Page 9 of Hunted

Valerian turned his palm up. A small glimmer of light emerged out of his skin at the center of his hand. It glowed for a moment, then slipped back into his skin. “I still have magic,” he said.

“Save it. We may need it.”

He offered me his hand. “You can have it.”

I stared at his hand for a moment, a little dumbfounded. “What do you mean?”

“You take have my energy. Maybe it’s enough to get us back to Arcadia.”

“I… didn’t even know you could do that.”

“Maybe it’s not something Royals have to think about much… commoners have to parcel their magic out. We’re used to being careful with our resources, and we learned to share.”

I looked into his eyes, now, holding his gaze. “If you’re willing.”

“I am.”

Staring at his hand, now, I felt suddenly queasy. Lightheaded. I wasn’t sure what had come over me, but it had been quick, and it was difficult to ignore. Still, I took his hand, and as soon as my skin brushed against his, something happened.

This hadn’t been the first time I had touched this Fae, but touching him now felt different, somehow. His skin was soft, and warm, and as our fingertips brushed against each other, I couldn’t help but notice the little current passing through us.

Imperceptible, almost.

At first, anyway.

That current soon grew in intensity, and when our hands clasped fully, it was as if we had become linked. Connected. I realized quickly that I could feel him. Not his hand, or the warmth of his touch, buthim.His inner self. His magic.

Looking into his eyes, I thought I could hear his thoughts—only they weren’t thoughts, but his feelings.

He was honest.

There wasn’t an ounce of malice in him.

But he was scared.

For as long as I had known him, Valerian had oozed confidence. The way he had handled that beast back at the palace, the way he leapt into action to protect me from that monster, the things he knew how to do that no one else did. This was a Fae who was rarely frightened by anything; at least, that’s what I had thought.

Only hewasscared.

He, like me, was far away from home. Far away from anyone he knew. He hadn’t asked for this—I had put him in this situation. The fear I felt in him now only served to make my guilt grow. I didn’t know this Fae. Before I met him, he may as well not even had existed.

But part of me now felt responsible for his safety.

A big part.

“Is there enough?” Valerian asked.

“Huh?” I shook my head, snapping back into the moment. I had been lost in thought.

“Magic… do I have enough in me for you to open a portal back to Arcadia.”

“Oh… right.” I paused, closed my eyes, and concentrated. I had been so caught up in my feelings and in Valerian’s, I hadn’t even started to search his essence. I also didn’t really know what I was doing. I narrowly opened one eye again. “Uh… how does this work?”

“I’m ready for you. All you have to do is feel.”

I shut my eye again and nodded. “Right,” I said, taking a deep breath. I already had a direct line into Valerian’s feelings. My instincts were to push deeper, to try to feel his magic. As soon as I opened myself up to him, it came rushing out at me like a gust of fresh, Arcadian air.

I let it engulf me, wash over me, then I felt it circle around me and go back into Valerian. It was wonderful, an experience unlike any other. How had I never done this before? Why hadn’t anybody told me wecoulddo this?