Page 42 of One Last Touch

I poured the hot water onto the fresh leaves, leaving the strainer in the mug to infuse for a few minutes. The steam wafted up, smelling tangy, and I breathed it in deeply even as nervousness overtook me.

“Have you decided what you want to do?” Sage’s voice was quiet as he came to stand behind me, a hand settling on my waist as he rested his chin on my head.

I nodded. “Tomorrow, before the sun goes down again, I’ll leave.” I watched his expression in the window as I felt him nod. Relief, disappointment. I understood his mixed feelings. But there were some things in life we all had to do. For me, this was one of them and I could no more avoid it as I could stop breathing, even if it meant lying to him. “How’re your energy levels today?”

“Not too bad.” He pulled back but let his hand fall into mine, squeezing before he let go. “I haven’t felt this strong in a long time, but it’s already fading.”

That’s what I had been afraid of. How much energy would Jared need to rejoin the world of the living? And once he was alive, would he be able to sustain himself? Or would he need more to stay that way?

I pulled the strainer out and squeezed a dollop of honey into the mug, stirring it absently and then blowing gently, hesitating before I took my first sip. There was no going back now. I’d set my plan into motion, and I just had to hope it worked. If they really thought I was going to just leave them here alone to rot, then they didn’t know me at all.

Ms Weathers watched me with a strange look on her face and I smiled as I drank some more, letting the warmth creep back into my bones.

“I can’t believe you’re really leaving,” she said and I relaxed as her suspicion eased.

“Me either.”

“It will be… empty here without you.”

“It will be empty out there without you too.”

There was a gleam in her eye that made a lump rise in my throat and I swallowed hard as I avoided looking at Sage entirely.

I drained my mug, searing my tongue slightly and I winced as I placed it in the sink. “I’m going to get some rest. Busy day tomorrow.”

Sage moved to follow me out of the room when Ms Weathers called me back, so I waved him on.

The older woman moved close to me, concern shining in her ocean eyes. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” She nodded to the mug I’d place in the sink and I tried to keep my expression blank as I looked away from her, taking in the empty kitchen behind her head.

“I do.”

“Then sleep well, love. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I walked up the stairs slowly, an itchiness at the back of my throat as if the half-lie was caught there. I’d told them once and I knew it to be true once again.

I would do whatever was necessary. Jared was going to burn in hell, where he belonged.

Chapter Seventeen

Sage thought I was nervous about leaving. Maybe I was, but I’d sweat through one vest top already this morning and whenever I blinked it felt like the world blurred as the tea I’d been drinking constantly started to take effect. I hadn’t told him about seeing Jared last night, knowing it would only worry him when nothing much had happened. What was a little energy loss at this point?

I sipped at my tea, smacking my lips as my mouth ran dry and took another sip for good measure.

“Have you started packing yet?”

I jumped. Sage stood in the doorway, watching me with a soft look on his face.

“A little.” I gestured toward the half-empty suitcase that I’d haphazardly placed in the middle of the floor. So far, I’d filled it with books and pyjamas. I was planning on leaving all the blankets and cosy furnishings I’d slowly accumulated where they were. I didn’t need them and I liked them where they were. Where I was going, I would need to take anything with me.

“You need to get a move on if you’re going to be ready by the time the car gets here at four.”

I could tell how much he hated saying the words, the way he looked slightly off to the side instead of directly at me and the tight set of his shoulders. But he was trying to be supportive, this was what he’d asked me to do after all. He hadn’t even asked me where I was going next, and I knew it was because neither of us wanted to acknowledge this was happening—one way or another, I was leaving him… just not in the car I’d booked to pick me up for appearances sake. Not only to soothe Sage, but I wanted Jared to think this was his last chance to do whatever it was he was planning.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be ready.”

He nodded but didn’t move from the doorway so I drained the last of my tea and moved to stand in front of him, twining my arms around his neck and holding them steady so he wouldn’t have to expend any energy to keep them there.

“I’m going to miss you,” he said softly and my eyes tingled painfully as I blinked away tears.

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