Page 90 of Midnights
Rachel, either oblivious or just rolling with it, loops her arm through mine. “We should probably be heading back soon anyway, right?” She glances between us, brushing it off. “Especially if we’re going to make it to dinner on time.”
Then, with a bright smile, she turns to Cam. “I’m so excited to go to your place, Cam.”
But my thoughts are still stuck on Kane and the look in his eyes before he walked away.
Another rumble rolls overhead, louder this time, closer. The storm is right on top of us now and I can’t help but smile. Ilovethunderstorms and if we weren’t about to leave, I’d be out there in a heartbeat, soaking it all in.Literally.
What I wouldn't give for this to be my house.
Correction, my castle.
The rain starts to patter against the glass in a steady rhythm that only adds to the moment. Every flash of lightning briefly illuminates the room, casting shadows along the greenhouse walls. It should feel eerie, but it doesn’t. It feels alive.
That strange energy hums in the air again, but it's stronger this time. And my fingertips haven't stopped tingling. What's going on with me? I flex my fingers, trying to get some blood flow, but it’s persistent. Maybe I should pullup WebMD and figure out what kind of rare disorder this is, because this can’t be normal, right?
I clench my fists, forcing my attention back to the soothing rhythm of rain.
Lightning strikes, and for a split second, it's blinding. Thunder crashes seconds later and it's so loud I swear the glass rattles in its frame. My whole body jerks on instinct.
A loud crash echoes through the room and my heart slams against my ribs. I whip around just in time to see an empty space on the shelf beside me where a potusedto be.
Now, it’s shattered on the floor in a mess of broken ceramic and spilled soil.
Rachel stares at the pot, then at me. “Uh…”
“DidIdo that?” I blurt, my pulse still hammering.
Cam steps forward, completely unbotheredlike the world around us isn’t actively losing its shit. “It’s just a wee pot.” His lips twitch with amusement. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just… startled.” Whichisn’ta lie, but I don’t know what the hell just happened.
I look at the shattered mess again, and feel a sense of guilt for breaking something while we were snooping. “What do we do about the pot?”
Cam just shrugs with that easy-going smirk of his still in place. “I’ll make sure it’s cleaned up. Come on, let’s go.”
I hesitate but eventually follow. As we step out into the hallway, Cam quietly closes the door behind us. We pass through the library again, and I don’t want to leave. I could live in this castle, spending my days curled up in here. I could even disappear into the greenhouse whenever I needed a break from reality. A girl can dream, right? This place is definitely going on my vision board.
We head back through the mudroom, but the moment I see Kane, everything else is out the window. He’s talking to someone, though, talking isn’t the right word. His stance is too rigid for a casual conversation.
Rachel notices it, too, nudging me. “Why does that look like a tense business meeting instead of a friendly chat?”
Cam steps between us. “Hang on a second, let me see what’s going on.” His tone is smooth, but there’s an edge to it that makes my stomach tighten. He glances between us before heading outside. “You two stay here.”
Rachel and I linger in the doorway, watching. The storm outside should be soothing, it's the kind that usually makes me want to curl up with a book and let the world fade away. But not tonight. Every crack of thunder feels like a pulse of unease, and every flicker of lightning sharpens the tension threading through the air.
Rachel shifts closer, lowering her voice. “You okay? You seem… off.”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I just feel weird. And really bad about the pot… and the…” I trail off, searching for the right word.
Rachel tilts her head, watching me carefully. “Energy?”
I exhale, relieved that she feels it. “Yeah.”
“What kind of energy are we talking? Like… chemistry?" She wiggles her brows. “Or are we going straight tothis place is hauntedterritory?”
I shoot her a look. “Not spooky ghost vibes.” I struggle to describe the weird, electric hum under my skin. “And definitely not chemistry vibes.”
She gives me an unconvinced side-eye. “Mmm-hmm. Well, if you suddenly start levitating or reading my mind, give me a heads-up, okay?”
