Page 39 of Into the Dawn
Saying nothing, Layla simply walked over to Kylie, wrapped her arms around her and wept on her shoulder. Stroking her friend’s back, she let her hold on as long as she needed. She knew the tears were a release of all the emotions her friend had been holding back for far too long. She felt her own eyes sting and didn’t bother to wipe the tears away when they began to fall.
Kylie had been anxious to speak to Layla since the moment she woke up. Well, waking up sandwiched between Ronan and Dominic’s big bodies had definitely been a distraction. Dominic had stayed in bed, claiming a few more minutes of sleep while she and Ronan had taken a shower together. Sadly, they hadn’t been able to linger long since they knew they would be having company soon, but it was still nice just being close to him.
Over breakfast, she had told them all about her excursion to the Isle of Dreams. They had been shocked when she’d told them about the magical tonic being made from the goddess and god’s blood. Hearing that she had gone through the conversion without them knowing had made them angry, but once she had explained it was the only way to heal her, they had calmed down.
When she explained her task she had been given by Lunaria, they had been stunned silent. Leaving wasn’t an easy decision to make. It wasn’t like moving to another state or even another country. This was a trip of no return. She actually had the easy part of informing Layla. Her friend would have to decide whether or not to take the plunge to travel to Arcadia with them.
A week wasn’t a lot of time.
Now there was a hard deadline, she needed to settle all her affairs before they left Earth. All of her financial matters were already taken care of, but they had to decide what they were going to try to take back with them. It was sad knowing she only had a few days to spend with the people who mattered to her, but the most important thing was that she would get to spend the rest of her immortal life with her mates.
When Layla finally released her, Abby grabbed hold of her and pulled her into her arms. Abby started to cry again, but that didn’t bother her. Even when her own tears continued to fall, it was worth it. Her friends were just relieved to see her alive and well, and every moment Kylie got to spend with them was precious.
“Okay, enough of that. Time to get to work,” Buddy announced, rubbing her on the shoulder.
“What do you mean?”
“Your pipes are working now. Perfect time to record your final song. Be a shame for you to leave without releasing it.”
“What pipes?”Dominic asked.“Does something need to be repaired? You should try using your magic to fix it.”
That made her chuckle.“He’s talking about my voice.”
“That’s a great idea!” Layla exclaimed.
“What’s it called again? “When Dawn Breaks” or something?” Caroline asked.
“The track title is “Into the Dawn,” but I wrote a few more songs I think might work together as a theme. We could releasea mini album after the single is out,” Kylie said. Then she had to remind herself that she wouldn’t be there for that. “I’ll leave that up to you guys to decide.”
“This is weird, talking about you like your still dying,” Jude grumbled, then he winced as his mother hit him on the back of the head. “What? It’s true.”
“Not dying,” Ronan growled. “Just leaving.”
Jude held up his hands in surrender. “Right. It’s like you’re moving to…Norway.”
Kylie tried not to laugh. “Norway? Yeah, I guess that works. I leave it to you guys to start spreading that rumor. I’m sure the press will enjoy searching for me.”
Jude laughed. “Serves them right for all the bogus posts they’ve written about you over the years.”
“So, now that you’re not dying and all, does that mean I can still have your Mustang?” Benny asked.
“Jesus, kid.” Buddy frowned at him. “Really? That’s what you’re thinking about?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “You already have a car, Ben.”
Benny’s cheeks flushed with heat. “I know, it’s just…I wantthatcar.”
The Mustang had once belonged to Kylie’s dad and was in pristine condition. She knew Benny loved that car so she had promised it to him in her will.
“The youngling crushes you,”Ronan accused.
Kylie bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.“He doesn’t have a crush on me. He’s just a teenage boy who simply likes that car. I promised to give it to him anyway. Unlike the rest of the family, Benny is really shy. We talk a lot since he told me a secret that no one else knows. He wants to be a singer.”
“Does he have talent?”
“He does. He has a great voice, but he needs to find the courage to follow his dream. Sometimes talent isn’t enough.Being a singer isn’t easy. It’s not just about writing a song and recording it. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication.”
She knew Benny was also afraid of people thinking that he used his father’s influence to become a singer. He worried that no matter how hard he worked, there would always be whispers and doubts about his true talent and the authenticity of his success. That was something she could empathize with since she had faced the same fears.
