Page 244 of Midnights
I blink at him, thrown completely off balance. “What?”
He lets out a nervous laugh. “Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner. It’s been right in front of me this whole time. I had suspicions, but damn.”
“Cam.” My patience stretches thin, like a rubber band one tug away from breaking. “This isn’t funny.”
He holds up his hands in apology, his face sobering instantly. “I know. I swear, this is just as weird for me as it is for you. I promise.”
The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them. “Are you in love with me?”
The second the question comes out, I freeze, my hand flying to my mouth as if I could somehow shove the embarrassing words back in.
Cam blinks, and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. He looks so stunned I almost feel bad. Then his expression softens, and a genuine, hearty laugh bursts out of him, echoing through the trees. The sound is so unexpected that I just stare at him.
You could just say no, pal. It’s not that funny.
He shakes his head, as his laughter gradually fades and a grin spreads across his face. “Raven, did you hit your head on the way out here? Of course I'm not in love with you. I like my head right where it is, thanks.”
I frown, caught off guard. “What does your head have to do with anything?”
He's clearly enjoying my confusion way too much. “You're beautiful, don't get me wrong. But, let’s just say getting involved with you would likely lead to… consequences. And none of them would end well for me.”
I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but if he doesn’t tell me soon, I might stab him. If that's not it, then what else could it possibly be?
“Okay, first of all. Rude. Second, what are you talking about? You’re being cryptic as hell, and I’m losing my patience. You said you know what's happening to me, so spit it out.”
He wipes the smile off his face, and seriousness takes over. “Yeah, I think I do. It’s the only explanation for why you’re even out here.” He gestures vaguely to the forest around us.
“Uh-huh…” I cross my arms, staring at him waiting for more, but it doesn't come. “Care to elaborate on that, or are we playingguess what Cam meansall night?”
He blows out a long breath looking at me with an intensity that makes my stomach do another flip. “I don’t know how else to say this,” he pauses. “But I think you have magic.”
The words hit me like a slap to the face. My brain stalls, trying to process what he just said without having a complete meltdown. “What do you mean, it’s the only explanation for me being here?” I ask, confusion slamming into me like a truck. “Wait… magic! What the fuck are you talking about?!”
I jump to my feet and my voice echoes through the trees, startling even me as my pulse pounds loud in my ears.
Cam glances around scanning the tree line like he’s worried someone’s going to hear us. “Hey, stay with me,” he says quickly, standing up like I’mabout to bolt. “This is going to be a lot, so let's just rip off the Band-Aid, okay? I'll tell you everything, but you’ve got to stay calm.”
I cross my arms, glaring daggers at him. “You’d better start talking.” I snap, though my voice betrays me with the slightest tremble. I don't know what to feel. Shock, anger, disbelief? I need the whole story because right now, I’m teetering somewhere between wanting to laugh hysterically and spring into the woods like a lunatic and never come back. And neither of those options are looking good.
I slowly lower myself back onto the stump, forcing myself to stay calm and focus. I count my breaths—one, two, three, four, five.Trying to steady my heartbeat that’s two seconds away from a prison break.
Cam rubs the back of his neck like he’s not sure where to start. “Okay, um,” he begins, and I can tell he's trying to be careful. “We aren’t exactly in Scotland anymore.”
My head snaps up as alarm tears through me. “Cam!” I shoot to my feet. “Why would you start withthat,of all things you could’ve started with.”
I throw my hands up, pacing back and forth as my mind scrambles to make sense of what he means by not in Scotland. It’s like he dropped a grenade and walked away. Where the hell am I then?
Cam winces, holding up his hands defensively. “Sorry! I’ve never had to do this before.” His tone is half-apologetic, but it's not helping. “Can I… show you instead of trying to explain? That might be easier, and we can talk while I do.”
I stop pacing and whip around to face him, narrowing my eyes as I try to gauge if he’s serious or just messing with me. “Cam, I'm seriously questioning my judgment in trusting you right now.”
A not-so-subtle wave of emotions surges through me and I want to cry. Confusion, frustration, and a spark of curiosity, to name a few. But panic is strangely absent. I can feel my heart pounding, but there’s an unsettling calm spreading through me, like my brain has skipped the meltdown phase entirely. I wonder if this is what shock feels like.
Cam’s expression softens, sincerity etched into every line of his face. “I get it, Raven. I really do.” His voice full of quiet understanding. “I promise I'm not trying to make things harder. I’m trying to help you. I think if you see it for yourself, it’ll start to click. Hopefully.”
His tone is calm, almost soothing, and it tempers my irritation just enough to keep me from snapping back. I search his face, looking for any sign of deception or hesitation, but all I see is honesty and maybe a hint of worry. That alone is enough to keep me listening.
Part of me wants to demand answers right now, to make him spill every detail before we take another step. But a bigger part of me is intrigued. He said he could explain what's happening, and that's what I've wanted this entire time. Answers. At least it’s something. No matter how crazy it sounds.
