Page 70 of Visions & Shadows

When he stalks out of the room, my heart hurts, and I let out a heavy sigh.

I do as I’m told and hurry to get everything into the backpack so I don’t upset him even more.

I almost forget the most important item of all and squeeze one of my pillows into the bag.

If I’m sleeping out in the desert, I want my favorite pillow for comfort.

“Alchera, are you ready to go?” Fleur calls.

“Yeah, I’ve just finished packing.” I shrug the strap of the bag over my shoulder and head into the living room.

“I came to give you this.” She holds out a little brown vial to me.

“What is it?” I ask as I take it from her.

“I made you an elixir. It will give you clarity of mind when you’re tired and discouraged, seeing as you won’t have my awesomeness there to cheer you up.”

“What do you know that I don’t?” I mutter as I tuck the vial into my bag.

“Nothing.”

“I wish you could come,” I say as I pull her into a tight hug. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you, too.” Her voice sounds sad, and it makes me hold her a few seconds longer.

“Alchera,” Raighne grumbles from outside.

I let go of my friend, and when I hurry out of the tent, it’s to seeRaighne sitting on a massive black horse.

Crap, I’ve never been on a horse.

I glance around and not seeing another horse, I’m not sure what to do.

“Come,” Raighne orders.

Oh, just my luck, we’re sharing a horse.

I walk closer, not sure how I’m going to get on the beast.

Raighne takes my backpack and fastens it to the side of the saddle, then reaches down to me.

Reluctantly, I place my hand in this, and the next second I fly up, and my butt hits the horse’s back hard. Sitting sideways on the horse, I grab hold of Raighne’s shirt so I don’t fall off while shooting him a glare.

“Dammit,” I hiss at him. “You don’t have to manhandle me.”

“The others have already left, and we need to catch up,” he mutters, then he digs his heels into the horse’s sides.

When the beast sets off at a fast gallop, I let out a shriek and grab hold of Raighne.

Oh God, I’m going to leave an imprint of myself on his chest.

An uncomfortable silence wraps around us, and for a long while, there’s only the sound of the horse’s hooves slamming down on the ground.

When we see the others up ahead, Raighne slows his horse down a little, and I feel his chest expand as he sucks in a deep breath.

Loosening my hold on Raighne, I try to put an inch of space between us without falling off.

Suddenly, Raighne’s voice rumbles above my head. “Once we get to the desert, we’re going to work on our telepathic link.”

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