Page 1057 of One More Kiss

I nodded. “Lead the way.”

Fin moved to stand beside me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, a heady warmth that would have attracted me to him had I not already been halfway in love with another man. Jett was going to be so pissed off with me when he figured out what I’d done.

Fin took a small, green orb from a pouch on his belt. The orb matched his tunic, a gorgeous British racing green that looked to be made of glass. I held out my hand to get a closer look, hoping he’d hand it to me like he had his pea shooter.

He looked down at me, an eyebrow raised, and shook his head. That would be a no, then.

Instead, he took my hand in his. “Don’t let go,” he said.

He threw the orb to the ground at our feet where it smashed open. An oval of light sprang up, slightly taller than Fin and wide enough in the middle to fit two people if they stood close together. The light was green, the same as the orb, and you couldn’t see through it. It was outlined by a sparking, electric thread that flickered and flared.

I desperately wanted to see what it looked like from the other side but had no time. Fin stepped forward into the center of the light, taking me with him. One of my feet dragged, not lifting high enough to step over the white threaded edge, and it was like hitting a solid step. I stumbled, lurching into Fin and shoving him forward. I clung to his hand like a lifeline.

Two steps later and we emerged somewhere else entirely. The orb, I realized, opened a doorway. Or was a doorway. From where we had been to where we were now. And I’d managed to trip over the lip of the door frame.

“What was that? And where are we?” I looked around behind me but the green oval was gone, as was the orb. Single use only, apparently. We were in the bush in a place I suddenly recognized. Near the crater Clara had talked about earlier.

A fission of excitement roared through me. We were close to the Midnight Gate. I was finally going to go to Faerie Land.

“So many questions.” Fin dropped my hand. “That was what you would call a travel orb. It’s how we get around in the human realm.”

“Can I have one? Please?”

Fin scoffed. “Not only are they limited in supply, but it wouldn’t work for you. It takes a lifetime of training to learn how to use one. One of your lifetimes, in any case.”

Just how old was he? How long did the Fae live?

Forever, if Aunt Joey’s research was right. They were practically immortal, with an extremely slow birth rate which was probably a good thing or else we’d be overrun by Fae. It was the reason that children were so highly prized, and explained why our father had kidnapped Alyssia.

“That was rude.” I lashed out to elbow him in the ribs but he moved smoothly out of the way. I hmphed instead. Arrogant Fae.

Instead of replying, Fin started walking. He led the way along the narrow path which wound along the top of the crater. He kept a fast pace. “We must hurry or we’ll miss the tide.”

“The tide?” I almost tripped over a rock on the path, missing it at the last minute.

“The window?” He glanced back over his shoulder, easily avoiding an eye height branch which overhung the track. “I’m not sure of your words. We must be at the gate at noon when the sun is high or we’ll have to wait. It only opens at Midnight or Midday.”

I hadn’t known that. I’d assumed that if you had the key it would open whenever you turned up. Another good reason I was going with Fin.

“We must leave at noon. Your warrior will catch up if we wait until midnight. He won’t believe that you’re coming willingly, and one iron tipped arrow is enough for me.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, sorry about that. Although, at the time I wasn’t going with you willingly. And you’d just threatened to knock me out. Not the way to win a girls heart.”

“Yet here you are.” Fin came to an abrupt halt and I nearly smashed into his back.

We were on the edge of an open area and at its center was the gorgeous rock formation, the Midnight Gate. Of course, very few people knew about its magical properties. Over summer it was a popular picnic spot for hikers. The view was spectacular.

We were up high and now that the trees had opened up we could see all the way to the ocean. The forest was thick behind us, but in front of us the ground fell away. Below was a valley, cattle grazing country with swampy patches intermingling all the way to the sea.

I could see the reason Fin had stopped. Two hikers, a couple, had set themselves up on a picnic blanket at the base of the rocks. They were young and I’d guess they were tourists. Not many locals came up here on a weekday, especially not in the middle of summer.

Fin pulled out his pea shooter. Maybe, now that I’d seen it up close, I should start calling it a blow pipe. Naw. Pea shooter was a better fit.

I put my hand up to stop him. “Before you resort to extreme measures, let me see if I can get them to leave.”

The look he gave me was doubtful, but he put his toy away and made a sweeping gesture with his hand. “Be my guest.”

I moved out of the trees and walked loudly over to where the couple were seated. “Hey guys! Great day for it, isn’t it?”

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