Page 39 of When the Moon Met the Sun

Closing his mouth, he nodded and swore he would, but I watched as his tan cheeks and ears turned a bright shade of red.

I tucked myself into the side of the bed that was closer to the slanted ceiling, figuring he’d appreciate having more room, despite my wings pressing against the ceiling. I tried not to think about how much harder it would be to escape if I needed to because of this decision.

Soon, we were both settled into the dark, with only a few candles scattered throughout the room.

I peered up above us, out of the window once again. I tried searching for the moon, but couldn’t find it. It had gotten too late into the night to see it from this angle. I tried not to focus on the disappointment I felt bubbling in my heart.

“What are you thinking about? It feels… sad. Hurt,” Robyn said quietly into the dark. Sometimes I forgot that he could feel all of my emotions, just as I felt his.

If only I had known what I was signing up for with those tattoos.

I let out a small sigh, then turned onto my side to look at him, letting my wings breath slightly behind me.

Avoiding the subject he had brought up, I spoke back into the barely illuminated darkness. “Iwantto trust you, Robyn.”

Shifting onto his side to look at me, he replied, “I want that, too, Avi.”

The nickname made my stomach flutter in a way I knew it shouldn’t.

“Then let’s start right now. From here on out, just open and honest communication between us.” I paused. “Do you think we’re capable of that?”

“We can, I know it. I’d love nothing more than that,” he said, and I could hear in his voice how genuine he was about it, how eager.

For a moment, we were both silent, pondering over what we just promised to each other. Then, I broke it. “Where were you when you disappeared for a week?”

Though the room was dark, the candles lightly cast a glow over his figure and his face. I saw his eyes widen and saw him contemplating.

After a moment, he finally asked, “Honestly?”

“Honestly,” I responded.

He sighed. “I went to Hollis, to Gatlyn Castle and anywhere else in between that I thought would have answers. Rayven and I snuck in, stuck to the shadows. I wanted to get answers for you—for us. About what was happening to you. About what had been in the elixirs. About what… what they had been suppressing in you.”

That was right—a shadow wielder could cause one other person to turn to shadow, too, if they had skin to skin contact.

My breath caught in my throat at his confession. Of all the places I had imagined he had gone, sneaking across the border, into the North, was not even on my list. And he did it… forme. When he had barely even known me.

“And?” I asked softly.

He sighed again, though this time I felt his own disappointment in my chest. “Nothing. Whatever they have going on up there, it’s tightly locked and sealed away. It was a waste, and I’m sorry.”

I nodded, trying not to let the tears in my eyes spill over onto my cheeks. I couldn’t even place why I was crying.

Maybe I was surprised a near stranger had cared that much.

He gently reached up and brushed a stray tear from my cheek that had escaped. I tried not to, but I leaned into his touch, soaking up his warmth.

We stayed like that for a heartbeat, then two, with him gently stroking my cheek. I felt so relaxed in his touch, I could feel sleep creeping up on me.

“Sleep well,” Robyn said softly, so close I could feel his body heat seeping into me. I heard him snap his fingers, and all at once the room was shrouded in darkness.

And for once, after living an entire life surrounded by ice that had made its way into my heart, I could feel the cold in my chest beginning to thaw.

Chapter Fourteen

I’m flying, soaring through the sky feeling so light I barely register that my wings are beating behind me. The sky is littered with clouds, and I float in and out of them like a feather falling to the ground.

I tilt my head upwards, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. There’s a small moment of confusion—usually it’s colder up in the sky, with all the wind pockets and breezes and mist from the clouds. But instead, I just feel warm. It’s oddly comforting, I realize with a start.

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