Page 55 of Shadow Witch

She placed a hand on his arm and shook him.

“Huh, what?” Devon’s eyes went wide. “What happened? Are you okay? Is it Ivy?”

“It’s your snoring. We can’t sleep.”

“I don’t snore,” Devon answered.

“Uh, yeah, you do,” Paige said.

Dewey flung his arms in the air as he lifted his chin. “You do, dude. Don’t try to deny it. You snore with the enthusiasm of a freight train in a pillow factory. It’s like a chainsaw in the forest of dreams. It’s–“

“Yeah, I get it, but it’s not funny. I don’t snore. I never have. It’s just…not in my make up.”

Paige crinkled her brow. “You do. You–okay, never mind. Doesn’t matter. Please, just…try to stay awake for like twenty minutes so we can fall asleep.”

“Why?”

“Because…I’m too scared to sleep,” Paige fibbed. “I’m afraid that Ivy will come to kill me while you’re asleep.”

Devon’s features melted with concern. “Aw, Paigey, it’ll be okay.” He pulled himself to his feet and slid an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

“Thanks,” Paige said with a half-smile as he led her back to the bed. She climbed inside, her eyes going wide as he followed her. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry, Paige, Ivy won’t get you if I’m lying right next to you. Now, you just lie down and don’t worry about a thing.”

Devon settled in next to her and closed his eyes. Within seconds, the snoring started again.

“Nice going, Paige,” Dewey said. “Now he’s even louder because he’s literally right on top of us.”

Paige let out a muffled scream as she shimmied closer to Dewey. “Move over. Devon’s hogging the bed.”

“I can’t! I need space.”

“Dewey, you’re tiny. Move.”

“Fine, fine.”

She settled into the mattress again with a sigh. After an hour, she finally dozed off, managing a few hours of sleep before the sun streamed through the windows.

“Ugh,” she groaned as she opened her sore, stinging eyes. For a brief second, she couldn’t remember where she was. Her brow furrowed as her eyes slid from side to side, first spotting Dewey, then Devon.

And then it struck her. She was in the midst of an epic battle for her life. And she may not make it past today.

CHAPTER 13

Paige covered her face with her hands as the reality of what she faced smacked her like a physical blow. She wondered if she could slink away and hide for the rest of her life. But then she’d never find her mother.

A scaly paw slid onto her forearm. “Paige?”

She pulled her hands away from her face and slid her eyes to him.

“You okay?”

“No,” she said with a sob, trying to control her emotions and stay quiet enough not to wake Devon who still slept next to her.

“What is it? Is it Devon’s snoring? Are you having second thoughts about the wedding?”

“If I make it that far!” Paige flung an arm over her eyes.

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