Page 51 of Enchanting the Elf
“Oh, fates, no. A tickle fight?” I shudder at the thought and automatically stride toward the oak tree.
Laughter tinkles through the air behind me and the next thing I know, Florence is skipping—skipping—past me, her purple dress fanning out behind her as one hand gathers some of the material around her thighs to ease the motion.
I straighten my back and lengthen my strides, not wanting to be outdone by Florence. Too late, I realize how comical the two of us must look in this peculiar race and a smile creeps onto my face—completely unbidden, of course.
Right at that moment, Florence turns to look back from a couple of yards ahead of me and a radiant smile bursts across her face when she spots my grin.
“Last one to the tree is a rotten egg,” Florence calls out with laughter ringing in the air.
My pace quickens even more to reach her, but Florence’s foot suddenly catches on something. Her eyes widen as momentum propels her toward the ground and my heart catapults in my chest. I cannot allow her to be hurt because of me.
Summoning all the power I can gather in a split second, I reach out and hope for the best.
It works.
I catch her.
Not physically, but with my magic.
My magic I have not revealed to a single soul in this world.
Until now.
Chapter twenty-four
Florence
One moment I’m careening toward the ground, and then I’m caught by some invisible force. I’m eased into a standing position again and my heart gallops in my chest. I turn to Adelbert as I try to make sense of what just happened, but judging by his pallor, he’s just as shocked as I am.
“I can explain,” he says with arms raised in surrender.
“Okaaay.” I bring my hair over my shoulder and start playing with the ends in a soothing manner, since I don’t know what elseto do with my hands as I wait for Adelbert to stop pacing and find the words he needs to explain what just happened.
“Let’s sit,” Adelbert says then quickly adds, “if that’s okay with you of course.”
“Sure.” I nod slowly, frozen in place as I wait for him to make the next move. A tense silence stretches and after a couple of seconds of no direction, I gently suggest, “How about by that majestic oak tree with the long limbs? He looks friendly.”
Adelbert’s nose scrunches up in the cutest way before he strides over to the tree.
“I don’t know about ‘friendly’ but you do have a point,” he says as he glances over his shoulder to me.
Adelbert sets the basket down on the lush grass and together, we lay out the soft buttery-cream blanket, each of us sitting down on opposite sides. If it were anyone else, I would consider this a really romantic date. In terms of setting and view, it is most definitely the best I’ve ever had. Though, there is no way I would reveal that to him just in case it will make him even more stressed than he already is.
“So, about what happened…” Adelbert rubs the back of his neck then pulls his collar from his throat. He brings his hands in front of his body, turning them over a couple of times before looking at me.
His nerves are clear and the weight of whatever he wants to tell me pushes down on me like a suffocating cloud of smoke. How much worse must it be for him.
Outwardly, I try to look as encouraging and supportive as possible, so I smile at him, trying to project comfort and confidence, but internally my stomach feels like a hole has opened and all my organs are slowly being sucked into an abyss.
“Take your time. You don’t have to tell me anything, but if you want to, I’m here for you,” I say, keeping my voice hushed to match the heaviness of the mood.
Adelbert clears his throat and his expression turns to focused determination.
“I want to tell you. And, I want to show you. I am only hesitant since absolutely no one else in the entire world knows about what I will reveal. This is what my research is based on. What I will present next month.”
My lips part and I bring a hand to my mouth, stunned that this very private male wants to share something so significant with me.
“Whatever you say or do, it is completely safe with me. I promise not to tell a soul. Not even Sadie. Cross my heart,” I vow solemnly and draw a little cross over my heart to emphasize my point.
