Page 40 of The Heir

“I have nightmares,” I blurted out as I looked into his eyes.

“Nightmares?”

“Of the night my parents died, of their car crash.” The words just flew out of me, as if talking to him about the worst thing that had ever happened to me was as easy as talking about the weather.

Glamor. Fey magic—stop!

“You were there?”

“I was in the backseat of the car. And I saw them die. I was pulled out of the car by someone, and I guess I repressed that memory–until this past weekend, that is, and I think I remember the man who crashed into us.”

“What happened to him? Is he in jail?” Shad looked back and forth into my eyes.

“It was a hit-and-run, but now, I am thinking that he was the one who called 911. He was there with me. He gave me his jacket, but just before the police got there, he fled. He was guilty.” A tear left my eye, and Shad wiped it away.

“Oh, Emma, I am so sorry,” he said tenderly, as if my pain was his own.

“Ryker is working on trying to find this guy. He thinks this man—that he—hemurderedthem—wanted them to die.”

“Rykeris?”

“Yes, he is trying to hire a private investigator.”

He looked away for a moment. “He was talking to Keil the other day. We, the family business, are good at finding people.Earlier, he told me he needed my help, but he never talked to me about all the details.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I can assure you that if he is out there to be found, we can find him.” He looked at me with such determination.

“I just want to forget about it all. I just want to have a normal life,” I said, wanting desperately to lay my head against his chest.I need to melt into him, be in his arms always, to kiss him.

“Well, let’s think about something else then,” he suggested, clearing his throat.

“What else is there?” I sniffled, not realizing that a few tears had escaped, and then my stomach decided to growl.

That is embarrassing, maybe he did not notice?

“How about lunch?” he asked, and I looked up at his face. The hall was still silent. The students were probably already eating. “Food can fix that stomach of yours, which is growling like a tiger.”

“You heard that?” I said, moving away from him.

“I think the whole world heard that,” he laughed, and I playfully pushed at his shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you some food there, little tiger.”

I tried to swat at him again, but he caught my hand, drew me in closer to him, and I thought the current of electricity flowing between us could have lit up a skyscraper.

“Thank you for talking with me,” he said, his voice void of all playfulness. His thumb caressed the knuckles of my hand, which he held between us. I thought there was nothing better in all the world than being touched by Shad.

I nodded.

He took my hand and led me into the cafeteria where he loaded up my plate with the food that, according to him, “atigerwould love.”

I smacked him again, playfully in the shoulder.

He chuckled.

Life fell into a comfortable rhythm after that day. A rhythm that was made up of school, the Rose Village, home, talking with Shad, eating lunch with Shad, Ash, and sometimes Sam—who seemed to be crushing hard on Ash. Ryker wasn’t around at lunch anymore, and I wondered if that had to do with Shad, but even if that was the case, I couldn’t bring myself to uninvite Shad to our table, because he always held my hand under the table, and that made me feel alive, free, and happy, and I couldn’t give that up. I couldn’t be without him. He saved me from the snake—the misery.

Although things in my life were flowing nicely—with my friends, my work, my home life—and everything seemed fine, I still found myself wanting—no needing—to be around Shad more and more. When he was away from me, I missed his sparkling eyes when he laughed, the smirk he gave me when I started thinking about something. I missed the way he smelled of leather and mint, and I wanted to have him around me always. I tried to hint during our conversations that I would make myself available if he wanted to do something or that I didn’thaveto work. He didn’t ever say anything, though. He didn’t text me, didn’t call me. He had not invited me back to his house, or anywhere else. He often commented that he had to work everyday after school, and I was starting to feel a little sad.

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