Kalissa said. When the Jeep didn’t move, she added, “It’s a hidden drive. You’ll see it.”
Ayden made a noise but backed up. When he reached the spot she was talking about, he saw it. “Hidden drive,” he repeated with amusement. “It’s hidden, all right—with a spell,” he laughed out, turning onto the driveway and driving up the gravel path toward the cabin.
About a tenth of a mile up the lane, Kalissa asked him to stop. She figured from his puzzled look that he’d forgotten about Willow. When he stopped the Jeep and put it in park, she got out and jogged into the forest. She heard and felt Ayden follow her. It was a little unnerving that she could feel his presence, but right now, she had other worries. Like finding Willow.
She stopped and waited for Ayden to come to stand next to her. Raising her hand for silence, she closed her eyes to take in the sounds around her. Every witch had an element that they were connected to. Kalissa’s was air. She could connect with the element and all things that represented it. She listened to the birds chirping happily, and the leaves in the trees rustling in the breeze. She called out to the air spirits to help her locate Willow. Within seconds, Kalissa felt the pull. She cut right through the forest, then left to a small stream where Willow lay on her side with her hand in the water.
“Oh, Willow.” Kalissa sat on her knees beside the nymph, hands hovering unsurely over the nymph’s petite form.
Willow’s pale green gaze met Kalissa’s and a wry smile formed on the nymph’s pixie-like face. “Hi.” She sucked in a breath with a pained expression. She waved off Kalissa’s concern before she had a chance to say anything. “It’s just some bruises. They’ll heal.”
“Come to the cabin with us. I’ll make you some tea,” Kalissa pleaded. She wanted Willow at the cabin so she could watch over her.
Willow rolled her eyes. She knew Kalissa too well. “Okay, but there will be no cooing over me like some child.” She went to sit up but lay back down. “I think I broke something,” she laughed out, trying to make light of the situation, but groaned at the pain in her ribs.
Ayden came over and squatted down beside them. “Let me help?” It was a question. Nymphs were temperamental. If he just lifted her in his arms to carry her to the car, she could easily freak out and hurt—possibly kill—him. Kalissa was glad Ayden knew that.
Willow looked at him with her large green eyes and smiled. “Lis, you went and snagged yourself a man, and a damn fine one at that.” Kalissa knew she turned every shade of red at Willow’s boldness. But before she could deny it, Willow answered Ayden’s question. “Yes, you may help.”
Kalissa stood and moved to the side to give him room. He carefully lifted Willow off the ground and into his arms. She snuggled into his chest, most likely seeking warmth. Kalissa felt a tiny wave of jealousy run through her that she had no right to feel. She should be grateful for his help. With a mental shake, she led them back to the car.
Chapter 8
Ayden let out a frustrated breath and raked his hands through his hair. “Two days?”
“That is a guesstimate, too. They said they had something to look into first. It could be sooner.” Zach chuckled into the phone at Ayden’s irritated sigh before adding, “This gives you two days alone with Lis. Who knows? Maybe she’ll regain her memory.”
As good as that sounded, Ayden wouldn’t hold his breath. It had been painful enough losing her the first time. He didn’t want a repeat.
“It wasn’t her fault. If she had her memory, there is no way she would have left you. Especially for someone like Liam.” Zach said her ex-boyfriend’s name like it was the plague or something.
“I take it you didn’t like him,” Ayden probed, wanting to find out more about the man she’d left him for fifteen years ago. And the reason for her earlier reaction to his anger.
Zach
Ayden made a noise but backed up. When he reached the spot she was talking about, he saw it. “Hidden drive,” he repeated with amusement. “It’s hidden, all right—with a spell,” he laughed out, turning onto the driveway and driving up the gravel path toward the cabin.
About a tenth of a mile up the lane, Kalissa asked him to stop. She figured from his puzzled look that he’d forgotten about Willow. When he stopped the Jeep and put it in park, she got out and jogged into the forest. She heard and felt Ayden follow her. It was a little unnerving that she could feel his presence, but right now, she had other worries. Like finding Willow.
She stopped and waited for Ayden to come to stand next to her. Raising her hand for silence, she closed her eyes to take in the sounds around her. Every witch had an element that they were connected to. Kalissa’s was air. She could connect with the element and all things that represented it. She listened to the birds chirping happily, and the leaves in the trees rustling in the breeze. She called out to the air spirits to help her locate Willow. Within seconds, Kalissa felt the pull. She cut right through the forest, then left to a small stream where Willow lay on her side with her hand in the water.
“Oh, Willow.” Kalissa sat on her knees beside the nymph, hands hovering unsurely over the nymph’s petite form.
Willow’s pale green gaze met Kalissa’s and a wry smile formed on the nymph’s pixie-like face. “Hi.” She sucked in a breath with a pained expression. She waved off Kalissa’s concern before she had a chance to say anything. “It’s just some bruises. They’ll heal.”
“Come to the cabin with us. I’ll make you some tea,” Kalissa pleaded. She wanted Willow at the cabin so she could watch over her.
Willow rolled her eyes. She knew Kalissa too well. “Okay, but there will be no cooing over me like some child.” She went to sit up but lay back down. “I think I broke something,” she laughed out, trying to make light of the situation, but groaned at the pain in her ribs.
Ayden came over and squatted down beside them. “Let me help?” It was a question. Nymphs were temperamental. If he just lifted her in his arms to carry her to the car, she could easily freak out and hurt—possibly kill—him. Kalissa was glad Ayden knew that.
Willow looked at him with her large green eyes and smiled. “Lis, you went and snagged yourself a man, and a damn fine one at that.” Kalissa knew she turned every shade of red at Willow’s boldness. But before she could deny it, Willow answered Ayden’s question. “Yes, you may help.”
Kalissa stood and moved to the side to give him room. He carefully lifted Willow off the ground and into his arms. She snuggled into his chest, most likely seeking warmth. Kalissa felt a tiny wave of jealousy run through her that she had no right to feel. She should be grateful for his help. With a mental shake, she led them back to the car.
Chapter 8
Ayden let out a frustrated breath and raked his hands through his hair. “Two days?”
“That is a guesstimate, too. They said they had something to look into first. It could be sooner.” Zach chuckled into the phone at Ayden’s irritated sigh before adding, “This gives you two days alone with Lis. Who knows? Maybe she’ll regain her memory.”
As good as that sounded, Ayden wouldn’t hold his breath. It had been painful enough losing her the first time. He didn’t want a repeat.
“It wasn’t her fault. If she had her memory, there is no way she would have left you. Especially for someone like Liam.” Zach said her ex-boyfriend’s name like it was the plague or something.
“I take it you didn’t like him,” Ayden probed, wanting to find out more about the man she’d left him for fifteen years ago. And the reason for her earlier reaction to his anger.
Zach
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