Page 52 of Whispers of the Water

I shook my head. “Not a clue. What?”

“He paused a minute, looked at the door where the woman had left, and said, ‘No, today’s actually a pretty good day.’” Akira laughed at the distant memory. “Don’t ask me why, because I really don’t know, but when he said that, I lost it. I laughed until my sides hurt. For the first time in years, I laughed. He made me remember what it felt like to feel alive and happy again.”

Grinning, I asked, “Was that the start of your friendship?”

“It was. From that day on, we were always together, and he never failed to make me smile. He was there for me in my darkest moments, helping me to see the light that I’d forgotten existed at the end of the tunnel. Not long after that, it was my turn to be there for him.”

My chest tightened. I knew what Akira was remembering. Akira had to comfort Rune when his father died. When I tried to picture Rune back then and what he must’ve been like during that time, my heart bled with agony. Losing his dad had to be one of the hardest things he’d been through, and the pain, grief, anger, and loathing he’d surely felt as a result had shaped him and his beliefs. Beliefs that all Water Fae were evil and undeserving of life. Beliefs that allowing people into his heart would only destroy him. It hadn’t been easy, but slowly, he seemed to be realizing that maybe he’d been wrong about those things.

Grief was a fearsome opponent, but so was support from those who loved you. Hate could leave you blind to truths, but forgiveness could heal that hurt and allow you to see again.

Hopefully, his view of Water Fae as monsters was also shattering. He had to know there were good Water Fae out there after realizing I was best friends with one, and he’d even said that if faced with a reality where I was Water Fae, he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to hurt me. That notion gave me hope for the conversation we’d have tomorrow. It didn’t quell all my fears, though, because while I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, there was still a chance he could reject me and I’d potentially lose him forever.

Turning back to Akira, I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Thank you for telling me that. All of it. I’m sure it’s never easy to talk about Jesiah.”

Grinning at me in his usual way, he said, “Thanks for listening. I don’t talk about him often with the guys, even though I know they’d let me. Despite him being Water Fae, they’d still listen, because they love me. Still, I don’t want to bring up stuff that triggers bad memories for them. It was nice talking about him and getting it off my chest.”

Swallowing hard, I turned my attention to our blanket. I picked at the edge, needing something to do with my hands. Akira had been so open and honest with me. He’d done that because he trusted me. He knew there would be no judgment, no shame, no ill will in talking to me, because we were friends. I knew the same to be true of him. No matter what was burdening my soul, Akira would listen without issue because that was what friends did. It was what family did.

Taking a deep breath, I sought out his ever-patient and loving smile. “Hey, Akira?”

“Yes, Bria-chan?” He looked at me, giving me the exact comfort I needed.

“I want to tell you something. Something really important.” I glanced nervously around us, afraid the wind would pick up my whisper and carry it to nearby ears.

Sensing my worry, Akira stood from the blanket, wiping a few particles of sand from his legs.

“Rune!” Akira called.

Rune looked up at us from the mountain of sand he was now molding into a castle with his brothers.

“Bria and I are gonna run to grab something from the store. We’ll be back.”

I leapt to my feet and started after Akira, but before I could make it far, a warm and firm hand slipped into mine. I was yanked back and spun around until my chest was pressed against Rune’s torso. Affection made its home in his gaze as he looked down at me, making my breath catch in my throat. Still in a blissful head spin from being pressed against him, I didn’t realize what he was doing until his mouth was pressed to mine. His lips were soft like velvet, and they urged my own apart for his tongue to ever so slightly graze against mine. This kiss was soft—so unlike our heated kisses—yet this one felt much more intimate. It was slow and over as soon as it started, which made each second his lips were on mine all the more precious.

Rune pulled back and looked into my eyes. His voice was for my ears alone as he said, “Hurry back. Be safe.”

“I will be.”

I meant those words. Sure, I was about to reveal my secret to a Land Fae, but that Fae was Akira. I’d trust the Raven Fae with my life. Despite knowing that I was safe with him, my anxiety still fired off in my bloodstream, because as soon as I left here, as soon as I said the words, everything would be different. There was no turning back.

Chapter Nineteen

“WHATEVER YOU’RE ABOUT to tell me, just know that I love you.”

Akira’s words took root in my heart, and I clung to the warmth of that feeling as I smiled at him across the patio table. We’d driven a small way down the beach to a nearly empty coffee shop.

The waitress brought us our lattes, and I gripped the hot, steaming mug on either side. The faint burn seeped into my palms, and I focused on that instead of my next words. I decided the best way to do this would be to just get it over with, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

Meeting his brown eyes, I took a deep breath. “I’m Water Fae.”

His brow furrowed, and confusion seeped into the tilt of his eyes. “Come again?”

I shook my head and pressed my palms harder around the mug. “I know. It’s a lot, but it’s true. I’m Water Fae.”

“How can that be? We did that test on the boat, and when you were attacked, you didn’t heal right away.”

“That’s because my abilities were still suppressed during that time. I hadn’t awakened yet.”

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