Page 258 of Cursed Evermore
Wolfe told me I’d be his forever and he wouldn’t let me go, but I had to keep an open mind.
He was supposed to marry the princess of Thalyrius. The perfect, beautiful Princess Seraphina. Despite what happened last night, that was still a possibility.
Wolfe didn’t want to talk about it when I tried to bring it up. It was understandable. I didn’t want to talk about it, either, but worry was eating me alive.
Now I wondered when we’d see each other again.
There were so many important things to worry about, but here I was, being selfish again, wondering what would become of us.
A shimmer of silver light a few feet away caught my eye. I straightened, every nerve suddenly alert. The air itself seemed to fracture, rippling like disturbed water before expanding outward in impossible waves. Magic crackled against my skin as reality tore open.
Then they materialized from the rift: Arielle and Bastian, their bodies entwined with desperate hunger, mouths fused in a kiss that looked more like claiming than affection. Arielle’s fingers were buried in Bastian’s dark hair while he gripped her waist with bruising intensity, as if she might vanish back into the Void if he loosened his hold.
My mouth fell open, but I dared not make a sound. It looked like Arielle got the night she’d wanted after all.
The two were completely oblivious to me. It was only when a rough wave crashed against the rocks near them that they pulled apart.
Arielle was about to say something to Bastian but froze and looked right at me, mortification on her face.
Bastian followed her gaze and looked just as thrown as she did. He released her and stepped away.
I waved at them and held back a smile but failed miserably. I’d only known them for a short time, but they were the kind of couple you rooted for.
“I’ll see you later,” Bastian muttered to Arielle.
She looked back at him, about to answer, but then threw herself back in his arms and kissed him instead.
As usual, I admired her confidence.
Arielle pulled away and gave Bastian a little wave. He smiled back at her, dipped his head at me, then faded in a shimmer of silver light. I guessed he must have portaled because of the color; phasing was different. It didn’t leave any echoes of your magic behind.
Arielle whirled around and rushed over to me, her cheeks bright against her platinum hair.
“Gods be good, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know anyone was going to be here.” She laughed.
I set my journal down and stood to join her. “It’s fine. It was great to see you two. I take it last night went well.”
Her entire face turned red. “It did, but let’s talk about you.” She nodded with enthusiasm. “Are you okay? I saw you leaving with Wolfe last night.”
I gasped. If she’d seen us, she knew our exit wasn’t that much different from the entrance she’d made with Bastian just now. “You saw us?”
She laughed out loud. “Don’t worry. I was the only one who saw you locking lips with the Fae prince mere minutes after his uncle announced his engagement to the ice bitch princess of the west.”
I released the breath I was holding. “Oh Gods.”
“I’m just joking. Well… not really, but you get what I mean.” She chuckled. “The point is, no one else saw you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Even though you told me you wanted to be on your own, I felt bad about what happened, so I went after you. Thankfully, Wolfe beat me to it. I got there just as you two were portaling away.” She brought her hands together and beamed back at me. “Please, for the love of the gods, tell me you two got together.”
It was my turn to go red. “Um…”
“Blessed Mother, youdidget together.” She clapped her hands together in delight.
“Yes,” I answered sheepishly, only giving an answer because she’d seen me kissing Wolfe.
She squealed and pulled me back down to sit on the sand. “This is the best news ever.”
