Page 109 of Midnights
I lean in, watching the way her breath catches, watching the way her eyes stay locked on mine. Waiting.
“You know…” I say, dropping my voice lower. “…the thunder and all.”
I can feel the tension between us. Every rumble of thunder, every crack of lightning, is pulling us in. Daring me to cross a line I know I can’t come back from.
I don’t know if it’s the storm or if it’s her, but standing here feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, and it’s becoming more impossible to ignore.
My instincts scream at me to walk away. To step back, and keep the distance I’ve fought so hard to maintain. And yet, every single nerve in my body is telling me to do the opposite.
She’s drawing me in and it’s fuckingobnoxioushow much I want to give in to it. One more step and the space between us disappears.
The rain slides down her face, catching on her lips, but her eyes are still locked on mine.
I can’t tell if she feels the same pull I do or if she’s about to push me away.
All I know is that being this close to her, with the storm raging around us, feels like standing in the eye of the hurricane.
Chapter 18
In or Out of the Woods…?
Raven
The storm rages around me, a steady drizzle soaking into my clothes, my skin, and grounding me in a way nothing else has in years.
For once, there’s nothing pulling at me. No expectations to meet. No ticking clock reminding me of what I’m supposed to be doing. Just me, wrapped in the untamed fury of the sky.
And I've never felt more alive.
I tip my head back, letting the rain slide over my face, and my thoughts drift to the necklace. I try to remember the memory of my grandmother’s voice weaving through my mind.
I can almost hear it now, the way her voice would drop to a whisper during the magical parts, like we were the only two people in the world who knew the story.
And yet, even as a kid, something about it frustrated me.
Why couldn’t she find love? Why did she have to beg for it? The Queen was powerful, capable of things most people couldn’t even dream of, and yet, she was brought to her knees by the one thing she couldn't control. Her heart.
At this point in my life, though… I kind of get it.
Maybe she was better off without them.
Then again, if I’m being completely honest with myself, who’s the one standing out in the damn rain now?Oh, hey… remember me. The problem.There’s been so many moments where I've wished for the same thing she did. That real, all-consuming, soul-shaking love.
I haven’t exactly had any luck in that department. But maybe that’s for the best.
Still, something about the thought of having to beg the heavens for something as simple and profound as love… hits somewhere deep.
I can picture her now, standing in the middle of the forest, with her arms stretched toward the sky, while the rain pours down, mixing with her tears as she whispers desperate prayers to the universe.
In some strange way, I understand her longing. Her frustration. That deep, aching need to grasp onto something real. Something she couldn’t conjure or create.Someonethat would choose her back.
The wind whips around me, curling through my hair, and it's like the storm is mirroring the thoughts tangling inside my head.
But for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
My hands slip into my pockets, brushing against the stones I tucked in there. I’ve carried them around, but I still don’t know why. Now, more than ever, I really need answers.
What are they for? What do they do? Why do I need to carry them?
