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Stardust was unusually secretive over the next several days, disappearing for long stretches of time until tonight, when she picked me up from my Weaving.

“I have a message from Shade: she wants to meet in your usual clearing.”

I raised a skeptical brow. “You happened to encounter Shade when she happened to have a message for me?”

Her expression remained impassive. “I see nothing unusual about such a coincidence.”

I frowned. Just what was she was up to? Considering this was Stardust, she was most definitely up tosomething, quite likely trouble.

She blinked at me with eyes a bit too wide and innocent. I narrowed my own at her. She wriggled beneath my scrutiny and her “I’m not up to anything suspicious“ expression faltered slightly. “Stop looking at me so suspiciously, it’s not that far-fetched.”

“Points for trying to be subtle,” I said. “But unfortunately, not subtle enough. What are you up to?”

She sighed impatiently. “I’m not up to anything. I really did see Shade and she really did want me to give you that message. It’d be rude to ignore her.”

Despite this being an obvious ploy, I found myself intrigued, especially since I had a vague idea what her scheme could possibly be. “Very well, I’ll play your game.”

“It’s not a game,” she insisted as she scooped me up with undisguised eagerness. “It’s step one of Stardust’s Brilliant Plan.”

She wriggled in excitement the entire flight to the forest, where she slowed just outside the clearing where I often met Shade. A strange tingle of anticipation rippled over me as I hopped off her, and my heart rather than my feet led me into the grove of trees. There I froze, my breath catching.

Darius.

He leaned casually against a trunk, the picture of ease, the confident smile that had been absent for so long lighting up his eyes. I smiled tentatively back, but it faltered when my previous insecurities returned in a rush. Why would he want anything to do with me after his previous disappointments in me, especially after all I’d done to him?

We stared at one another for a long moment as several silent conversations passed between us, mine of fear and longing. Only Shade’s impatient sigh tore my gaze away from Darius’s surprisingly tender one. I turned towards where she hovered on the edge of the clearing, watching with wide eyes.

“Why are you two just standing there? This is no way to greet someone special to you, which defeats the entire purpose of this arranged meeting.” At my questioning look, she hastily explained. “Since you two were being rather slow, Stardust and I decided a bit of matchmaking was in order.”

My cheeks swelled with heat. “Matchmaking?”

“You weren’t supposed to tell her the plan,” Stardust accused.

Shade covered her mouth with a giggle. “Oops, I wasn’t, was I?” She seemed entirely unfazed to have shared the scheme.

I peeked shyly at Darius, whose look remained achingly tender. “We are moving a bit slowly,” he said. “Shall we remedy that?”

I scarcely noticed Stardust and Shade slip away, my entire focus on him. In a few strides he was in front of me and I was awash in his intoxicating warmth that felt like an embrace. I swayed, slightly lightheaded. This was too much too quickly. As much as I wanted him, I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready for this. I started to back away but he seized my wrist.

“Wait, Eden.”

His tone was so gentle, just like a caress, and wreaked havoc on my already overwhelmed emotions. His hand traced down my arm to entwine his fingers through mine.

“Let me take you somewhere.”

My pulse vibrated in my ears even as the heat from his touch pulsed up my arm. Instinctively, my grip tightened around his. “Where?” I asked breathlessly.

“Somewhere magical. Believe it or not, the Nightmare Realm isn’t all darkness and shadows.”

“But that’s all I’ve seen.”

He stepped closer to wrap his arms tightly around my waist, causing my heart to beat like a supernova in my chest. “I know all you can currently see is darkness, so allow me to show you that there’s still light to be found. Please.”

I arched against him as I melted into his embrace. We weren’t supposed to be touching like this, not when there was still a universe of distance between us. I allowed myself to enjoy our closeness for a fleeting moment before I forced myself to twist out of his hold.

“I don’t understand. Don’t you hate me?”

He tilted his head. “Hate you? Whatever for?”