Page 194 of Midnights
I can’t look away. I’m hooked.
“One day, out of the blue, he just stopped talking to her. No explanation. Nothing. She didn’t understand why. The silence crushed her—devastated her. She didn’t even know if she wanted to reach out, she was too afraid of what he might say.”
The ache in her tone makes my chest go tight, and suddenly, I feel it like it’s my own.
“What she didn't know,” her voice drops to a whisper, “was that someone had discovered their secret. And whoever it was, they were terrified of what the two of them together could become.” Her eyes darken. “So, they cursed him.”
The words send an eerie chill through me, but I keep quiet.
“Hersorrow consumed her,” she continues, the edge in her voice slices through the warmth of the room. “It twisted into bitterness and hate until she convinced herself that no one could ever truly love her like she needed. She believed that she would never have a soulmate. Storms chased her, but still her power grew, and yet…”
Her eyes find mine, pinning me in place.
“... the answer was always right there. If she just...”
I can’t move. My eyes are glued to the book in her lap. She catches me, tilts her head, and that slow, knowing smile spreads across her face.
“Wake up, child.”
I frown, shaking my head slightly. “Grandma—?”
“WAKE UP, RAVEN!” Her voice cracks like thunder, sending a shudder through my bones. “You’re running out of time.”
I jerk awake and my chest is heaving. My heart slams into my ribs like it’s trying to break free. The dream dissolves, leaving me disoriented, but even more nauseous.
What the hell was that?
Outside, the lights of passing buildings flicker against the car windows, ghostlike blurs that barely register. Another wave of nausea slams through me making my pulse spike. I swallow hard, gripping the seat, trying to steady my breathing. But every inhale feels like I’m pulling in more than air.
We’re almost there. I just need to get to the house. Maybe I need to eat something. Or maybe I just need to lie down. Just… anything to stop this awful spinning. But the queasiness turns unbearable, and the air in the car suddenly feels suffocating. The ringing in my ears only gets louder. My skin prickles, and my chest tightens.
It feels like there’s not enough oxygen in here, and I need fresh air.Now.
“Excuse me,” I manage, catching the driver’s gaze in the mirror. “Could you pull over? I’d like to walk the rest of the way. I need some fresh air.”
His brow furrows slightly, his concern obvious as he glances at the rain streaking the windshield. “Are ye sure, lass?” His tone is hesitant as he pulls to the side of the road. “It’s chilly out there, and it's too late for wanderin’ about.”
I force a smile, though it feels about as steady as my stomach. “I promise, I’ll be fine. It’s not far.” Then, I add, “If your boss gets mad, tell him I said he can shove it.”
His eyes widen slightly as surprise flickers across his face. For a split second, the tension eases, and I catch the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.
“Okay, fine, maybe don’t say that last part,” I relent with a small laugh. “But Iwouldn’thate it if you did.”
He shakes his head, but after a second, he sighs, defeated. He unlocks the doors and steps out, circling around to open mine, nodding.
“Thank you.” I smile, and climb out, meeting his gaze before he closes the door behind me. “Really, I’ll be fine. No need to wait.”
He looks worried, but his voice is sincere. “Be careful, lass.”
I can hear the thunder in the distance, and it sounds like a low warning as the wind picks up, slicing through my dress.
The driver gets back in the car and hesitates before pulling away, the taillights fading into the rain. I’m half-surprised he doesn’t circle back or watch from a distance to make sure I don’t get lost.
The road ahead stretches into shadows, and with every step, unease coils tighter in my chest. My head is still pounding, and I can barely hear over the ringing as a shiver runs down my spine. The hair on the back of my neck rises like something is brushing against me. I wrap my arms around myself, but the thin fabric of my dress does little to block the cold, or the sinking feeling that I’m not alone.
This was amistake.
The fresh air, the walk, none of it is helping. My nerves are fried, my body’s spiraling lower by the second, and I still feel like I’m about to puke. Even my usual comfort thoughts aren’t enough to pull me out of my head right now.
