Page 166 of Midnights
I exhale through my nose, forcing my instincts under control.
I guide her over to where Rachel is chatting at the water table. “We’ve got to handle something real quick. I’ll find you when we’re done.”
Cam flashes Rachel a grin, adding with a wink, “Civil duties, pay our respects and all that. Be right back, love. Try not to break too many hearts while we’re gone.”
Chapter 27
I KnowPlaces
Raven
"Wait," Rachel lowers her voice, her expression shifting. "Has anything weird happened since we've been here at the castle?"
I slow my steps. The memory from the swing flashes back to life, uninvited. The way the air shifted. The sharp pull in my chest, like I'd seen it all before, but through someone else's eyes. Yet, somehow, it felt like it wasmine.
I hesitate, picking my words carefully. "I mean, yeah, actually." The admission leaves a strange weight in my chest. "It happened so fast. I touched the tree outside, and then it was like I got hit with this…I don't know, a vision? Like watching an old memory play out."
Rachel's eyebrows shoot up, leaning in with interest. "A memory?"
"Maybe?" I frown, trying to piece it together. "It felt like something I should know, but I couldn't quite reach it. It was like waking up knowing you had a dream, but no matter how hard you try, you can't remember the details." My voice drops slightly. "It reminded me of the stories my grandmother used to tell me."
She watches me carefully, sensing the shift in my tone, but my mind is already dragging me back.
It was a fairytale, one I'd heard a hundred times, but suddenly, it wasn't just a story anymore. It wasn't just a memory, it was something else.
The grass was so green and vibrant in a way that felt wrong. The sky stretched above me in a deep mesmerizing teal, and I swear the colors were shifting like water when it caught the light. The cold air bit at my skin, carrying the crisp smell of wet dirt. It all felt so familiar, but edged with something metallic and sharp.
Gold leaves swayed in the breeze, catching the sunlight like tiny flames, and for a minute, I could've sworn I heard them. Not just the rustling, but something else. It was almost like they were alive.
The damp grass pressed against my bare feet. The distant chirping of birds felttooclose, it was almost like they were perched just over my shoulder. Every sense was heightened and stretched thin over something ancient and restless.
The memory jumped like a dream yanked out of order.
A massive stone was just up ahead and it was dark and grim, covered in carved symbols that sent a shiver down my spine just looking at it. Something about it seemed off, like I'd seen it a thousand times but I know I've never seen it.
There was a man that was oozing power that had dark hair, and a crown sat on his head. It reminded me of the man in the portrait.
He held a dagger, and the blade was gleaming even through the thick smear of blood coating it.
My pulse was pounding. I felt a wave of ice crash through my veins, locking my breath in my chest. The weight of it crushed me, freezing me in place. And then, just as quickly, everything was gone.
I blink, shaking my head, trying to shove the memory back into the dark corners of my mind. But Rachel's still watching me, waiting for more of the story.
I don't have a single answer, but her voice drags me right back to the present.
"It happened so fast," I say, still trying to piece it all together.
"Wait," Rachel cuts in. "The tree's a metaphor for Kane's dick, isn't it?" She barely contains her laughter, and I immediately regret telling her anything.
I stop mid-thought, blinking at her in disbelief. "Rachel," I hiss, before bursting into laughter. "No! Oh my God, no. It was not a metaphor for Kane's dick."
Her grin only widens as I drag her back toward the dance floor. "I'm just saying," she teases, "the timing's suspicious. A mysterious tree, and you've got Sir Broods-a-lot doing the whole dark and sexy protector thing. You sure this isn't the start of some kinky fantasy?"
I roll my eyes, though I can't help the laugh that slips out. "I hate you."
"Lies," she sings, linking her arms through mine.
"It wasn't like that," I say, shaking my head. "It just reminded me of this story my grandmother used to tell me when I was little. That's all."
