Page 49 of The Lands Defying

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Her foot lands on my stomach and she pulls me down by my hand, and then I’m flying over her and landing into the dirt.

“You will pay for that!” I growl, getting to my feet.

Her laugh can be heard in the distance as she runs. “Catch me if you can!”

I race after her, and we play until the moon is high in the night sky.

When she suddenly stops, I pause behind her, listening as we both catch our breaths. When she raises her hand and spreads her fingers, I let out a chuckle.

“What are you doing?”

Her fingers part and she tilts her head up. “Looking at the moon.”

“Through your fingers?” I grab hold of her wrist and bend a little, seeing what she’s seeing. “Why?”

“It reminds me that we are small in a land so large. To remember that the little things matter too. Like these moments with you.”

I stroke her fingers and then run them down her arm, watching as she shivers from my touch. “Then let’s look together.”

And we proceed to do just that.

Only she was looking at the moon, and I was looking at her.

Fourteen

Kade

“Maize is ignoring my calling to her. What did she say when you last saw her?” Aldus asks me, but I turn my face away, ignoring him.

Everything is confusing.

I keep having flashes of things that I’m not even sure existed.

Am I broken?

Am I going mad?

Where is the butterfly?

I sigh at that, and a slap rings through the air.

I turn my head, looking at Aldus who has rage in his eyes.

I never liked him. He’s fake. Fake smile, fake words.

He hurts my head.

“What did you say to her? She is not answering my command to come back since she went to be mated to Alpha Darius.” She tried to touch me and I nearly threw her out the window. “You were the last person to see her.” He’s shouting, and I look at his raised hand.

Oh. He must have hit me.

I blink.

I think someone would kill him for that.

I don’t know for sure.

Just a feeling.

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