Page 49 of Summertime Hexy

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I don’t knock.

I just stare.

Because if I knock, and she doesn’t answer, I might burn the whole forest down just to find her.

My chest’s tight. My jaw aches from clenching.

I haven’t felt like this since Rowen.

Since loss had a voice and teeth.

I turn and walk. Fast. Toward the ward field. Toward the one place I can hit something without it bleeding.

Reed catches me halfway there. Kid's got a training staff and more questions than sense.

“Hey, Derek! You seen Hazel? She was gonna show me the trick with the sparkle rune and the exploding ink and?—”

“No.”

He freezes.

I don’t stop walking.

I need to hit something.

I need to bleed.

I need tounderstandwhy she’d give me a night likethatand then disappear like none of it meant anything.

Because itmeant everything.

To me.

We didn’t just kiss.

Weburned.

Her hands in my hair. My name in her mouth. Her magic curling around mine like it wasmadefor it.

And gods, I let it happen.

I let myselfhope.

Like a fool.

I make it to the ward stones. Line up. Throw the first rune at the training dummy so hard the air splits.

Then another.

My vision blurs.

The runes flare, catching on the dummy’s shield charm and sparking in protest. I don’t care. I throw harder.

Faster.

Until my pulse is all I hear.

I don’t know if I’m mad atheror atme.

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