeded that one time, at the dance. I kept testing you afterwards, but you failed to succumb to my powers.” He shot a glance at Kieren. “I suppose friendship does have a way of complicating things, doesn’t it?”

“Right,” Griffith stepped in. “So now that we’ve established that Azriel is basically an evil puppet master who emotionally manipulates other people, what exactly is the plan with Fearson? Something tells me he isn’t going to be easily swayed.”

“Azriel will introduce Lia to Fearson and tell him that she’s from Solair,” Sage said. “He’ll tell her that I brought her to Minerva after her mother died because I wanted Lia to be with her mother’s people.”

“Never tell him of your ties to the Dark World,” Minerva warned. “And keep your eye colors hidden at all times. Fearson mustn’t know you are the Light, especially if he is working with the enemy.”

“And what if they run into Verdurans with Amma’s abilities?” Kieren glowered. “It would be hard to keep Lia’s heritage from him in the face of someone who can compel others to speak the truth.”

“Amma’s ability was rare,” Minerva acknowledged. “If you do run into any truth seekers, evade them by feeding them partial truths. But you don’t need to worry, Azriel will remain by Lia’s side the entire time. He’ll watch over her.”

Kieren's expression darkened and Lia quickly added, “And of course, you and Griffith will be there too.”

Everyone in the tent grew noticeably quiet.

Griffith and Kieren shared similar stern expressions. But for some reason, Azriel looked like a cat that had just caught not one, but two plump birds. “What is it?” Lia asked. “Why does it feel like I’m missing something important?”

Kieren’s angry eyes locked with hers.

“I won’t be going to the castle with you. I’m not allowed. Apparently, your kind and mine are mortal enemies.”

42 KIEREN

All this time, Kieren had believed that he and the villagers were finally becoming friends. Until Minerva revealed yet another horrible truth: Verdurans and dragon shifters were sworn enemies and had been for hundreds of years. The revelation caught him off guard and inside, Kieren seethed. How was he going to keep Lia safe?

“Come on.” Griffith’s smile seemed forced. “You’re still the same person we all know and love.”

“I don’t understand.” Lia frowned. “Yes, Kieren’s a dragon shifter. But he can control his abilities. He’s not the enemy.”

She was so trusting, but what did she know? Neither of them had ever been to Verdura. What if something about the magic there forced him to change? What if he hurt her?

“And what makes you such an expert on my dragon?” The fiery words shot out before he had a chance to think.

Lia’s eyes widened and Kieren felt crushed beneath the weight of shame. Like flaming arrows, his words struck their intended target with deadly precision. Soft tendrils of heat hissed across his skin. All this time, he’d sworn to protect her from harm, and now he’d messed up again. He hurt her. Perhaps he was more like his father than he believed. Heart pounding, Kieren took a step backwards, determined to place some distance between them.

Lia’s hurt expression gave way to a look of steely determination. “Don’t do this. Don’t push me away again. I stand behind what I say. I know you.” She held his gaze a moment longer before turning to the others. “Will someone here please tell me why Kieren and I are supposedly sworn enemies? Because that’s just nonsense.”

“We support Kieren,” Minerva began. “He’s proven his character countless times. But things are different in Verdura. When he steps through the portal, he will face generations of hatred.”

“Because he’s a dragon shifter?” Lia’s voice rose. “I’m sorry, you just explained how various groups of Verdurans coexist peacefully under the queen’s rule. I don’t see why being able to shift into a dragon should make someone any different.”

Kieren kept his eyes fixed on the map, deliberately not looking at her. But his heart held on to her every word.

“You’re right,” Minerva acknowledged. “Verdura is home to many magical races and everyone lives together peacefully. Except for the dragon shifters.”

Kieren’s jaw tightened. There it was. How could he ever believe that others would accept him?

Azriel pointed to the cluster of small islands to the west of Verdura. “Dragon shifter clans live here on the Wildling Islands. They’re a volatile and violent race, constantly fighting amongst themselves for power. No longer tied to Verdura’s magic, the dragons hunted here were shifters who lost their ability to transform back into humans.”

The young Verduran is an idiot, Kieren’s beast growled. He speaks of things he knows nothing about.

“Whoa.” Griffith frowned. “Someone here clearly needs to learn the difference between opinion and fact.”

The Verduran shot Griffith a cold stare. “Tell me, how many peaceful, law-abiding, and logical dragons did you capture and kill?” Azriel smirked when Griffith didn’t respond. “Exactly. Dragon shifters are beasts and monsters of the worst sort.”

Kieren’s skin burned hotter than the sun and his dragon released a burst of fire. Impudent child! He has no right to say the things he does. His queen’s power is a mere flicker compared to my flame. Our kind is as noble and enduring as the very land itself.

Like a thick, oily substance, anger radiated from the trapped beast, soaking into Kieren’s very being. As the dragon roared again, Kieren fought the assault of thousands of pinpricks simultaneously striking his skin.

Moons, the beast was trying to force him to shift.

Kieren clenched his jaw, battling the compulsion. I also don’t appreciate what Azriel is saying, But if you force me to succumb, then they truly will see me as nothing more than a violent beast. And I’ll have no hope of helping Lia.

The dragon sliced its talons across the mental barrier that Kieren erected. Unflinching in his determination to remain human, Kieren bore the assault. Then, with one last roar and a pile of mental profanities, the beast surrendered.

I will remain clothed in your frail flesh, but I will not listen to this ignorant child any longer.

And then, all became blessedly still.

Kieren’s heart rate slowed down. His skin cooled and his muscles relaxed. Once again, alone with his own thoughts, it was almost as if the beast had left his body, but Kieren knew that couldn’t be the case. Thankful that he no longer felt torn in two, he refocused his attention on the conversation going on around him.

“I don’t know about those other dragons,” Griffith said. “But, like Lia, I believe in my best friend. Kieren’s not like that. Which means they can’t all be like that. And that’s why I’m coming along.”

“You don’t have to do this, Griff,” Kieren began, but his voice faded when he saw his friend’s firm expression.

“Of course I’m coming. Someone has to have your back.”

“What is that even supposed to mean?” Azriel snapped. “Kieren knows that I support him. I’ve already said that he’s nothing like the others.”

“Do you truly believe that?” Griffith pointed accusingly at the Verduran. “Because a real friend wouldn’t doubt him.”

Azriel took a step forward, towering over Griffith. “I don’t doubt him. But that doesn’t change how others will see him. You know nothing about the lifetimes of bad blood between dragons and the rest of Verdura. Prior to the Great War here, our world almost fell apart when a thunder of dragon shifters attacked Elladia under the leadership of a powerful prime. Somehow, one dragon shifter stopped the infighting between the different clans by uniting them under one rule—his rule. And then, with the help of his new army, the prime attacked the queen’s palace. Our people were only just barely able to hold the beasts back.”

“That’s enough.” Lia stepped between both men. “Have you forgotten that we’re supposed to be working together?” She turned to Azriel. “Let’s say that Griff and Kieren don’t come with us to speak to your brother. What will they do in the meantime?”

“Wait for us in these western woods.”

Kieren’s eyes narrowed. “We’re supposed to just sit there and wait until you call us?” The plan sounded asinine.

“Exactly,” Azriel said.

“And how will you communicate with us?” Kieren crossed his arms. “I’m assuming Fearson won’t let you out of his sight, given that you’re his long-lost brother and you’ve brought back someone who can create portals.”

“Perhaps I have a solution for that?” Sage’s gaze fell upon his granddaughter. “What about your ability to pull people into your dreams? Could you try doing that?”

The once mage made an excellent point. Lia no longer had visions, but she gained the abilities to create portals, peer into people’s memories, and walk through dreams. Kieren’s body warmed just remembering their last couple of dream interactions. He glanced over, wondering if she was thinking the same thing.

Her flushed cheeks told him everything he needed to know.

“I can try tonight,” she said. “I’ll see if Kieren and I can chat then.”

Merely chat? The possibility of getting some alone time with her, even if it was just in a dream, cooled some of the tension simmering within. Nighttime was several hours away. Good thing Kieren was patient.

43 KIEREN

Kieren leaned against a wooden post, feeling more tired than he had in a long time. For most of the afternoon, he’d volunteered to fix broken tents around the village, trying to clear his mind and rid himself of the anger within. Unfortunately, he’d failed.

Approaching footsteps caught his attention.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding? A gibbon for your thoughts.”

Kieren turned to face Griffith. “What does that even mean?”

“You know, a gibbon? Instead of a penny?” Grif gave an exaggerated sigh. “Never mind. Clearly, my humor is worlds beyond what you’re used to.”

Kieren wiped his sweaty brow, barely suppressing a laugh.

“Thank you. I do try.” Griffith gave a slight bow. “So, how are you feeling about the trip tomorrow? And Azriel and Lia going off together?”

Kieren grunted, hating how an image of the two dancing together at the Remembrance Festival flashed in his mind. “It makes sense,” he said begrudgingly. “If my presence will somehow hinder the mission or hurt Lia, then it’s best that I stay away.”

“Seriously? Where’s the raging? The roaring?” Griffith flapped his hands in Kieren’s direction. “Why aren’t you going all berserk and possessive on me? I saw you while they were discussing the plan. It looked like you were ready to claim Lia and kill any Verduran who got in your way.”

The boy is right, his dragon purred smugly. And we should have done just that.

Kieren inwardly sighed. “You aren’t that wrong in your assessment.”

“Well, I’m proud of you for your maturity.” Griff pat him on the shoulder and then leaned closer. “So what’s our actual plan while they’re wooing Azriel’s murdering, foul beast of a brother?”

“You heard Azriel.” Kieren stared at Griffith in surprise. “We’re supposed to wait until they tell us what to do.”

“We could do that, or…” The look in his friend’s eyes implied that he had other plans.

“What?”

“Or we could go and find the other dragon shifters. Hear me out.” Griffith’s grin widened. “I’ve been doing some thinking. A dangerous pastime, I know.”

Kieren waited for Griff to finish his thought.

“Beauty and the Beast?” His friend stared at him expectantly. “That was a classic pop culture reference. I need Lia here. She is the Miyagi to my Daniel-san.”

Moons, was Griffith still speaking Solairan?

“Sorry, I couldn’t help that one. Okay. Back to the matter at hand. The prophecy says that Lia needs help from a dragon.”

“Right. Me.”

“Well, we’re assuming that dragon shifter is you. But what if it’s not? What if it’s some other dragon? Or what if Lia needs help from more than one dragon? I mean, we’re talking about the World Eater here. No one has once discussed what she’ll do to stop him. I mean, Lia’s smart and a good fighter, but against an enemy this powerful, wouldn’t it be better if she had the help of a whole thunder of dragons? Plus, aren’t you even the tiniest bit curious about your kin? Don’t you want to meet them?”

Kieren rubbed the back of his neck, unsure what to think. On the one hand, he believed what Azriel and Minerva said. Dragons were violent monsters. He’d hunted and killed them here. Yet there was a small part inside that felt excited at the thought of finding others like him.

“Meet who?”

A smile came over Kieren’s face on hearing Lia’s voice.

“Other dragon shifters,” Griffith answered. “I was trying to convince Kieren to meet some of his kind while we’re there.”

Kieren eyed her, curious about what she thought of him after Azriel’s revelation.

“That’s a great idea.” Lia gave him a concerned look. “Look, I know what Minerva and Azriel said. But you do realize that I don’t think you’re a monster, right?”

With those words, some of the anger stewing in his gut dissipated.

“I knew you would agree.” Griffith wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “You’re the best. You’re like the peanut butter to my jelly.”

She beamed. “Aw, that’s so sweet.”

“So it’s up to you, Kieren. You can decide if we meet your family or not.” Mischief filled Griffith’s eyes. “Oh yeah, I also told Kieren that he didn’t have to worry about you being scared of flying. Not with the airplanes and helicopters in your world. Compared to them, flying a dragon would be a piece of cake.”

Kieren narrowed his eyes. What was Griffith up to now?

“Is that what you want, Kieren?” A hopeful smile lit up Lia’s face. “Do you want me to ride you?”

The moment the words left her mouth, her face turned red and her lips instantly pursed as if she’d just bitten into a lemon.

Griffith laughed loudly and slapped his thigh. “And here’s where I bid you both farewell.” With an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows, he sauntered away.

Lia’s cheeks were still flushed. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded. I was talking about flying on your back. You know. Riding you meant flying on you. Not the other thing.” She shook her head and groaned. “Why won’t the earth just open up and swallow me now?”

Moons, she was hilarious when she was embarrassed. “Come here.” He gently pulled her into his arms and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“That’s nice.” She let out a soft sigh, relaxing against his chest.

Merely nice? No, that simply wouldn’t do. “Oh, I think we can do much better than that.” Kieren pulled her back in and kissed her on the lips, fully intending to change her mind.

Lia tasted like sunshine and comfort and the kiss quickly deepened. Reluctantly, he pulled away before things went any farther and grabbed his pendant from his satchel. “You know, Griffith may be onto something. You should practice riding me.”

He stopped, realizing what he’d just said.

Now it was Lia’s turn to burst into laughter. “See? It’s not just me.”

Kieren let out a low chuckle. “Apparently, we both have dirty mouths.” As he began unbuckling his leather harness, she turned away.

“I’ll just let you do your thing,” she said, deliberately averting her gaze.

“My thing?”

“You know.” Her voice rose several octaves. “Get undressed. I’m giving you some privacy so you can take off your clothes and shift.”

Feeling playful, Kieren walked over and tugged on her braid. “Oh, I don’t mind. You can watch if you like.”

She pulled out of his grasp. “No thanks. I’ll pass.” She coughed loudly. “I’m fine looking at this fence. And this sky. Wow? How did it get this dark already? We don’t see constellations like this on Earth.”

“Suit yourself.” With a grin, he shed the rest of his clothing and placed it in a neat pile on the ground. Then, closing his eyes, Kieren focused on his transformation.

Muscles lengthened. Bones snapped apart and then reformed. Scales emerged, covering his body in another type of armor. Kieren now stood on all fours and gave his wings a needed stretch. Tilting his head back, he breathed deeply, taking in the intertwined scents of nervousness and excitement wafting from the female in front of him.

She was here, and finally, she was his.

Padding over, he blew a puff of warm air toward her.

“Kieren?” Lia turned around. Hesitantly, she reached out and ran her hand down his jaw and neck before brushing a fingertip along the rib of his wing.

He let out a low purr of pleasure.

“This is amazing,” she said quietly before rubbing his wing again.

A small sneeze escaped his lips.

Giggling, Lia stepped back. “Are you ticklish?” Her eyes glinted playfully as she teased the wing rib again.

What was this? She sought to tame his beast with… tickles? Kieren nuzzled her waist with his jaw and she fell back, laughing.

“Okay. Okay. I won’t touch your wings. Got it. So how do we do this?”

Having already thought ahead, he kneeled on all fours, drew his wings tight alongside his body, and tilted towards her.

“So I’m just supposed to get onto your back? I guess it’s kind of like mounting a motorcycle.” She carefully climbed on and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Alright, I’m ready.”

As he stood, Lia’s grip tightened.

“Wow. The view from up here is amazing,” she called out.

Kieren snorted, and a gust of fire escaped his lips. If she thought that was amazing, she was going to love this.

He curled his lips up into a grin. Then, with a flap of his wings, Kieren took flight.

44 LIA

Lia’s stomach clenched tightly as she peered down. Although the initial moments of dizziness passed, she still kept her hands fisted around Kieren’s neck. It was frightening and exhilarating to see the world below her grow steadily smaller. As they climbed ever higher, the village became nothing more than a small circle of lonely lights flickering against a vast black expanse.

Now the only sounds around her were the whooshing of air and the rhythmic flapping of wings. Up here, amidst the clouds and stars, they were so far removed from the rest of the world. Lia took a deep breath, trying to remember everything about this moment. Never had she experienced such freedom. The feeling was intoxicating, akin to the excitement she felt when she rode her motorcycle back home.

Kieren let out a low rumble that ended in an upward inflection.

Interpreting it as a question, Lia responded, “Yeah, it’s pretty nice up here.” She let out an extra loud yawn. “Really peaceful. Reminds me of a slow airplane ride. I mean, I could just fall asleep right now, the ride is that smooth.”

He let out a short, annoyed grunt before shooting out a small burst of flame.

Lia held back her laughter at his grumpy antics. “I’m just used to bigger and faster things on Earth, that’s all. There’s nothing wrong with being slow and steady.”

Taking her comments to heart, Kieren grunted again, and his wings beat steadily faster. With the wind racing by, they sailed in and out of the wispy, cold clouds.

“Okay! You got me. I was just teasing before. This is amazing!” Thrusting one arm into the sky, she let out a loud holler. The sky flashed a bright orange again before they tilted to the right. Caught unawares, Lia squeezed his neck as they circled the tiny dots of lights below. Grinning from ear to ear, she gave another holler of excitement.

Not yet done showing off, Kieren arched his body, shooting upwards towards the heavens. Lia clung on for dear life as they defied gravity and finally emerged from the blanket of clouds in front of Solair’s twin moons. Like matching lanterns, the celestial orbs loomed before them, larger than life and appearing almost close enough to touch.

Lia’s thoughts returned to the love story that Kieren had shared when she first arrived in Solair. “Hi, Oberon. Hi, Kandra.”

Mysterious and silent, the two spheres glowed with an ancient, knowing light.

With no sounds around them except for the occasional flapping of wings, all the stresses of tomorrow slowly melted off her shoulders. She sat there, wishing they could stay in this quiet starry expanse forever. But all too soon, the beautiful moment was over. Kieren grunted and, like a swimmer diving off the high board, they plunged. Lia’s stomach gurgled uncomfortably from the quickly changing altitude. Determined to soak in every sight and sensation, she forced her eyes open and held on tightly, seeking safety in his sheer solid mass.

At first, the village’s pinprick lights resembled scattered boats idling in a pitch-black sea. But shapes and outlines soon emerged from the shadows. The training area came into view, and Kieren turned, adjusting his angle of descent. After several graceful loops, they landed.

Breathless and elated, Lia rested her cold face against Kieren’s warm neck. “Thank you.”

He snorted and lowered his body. Taking the hint, she carefully slid down the smooth black scales and looked away while he changed back.

“What did you think?”

Kieren’s voice, as rough as grit and sandpaper, sent a series of pleasant tingles dancing across Lia’s skin. She turned just in time to see him slide his leather harness over his head. His shirt rode up, exposing a smooth sliver of skin. For a moment, she imagined pushing the shirt up higher to see the tattoo underneath.

“Lia?” Kieren looked up and caught her staring.

Cheeks flaming, her mouth raced to respond, leaving her poor brain two steps behind. “That was amazing and terrifying and I’ve never felt so free. And that one moment when you just hovered over the clouds? I could have stayed up there forever. How was it for you?” She clapped her hand over her mouth, embarrassed.

Kieren wiggled his finger, beckoning her over. A crooked grin lifted a corner of his mouth. Happily, she slipped into his arms.

“It was wonderful.”

Lia closed her eyes, trying to enjoy the moment. But now that they were back on solid ground, the inevitabilities of what would happen in the coming days began creeping back. Verdurans thrived on magic, and except for removing Kieren’s curse and stepping into a couple of shared dreams and memories, Lia hadn’t displayed any extraordinary magical abilities. With training she was now a decent fighter, but really, what good was metal against magic?

“I’m afraid,” she said quietly.

“Of what?”

“That I won’t be enough.”

Kieren let out a soft sigh and pulled her in closer. A lengthy moment of silence passed between them before he finally spoke again. “I believe in you, Lia. You are more than enough. And when you face the monster at the end of the world, I will be there, standing at your side.”

45 LIA

The counter in front of Lia glowed yellow from the neon light of the Two Moons’ sign outside. Lia took a seat and stared at the pair of chocolate milkshakes and plate overflowing with french fries resting before her. For a moment, it felt like she was at home. Except that Lia knew this wasn’t really the case. She was still in Solair, sleeping beside Lilith.

She popped a french fry into her mouth. It was perfect. Salty on the outside and just a smidgen soft on the inside. She devoured several more, dipping a couple into ketchup and the rest in her chocolate milkshake. A moan escaped her lips at the combination of salty, crispy, sweet, and soft.

Her eyes fell on the second milkshake. Was that meant for her too? Or was she expecting a visitor? The diner and kitchen both appeared empty. So why had she dreamed up two drinks?

Find me. The World Eater’s words came back to her, and she suddenly remembered.

Kieren.

As good as the food was, Lia hadn’t come here to eat. She was meant to practice communicating with Kieren. But where was he?

The last time she’d reached out to the World Eater, Lia had simply dreamed of him. But that didn’t seem to be working this time. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried willing Kieren to her. She imagined his lopsided smile, the serious look in his silver eyes when he listened to her, and the safety she felt in his arms.

A bell jingled.

“Lia?”

Her eyes snapped open just in time to see Kieren stepping inside the restaurant, looking as astonished and happy as she felt. Running into his arms, she hugged him tightly, drawing strength from his warm and steady presence. “Is it really you?”

“I think so.” Dream Kieren glanced down. “Although I’m not sure why I chose to wear this.” He tugged at the gray T-shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders.

“Well, that could be my doing.” He looked really, really…nice in a T-shirt and jeans. “Come on.” Feeling almost shy, she took his hand and led him over to the counter.

“Is that what I think it is?” He took a gulp of the chocolate milkshake. “You need to dream of me more often.”

Oh, she would. Lia rested her head on his shoulder, thrilled that their plan had worked. Now, despite being separated in Verdura, they’d still be able to communicate with each other without anyone else knowing. It was perfect.

The bell on the door chimed again.

“That’s strange.” She wiped the ketchup from her mouth. “I wasn’t trying to call anyone else.” Lia turned, and the blood froze in her veins at the sight of the hulking, bald man standing in the doorway. It was the World Eater.

She shot to her feet and grabbed at her unadorned waist.

“No weapons?” Kieren stood beside her. “Next time we do this, could you dream up a sword for me?”

She’d keep that in mind for both of them. If there was a next time.

“I assume this is the World Eater.” His eyes remained fixed on the intruder at the door. “What do you want?” Kieren called out.

Their opponent staggered forward, his icy blue eyes taking in everything in the room before focusing on them. With a grunt, he waved his hand, as if motioning for them to follow.

“Why should we come with you?” Kieren asked.

He had a point. The World Eater had played a part in every horrible thing she had experienced in Solair. And yet something inside of her still wanted to trust him.

“You told me to find you, and I listened,” she said. “I’m coming. But you can’t just invade my dream and order us to follow you without telling us why.”

The man shook his head and impatiently motioned to the door again.

Kieren’s hand grabbed hold of hers. “I don’t trust him.”

“Then trust me.” She gave his hand a squeeze. Something inside her felt compelled to follow. She needed to see whatever it was that the World Eater wanted to show them. “He doesn’t want to fight us. I think we should go with him.”

Kieren frowned. “I trust you, Lia. But if anything happens to you, I will destroy him. You won’t be able to stop me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied with a straight face.

Amusement flickered in his silver eyes.

“Too corny?”

Giving her a small smile, he shook his head. “I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

Neither one letting go, they followed the World Eater outside.

Instead of a vacant parking lot, they found themselves in a dark cavern. A giant blue stone jutted from the ground, as tall as a one story building. Delicate veins of gold spiderwebbed the rock’s smooth surface like beautiful lace.

Letting out a loud gasp, Kieren tore his hand from hers.

“What’s wrong?” Lia asked.

A low groan escaped his lips as he dropped to his knees.

“Kieren? What’s happening?”

Like an animal trapped in a cage, there was a frightened, wild look about him. He huddled on the ground and rocked back and forth, lost in his own world of pain.

Panicked, she whipped around to face the World Eater. “Stop this! Whatever it is you’re doing, stop it. I’m here. There’s no need to hurt anyone.”

The pale man shook his head, pointing to the giant stone.

“What does that have to do with Kieren?” Lia asked.

The World Eater placed a hand on the glowing rock before pointing to Kieren again.

“You’re not the one hurting him, are you?”

He shook his head.

Lia knelt down. “Kieren? Can you stand up? I think he’s saying that the rock’s doing this to you. We need to get you out of here.”

“Too. Much. Pressure,” Kieren panted. His eyes rolled back and his body spasmed.

Frantic, Lia sprinted to the blue stone, determined to figure out what was happening to him.

She ran her hands across its polished surface and felt…nothing. There was nothing there, as far as she could tell. No hum of maleficent power. Nothing to hint at any sort of treachery. Just cold rock. It didn’t make sense.

The World Eater pulled her hand off the stone.

“Get away from her.” Kieren staggered to his feet, his face twisted in a mixture of pain and rage. “She’s mine.”

His voice sounded strange. Lower than usual.

“I know you’re in pain,” Lia said soothingly. “But you don’t have to worry. He’s not trying to hurt me.”

“Shut up!” Kieren’s face rippled into something colder, harder. “I said, stay away from her.”

Ignoring the warning, the World Eater heaved his body in front of Lia’s and planted two icy fingers against her forehead.

The room exploded in a burst of golden light. Lia could feel it, surrounding her and entering her, filling her to the brim. Peering down at her hands, she realized with surprise that she was glowing again.

A thin filament of light connected her and the World Eater. Lia plucked the golden strand with her finger, gasping as it vibrated. But that wasn’t the only cord of energy attached to her. Another thicker beam of light connected Lia to Kieren. This one burned bright like the sun and visibly pulsed with power. Curious, she reached out to touch the band, but before she could, the connection jerked and disappeared. Clutching her chest, Lia cried out in pain. It was as if something beautiful and life-giving had been ripped away.

The blue stone now appeared to grow even brighter.

“How dare you ignore my warning!” Kieren snarled. The sound of cracking bones and the smell of sulphur filled the cavern. Features sharpened and stretched unnaturally until a gray dragon stood in his place.

Cold silver eyes peered down at them. A series of horns sat atop the beast’s head like a twisted crown of flesh. The dragon roared and lashed its tail, giving Lia a glimpse of its sharp teeth and the hundreds of wicked spikes running along the creature’s spine.

I am Prime.

She stumbled backwards, wincing at the invasion of thoughts.

A giant pulse of energy sliced through the air and Lia found it difficult to breathe. Was this creature Kieren? She remembered his beautiful black scales and his playful flight in the air. No. It couldn’t be. He wasn’t this monster.

The dragon shot out its wings, crashing into the sides of the cavern. I am Prime. I will claim what is mine. And the world shall burn.

Another blast of power tore through her mind. Lia let out a whimper at the unbearable, battering force.

A cold hand grabbed her arm, steadying her on her feet. She blinked, struggling to recognize the man standing next to her. For some reason, the World Eater was still there. But now his eyes were a deep ruby red and his skin was covered in a pattern of glowing blue swirls.

“Find me,” the man mouthed before placing two icy fingertips to her forehead.

Everything exploded in a white light. And she awoke from the nightmare.

46 KIEREN

Kieren shot up off the mat on the floor, his body covered in a cold sweat. Outside the tent, the faintest blush of dawn bled into a sleepy grey sky. He glanced over at the two other bedrolls inside the tent. The one meant for Sage was empty. The once mage still had not returned from Magnus and Cade’s last night. Griffith lay on the other mat, sound asleep.

Moons. What had just happened? One moment he had been enjoying milkshakes and french fries with Lia, and the next, he’d found himself trapped inside another dragon’s body.

The trouble had started the moment they entered the cave with the stone. Kieren shivered, recalling how his body had felt simultaneously crushed and pulled apart; the pain reminiscent of his first transformation, but a thousand times worse. But the most frightening part was when his own mind became hazy and quiet as a foreign presence took over.

Prime. Kieren had claimed to be Prime. Azriel used the label a few days ago when he talked about the shifter that united the dragon clans in attacking the Verduran queen. But that wasn’t the only time Kieren heard the term. Somewhere in the back of his mind, an older memory surfaced. While hunting Solair’s last dragon, the hunters had discovered a giant gray dragon chained to a wall beneath Hearst Castle.

Back then, Kieren was still in the early days of his curse and somehow he was able to acutely sense the other dragon’s thoughts and emotions. Even now, he could still recollect bits and pieces of the violent memories poured into his mind. That trapped dragon had also called itself Prime.

Two gray dragons proclaiming to be Prime? Surely there was a connection between both beasts. But he couldn’t think of anything. What was he missing?

“You’re thinking too loud again,” Griffith grumbled. “Why are you even awake? We don’t need to go to school today.” He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Did Lia manage to dream walk to you?”

“Yes.” Kieren frowned, his mind still trying to relate the two dragons.

“I don’t see the problem then.” Griff let out a long yawn. “Congratulations! You’ve got your own magical cell phone. Why do you look so broody? Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”

Not quite. Kieren shared about the World Eater’s visit and the odd blue stone and the other dragon. By the time he finished recounting the dream, Griffith was completely awake. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

Kieren shook his head.

“Now we have to find the other dragon shifters. Not only for you, but for Lia too. It’s all tied together.”

47 LIA

“Good morning.” Azriel peered around Ariadne’s tent before stepping inside. “Are Ariadne and Lili in?”

“They’re out running errands,” Lia responded without looking up. She continued chopping the fruit and vegetables for lunch, secretly hoping that the Verduran would just go away. While Lia usually enjoyed his playful banter, today she just wanted to be left alone. Like a hamster on a wheel, her mind kept processing and re-processing last night’s nightmare. The memory of Kieren transforming into another dragon frightened her and she grew increasingly convinced that the dream was a sign. That she was somehow putting him in danger by bringing him to Verdura.

“Is something the matter?” Azriel sat on a stool across the table. Clearly, he was not about to leave anytime soon.

Avoiding his gaze, Lia kept her mouth shut and kept chopping. She couldn’t tell him what happened last night. Given Azriel’s obvious hatred of dragon shifters, Lia didn’t want to give him yet another reason to distrust Kieren. Plus, she wasn’t ready to hear someone else’s opinions about the matter when she was still working through her own thoughts.

“Peace, Lia.” A pale hand rested on top of hers. “That poor jackmelon is taking quite a beating.”

She eyed the practically liquified fruit. “Oops. I guess I didn’t know my own strength.” Lia placed the knife down and shot him what she hoped was a breezy smile. “Is my grandfather back yet?”

“Not yet.” Azriel’s voice drifted off, but his golden eyes stayed on her face, as if searching for something.

“You’re not trying to manipulate my emotions, are you?” she asked, only half-joking.

“Of course not.” He scowled. “You look like you haven’t had a good night’s sleep and as a friend, it would be remiss of me not to ask how you are doing.”

“Really?” She placed a hand on her hip. “That’s it? No smooth talk or flirty compliment? Wow. Things really have changed since I returned. You’re so serious now. How are you doing? We have a big trip coming up. Is there anything you want to talk about, big guy?”

Azriel gave her a sly grin. “I am rather big, thank you for noticing.”

Lia made a big deal of rolling her eyes. “Okay. Obviously, you’re fine.”

“And don’t think I didn’t notice how you just changed the topic.” His smile temporarily faltered. “But I’ll let it slip this time because I came to talk to you about something important. My brother, actually.”

“I hope you’re not trying to convince me that he’s a good guy, because I know what I saw.” The memory of Fearson slicing through her grandmother’s armor would forever remain in Lia’s mind.

“No. I came to warn you to always stay on guard around him. Fearson is cunning and his ability to manipulate metal is extremely dangerous. Just take a moment and think about how much metal is around us at all times. Weapons, armor, jewelry, bowls, utensils, even rock and earth contain metal ores. Imagine walking through a forest and being pelted by the very stones around you. Or a beautiful necklace around your neck, a gift from a lover perhaps, used to strangle you. My brother could do it. And he has.”

Lia glanced at the knife on the table and swallowed hard. How could they protect themselves from someone that powerful? “Do you think he would try to hurt us?”

“I will do my best to convince my brother to help us. But you need to know what to expect. Fearson and I grew up under difficult circumstances. Our parents held impossibly high expectations. My brother thrived under the pressure, rising to the ranks of the Queen’s Guard. I, unfortunately, was far less extraordinary.”

“Really?” Lia found that hard to believe. “You can’t tell me there are tons of Verdurans who can manipulate emotions because that would be creepy.” Azriel looked up and her cheeks heated with embarrassment. “Not that you’re creepy, of course.”

“You have to make up your mind about me, Lia. Am I a charming flirt? Or creepy? Which I assume is something distasteful.” He arched a brow. “Actually, you’re right. My power is also rare. But not showy enough for my parents’ taste. When the Great War began, Fearson and I jumped at the opportunity to prove ourselves. My brother thrived on the savagery, but I broke after witnessing the violence that both groups inflicted on each other.” Azriel’s voice drifted off and he stared at his hands.

Lia wished she could find the words to chase away the ghosts of his past. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” His mouth tightened. “I don’t deserve your sympathy. I’ve done horrible things in my life. But I’ve paid my penance. I’m a different person now. But Fearson won’t be. I know my brother. Being a guard fed his ego and winning the war made him a hero. He will be more ruthless and ambitious than before. And he’s had his heart set on power for a long time. When we were young, he even boasted that he would one day be the first king of Verdura.”

Lia didn’t understand why Azriel said the statement with such disgust. Wanting to be king didn’t seem like such a horrible aspiration.

“Sometimes I forget how new you are to the ways of our people.” Azriel’s golden eyes flashed angrily. “It is a selfish desire. To say such a thing is akin to treason. The queen is the lifeblood of Verdura. She is the physical conduit for all our magic. Without her, magic would fade, and our world would die. That’s why we never crown a king. The queen’s mate is her royal consort. He is beloved and powerful in his own right, but he is a helper only.”

“Sounds like he’s just there to make royal babies,” Lia joked.

“Exactly.” There was no humor in Azriel’s eyes. “Female babies.”

Wow. That was definitely a twist on the types of monarchy she’d learned about in history class. “Well, then, I’m glad you’re coming with me. I don’t know what I’d do without your assistance in navigating all these things.”

Azriel reached out and took her hand, gazing at her with half-lidded eyes. “I would do anything for you, my princess.”

“Right.” She tugged her hand away, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. “And that’s what makes you such a good friend.”

Her words seemed to snap him from whatever emotions he was swimming in. Azriel stood up and eyed the cutting board with a smirk. “I’ll no longer keep you from slaughtering your defenseless victims. I need to speak to Minerva before we leave. Make sure Ariadne gives you enough potion to conceal the color of your eyes.”

Lia poked the ruined fruit. “Of course.”

Azriel made his way to the tent’s entrance.

“Wait,” she called out. “Can I ask you a question?” Somehow, hearing the Verduran speak so frankly about his concerns made her more comfortable sharing hers.

“Yes?”

“Have you ever heard of a blue rock that affects dragons? One that hurts them? Or forces them to change into other dragons?” She held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t ask her why she was asking these questions now.

Azriel seemed thoughtful. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. But my knowledge is limited. When we are in Verdura, I will take you to the royal library. Perhaps you can find your answers there.”

And just like that, a small spark of hope was restored. “Thank you.”

He gave a small bow. “Of course. Anything for you, princess.”

48 LIA

It was about midday when they finally reached the clearing. Lia stared at the white rock marking the boundaries between worlds. Around them, the surrounding woods were eerily quiet. It was almost as if everything was holding a collective breath, anticipating the illicit magic that was about to happen.

Lia approached Griffith and Kieren, feeling nervous. Ever since she dream walked with Kieren, she couldn’t shake off the suspicion that he was trying to avoid her. Of course, she wanted to give him space to process what had happened, but a part of her also worried that the nightmare they shared had ruined something between them.

She studied Kieren’s face, trying to read his thoughts. But whatever he was thinking was now locked up behind those high cheekbones and intense silver eyes.

“Here.” She offered them both a small glass vial. “It’s a gift from Ariadne. You’ll run into trouble if you don’t speak Verdura’s different languages. This should help you to converse and understand everything that they’re saying. I took mine earlier. It wasn’t too bad. Kinda minty.”

Griffith opened the bottle and downed its contents. “Smooth.” He grimaced. “I’ll go see if I can help Azriel and Sage with anything.” Without waiting for their response, he turned and jogged away.

Kieren swallowed the potion as well. “Did you take something for your eyes?”

It was the first thing he had said to her since the dream. Lia nodded dumbly, wishing she knew what to say to fix whatever went wrong between them.

“Good.” An odd expression surfaced on his face. “I’m sorry about what happened in the dream. I hope you know that I would never hurt you and I completely understand if you don’t want to be near me. Honestly, I’m not sure I want to be near myself right now.”

Was that what he felt? Lia hated that he’d fallen prey to the doubt that constantly seemed to plague him. Sucking in a deep breath, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. I love you. We’re in this together, remember?”

“I love you too.” Kieren inhaled sharply. His voice sounded unsteady and unsure. “But I don’t deserve this. You’re always saving me.”

She tore herself from his arms. “No. We always save each other.”

“And I’m ready for someone to save me from having to listen to all of this.” Azriel sniggered. “Don’t worry, dragon shifter. I’ll take good care of our princess for you.”

Lia’s cheeks warmed and she became conscious of Kieren’s steady arms still around her waist. She tensed, expecting him to lose his temper. Instead, he surprised her with a laugh.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Lia, it’s that she can handle herself.”

Her heart swelled with pride at his words.

Kieren’s arms then tightened around her waist. “But if anything happens to her on your watch, I’m coming for you. Rules be damned. I will destroy the world for her.”

“Good.” Azriel’s eyes glinted. “I expect nothing less.”

49 KIEREN

“I’m proud of you,” Griffith said as they watched Sage pass last-minute instructions to his granddaughter.

Kieren didn't take his eyes off Lia. “What do you mean?”

“You know, letting go. Not allowing Azriel to ruffle your scales, so to speak.”

Guilt tugged at his conscience. Oh, he was ruffled, alright. Kieren still hated the idea of Lia going off without him to speak to Fearson. But he was trying his best not to show it. Did you hear him? Kieren shot a tentative thought to his dragon. You won’t do anything when Lia leaves with the Verduran.

The beast remained strangely silent. Kieren sent another thought, this one more goading. Isn’t Azriel standing a bit too close to Lia for your liking?

Still, his dragon didn’t stir.

“Kieren?”

His attention snapped back to his friend. “Yes. Well. I’m trying to trust her. And Azriel.”

As if she could sense them talking about her, Lia turned and gave him a smile that made him feel warm from the inside out.

Beside him, Griffith coughed loudly. “Why do I suddenly feel like the third wheel?”

Kieren shrugged his shoulders, a smile lingering on his lips as Sage approached them.

“How are you doing?” Kieren asked, even though he already knew the answer. The man looked worried and exhausted.

“I’ve had better days.”

“We’ll take good care of her,” Kieren promised, hoping to reassure the once mage.

“Yeah. The World Eater won’t know what hit him,” Griffith added.

“Thank you.” Sage offered them a small, tired smile. “Take care of yourselves and each other. And bring my granddaughter back. The enemy has stolen too many of the people I’ve loved.”

“It’s time,” Lia called out.

“This part still gives me the shivers,” Griffith muttered before joining Azriel and Lia near the stone.

Kieren agreed. Still uneasy about how portal magic worked, he watched as Lia traced the rock with the new piece of spelled chalk that Magnus had recently made.

“This is where it got strange last time,” Kieren murmured to Sage.

“Strange how?”

“Just watch.”

As Lia wiped her blood on the rock and spoke the spell, patches of glowing color appeared beneath the surface of her skin before a beam of light shot out from the middle of her forehead.

Concerned, Kieren turned to Sage to see what he thought of it all. The look of terror in the once mage’s eyes told him everything he needed to know.

The older man gripped Kieren’s arm. “Promise me that you won’t let them take her.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Here, her magic is muted. But she will develop her true powers in Verdura.”

“That’s good, right?” Kieren struggled to understand the other man’s fear. Lia could walk through dreams and peer into memories. But neither ability seemed powerful enough to defeat a flesh and blood monster. Surely greater powers would help their cause.

“Lia is a unicorn shifter. And if the Queen finds out what she really is, she will never let Lia return home.”

Unicorn shifter? Kieren stared at the beam of light emerging from Lia’s forehead, trying to process this new piece of information.

Azriel, then Griffith, stepped through the portal.

Sage dropped Kieren’s arm. “Keep her safe and bring her home.”

“Of course.”

Still shaken by what Sage revealed, Kieren walked over to Lia, noting her luminescent skin and the beam of light emerging from her forehead with new eyes.

“I love you.” The smile that she gave him was one of complete trust.

“I love you too.” And he was going to protect her, no matter what the cost. With that promise in his heart, Kieren plunged himself into the portal.

50 LIA

When one envisions a world made entirely of magic, they probably imagine what things there will look like, feel like, even smell like. Lia was no different. She had pictured Verdura to be a place where colors appeared brighter, light felt warmer, and everything hummed with essential life-giving power. She envisioned strange and beautiful creatures, exotic plants, and odd happenings that didn’t obey the laws of reason or physics.

Upside down trees? Possibly. Flowers that exploded in glitter? Even better. Rivers flowing with chocolate? Why not?

So saying Lia was disappointed once her eyes adjusted to the scenery before her would have been an understatement. She wasn’t merely dissatisfied with what she saw; she was distressed.

“This can’t be possible.” Azriel’s expression was dark.

“You mean your world isn’t always so…colorless?” Griffith murmured.

Silently they took in the ancient forest surrounding them. Everything seemed too quiet and too gray. A profound sense of loss weighed on her heart. It was like someone had painted a horrible wash over everything, muting all the colors. Lia peered overhead, expecting to see heavy clouds blocking out the sun or something else to explain this hazy, subdued scene. But the sky was clear, albeit gray. Not a single cloud in sight. Then why did everything feel so lifeless and dreary?

Kieren placed an arm around her shoulders and she leaned against him, gaining strength from his nearness.

Moons. What happened here?

Instantly, Lia pulled away and eyed the surrounding walls of trees. “Who said that?”

“Said what?” Kieren’s hand came to rest on the hilt of his sword.

“You didn’t hear that voice?” It was masculine. And loud.

Judging by Azriel and Griffith’s confused expressions, she appeared to be the only one who’d heard it. Feeling even more unsettled, Lia massaged her temples. Why would she be the only to hear the voice? Something was clearly very wrong.

“You’re right,” Kieren agreed. “Something is wrong. But what is it?”

Griffith gave him a baffled look. “Who’s right?”

Kieren glanced over at her. “Lia was right when she said the place makes her feel unsettled. There’s definitely something wrong here.”

“Lia didn’t say anything.” Azriel’s tone was tense.

Then how did I hear her? Does this have anything to do with what Sage said before?

Lia turned to Kieren. “What did my grandfather say?”

His eyes widened. “I didn’t say anything out loud. I was just—” thinking it.

They stared at each other in surprise.

How could they hear each other’s thoughts? Is this what I think it is? She wondered. Am I reading your mind?

His silver eyes watched her. Yes. And it seems I can read yours.

“What did Sage say to you?” Azriel eyed them, his eyes narrowed.

I’m not supposed to share this with anyone. Kieren kept his face expressionless, as if he didn’t want Azriel to know what they were doing. He said you’re a unicorn shifter.

Lia burst out laughing. “No, he didn’t! Like with rainbow-colored hair and a horn?”

Kieren gave Azriel a sideways glare. Not a word.

But we can trust him. Lia bit her lip. Did my grandfather honestly believe I was a unicorn? The possibility seemed absurd.

Something warm and comforting brushed against her mind. Is it so ridiculous given what I am?

“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Griffith studied both of his friends. “All these pointed, heated looks. I feel like I’m watching some sexy telenovela.”

Azriel let out an exasperated sigh. “Isn’t it obvious? They can read each other’s thoughts.”

“No way.” Griffith’s violet eyes widened. “No freaking way! Is it just a you-and-Kieren thing? Or can you do it with me too? Here, let me send you something.” He closed his eyes and wrinkled his brow.

Lia concentrated, but couldn’t hear anything.

Kieren’s mind sent out a warm tendril. I’ll bet he’s thinking of a chocolate milkshake. Or his cell phone.

A giggle escaped her mouth.

Griffith’s eyes shot open. “Did you get it?”

“No, sorry.” She shook her head.

His face fell. “Oh. Well, in case you were wondering, I was thinking of a milkshake. World traveling makes me hungry.”

See? A soft ripple ran through Lia’s mind, which she interpreted as a mental laugh.

“So, only you two share this ability,” Azriel concluded.

Lia tore herself from their private conversation. “Well, we haven’t tried it with you yet.”

A haughty smile curled Azriel’s lips. “Oh, I was sending you some incredibly naughty thoughts before. You just weren’t receiving them.”

Heat exploded in her mind as an image of a fist punching Azriel’s face interrupted her thoughts. She whipped around. “You’re not actually going to do that, are you?”

Kieren hissed in an uneven breath and made a face. “You saw that?”

“Felt is probably more accurate.”

Something caressed the corners of her mind. I’m sorry.

It’s fine. You didn’t act on it. She imagined herself placing her palm on his chest.

A corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile.

“Okay. Even I know what you two are thinking right there.” Griffith turned away. “So, Azriel. You think we should go search around; see why it looks like we’re on the set of an old horror movie?”

“Quiet.” Azriel pressed a finger to his lips. His golden eyes peered into the woods, hyper-focused. “Someone’s coming.”

“But I don’t hear anyth—” Azriel’s hard stare silenced Griffith.

“Go,” the Verduran hissed. “You two have to hide.” He pointed to several large bushes a couple of yards away. “Don’t come out until I tell you.”

This was it. Lia’s heart thundered loudly in her chest. They were really doing this. She felt like a leaf about to be tossed into a hurricane.

I’ll be right here, Lia.

I know. She tried sending Kieren reassuring thoughts. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.

Once Griffith and Kieren had left, Azriel stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the bushes. “Are you two still mentally connected?”

Lia tried. Can you still hear me?

His response was immediate. Yes. Do you need me?

No. Azriel just wanted to check.

“Given your lack of response, I’m assuming it still works,” Azriel remarked.

“Yes. But his voice sounded quieter.” She peered around the woods and drew her sword.

“Distance seems to affect your ability to communicate. That’s good to know.” He eyed her blade. “I need you to put your sword away.”

“What? Why?”

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded. Of course she did.

“Then I need you to put away your weapon and pretend to be under my spell.”

She hesitated before slipping her sword back into its scabbard. “What do you mean?”

“You have to pretend that you love me.”

51 LIA

“What?” Lia spat out. Had she heard right? Was he joking?

But there was no humor in his voice. “Can Kieren hear what I’m saying?” Azriel kept his eyes on the surrounding forest.

She faltered. “I’m not sure. Let me check.” She sent out a thought to Kieren. Did you hear Azriel?

There was a moment’s pause before he responded, No. Why? What is it? This time, his voice was fainter and Lia had to strain to hear.

“No,” she whispered. “He couldn’t.”

“Good. Tell him to find my gnome friend Orin and stay with him. We’ll contact him once we’ve spoken to my brother.”

What’s happening? Is someone coming?

Lia sent back her response. Azriel’s worried, but he won’t tell me why. I think we’ll be separated soon. Find Orin, his gnome friend. We’ll send word once we speak with Fearson.

A rustling of nearby branches caught her attention. Without warning, two Verdurans stepped into the clearing. One had long dark brown hair which looked like it was braided into dozens of tiny braids. Brows furrowed, his light blue eyes stood in stark contrast against his bronze skin. The other appeared to be half-man, half-goat. Two horns peeked out from unruly moss-colored hair. Like a goat, he had horizontal, slit-shaped pupils and stood on two hooves. The interested expression on his face sent uncomfortable shivers down Lia’s back.

Both men were dressed in a similar manner. Leather straps criss-crossed over their green tunics, displaying dozens of small blades and metal weapons that resembled ninja stars. A pair of large swords hung from their waists.

“Halt, strangers,” the blue-eyed one commanded. “You are trespassing on the king’s property.”

Lia glanced over at Azriel in surprise. Didn’t Verdura have a queen?

If Azriel was concerned, he certainly didn’t show it. “King?” He let out a loud laugh. “Since when does Verdura have a king?”

“Did you hear the man, Jin?” The goat-man drew a sword. “I think we need to slice his pretty face for such disrespect.” He hissed, revealing a pair of sharp fangs.

“Patience, Howler.” Jin sent his partner a warning look. “Questions first. Punishment later. We can’t kill everyone we meet. Otherwise, how will we get any useful information?” With a shake of his head, he turned back to Azriel and Lia. “I will repeat myself one final time. What are you doing on King Fearson’s land?”

Lia felt ill. What were the chances of the Verduran king sharing Azriel’s brother’s name?

“Fearson?” Azriel’s smile faltered briefly. “The metal wielder who used to guard the queen?”

Howler stomped a hoof. “What sort of fools are you? Everyone knows that when the queen grew ill and they found no suitable heirs, Fearson stepped in to lead our people.”

“Is that so?” Azriel gave both men a dazzling smile. “Well, you’re in luck, gentlemen, because today, you’ve stumbled upon two very important people.” He held out his hand to Lia.

This was it. Time to play her part. Trying not to tremble, she placed her hand in his.

Lia. Kieren’s thoughts were quiet and distant. What is it? I can feel your fear.

I’m fine, she lied.

“It’s time to introduce ourselves to the good men. Don’t you think, beloved?” Azriel turned his honey gold eyes on her.

Beloved, huh? She bit her tongue and forced her expression into something that resembled affection.

Azriel gave a slight approving nod before pulling her into a kiss.

Hands pressed against his chest, Lia tried her best to respond with equal enthusiasm. Nip for nip. Kiss for kiss. It was like they were playing some strange flirty game of chicken. When a soft moan escaped his mouth, Lia felt a rush of heat creep into the corners of her mind.

Blast it. What are you doing?

Like ice-cold water, Kieren’s thought doused her with guilt. Lia struggled to push it away. If this was what it took to get them safely into the castle, she’d do it. She trusted Azriel.

One of the Verdurans cleared his throat. Loudly.

Azriel pulled away and swiped a thumb across his lips. “You’ll have to pardon me. She is insatiable. Now, where were we?”

“Enough games, stranger.” Lia let out a small gasp when Jin’s pale blue eyes momentarily flashed a bright orange. “Tell us what you are doing trespassing on the king’s land before Howler and I slice you through.”

“I wouldn’t be so quick to act,” Azriel said smugly. “Put your blades away. You wouldn’t want me to tell the king about how you threatened me.”

Howler smirked. “And why would the king care about you?”

“Because I am his brother.”

Lia wouldn’t have thought it possible, but the expression on Jin’s eyes grew even darker. Meanwhile, his partner warily stared at Azriel.

Do you need us? Kieren whispered into her mind.

No. We’re fine. Lia hoped that Azriel knew what he was doing.

“That’s not possible.” Jin frowned. “The king’s brother is dead. Lost during the war.”

“Incorrect again,” Azriel reprimanded. “I stand before you, returning home from Solair, triumphant. If you don’t believe me, perhaps I should demonstrate my powers. You have heard of them, I presume?”

A look of fear crossed both mens’ faces.

Lia curiously peered at the man beside her. Just who was he to conjure such a response?

“No. We trust you, my lord.” Howler nodded at Lia. “What about the girl? Who is she then?” He reached out to touch her and Lia placed a hand on the hilt of sword, not liking the predatory gleam in his eye.

“Don’t touch her,” Azriel snarled.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and Howler froze, clearly affected as she was.

Azriel grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him. “This is my betrothed. She is the granddaughter of Adalia, once hailed as the most powerful Guardian of the queen.”

“But that would mean—“ Howler began before Azriel cut him off.

“Yes, you dolt. I hold before your unworthy eyes the key to saving our world. She’s the queen’s last living blood relative. And she is mine.”

Shocked, Lia whipped around. Was Azriel speaking the truth? Was she somehow related to the queen? Or was this just part of his ruse to get them into the castle?

“Come now; you shouldn’t look so surprised, princess.” Azriel turned his attention to Lia. “That’s the real reason I agreed to bring you back here. Remember what I told you? Power is passed through the queen’s bloodline. Which means whoever holds you, holds power.”

The hard, almost cruel expression on his face sent a small chill down her spine.

“You really thought I came here to help you?” He barked out a laugh. “Then you’re more naive than I realized. I fooled you. I fooled everyone in that hovel. All these years, I bided my time, waiting for the opportunity to return. And when I learned who you were and what you could do, I knew how to get back in my brother’s good graces. I’d come back. And I’d bring you.”

A wicked grin took over his face, and Lia attempted to corral the flurry of emotions skittering across her every nerve ending. This was just part of his act. Desperately, she searched his eyes for some sign of her friend. One irreverent smile. One flirty glance.

But it was like she was staring into the face of a stranger.

“Poor little princess. You really thought I was going to help you?” His grip around her wrist tightened. “Why would I ally myself with someone who can’t even wield her powers properly. You and your disgusting friends are pathetic.”

With a grunt, Lia tore her hands from his and whipped out her sword.

“Careful, little girl.” Azriel’s voice was dangerously soft. “Just how far do you think you’ll get against me?”

There was a flurry of movement and Lia leapt out of the way just in time to dodge the pair of small metal stars whipping by her.

Azriel glared at Howler. His eyes glinted gold. “I told you not to touch her. Fall to your knees, satyr.”

Howler froze. A dreamy look crossed his face before he did as ordered. “My apologies, master. I didn’t mean to upset you. What can I do to win back your favor?”

“Punish yourself.”

Lia’s blood froze as the satyr took a blade and sliced it across his arm as calmly as one would slice a loaf of bread. Dark green blood dripped down Howler’s forearm, and the Verduran gazed up at Azriel with a look of complete devotion the entire time. “Will that be all, master?”

“No.” Azriel’s eyes glowed brighter. “You need to be taught a lesson. No one touches Lia except me. Rise.”

Howler stood jerkily up.

“Now, dull your horns.”

“What are you doing?” Jin cried out. His skin changed colors, morphing like a chameleon from brown to a bright yellow. “Howler, don’t listen to him.”

“Obviously my reputation doesn’t proceed me. Be silent, fairy and learn,” Azriel ordered.

Jin’s lips clamped shut and his terrified eyes focused on the scene happening before them.

The satyr lifted an arm over his head. Taking the blade to his left horn, he slowly began the process of sawing off the tip. This time, the pain in the creature’s face was undeniable.

The world tilted beneath Lia’s feet. Azriel was doing this. He was making the Verduran hurt himself.

“Stop it,” she pleaded, unable to take anymore.

Azriel’s eyes caught hers and he let out a bored sigh. “Fine.” He waved his hand in the air. “Go tend to your wounds. You’re of no use to me injured.”

“Yes, master.” Howler ripped off a portion of his uniform to wrap around his arm. Nothing was done about the one horn that was now obviously shorter than the other.

“Did you enjoy that little display, princess? You only got a small taste of my powers back in Solair. Here, there is no limit to my abilities.” Azriel turned to Jin. “You may speak now, fairy. But I wouldn’t recommend you trying to do anything brave, unless you care to join your partner.”

Jin lowered his head. “No, my lord.”

“Good.” With a self-satisfied smile on his lips, Azriel eyed the direction that Kieren and Griffith ran. “Because I will bend the will of anyone who stands in my way.”

“No,” Lia whispered, “Please.”

“Then sheath your sword.”

Defeated, she did as she was told.

What is Azriel doing? Kieren whispered into her mind. I can feel your terror from here.

Almost as if he could hear their communications, Azriel turned back to the Verduran who still had his wits about him. “Tell me, Jin. It has been a while since I’ve returned. What of the dragons? Disgusting beasts were such a nuisance when I was last here. Have you seen any in these parts recently?”

Lia? Kieren called out. Do you want us to come out?

“No,” Jin replied stiffly. “None have been seen since the war. They mostly stay on their own islands now.”

Azriel glanced again at the bushes where Kieren and Griffith were hiding.

Ice filled Lia’s veins.

We’re fine. She forced herself to sound optimistic. Stay hidden. Azriel just found us a way to meet his brother.

“Good.” Azriel shot Lia a knowing look. “Because I absolutely abhor the stupid beasts. They also make my bride-to-be feel ill at ease. Come, let us leave these woods. They reek of desperation and death.”

Trying not to tremble, she sent one final thought to Kieren as they walked away. Stay hidden until we leave. I love you.

Something comforting and warm brushed against the raw edges of her mind. I love you too.

As Lia wrapped his words around her heart like a blanket, a tear slid down her cheek.

“Crying so soon?” Azriel’s lips curled in disgust. “I wouldn’t have taken you to be so weak.” He pulled her closer and whispered, “If you want, I could just wipe away all of your feelings for him. It would be so much easier this way.”

“It won’t work.” She tried not to let him see how frightened she was. “You’ve tried it before.”

“That was in Solair. Now that we’re back in Verdura, why don’t we try again and find out?” Something slimy and cold invaded her mind. Panicked, she pushed out the hateful foreign presence.

Azriel flashed her a cocky smirk. “Perhaps I will leave you in control of your emotions.” He dropped her hand and flicked a look of loathing at Howler, who kept staring at Azriel with adoring eyes. “I would hate to see you reduced to such a simpering fool.”

Lia’s hand brushed against her sword, and for a moment, she considered fighting her way out. Kieren and Griffith would come out if she called them. But could they succeed? Azriel’s powers were beyond frightening. And even if they escaped, where would they go? And how would they get into the castle to meet Fearson?

She lowered her hand. No. She would stay with Azriel and see this through. Somehow, she’d find the World Eater’s location and contact the others. Tentatively, she shot another thought behind her. Kieren?

No response.

Lia let out a silent mental scream. She was about to enter the castle of a monster king, now completely alone.

KEEP READING for a sneak peak of the next book in the series!

SNEAK PEAK- BOOK 4: A HEART SO DARK

Want to find out what happens next? Check out A Heart So Dark, the final book in the Light and Fire Series on Amazon now!

A new shifter will arise, and her powers are beyond imagination.

Determined to track down the World Eater, Lia and Kieren enter Verdura with more questions than answers. But a deep betrayal forces Kieren into hiding and Lia into the arms of a man she now despises.

The magic of Verdura is dying, and a power-hungry king rules the land with an iron fist. To survive, Kieren must discover the truth behind his dragon-shifter past and Lia must unlock the secrets of her deadly new powers.

Unicorn shifters are real and Lia alone holds the key to defeating their enemy. But embracing her true nature may rip her very soul apart.

A Heart so Dark is the spellbinding final novel in the Light and Fire Series. This lush and bloodthirsty YA fantasy is a compelling page-turner guaranteed to leave readers racing to the very end.

Order on Amazon today!

And don’t forget to check out the Haven of Smoke and Shadows soundtrack playlist and Pinterest Boards too!

ALSO BY GINGER LI

Light and Fire Series

Half-Blood Mage (Book 1)

The Lady Thief (Book 2)

Haven of Smoke and Shadows (Book 3)

A Heart so Dark (Book 4)

DEAR READER

Thank you so much for reading Haven of Smoke and Shadows.

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Thank you so much for joining me on this creative journey. I am grateful for all of your support!

~Ginger Li

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ginger loves the color yellow, baked goods, and all things Halloween. When she's not busy playing with kids, she enjoys reading, listening to sappy pop music, and dreaming up love stories featuring brave heroines, a touch of magic, and hopeful endings. Ginger lives with her husband and two Pokemon-loving boys in sunny California. She has yet to see a soot sprite, but always keeps her eyes open just in case!

To find out more about Ginger and her books, visit here.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Thank you!

Contents

1. Lia

2. Lia

3. Lia

4. Kieren

5. Kieren

6. Kieren

7. Kieren

8. Lia

9. Lia

10. Kieren

11. Lia

12. Lia

13. Lia

14. Kieren

15. Lia

16. Kieren

17. Lia

18. Lia

19. Kieren

20. Kieren

21. Lia

22. Lia

23. Kieren

24. Lia

25. Kieren

26. Lia

27. Kieren

28. Lia

29. Lia

30. Lia

31. Kieren

32. Lia

33. Kieren

34. Lia

35. Kieren

36. Lia

37. Kieren

38. Lia

39. Kieren

40. Kieren

41. Lia

42. Kieren

43. Kieren

44. Lia

45. Lia

46. Kieren

47. Lia

48. Lia

49. Kieren

50. Lia

51. Lia

Sneak Peak- Book 4: A Heart So Dark

Also by Ginger Li

Dear Reader

About the Author