Plagued by nightmares of her father's imprisonment and Kellan's disappearance, Wren enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth.
But can she be honest with herself? Promised in marriage, she faces the toughest decision of her life--which gu...
His face lit up with a smile, making his eyes sparkle with warmth. "Thanks, I remember that part. It's when you're not around, I perceive how you're feeling. But when you're in person? Nothing. It's like the sense goes mute."
"I'm glad you haven't learned all my secrets." I giggled.
"I'm still able to deduce a few." He skipped another stone over the water, and a wave flipped it back our direction.
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"You think so?"
Kellan snatched the stone out of the air. "Yup. Like three days ago, late afternoon, something happened. If I had to guess what, my bet is that." He gestured to the spiral ring peeking out around my calf.
My pulse quickened, and my hands went clammy. "It's not what you think..."
"It's not? 'Cause I thought the spiral flames meant Jaxon had made you a saawel promise." His eyes illuminated a bright aqua blue.
Of course, he knew what a spiral ring was. "I wasn't referring to that."
He held the rock tight in his grip. "I'm listening."
"I told him I didn't have feelings for him, but he insisted I did." I gave Kellan a lopsided smile. "I told him more than once too. But he said I was wrong and bet me he could prove it."
"Geez, Wren. This part I don't want to know, isn't it?"
"He said, if I were right, he promised to help me find you. But, if he was right, he'd do everything he could to locate my father for me." I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my face in my hands.
"So you kissed him."
I nodded with my hand clasped tight over my eyes, I felt like such a traitor. "I'm still trying to figure out how he won because I know..."
Kellan guided my chin up and peeled my fingers from my cheeks. "You know what, Wren?"
"What does it matter? It's too late. If you felt the same way..."
"What way is that?" He smirked.
I groaned and hit his chest. "You know exactly what way. You're not allowed to ask me that. It's just mean, especially when you left me."
I pummelled a fist against him and he caught my hand, mashing it against his muscular frame. "Let's get one thing straight—I never left you."
"Funny, that's not how I see it."
"The day after you confronted Otis, I lay in and out of consciousness recovering from burns he gave both of us when the Water Circle court received several red envelopes."
My eyes widened. "No..."
"Yes, invitations to a partnering ceremony. I'll give you one guess who's."
