Page 99 of The Otherworld

I stand frozen on the shore of the cove, my mouth hanging open in shock as I stare at Adam’s red-and-white floatplane.

He’s come back.

My racing heart leaps into my throat, all my dreams flashing back to me—visions of Adam returning to the island to tell me that he loves me, that he will never leave me again.

I approach to get a better look and find the plane’s cockpit empty. The rope has been knotted securely around a tree trunk, but there’s no trace of Adam—aside from smudges of footprints in the wet sand.

I turn in a slow circle, peering through the forest.

“Adam?” I call out. “Adam, can you hear me?”

No response but the sound of chirping birds and dripping rain. Deeper in the woods, I hear the crisp drilling of a woodpecker.

Where would he have gone? Towards the lighthouse, no doubt. He would have followed the coastline to avoid getting lost in the woods.

“Come on, Lucius. Let’s go this way.”

Side by side, we trek onward—staying close to the shore so I can scan the forest for him. The anticipation is enough to awaken a storm of butterflies in my stomach.

He’s here. He’s come back for me.

“Adam!” I shout through cupped hands. “Adam, are you there?”

I stop and listen carefully, untangling the layers of sounds around me. Lucius hesitates, looking quite annoyed with how damp he has become. I glance over my shoulder to confirm that I did see the plane and that it wasn’t my imagination fooling me. That I wasn’t dreaming it all up because I wanted it to be true.

“Adam?” I call again, raising my voice louder.

A heartbeat of silence, and then—

“Orca?”

The voice is distant, and for a moment, I don’t know where it comes from.

I spin in circles, my gaze sweeping the forest.

“Yes!” I call back. “I’m here!”

A rustle of brush up ahead catches my attention, and my heart thrusts against my ribs. I’m prepared to run to Adam—jump into his arms and kiss him and tell him how many times I dreamed of this moment.

That’s when Jack Stevenson steps out from behind the trees. His bright hazel eyes lock on mine, and the shape of my name brings a smile to his lips.

“Orca!”

“Jack!” I gasp, reeling to an abrupt halt. A peculiar pang of disappointment jolts through me. “What are you doing here? Where’s Adam?”

“Adam’s not here.”

“But his plane—”

“I borrowed it,” Jack explains with a cheeky grin. “Well, I guess you could say I stole it. But he won’t mind.”

Lucius yips joyfully, bounding over to Jack, thwacking his tail and demanding attention until Jack bends down to slather him with hugs and affection. I stare at him in astonishment, my mind racing.

“Wait, do you mean Adam has no idea you’re here?”

Jack straightens up. “That’s right. I didn’t tell anyone about it. I didn’t want them stopping me.”

“Stopping you from doing what?”

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