Page 132 of What Lies Within Masks & Shadows

By the absence of that invading caress inside her mind, Alora knew he wasn’t listening. Which was why when wings of the night incarnate flared wide, slowing their ascent to a careful glide, she was pleasantly relieved. As if he knew … as if he sensed that cresting, detonating panic.

“Take a look, darling,” Garrik softly murmured in her ear.

She gambled the very real possibility of passing out and slowly, unsteadily lifted her face from his chest. Feeling a delighted hum leave his throat as her eyes warily opened, she released the tears imprisoned inside. A twist over her shoulder was all it would take. A minute shift of her neck. And so she did it.

Alora glanced down, warring off a wave of nausea threatening to drain the blood from her head.

Garrik must’ve sensed that too because he breathed, “I have you.”

The words misted away from her tongue before they could form.I know.

Unable to speak because the view was so unbelievable, it didn’t seem real. Because that sea of tents that she lost her way within more times than she would admit were now like grains of sand on a beach. And that lake was nothing but a mere pebble in the ocean of trees that expanded beyond kingdoms.

The world … was rearranged into brushwork. Strokes of dark emerald and the blue of the lake appeared so deep it was almost black.

It all faded into the distance, and Alora couldn’t stop herself from gawking. Of all the paintings in grand halls she’d seen, none compared to this. Not a single one captured the startling beauty.

After some time, Alora realized that her grip had loosened around his neck. And that gentle stroking on her shoulder had moved to her arm.

Garrik’s eyes seemed to be just as captivated by the view as Smokeshadows carried them across the sky.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

That peace that had settled in his face shifted. Garrik’s eyes flickered higher to the dark above before he met hers. And something had changed. The way he held her closer again, asif to shield her from the wind. And the way his voice cracked almost unnoticeably as he said, “I need a drink.”

Alora drew back slightly, furrowing her eyebrows. “We have drinks in camp.”

“Not the kind I need.”

“Why?”

Garrik’s face was unreadable before she felt his body tremble. “The next few days will be”—dulled silver scanned the clouds like he did from the dock—“I just need a drink.”

She understood the look. She herself had been plagued by that very same look many times. Often when Kaine was drunk and storming through the manor. When she’d hide, locking herself in her music room, anticipating him breaking down the door and?—

Alora felt her palms warming, cupping Garrik’s neck.

He made a low humming sound. Did he … did heenjoyit?

So she did it again and watched as his hollow eyes half-lidded, feeling the deep, soothing breath extend his chest into her.

Whatever it was that was bothering him, perhaps she could do the same as he’d done for her not too long ago. “If you need to talk about it…” She watched his shoulders relax under the warmth of her palms. But his eyes. They conveyed the message. Another that she was familiar with—he didn’t feel like talking.

So, instead, Alora pulled her hand from his shoulder as a thought surfaced. And even if it was utterly ridiculous, she still wanted to try.

Alora’s palm lit with embers, sparking around them like stagnate raindrops, lighting the darkness like?—

Like a night sky. Teaming of glistening stars.

For a moment, those incredible Smokeshadow wings slowed. Garrik’s mouth drifted open slightly as his eyes scanned thethousands of sparks around them. Illuminating his hair in a white glow so bright it too seemed to glisten.

And that was very dangerous indeed. Because as she watched his mouth close in wonder … as she watched that tormented face…

All she imagined was him smiling.

Alora couldn’t turn away—she didn’t want to.

“I—I’ve never,” Garrik stuttered.

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