Page 12 of Enchanted Kisses
The next thing I knew, I was launched into the night sky. Cold air blasted my skin as I shot like a rocket, higher than the roof of my two-story home, and then, I was falling. A strangled scream ripped from my throat and my stomach dropped as I whirled toward the ground.
Gold light burst from the dark trees and folded around me like a warm bubble. The sensation of falling instantly stopped. The scents of lavender, rose, and gardenia perfumed the golden orb, reminding me of the nursery. I smiled as a peaceful feeling settled over me. I hadn’t even realized I was near the ground until my feet softly touched the lawn.
The gold light released me.
Woozy, I stood in place to catch my balance and surveyed the backyard. I was alone. More thunder sounded in the woods. Silver rays flew out from the trees and collided with the gold light. The blast sent me flying backward. I hit something hard and fell onto the patio near the back porch.
Hot pain, or maybe liquid, slithered down the side of my face. I smelled copper and passed out.
3
Is He Really Back?
When I woke up the next morning, Raysa lay beside me on my bed, her long legs stretched toward the end. She combed her fingers through her strawberry locks, looking lost in thought.
I stirred beneath the covers.
Her sea-green eyes met mine with a smile. “Morning, sunshine.” Her soft voice made her English accent sound even prettier.
My brows tightened with my confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“I tried to wake you. How do you feel?”
I attempted to sit up. A wave of dizziness had me collapsing back onto the pillow. I reached to my hair and ran fingers over a huge lump on the side of my head. “Whoa. I don’t remember getting that.”
“Do you remember Caiden driving you home? He still has your car and wants to bring it back later when you’re feeling better.”
I sucked in a gasp. “He’s really here? I thought it was all a dream.”
“Should I wait to say I told you so?” Raysa teased.
“You always thought he’d come back. How did you know?”
“You.” She shrugged. “I always believed he’d return for you.”
“But the way he left…”
“He was wrong to disappear the way he did, but I assumed he had his reasons.”
“So now what? Are we supposed to forgive him, like nothing ever happened? What if he takes off again?”
Raysa let out a slow, unsure sigh. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with him. But I’m hopeful. I don’t think you should stress over it. Not now. You should have some juice.” She pointed to the nightstand. “I made it fresh.”
I glanced to a tall glass of green liquid beside the lamp. “Thanks, Raysa.”
Her homemade juice was like magic—it cured everything.
Slowly, I sat up, resting my back against my pillow and headboard, and reached for the glass, eager to get the sweet mixture into my system. Without taking a breath, I gulped the entire drink.
“I love this juice.” Feeling better, I set the glass on the nightstand and licked my lips, savoring the flavor. “Seriously, you should bottle and sell it. People are obsessed with the health benefits of green drinks, and none that I’ve tasted are as good as this. You’d make a fortune.” The comment drew a snicker from me, because Raysa was already loaded. “Never mind.”
Smiling with me, Raysa walked to my side of the bed and took the glass from the nightstand. “I’ll drop this in the sink on my way out. I’ve got a test in physics that I can’t miss.”
What time is it?Sunlight like this didn’t filter into my room until the afternoon, which couldn’t be right.
I sought the Tinkerbell clock on my nightstand that Dad gave me for my seventh birthday. I couldn’t bring myself to part with it. What started as a favorite childhood character had become my trademark. I was fairy-sized, after all.
My eyes nearly popped from their sockets when I read the time. 1:00 PM.
