I cupped her cheeks with both hands. “I adore you, Sofia Claremont.” I then placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, breathing out when her arms snaked around my waist.
She buried her face against my chest. “Let’s just get out of here.”
“Lead the way.”
We left the penthouse and took our time meandering aimlessly through the woods, enjoying the silence and the privacy. We were silent for the most part until I found the guts to ask her the question weighing heavily on my mind.
“What did my twin tell you to get you to come back?”
“We were at Ben’s championship game. Football. Vivienne arrived and asked me to talk to her.”
Her mention of her best friend made a sick feeling settle in the pit of my stomach. I’d completely forgotten about him. The idea that she was with him the whole time she was away from me introduced me to an emotion I felt only with Sofia: jealousy.
“We met up at a nearby coffee shop and she told me that I needed to come back here, that you needed me. She told me that you blacked out and attacked Ashley. She told me that you were headed for a dark path.”
“That’s it?”
She hesitated and then nodded. “That was the gist of it.”
It felt like she was holding something back from me. “And that’s what got you to come back? Because she said I needed you?”
She stopped walking, her eyes focused on the dirt ground below as she leaned one hand against a sycamore tree. “I guess you could say I came back because I was hoping it was true. The fact that it was Vivienne of all people who came to convince me meant a lot. I don’t think she was one of my biggest fans.”
I smiled bitterly. “You don’t know my sister. She thought very highly of you.” I eyed Sofia longingly, reminding myself that Vivienne believed she was important enough to sacrifice herself to the hunters for. I wasn’t about to take that sacrifice lightly.
“I know her more than you think…” Sofia continued her story as we both once again continued our aimless walk through the woods. “Just before the hunters arrived, I think she sensed it. She did something to me… I’m not entirely sure what, but she said something about sharing memories with me and showing me the way back here. And then she held me and the memories just came…”
“She shared her memories with you?”
Sofia nodded. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the truth.”
“I don’t question that you’re telling the truth. I’m just surprised that she would risk doing it to a human like you. Transferring of memories has been known to leave many memory recipients in a state of coma. The human brain simply can’t handle the sudden influx of information… The human subconscious wasn’t made to contain and absorb the memories of others.”
“I passed out after she did it,” Sofia reasoned with a shrug. “I saw just enough to see the hunters take her away before blacking out.”
Silence followed, neither of us knowing what to say. We just walked, relishing each other’s company. Enveloped by the darkness of night, I pocketed my hands in my jeans and asked her a much lighter question.
“What was the sun like?”
She smiled at the memory. “Warm. Hot. Everything the moon isn’t. Our first few days back in Cancun, Ben and I couldn’t stay out of the sun.”
Ben again. Jealousy reared its ugly head once again. “What became of him?” I dared ask.
“I’d rather not talk about him if you don’t mind…”
I nodded.
The rest of our walk continued in silence until a familiar sight came to view.
“The Sanctuary!” Sofia exclaimed, excitement lighting up her eyes as she bound forward. “I want to see Corrine!”
The Sanctuary, befitting its name, was located southwest of the island. The white marble structure, with its large round pillars and domed roof, was originally built to honor and house Cora, and later became home to every other witch who succeeded her. One of its chambers also served as my mausoleum during my four-century slumber. Surrounding the structure were lush gardens, complete with a labyrinth, a gazebo and a fountain.
When Corrine saw Sofia, delight showed in her eyes, but she didn’t seem the least bit surprised that Sofia returned, almost like she was fully expecting Sofia to eventually come back.
“Sofia!” she exclaimed. “It’s good to have you back.”
It was one of the few times I remembered seeing Corrine smile since I first met her.
She gave me a curt nod to acknowledge my presence. “Prince.”
Sofia’s hands found mine. “I’d like to speak with Corrine privately.”
“Of course. Go ahead. I don’t mind.” Liar. I minded. Now that she was back, I wanted to be around her as much as I could. Sharing her with someone I didn’t fully trust didn’t exactly thrill me. Still, I gave in to her request. I found myself alone, sitting on a bench by the fountain, waiting for what felt like hours for her to return to me.
I marveled at how the Sanctuary’s pure white marble façade seemed to glow under the light of a full moon. It was quite a sight to see, but the price paid for such a lavish structure lessened its value in my eyes. Here at The Shade, everything beautiful and worthwhile comes at a price.
I shifted my focus from the witch’s temple to what was straight ahead of me: Sofia was walking along the stone pathway leading to the gazebo. I’d already been there for what felt like an eternity, so seeing the women walk out, though they appeared to be completely oblivious of me, was a relief.
Sofia locked arms with Corrine as the older woman spoke to her. I could only guess what they were talking about, but that didn’t bother me as much as seeing them walk side by side. The sight brought about a strange nostalgic sensation largely due to Corrine’s uncanny resemblance to her ancestor, Cora. It felt like I was watching two of the most important women in my life conversing with each other.
Sofia’s emerald gaze found me. That’s when it struck me. Sofia saved my life. Ashley meant to drive the stake right through my heart. Her eyes left me for a moment as she nodded and thanked Corrine, who gave me a quick, harried glance before heading back indoors.
That left me, Sofia and the numerous unanswered questions between us. Finally. I have you to myself. I stood up and approached her as she took steady strides toward me. The moment we reached each other, she took my hand and held it tight. We walked forward in silence, away from the Sanctuary and headed for the woods that would eventually lead to the Vale, the island’s town.