Chapter Twenty
The scent of fish, roasted nut, and fruit still lingered in the air, mingling with the faint sweetness of moss and rain. Morning light filtered softly through the narrow slit in Elder Oak’s trunk, painting the curved walls in golden hues. Alice sat nearby, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of fruit, her eyes distant as she described her home—Ceran Pax—and the way energy danced there, vibrant and responsive.
Her voice was filled with longing—and something else, something brittle beneath the surface.
Geoff didn’t interrupt. He listened. Inside, his thoughts were twisted and confused, turning like vines in a storm.
He should take her to the village. It was the right thing to do. His brother, Isha, would be there. Captain of the Guard to the king and queen, his brother was brave, smart, and always annoyingly calm under pressure. He would know what to do. His sister, Marina, was just as good. She had helped save their world when the alien attacked, and her husband, Mike Hallbrook, even had experience crossing into this world from a portal.
His parents would have helped too, but they were off on the Isle of the Pirates trading goods now that it was safe to travel again.
Geoff focused on the fire as Alice spoke about her friends and the way they had been separated. The worry in her voice was real. So was the quiet tremor of fear she tried to hide.
“I’ll take you to the village,” he said suddenly.
Alice blinked, caught off guard. “You will?”
“My brother and sister can help. If Isha thinks it’s important enough, he can talk to the king and queen.”
Alice’s lips parted in surprise—and then she rose and threw her arms around him with a breathless, “Thank you!”
He froze.
For half a heartbeat, all he could feel was the press of her body against his, her arms tight around his neck, her scent like sunlight and something softly floral. Her body was warm. Solid. And yet soft at the same time.
Before he could stop himself, his head bent.
His lips brushed hers.
It was the lightest kiss—barely there. A fleeting moment. A breath.
But it changed everything.
Alice pulled back. Her blue eyes were wide with surprise. Heat washed up his neck to his face. He knew his cheeks were probably as red as the fire sticks had been as he jerked away and turned back to his satchel.
“We should go. Isha has to return to the palace soon. We don’t want to miss him.”
He didn’t look at her. Couldn’t. The silence stretched too long, too tight.
He bent and murmured the spell to extinguish the firesticks, the soft glow fading with a gentle hiss. He packed them away with trembling fingers. Grabbing the blanket, he muttered a swift cleaning spell before he rolled and tucked it into his satchel.
Why had he done that? What if she was offended? What if she thought he was stupid? What if she’d hated it?
He swallowed hard, hoisted the satchel over his shoulder, and turned—only to find he was alone.
His heart gave a hard thump.
“Elder?” he whispered.
The tree creaked softly in response, the bark shifting like tired bones. Geoff laid a palm against the trunk. “Thank you for protecting her. And for not laughing.”
The tree’s only reply was a slow, knowing rustle of leaves.
He ducked through the opening. The gap sealed behind him as he straightened.
Alice stood several yards away, her back to him, her shoulders stiff. The wind caught the ends of her braid and tugged gently at the sleeves of his coat that still hung on her slight frame.
He walked up beside her, unsure if he should speak.
