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)
“If?” Not so gracefully, Eira defiantly made it up off her ass, trying to wipe the mud off her hands before giving up to swipe them on her pants. “That’s not how it works.”
“I can swear not to touch you, but you can’t make me promise not to catch you when you fall. If you want me to let you fall on your ass again, darling, then you must promise me something in return.”
Eira stormed off through the storm, trying to think just how clumsy she was for a moment. How often could she possibly slip—
Shit. She almost just fell flat on her face this time. The laughter coming from behind her wasn’t helping her think, either.
What could Ryu possibly want her to promise him? Oh dear, she probably shouldn’t want to know.
“All right, fine!” she grumbled, coming to a stop after she barely caught herself this time. The steep land that she loved had betrayed her for the last time. “What is it you want?”
She watched as Ryu came to stand in front of her, towering over her with each closer step, then held her eyes captive.
“Promise me you won’t ask me to leave you when we get down this mountain.”
Again, the desperation in his voice nearly broke her betraying heart this time. Her mind kept telling her she was supposed to do exactly that, but how could she when the thing in her chest told her she couldn’t? It was a desperate battle she had hoped to fight at the bottom, but now it could no longer wait.
“I can’t—”
“I know you feel it, darling.” The smile that touched his lips became deadly as he watched the drops of rain beautifully fall down the scorched half of her face. He might not have touched her physically, like he obviously wanted to, yet she still felt as if he had with his gaze all the same. “You won’t be asking me to leave you by the time we get down this mountain, anyway.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Is he right? Already, it felt as if her body couldn’t imagine a moment without him, even though they had just met moments ago. The feeling was simply inexplainable. So inexplainable that she was beginning to wonder if he had put a spell on her while she’d napped, as the only thing fighting off the spell was her mind and past trauma.
Are witches real, or warlocks, or whatever?
Eira didn’t think so. But whatever this was, it was something of legends.
“So, what will it be, darling?” he asked, still sneering.
Giving her own smile, she made him a promise that only she could keep. “Fine. I promise that I won’t ask you to leave when we get to the bottom of the mountain.” But I make no promises my grandparents won’t leave your ass in the rain when we reach my house.
His strange, glowing eyes slightly squinted at her, as if he sensed a catch, but then he nodded, keeping the agreement they had already made. He even stayed true to his word when Eira took only a few steps forward and met the wet, muddy ground again.
The laughter cutting through the storm might’ve pissed her off, if it didn’t prove just how honest he was.
“Well, at least I know you keep your promises,” Eira mumbled under her breath, not even bothering to wipe the mud off her hands this time.
“Always,” he assured her.
What the—
She couldn’t understand how he could’ve possibly heard her. Something was definitely off about him, but her attention went to his word.
Always.
That word had her heart, which trusted him, practically thumping out of her chest. Her body, which didn’t want to leave him, might’ve been happy, but her mind still couldn’t help but think how long exactly he planned to stay with her …
She tried her best to put it out of her mind so she could make it to her house without a fully black and blue bum in the morning. As she did so, it was weird how quickly she began to relax around him, knowing he wouldn’t touch her. All the pressure of when she usually first met a stranger had evaporated.
For once, she felt free in the presence of a stranger.
And for once, she finally had trust in someone.
But now, as they reached the base of the mountain, it was time for her mind to finally win out.
Eira had only barely touched the doorknob when it was slung open.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Stepping inside, she felt like a cold, wet dog as she continued to get berated. “Grandma, there’s—”
“I told you to be home before the storm!”
“Grandma!” She tried to tell her there was company waiting outside the door, but her grandmother continued.
“I’ve been worried sick!”
“Ahem,” Ryu coughed, letting his presence known.
She suddenly stopped mid-reprimand at the sound, and her grandmother’s gaze went to the man still standing in the pouring rain. Then …