Page 190 of Visions & Shadows

“You’re welcome.” He keeps staring at me until I spear a strip of steak and pop it into my mouth.

The flavor bursts over my tongue, and able to feel how much I’m enjoying the bite, a satisfied expression settles on his face.

We eat in silence for a few minutes before I murmur, “I’m sorry you lost River and Phoenix.”

“We all lost a lot,” he says.

He picks up his glass and takes a sip of water before continuing to eat.

“Can we hold a remembrance service of sorts? Something where we can honor the sacrifice they all made.”

Raighne’s eyes flick to mine. “That’s a good idea. It will help give everyone closure. I’ll speak to Janak and Aster so they can arrange it.”

I nod and take a bite of the sweet potato, and once I’ve swallowed, I say, “The food is delicious. Thank you.”

The corner of his mouth lifts as he watches me eat.“I love taking care of you.”

My eyes drift over his face, and I can’t begin to describe how thankful I am to have Raighne as my guardian.

The slight smile on his face morphs into a hot grin, and wanting to know, I ask, “Could you hear my thoughts when we met at school?”

He nods but quickly explains, “I’ve been trained to give you privacy. Back then, I only checked in when you were upset.”

I relax a little as I ask, “Did you know every girl was drooling over you?”

He takes a bite of his steak, his eyes not leaving mine.“Only one mattered.”

As I cut my carrot in half, I realize this is the first time in a long whilewe’re having dinner without having to worry about all hell breaking loose around us.

There’s no one left to save.

There’s nowhere to rush off to.

“You can finally rest,” Raighne murmurs. “Just rest, my little dreamer.”

I nod, the feeling of having fulfilled my destiny weirdly empty.

Raighne tilts his head. “Didn’t you hear what Awo said when he brought you back?”

Confused, I glance at him. “What did he say?”

“You have a new destiny.”

“Oh God,” I mutter, dropping my knife and fork. “What now?”

Letting out a chuckle, he places his hand over mine, giving it a squeeze. “You’re responsible for everyone’s dreams.”

More confusion pours into me. “How?”

“We’ll learn more about it from Janak. Don’t worry now.”

“Easier said than done,” I mumble as I pick up a slice of zucchini with my fingers and pop the vegetable into my mouth.

Once we’re done eating, Raighne rises to his feet, and leaning over me, he picks me up from my chair.

I wrap my arms and legs around him while asking, “What about the dirty dishes?”

“Tomorrow’s another day,” he mutters as he carries me back to bed.

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