Page 87 of Ghostly Touches

Willow shakes her head.

“Why can’t you just do as you’re told and go to sleep?” I demand. My hands curl into fists. “Willow, you are being careless with your, and subsequentlyour,lives.”

I won’t let her recklessness mark the end of Viktor or Kwil. If I have to carry her down myself and tuck her into that shitty bed, I will if it means she’ll be safe.

“Do you ever get tired of stressing out over everything?” She raises a brow. “It’s a wonder you don’t have grays yet. If it weren’t for Viktor’s white hair, I’d wonder if Fae grayed at all.”

I open my mouth to remind her thatsomeoneneeds to look out for everyone, including a particularly impudent necromancer, but she continues.

“If you can sit here for five minutes without uttering a command and spewing rhetoric about the honor you so desperately cling to, then I will come down and go to sleep without another word. How about that? Maybe staring up at the stars will quiet your mind.”

My mouth snaps shut as she turns her head back up to stare up at the night sky. If sitting with Willow will get her to listen to me, fine. I’ll do it. Begrudgingly, I sit beside her on the thick wooden beam and force myself to swallow down my protests. Pulling my gaze away from her profile, I tilt my head up to gaze upon the stars.

I look for the popular constellations as a distraction from the woman beside me, from Kwil’s indifference to the vows that bind us, and to Viktor’s unnerving apology. Finding them easily, my attention turns to the constellations less widely known. The Vulpecula constellation, also known as the Little Fox, is one of my favorites. The fox in the sky used to be one I searched for as a child. When I find it, a smile tugs at my mouth. My older sister made up stories about the trouble the little fox would get into and how it ended up there in the stars rather than in a forest or field. Although I can hardly recall the tales she once shared with me while we shared a bed, our time together is replayed with fondness. When was the last time I thought of Stefanie? My heart shudders as old longings for home resurface.

What is Stefanie doing now? Has she married? Picked up a career? Or what of Melophine, my younger sister? She was always a sickly Fae. Is she still alive? And if so, is she happy? She was only ten when I gave up my role as her brother to join a new family. I sigh. My sacrifice to give up the life I had always known, to become Ghost, is not one I regret. Not when it did precisely what I had wished it would do. I had heard, before we began to avoid Ghosts in the Third Realm, that my family was doing well. That our name had been wiped clean of the dirt smeared on it. Giving up being in their lives allowed me to give them a true life within the world of Fae.

Both Kwil and Viktor gave up much to be here, too. Their reasons for joining are their own, but it is up to me to keep them going. To make sure the Brotherhood never finds out that they have become Fallen so their sacrifices aren’t in vain. I saved the family I left behind, and now they are safe and secure. The two men I have vowed to lead are now my family to protect and oversee. I will not fail this family, as I have not failed the one I was born into. The Brotherhood may wonder where we are, but Jaydon, Boxton, and Campbell will at least let them know we’re still doing our duty. That has to count for something, right?

“The night you guys broke into my house, I had been on the beach watching pirates dance.” Willow’s soft words break the silence. “The sky was just as bright and beautiful as it is tonight.”

Had it? I can’t recall. All I can remember is the terror that I had lost one of the men I had so tirelessly tried to keep alive for all of these years.

“The spirits didn’t notice the stars,” she continues after a moment. “Their days of enjoying such simplicity that life brings had already passed. But I always try to make it a point to notice the little things because my life isn’t over yet.”

Where is this going? I look over at her to find the necromancer looking at me. Her hand slides across the beam. Her fingers brush against mine. It brings peace but as I stare at where our hands meet, I realize the weight of the world isn’t nearly as heavy as it had been the first time we’d touched. I wonder at the difference as I look back up at the stars.

“Remember to stop and take a deep breath sometimes, Theo. If you can’t appreciate where you are now, the fight to continue onwards may feel endless, and the sacrifices you’ve made to get here may eventually feel pointless.”

Willow’s words strike a chord. It’s then I realize why her touch, though comforting, didn’t yield the same results as the last time we connected. Because of Willow’s desire for me to sit here with her in silence, I’ve been given the time to reflect on the good things in my life, which considerably lifted the load my responsibilities weigh me down with. This tranquil moment isn’t so much from Willow’s touch as it is from her strong will. Something shifts in my chest as I gaze at Willow’s profile.

There’s something about this woman beside me that has me utterly dumbfounded. Standing in the kitchen the morning after our arrival, I thought there was a wild energy about her. But sitting here quietly in her presence, I realize it’s not wild at all. That would mean it’s untamed or uncontrolled. But Willow wields her power with skill. It gives her confidence, insight, and a wealth of knowledge someone as young as her could never dream of possessing.

“It’s been twenty minutes.” She sighs and looks at me. I don’t bother to pretend I haven’t been staring at her. "That’s fifteen minutes longer than I requested. I suppose I should give you fifteen minutes of silence tomorrow in the car.”

Her lips slip into a lopsided smile as her eyes drift down. I follow her gaze down to where our fingers touch. Making a conscious decision, I lift my hand and take hers in it, knowing that the contact eases her discomfort. A discomfort we brought upon her. My eyes lift to her face.

“You owe me nothing, Willow. I’m not here to stifle the wonderful person that you are.”

I like her. Kwil’s words echo in my head. Staring at her, here in the darkness, I realize that I, too, may actually like having the necromancer in my company. Never have I denied her beauty, but the blossoming respect that I have for her makes Willow Harvest nearly ravishing. I lift her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. With that, I stand and help Willow to her feet.

“Let’s get some sleep. We both need it.”

Chapter24

JONAH

Yesterday, when Willow drove, she at least played music. Today, Theo drives while Viktor keeps him company in the passenger seat. They’ve been talking on and off for the past few hours in hushed voices. Viktor’s tone has been noticeably less aggressive today. When we were in the Third Realm, the bastard wouldn’t shut up about this, that, or the other. When there was nothing to complain about, he would try, and fail, to pick fights with his so-called “brothers.” Whatever Willow said to him yesterday while they drove together either must be bothering him enough to pretend he’s fine, or she actually got to him.

“I swear, I’m going to go crazy if we spend another day in this stupid van!” The side of my fist hits the window, causing it to rattle.

“Shut up,” Viktor snaps.

Though he can’t see it, I flip him off. I really fucking hate this guy.

“Shut up? First, I’m trapped in a cave and now I’m trapped in a van full of men who seem content to listen to road noise and stew in their own thoughts rather than listen to music and flirt with a beautiful woman! And fuck, do you guys ever eat? I’mstarving.”

Speaking of beautiful women…. My eyes trail over Willow’s shapely legs thrown across my lap. The hand not curled into a fist slowly caresses her thigh. This van has three long rows of seats. A transit van is what Willow calls it. Kwil, Willow, and I could each occupy our own bench seat, but she chose to sit with me in the far back. Kwil has taken the seat in front of us, leaving a space between us and the other Ghosts. It’s telling that Kwil seems more comfortable near us than his “brothers.”

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