My eyes flutter open.The sun’s warmth brushes against my cheeks, and for a moment, I lie perfectly still. My thoughts are hazy, tangled in the remnants of sleep. Slowly, my vision clears. “Sup.” A voice comes from the other side of the clearing.I jolt upright. There he is. Aiden sits cross-legged on a fallen tree stump, his posture almost annoyingly relaxed. His head tilts slightly as he watches me, as though he has been sitting there for hours. His strawberry-blond hair seems to glow beneath the morning sun, and his eyes gleam like sunlight reflecting off water. He looks far too comfortable.My heart pounds. I scramble to my feet, nearly stumbling over myself as I snatch a fallen branch from the ground. I grip it tightly, holding it out like a makeshift weapon. “Why are you here?” My voice shakes despite my attempt to sound brave. “How did you catch up to me?” Aiden says nothing. “What do you want from me?” Still nothing. His expression changes. The casual amusement disappears from his face, replaced by something darker. His eyes flick toward the stick in my hands before returning to mine. I tighten my grip. “Stay back.” He doesn't move. For a moment, neither of us speaks. Then Aiden slowly raises one hand. My breath catches. A flicker of light dances across his palm. Then it grows. Flames curl between his fingers, bright and golden, casting dancing shadows across his face. I stumble backward. Fire. He closes his fingers slightly, and the flames coil around his hand without burning him. His eyes meet mine. And suddenly, the forest doesn't feel nearly as safe as it did a moment ago. I grip the branch tighter. “Aiden…” He looks at me for a long moment. Then, finally, he speaks. “Relax, moonbeam.” My blood runs cold.He knows exactly who I am.
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