Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Falling back on the grass, Eira stared up into the blue sky. It looked so vast from up here with nothing in the way to obstruct her view. She could almost reach up and …
Raising her hand out of the sun-warmed grass, she reached for the clouds. Alas, her arm wasn’t long enough to touch them.
With disappointment, she let her hand drop back to earth as her lids became heavy. It might not have been the smartest thing to take a nap on the edge of a cliff, but with her eyes coming to a close, it was rare for Eira to find peaceful sleep …
The strangest dream lulled in her mind, and she would later swear it felt as real as when she was awake. She was dreaming of herself trapped in another body, one of a scarred girl named Chloe, when the nightmares of another life caused her to jolt awake.
Suddenly rising, she looked out at the edge of the cliff and into the beautiful water that the sun was setting upon, the blue sky now orange. It was a different, breathtakingly beautiful place altogether than when she had fallen asleep.
The fear of the nightmares that weren’t hers left her body and only returned at the sudden deep voice she heard from behind her.
“Hey—”
4
Hey, Darling.
“Hey, darling.”
Eira jumped straight up off the ground and to her feet to face the man who had managed to creep up behind her. The sheer fear that coursed through her veins that was bringing out her instinct to fight or flight became muddled when she caught sight of him.
Her need and want for a man might’ve been dormant, but she knew a good-looking one when she saw one, and this one was easily the most beautiful one she had ever seen on this side, and on the other side, of the earth where she had been born.
Well, she might think that about him if he hadn’t snuck up behind her with no one around in hearing distance as the sky was beginning to grow dark.
As she was reminded of the fading light, instincts kicked back in, and her chest fell heavily with quick deep breaths as she took a step backward. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you in the village before.”
The beautiful man slightly smiled, preparing to introduce himself as he took his own step, but forward. “I’m R—”
Immediately, Eira had taken another step back, wanting to keep a safe distance from him.
“Don’t take another step back!” The man’s harmless demeanor and tone quickly changed in a flash. He turned commanding, his voice now alluring, showing her he had simply put on a mask. Holding out a hand, he waved for her to come back. “One more step back, and you’ll fall right off this cliff.”
Her eyes squinted, trying to adjust to the dimmer light to see him better. She wasn’t sure, but he almost looked … concerned? Worried? Frightened? Those words swirled through her mind like the wind that was beginning to swirl around them from the storm brewing off a bit away in the sky.
He, too, clearly felt the wind picking up, as the concern—or whatever it was—grew on his fierce features. “Look, darling—”
“Eira.” She didn’t know why it mattered, as she was one step away from death, but she corrected him all the same.
“Look, Eira,” he tried again, this time softer, more soothingly, “how about I take a few steps back, if you do the same forward?”
She thought for a moment. It wasn’t the fear of falling to her death that scared her in this moment, but the unknown, breathtakingly beautiful man. Yes, he was stunning to look at, but the more she did so, the more he frightened her. His dark eyes practically glowed the more the sun faded, as if he somehow had night vision. But it was the sheer height of him that had her frozen in place. He was far away from her, but even at this distance, she could see how giant he actually was. If he got close enough to grab her before she could figure out if he was good or evil, she was sure he could break her like a twig.
Feeling certain there was nothing behind the heel of her foot but air, she finally gave in. “All right.” She swallowed. “You first.”
It was like he didn’t want to take a step back when contemplation crossed his features like it had hers seconds ago. But why did it look like his conundrum was if he took a step back, then he might not be able to jump after to save her? As if that was somehow possible?
Finally, he nodded, taking a single step. “Okay, now you.”
Eira took a step, and then another with him as they moved in sync, her forward and him backward, like a dance, until she was a couple of feet from the edge of the cliff.