Page 101 of Daman

I fought a smile and failed. Epically. “Was that a jab at me?”

“Never.”

“Yeah? Why are you smiling?”

“Why areyousmiling?”

I squeezed his hand a little tighter. “Because I love you.”

Softness touched his eyes. “And I love you.”

I swallowed the tightness in my throat. The sun shone on his blue eyes, making them appear lighter. Like ice reflecting the sky. Yet, he was so warm. I returned my gaze to the window, still holding his hand. He grounded me even when we were high in the air.

The thought of seeing Dacia again filled me with dread… but also excitement.

I was going home.

Chapter Sixteen

Warrin

“It’s said to be the Bermuda Triangle of Romania,” Kyo said, scrolling on his phone.

The plane had landed outside of Cluj-Napoca, a northwestern city in the Transylvania region known for its bustling economy, nightlife, historical landmarks, and home to one of the most haunted forests in the world. Allegedly.

“UFO sightings, claims of glowing eyes watching people from between the trees, and reports of black fog appearing out of nowhere.” Kyo scrolled farther down the article. “Damn. It’s thought to be a hot spot for satanic rituals and shit too. This tour guide says he came across sixty people trying to open a gate into another dimension in an area called the dead zone.”

“The dead zone?” Gray asked. “Sounds spooky.”

“It’s the creepiest place in the Hoia Baciu forest,” Kyo continued. “Trees suddenly stop and form a circle deep in the forest where nothing else grows. Scientists have tested the soil in the clearing and can’t explain the lack of vegetation or why the trees twist in a clockwise spiral.”

“Who needs a tour guide when we have Kyo?” Castor said with a laugh. “My little dragon has us covered.”

“Yeah,” Daman said. “Just ignore me. It’s not like I grew up here or anything.”

“That was thousands of years ago,” Castor responded. “Things have probably changed since then.”

Daman stared ahead. “The forest never changes.”

“Do you think they’re still there?” I asked him. “The spirits you befriended?”

“You were friends with ghosts?” Gray’s eyes grew to saucers. “Awesome.”

“I don’t know. They might still be there.” Daman shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

We’d reached the city before noon, but the overcast sky made it seem later as we walked down a deserted back street toward the forest. Snow covered the ground, and more flurries drifted around us. The winter months saw a decline in the tourist activity, since according to our new Hoia Baciu expert Kyo, many who wandered to the forest did so in the summer for camping, hiking, and the more daring amongst them did so for paranormal investigations.

In the dead of winter, a blanket of calm silence hung over us. I breathed in the crisp air as we reached the outskirts of the city, my blood energizing with the rush of cold. After walking up a small hill, we reached the enclosure of trees.

Daman stopped and grabbed onto the sleeve of my coat, stopping me too.

“D?” Bellamy turned to him. “You good?”

“I…” Daman released a shaky breath. “Give me a moment.”

Gray latched onto Daman’s side. “Are you scared? I’ll protect you.”

My husband chuckled a bit, though it sounded off. “No. I’m not scared. This forest was my home for many years. Returning after so long is just… a lot to process. Everything’s so different in the city. Everything I knew is gone.” He tipped his head up, staring at the trees. “But this is exactly the same.”