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Guilt simmers deep in my chest over how I left her place this morning. Memories from last night play through my head in a slideshow. One second, we’d been talking, joking—not something I’m known for—then she’d been in my arms. I’d been tasting her, losing awareness of the world around me until I could only see her. Only feel her. It had been a rush, a heady, overwhelming feeling that I never wanted to end and simultaneously never wanted to happen again. Losing control is not something I like to do.
Realizing that Archer is still waiting for a response to his question, I shrug. Honestly, I don’t know how Miri is doing.
Archer narrows his eyes, and I roll mine. Here we go.
“You like her.”
“She shouldn’t be here, Archer.”
“Why, Davis? What’s up between the two of you? Since Miri strolled into town, you’ve been growly as a poked bear. All she’s doing is trying to gather up the pieces of her family and try to find a connection. What’s so bad about that?”
“It’s not safe for her here.”
“If that’s the real reason then it wouldn’t be safe for any of us to live here. I don’t see you moving away.”
I growl at him, knowing in my head that he’s being completely rational, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to relent.
“Her magic…” I groan, scrubbing a hand over my face. “I can feel it. My magic has become more powerful just with her nearby.” Especially after she came all over my face. Not that I’m about to share that with Archer. Fucking busybody would be on the phone with Rhys or Ezra as soon as I’m out of earshot.
Archer wants to make a joke. I know because that’s just who he is, but there’s nothing funny about any of this. In fact, his face screws up into a pained expression. “Fuck, I so don’t want to tell you this right now but it’s important.”
My heart leaps up into my throat. “Did something happen? Is Miri okay?” I jump up from the step, knocking my water over.
“No, Mr. I’m totally not interested in Miri.” Archer cocks a brow and I flip him off, resting against the porch while I wait for him to go on.
He leans into his UTV, grabbing something off the passenger seat. It takes me a second to recognize the journal we found down in the tunnel beneath Miri’s future store. “I don’t know if it’s a coincidence that Miri moved here.” Archer licks his lips, looking worried for once, which is a disconcerting expression on his face.
“What are you talking about?”
“I read this entire journal. It’s not just spells and shit, this has details about the Axis that we’ve never heard before. It talks about needing a catalyst for an Axis to begin forming, which we already knew. There are four pairs or partners in the Axis. Without the catalyst all the rest of the group could be together their entire lives and would never be able to bond to their partners and access the wealth of magic that comes with being part of an Axis. The new information in here; Archer holds up the journal. “It says who the catalyst is.”
A wealth of power none of us has ever wanted. If my friends are like me at all, I know they’ve wondered if we could someday form an Axis. Ever since we were little Archer, Rhys, Ezra, Lena, Ruby, and I gravitated toward each other. Yes, our parents all knew each other and were involved in Anthony’s fucked up experiment in some way, but that isn’t why we keep finding our way back to each other. There’s an intrinsic connection between the six of us that goes beyond the normal bounds of friendship.
Lena has spent years researching everything she can find about magic and Wild Haven Island. Most of what we know about the Axis is because of her tenacious research, beyond what we figured out from our families over the years. Most of the time, I tried to learn as little as possible. I don’t want to have magic; I don’t want to be like my father and if that means I deny a part of myself, then so be it. Still, many of the facts she threw at us over the years stuck, and I know enough to recognize that there’s something different about Miri. She’s melded into the fabric of my friend’s lives almost seamlessly. As if she’s always been here with us, as if I’ve always known her.
“We don’t know that we’d form an Axis.” I finally speak, my face tight and my muscles stiffening up the longer I sit still after abusing my body with physical labor all morning.
Archer relaxes his arms and pushes off the hood of the ATV. “Maybe not, but we should tell the others what we’ve found out.”
“You call them. I’m going to shower.” I stand up and head inside, letting the door slam shut behind me. I leave Archer in my front yard knowing he’ll figure out what to tell everyone.
