Page 1066 of One More Kiss

He thought for a moment, gazing out over the lands below. “The circles mark the transit points. Especially when many travel to the same place. Without them it would be chaos.”

I nodded. “I can see how it could get confusing with people popping up wherever they felt like it. So the circles are kind of like a magical elevator.”

“Perhaps, but the links between the destinations is magic and focus, not metal and electricity.” He gestured out below us. “We can travel to any place we have been before with just our magic. If we wish to go to a place we haven’t been we can use a gem. They serve two purposes - they store both power and the memory of place. Like calls to like.”

“Can I travel by magic? Or do I need to use a gem?” I swung to face him. “Can I have a gem?”

“This way.” Fin was already walking in the opposite direction, ignoring me.

“Take a minute to enjoy the view, won’t you?” I took another moment to do just that before following him. He was almost tapping his foot again, impatient to continue. As soon as he had my attention he turned and walked off.

“And you didn’t answer my question!”

He snapped his fingers, urging me to keep up. It made me want to run in the opposite direction but he had started talking again and I wanted answers more than I wanted to ignore him bossing me around.

“Some gems can be used by any who know how. Your friend, Jett, has one such. A key to the Midnight Gate. It is tuned to the passage between our worlds and will transfer any who seek access.”

“If they know how.”

He swung his head towards me, amused. “You must hold your thoughts and focus, your intention, in place and the gate will function. It has its own power.”

“So I could use the Midnight Gate if I had the right gem.” I had to almost run to keep up with his long legs. I was out of breath but I didn’t let it stop me asking the most important question. “But can I travel using the circles and the pillars and no gem?”

“That depends on your magic.” Fin grabbed my arm and I let him tow me along. He didn’t break stride. “Alyssia can travel where she wishes, so with training, you should be able to too.”

He led us along corridor after endless corridor. The palace was gigantic. Our current corridor wasn’t as glitzy as the official one downstairs but was a step up from the ‘back way’ we’d initially travelled. It felt comfortable, if you could ever feel comfortable in a place like this.

Eventually we came to a series of doorways, spaced out, and on either side of the hallway. It had a hotel feel to it and I guessed this was the guest quarters the Prince had spoken of.

My dad. I was still getting my head around the fact that my father was the Midnight Prince.

Fin stopped in front of one of doors and opened it, leading me inside. The room was gorgeous. An upmarket hotel room could only dream of being this fancy. Even the rug on the entry way floor was exquisite, a huge, round piece of art that was too good to walk on.

The room was light and airy with an open plan layout. On my immediate right was a kitchenette and dining area. To my left were two doorways and as I walked forward, drawn to the ceiling to floor windows at the far end, a third doorway opened into a bedroom which had the same full length windows and view.

Taking up all of the open area that wasn’t kitchen and dining was a separate sitting room, with stylish chairs and a couch positioned around a low coffee table to take advantage of the view. There was a book case on one wall which I couldn’t wait to get a look at and huge green plants on either side of the windows.

I walked over to the windows to take in the same view as I’d seen from the window near the magical elevator. “Wow. It’s so beautiful.” This view would never get old.

“This is your suite. Make yourself comfortable. There’s a bathroom through there.” Fin pointed to the first doorway. He backed towards the door, pausing on the threshold. He looked like he was about to say something profound when a sound in the hallway made him glance sharply back the way we’d come.

“I’ll leave you to refresh yourself.” He stepped out into the hallway, closing the door with a click and keeping whatever wisdom he’d been about to impart to himself.

And I was alone.

“Wait! I still have questions!” I rushed to the door, intending to follow him out. But the handle wouldn’t open. My heart sank as I realized what had just happened.

I was locked in.

No matter how beautiful the room, or how wonderful my new father appeared to be, I was a prisoner in this place. I might not ever see my home again. Not my mother, not Aunt Joey, not Clara, not Jett.

It was the thought of never seeing Jett again that did me in. I knew that no matter what, my mother and Aunt Joey would be there for me. Even if it took me fifty years to get out of here they’d still be my family. And I’d only just met Clara. I liked her, and I thought we could become friends, but it was a new relationship with no great investment from either of us at this stage.

But Jett. Something inside me broke at the thought of never seeing him again.

Our relationship was just beginning and I wanted more so badly it hurt. I wanted a chance to get to know him properly. To fall fully in love. Because surely I wasn’t in love with him already. It was too soon.

There was a lump in my throat and a pain in my chest when I thought about how badly I’d betrayed him by going with Fin, instead of confiding in him and letting him help me. If I never got out of here I’d never get the chance to say sorry. To see if what we had was real. To find out if he felt the same way about me as I felt about him. To see if this was really love.

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