I thought a moment before answering. “Not having a sense of purpose in life—that’s a trap too. It can leave you just as stuck, just as stagnate. I want something in my life worth fighting for. That’s what’s going to keep me moving forward. A trap? For me, it’s a compass.”
“Mmm. You sound so sure. It makes me hopeful. I mean to say, I find it inspiring to be around.”
I chuckled appreciatively. “I’m sure it would be more inspiring if I actually understood the Midnight Sovereign’s purpose. Kaylin taught me that we preserve the history of the realm somewhere it’s guaranteed to remain safe. I guess her mentor Juniper used to emphasize the neutrality of the position, that we don’t associate with royalty, or seek power of our own. They traveled together for a time, adding history books to our collection. That wasn’t something Kaylin and I ever did with one another though. I just wish I had more of an idea how my position used to serve the realm. And why it all changed. If we stop collecting the realm’s history, our relevance will soon fade completely. I feel like I’ve been given a dying office, the last ember of this island’s fire. And I can either let it die, or try and fan it back to life. Maybe I’m just foolhardy enough to tend it, when anybody else would let it go out.”
Corvin’s eyes darkened, but the change was fleeting. “Perhaps there’s freedom in not knowing. You can define your own limits. Maybe it doesn’t matter what the Midnight Sovereign used to offer the realm. Maybe what’s more important is what you can offer it now. Perhaps you’re just the spark this island needs.”
We stayed like that a while longer, gazing out at the lake, each lost in quiet contemplation.
“Are you sure you don’t want to get into the water?” Corvin asked as he made to stand. I followed his lead, rising from my seat and brushing the sand off my pants. He looked out at the lake, and the grin he gave me had mischief written all over it. “I could throw you in the lake, if you need some extra encouragement,” he offered, his tone playful. An invitation. Or perhaps a dare. He waited, watching me intently to see how I would respond, making no move to act without my approval.
I dropped into a defensive stance, a grin splitting my face. “You could try.”
He dove for my waist.
I sensed the island’s ire—a sudden shift in the air pressure, the gathering of energy before a storm—but there was no opportunity for me to act upon the feeling. Corvin made to grab me, and the island tossed him clear into the lake, an invisible hand shoving him far away from me.
He rose from the water, laughing with his whole chest. He stepped out of the lake, his clothing clinging to every muscled line of his soaked body, and my breath caught in my throat. He removed his shirt, wringing out the water from the fabric, and I had to force myself not to stare at his chest. Force myself not to memorize the lines of his body. Like the only blemish on his otherwise flawless skin, a jagged scar extending down his chest in a taut white line. “I think you have an unfair advantage!” Corvin called.
I hadn’t seen the island’s defenses in action since my early years on the island, a long-faded memory of Kaylin pushing me back toward the cottage, a man thrown into the air, body limp as a rag doll as she hurriedly shut me away. I had almost forgotten…
Corvin wrung out his hair, pausing as our eyes locked. “Do you want some of this?” he asked.
“What? No—” He sauntered over, shaking his hair, and splashing me with water.
I giggled, stepping backward away from him, realizing the exact moment my foot caught a rock that I was going down. Corvin’s eyes widened, reaching out to catch me. I grasped at his hand and pulled us both down into the sand, him landing on top of me. I laughed, staring up at his regretful face.
“I didn’t mean to make you fall,” he said, his breath tickling my lips. I stared into his obsidian eyes, the hard planes of his chest melting into the soft curves of my body. “That’s alright,” I breathed. “I didn’t mean to take you with me.” He laughed, hislips curling into a smile. “Can I come back in a few days? Make sure the trellises I constructed are working well?”
“Hmm?” I drew my gaze away from his lips. “Oh, sure. That would be great. Thanks again for your help.”
“No problem. Like I said—all you have to do is ask. I’ll see you soon then.”
He jumped to his feet, pulling his shirt back on over his head. Likewise, I lifted myself out of the sand.
He soared away, leaving me alone on the island once more.
It was a leisurely stroll back to the garden to gather up the tools we’d left behind so that I could return them to the shed for storage. As I reached down to grab one of the trowels, the leaves of the cabbage patch rustled back and forth. Only, there was no breeze. I froze, searching for the source of the disturbance.
And then I saw it.
A small black cat peeked out from underneath the cabbage’s floppy leaves, watching me. I stared at my unexpected guest from the corner of my eye as I resumed tidying around the garden. There had never been a cat living on the island before, and I didn’t know what to make of its presence now. The poor thing looked rather malnourished. I could see the outline of its ribs from beneath its mangy fur coat.
Maybe I could tempt it out with a bite to eat.
If all I had were vegetables, I might have debated for longer what to feed the cat. Luckily, the lake was home to a variety of fish. Trout might do the trick. And there were some fresh cuts available in the kitchen in addition to the catch already preserved in salt and stored for future consumption. Wandering into the cottage, I selected the most appetizing piece of trout I could find before heading back outside.
Carefully, I crouched down to its level, keeping my movements slow and constrained.
“Pspsps. Are you hungry, kitty?” I asked, attempting to lure it out of its hiding place.
“You’re offering me food?” the cat questioned in a masculine tone, voice wavering pitifully.
I stumbled back, dropping the fish in the dirt.Another talking animal!
Fool me once…
“Alright,shifter.I think you better turn back into your human form.”
