Page 124 of Bring Me Your Midnight

I don’t bother taking off my nightdress. Instead, I dive in headfirst, swimming out far enough that I have to tread water to stay afloat. We swim together by the light of the moon, telling stories and using magic and living. Fully living.

And as we do, I marvel at what it feels like to practice magic at night.

Wolfe starts to make his way back to the shore, but I tell him to wait. I swim up next to him and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him with all the joy and passion and wonder of the moment. And as I do, I call up my magic. It rises with excitement, getting stronger with each passing moment.

With my lips still on Wolfe’s, I release my magic into the water. Our feet stay planted on the ocean floor as the waves rise up on either side of us, surrounding us in a vortex of salt water and magic and midnights. Infinite midnights.

“High or low, the moon’s rhythmic phase; surround us in wonder for all of our days.”

Wolfe pulls back and watches in awe as it spins around us, dark water perfectly controlled by darker magic.

Slowly, I let my magic ease. The water drains back to the ocean floor, lifting us up as it does, and together we swim to the beach. Wolfe takes my hand and gives me a meaningful look.

“I think it’s time to head back to the manor.” His gaze lingers on my lips before finding my eyes.

“I think you’re right.”

I lace my fingers through his, but before we leave, I turn back to the water one more time. It looks so perfect with the moonlight glinting on its surface, a thing of beauty and power, heavy silence and deceptive calm.

A force that recognizes the magic inside me and yields to it because it knows I’ll keep it safe.

A home that has unfailingly let my wild heart be free.

I used to believe that I belonged to the sea.

But I was wrong.

The sea belongs to me.