Page 79 of Our Little Moments

As my adrenaline starts to come down, the voice I heard a minute ago comes back. I recognize it’s Jay’s voice. I smile.

He crouches beside me. “A storm was about to strike, wasn’t it?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

He sighs. “We better get your foot taken care of. We’re lucky we brought Sam with us.”

“You’re right.” He helps pull me up, and I wince as my injured foot grazes the ground. “Hey, ummm,” I start hesitantly.

Jay grins. “Don’t worry. I won’t say a word about the storm. You were just running and slipped on a rock. That’s the story.”

I grin. “Are you sure you’re not a mind reader?”

“I’ve known you since we were kids, Adrian. I’m pretty sure I know how your brain works at this point.”

We both chuckle as he uses his magic to lift us from the ground and gently carry us back to the cabins. I try not to think too hard about what the others will say. Especially Stella.

Chapter 30

Adrian

When we get back to the cabins, the silence is deadly. Both Layla and Hazel are staring at me, and the pieces start clicking together.

Layla understands first and walks away, coming back seconds later with Sam. When Isabella comes out of her cabin and realizes why I’m leaning on Jay for support, her eyes widen.

Layla and Sam rush to my side as the others join in. Sam’s voice is clear and focused when he tells me softly, “Okay, so right now, you have two options.”

This one goes straight to the point, I guess. My mind tries to avoid the stinging pain in my ankle and focus on his words.

“First option, I can help you get back to town. There are healers there and they’re amazing—you probably already know them. You’ll be able to walk perfectly within an hour. Those three make an awesome team. However, you will have to leave now. The second choice: I can heal you. But it will take a few more hours to recover because I’m on my own.”

Stella comes out of her cabin and her hand reaches out to cover her mouth in shock. Layla rushes to her side, explaining what happened.

“What is it with the healers in town?” Stella asks on a whisper.

“We call them the healers because, a few years ago, the three of them realized they had healing abilities. One could heal any physical injury, one could soothe the pain and the last one could help heal the mind. They all teamed up and got a house in our town. They turned it into a healing center so they could heal people in need. It’s a very beautiful place and they take great care of their patients.”

The idea of leaving this place makes my heart pinch. This place, this break, means so much to my sisters and me. We’re finally making progress with the distance that used to feel endless and there’s no way I’m backing out now. Not when I don’t know if an opportunity like this will come again. Besides, if we return home, word will get out fast. People don’t know to keep their mouths shut in Westwood Spring, but it’s because they care and try to protect and care for the people in need. Everyone will worry and ask way too many questions.

“We’re staying.”

Sam stays beside me; his eyes are full of understanding, but something about it throws me off. Like heexpectedme to make that choice. “Then we’ll get settled in my cabin. I can’t focus with this much noise.”

We get settled in his cabin he shares with Layla, and I sit on one of the beds as Sam gets some stuff out of his suitcase. Voices echo in the room as he says something to the others, and Stella steals one more look at me before Sam gently closes the door.

He smiles softly, almost apologetically, at me. “I can’t focus when there are people around.”

I smile. “I get it.”

He sits next to me, placing his hands inches away from my injured foot. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as sparkles of yellow, almost gold, fly around my leg.His magic.

In the corner of my eyes, I find Stella and Jay outside, trying to discreetly look in through the cabin windows. I grin.

Sam’s sparks of magic whirl around my injured foot. I close my eyes as I feel his powers working; a powerful, yet somehow also gentle, heat wraps itself tightly around my ankle. I flinch as the gentle warmth turns into a burning sting. Seconds tick by as the tension in my shoulders dissipates, and my clenched fist opens up as the pain slowly dulls.

I finally open my eyes to find Sam’s blue eyes unfocused. The door slowly creaks open as Isa and Jay come back in the cabin. For once, they’re both silent.

I chuckle. “This is what it takes to stop you two from bickering? I would have done this a long time ago if I had known.”

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