by Gina LaManna
“Ahh!” A pair of large hands muffled my scream. The hands were male, judging by the size and strength of their grasp.
A low, rumbling voice whispered in my ear, “What if it wasn’t me who was out looking for you tonight?”
The hands left my mouth, and I whirled around coming face to face with Ranger X. “What in the world do you think you’re doing?” My chest heaved with panic. I felt my heartbeat in my eardrums. “You nearly killed me.”
“I could say the same thing about you,” he said. “And you didn’t answer my question.”
“I was just…” My explanation disappeared into the night sky. “I had to do something.”
“I thought I told you to stay in the bungalow tonight.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” I said, instantly regretting the harsh clip to my words. I pressed a hand to my forehead and sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snarl at you, and I shouldn’t have left, but I did. And I can’t tell you why.”
“I worry about you.”
“I’m sorry,” I said as his arms wrapped me in an embrace. I stared into his chest, my heart sinking at the look of disappointment I’d glimpsed in his eyes.
“I’d say I’m not angry, but I am—I can’t help it,” he said after a pause. “Not at you but at myself. I should never have left you alone.”
“You didn’t leave me alone! You left the Companion. It’s not your job to watch over me all day, every day. You have a real job, an important one.”
“It is my job to keep you safe.”
“No, your job is to be a Ranger, and you should act like one. If we weren’t dating, you wouldn’t even have stopped by my place tonight.”
“But we are dating, and that means something to me.” He tilted my chin up until my gaze was forced to meet his. He watched me through dark, wary eyes. “Life isn’t fair. It’s not fair I can’t be with you through each night. It’s not fair that Raymon died.”
“X—”
“But he did die, and now I have to deal with all of the consequences. And I have to do it while keeping you safe. Why did you leave tonight, Lily?”
“It’s not your job—”
“I don’t want you to tell me what my job is or isn’t. I make my own decisions. When I first kissed you, I dragged you into the world of the Rangers, and I will protect you from it as much as I can.”
My fingers toyed with his shirt. “When we discussed the possibility of us having a relationship, it was with the understanding that you’d continue to do the job you love. I can’t be the one to take you away from it.”
“I am still doing the job I love!” X ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t you see? The problem is that you’re a part of it now.”
He fell into silence. My fingers slid from his shirt, the same shirt he’d agonized over choosing from my closet just this morning. Such a trivial decision in retrospect.
I rested my cheek against the crisp fabric underneath his jacket. “I don’t know if I like that things are changing. It’s hard, and it’s a little scary.”
“It’s also good.”
“Good?” I raised my head the tiniest amount. “How is any of this good?”
“I care more about you with the passing of every day. I wouldn’t give that up for anything.”
I smiled as one of the gigantic orange fish leaped from the water, splashing back to its home a second later.
“But with that change, I’m more terrified than ever to lose you.” Ranger X took a step back and held my shoulders. “It’s hardly been a month and already I don’t know what I’d do without you. When you do things like this—” he gestured to me, widened his arm to encompass The Isle. “When you leave in the middle of the night without a word to the Companion, it tears me apart. You left your Comm device at home. I assume you didn’t want me to find you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, just tell me where you went.”
“I had to do something.” I stared at the ground, hating the fact that I couldn’t ease his worries. “It was nothing.”
“Nothing?” Ranger X’s arm dropped, as if his very limb couldn’t believe my answer. “You specifically went against my wishes, escaped from a trained Companion, and traveled across the island for. . . nothing?”
Hettie hasn’t prepared me for this, I thought, unable to suppress a flash of anger.
“I followed you back from Midge’s place,” Ranger X said. “I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry I did that, but—”
“You’ve been following me this whole time? Why didn’t you say something?”
“I can’t explain how it felt to receive a Comm that you weren’t home. I asked the Companion to check on you, knock on your door. When you didn’t answer. . .”
My rush of anger was replaced by a heavy dose of guilt. For terrifying X, for drawing him away from his work to come find me, and now, for failing to explain my whereabouts.
“I met with Liam,” I said finally. “At Midge’s place.”
Ranger X didn’t look surprised. “I figured.”
“I thought he might be able to help, but he didn’t want me to get involved, either.” I reached for X’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m really sorry.”
He kissed me on the forehead. “Leave a note next time, please.”
“For what it’s worth, I didn’t technically break your rules,” I said, testing out a small smile. “I didn’t climb out my bedroom window.”
“Kitchen window?”
“Maybe.” I laughed. “I’m not going to be able to get away with that again, am I?”
“Not a chance. Though I did tell you not to leave.”
“We’ll call it a tie.” We resumed walking, our clasped hands swinging between us. A few steps later, I nudged him. “So, was this our first argument?”
“If that was an argument, I think we’ll be okay,” he said with a measured smile. “As long as we end on this.”
“End on wha—?”
I couldn’t finish the question because his lips were already pressed to mine—an urgent kiss brimming with need. As if he’d funneled all of his anxiety into this very moment.
Finally, he paused with a whisper. “I love you.”
My eyes stung, the lashes sticking together as I blinked. “I love you too.”
It was the first time we’d told each other these three little words. The moment felt right. I didn’t have to think. I just knew it with every inch of my being.
Then Ranger X scooped me up, the aftertaste of our kiss swirling through the night air like a dandelion gone to seed. Despite the darkness all around us, a tiny shimmer of something—hope, maybe—burned bright.
CHAPTER 12
“I need to ask you a favor,” I said once we reached the outskirts of the bungalow. “Please.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Tonight?”
“I need to speak with Zin.”
“Zin is safe, I promise. I’ve taken care of it.”
“I know, it’s not about that, I just need. . . ” I trailed off. I didn’t know exactly what I needed; all I knew was that my cousin had been in that arena today with the other Candidates. I couldn’t imagine what that had been like, but I could guess she needed someone there for her. “Please?”
He sighed, pulled my hand tighter. “Tell me what you were doing with Liam.”
“We weren’t doing anything besides talking,” I said. “I was curious about what sort of magic could kill someone without leaving a trace on its user.”
“And did he have an answer?”
I looked up at him, hesitating a second too long.
“He explained about blood magic.” Ranger X’s voice was monotone. “Did he tell you anything else?”
“The Puppeteer,” I said, watching his face for a reaction. “I know she was the prisoner who escaped this morning.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Do you know where she is now?”
“Unfortunately, no.” Ranger X shook his hea
d. “Due to her magical. . . persuasions, she is difficult to find.”
“Have you ever experienced mind bending? Liam made it sound horrible.”
“Every Ranger experiences it,” he said, his words crisp. “It is unpleasant, but it is necessary to know how to defend against it.”
“How do you defend against it?”
“You don’t.”
“What do you mean? Every person, every sort of magic has a weakness,” I said. “There must be—”
“There isn’t,” Ranger X said flatly. “And if that’s not enough of a deterrent to keep you out of things, then I should explain that the last time we tracked this woman down, one of my men never recovered.”
“She killed him?”
“No, he’s alive, but mentally he’ll never be the same.” Ranger X’s shoulders stiffened in the way that meant he was hiding his emotions behind the sturdy exterior he’d been perfecting his whole career. “He’d been the lead Ranger on the investigation; he’d hunted The Puppeteer, tracked her for years.”
“Did he find her?”
“I wish he hadn’t.” Ranger X’s eyes shut for a brief second. “He closed in on her, and she used mind bending on him—she convinced him that they were in love.”
“She can do that?”
“So much that when this Ranger returned, he dropped the investigation completely. Packed up and left before I could find him.”
I made a noise in my throat. “Was it possible they had fallen in love?”
Ranger X’s eyes flicked toward me, his gaze calculating. “I’ve wondered,” he said finally. “But either way, he’d so convinced himself that it was love that he could no longer do his job. He knew it, so he left. I’ve heard he’s on the mainland, but I can’t be sure.”
“Wouldn’t he come back to his senses after the magic wore off?”
“That’s the thing. She warped his mind so thoroughly with her blood magic that even when she let him go, the effects lingered.”
I shivered at the venom in Ranger X’s voice. He loved his men like brothers. He’d never say it, but I could see it in every breath, in every word, in every one of his actions. Losing a Ranger for any reason was like losing a family member, and he’d never get over it.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Stay away from her.” His eyes, filled with hurt and anger, turned toward me. “Do you understand me? I can’t have you searching for her. That’s why I didn’t explain about the situation this morning.”
The hard edge to Ranger X’s voice threw me off balance. Not because he scared me—he’d never hurt me, of that I was sure. But somehow I sensed he was on the verge of losing control, and Ranger X had never lost control. The thought chilled my skin.
“Let’s go find Zin,” I said. “I need to make sure she’s okay.”
“Fine,” Ranger X said shortly. “However, I will have to blindfold you. Close your eyes, Lily.”
CHAPTER 13
“You know, under different circumstances, this could be romantic,” I said as Ranger X guided me over uneven ground, a makeshift blindfold strapped across my eyes.
He leaned in, whispering in my ear, “If I wanted this to be romantic, you’d know it, princess.”
I shivered. “Warn me when you’re going to do that, your breath tickles!”
Ranger X laughed, the sound a relief after the tense conversation. The other sounds of the night were amplified due to my lack of sight. Water gurgled in the background, leaves rustled overhead. Somewhere in the distance, a sweet-scented flower bloomed.
“How do you do it?” Ranger X asked a moment later. “Make me laugh in times like this.”
“No idea. I’ve never considered myself to be funny.”
“Here we are,” he said, a few moments later. “But before you take off the blindfold, hold on for one second. . . ”
His kiss took me by surprise. It wasn’t the kiss itself, but the emotion behind it. Soft, sweet, almost tender. So very different from the kiss we’d shared earlier, but so very much the same. When he released me from the blindfold, I left my eyes closed and wished the world away, if only for a few more moments.
Even the best moments had to end. I opened my eyes to find Ranger X’s dark hair and dark eyes blending in with the night sky. Bright stars pierced the blackness above us.
“We call this The Oasis,” he said, straightening. His voice had a lingering huskiness to it as he took my hand and guided me forward. “Don’t bother asking where we are—it doesn’t matter anyway.”
“The Forest?” Around us, trees loomed high.
“I meant it; don’t bother asking. It won’t be here tomorrow.”
“Then why the blindfold?”
“Can’t be too careful. With you, anything can happen.”
“But what about the Candidates?”
“They won’t be able to find this place either. That’s why we call it The Oasis. It’s a peaceful place.”
“Peaceful because nobody can get to it.”
Ranger X smiled. “Just how I like it.”
The line of trees formed a circle, and for the first time since the kiss I let my eyes adjust to the darkness. The sight was something else.
“I thought you called it The Oasis because of all this. . . ” I gestured to a pool so still, so clear it might have been sea glass. A waterfall flowed over the edge of a cliff, the spray carrying on the evening breeze across splotches of bright flowers and long, green grasses. “This place looks like the Ritz.”
Beyond the pool rose a modern-looking building—sheer glass all around. The building was made of cubes and resembled a tower of dice stacked two by two for at least five stories. Inside of the cubes were people. More specifically, the Candidates.
“What is that?” I put a hand on my hip and faced Ranger X. “It looks like a prison!”
“It’s a hotel. I told you, it’s called The Oasis.”
“No, that’s a prison,” I argued. “You can see everything! These rooms have no privacy.”
Each cube appeared to be a small, luxuriously decorated suite outfitted with the basics: bed, chair, and desk. Through the clear walls, eight heads—each belonging to a different Candidate—bobbed along with their nightly routines. Most were in sleeping, though one or two sat up reading, doodling, writing. Not a single Candidate looked our way.
“It’s for their safety.” Ranger X crossed his arms over his chest. “I didn’t bring you here to criticize. And I promise you, they’ve been treated like royalty. Good food, fresh linens, fantastic service—”
“So can I stay here tonight?”
He coughed. “No, sorry.”
I counted ten different cells but only eight heads. The top two rooms were empty. One for Trent and one for Raymon, most likely. “Can I at least talk to Zin? It’ll only be a second. We’ll be right in front of your nose.”
Ranger X hesitated. Then finally, he nodded. “Wait here.”
Damp grass brushed across my toes as I scuffed my sandals against the earth. After making his way across the manicured grounds, Ranger X kept his face passive as he knocked on Zin’s door.
She looked up from where she’d been doodling in bed. Her gaze swiveled toward me, and I waved. She squinted, but she didn’t wave back, and I wondered if she could even see through the glass.
Ranger X helped her down, and I pasted a smile on my face as she made quick work closing the distance between us.
“Lily.” She approached slowly, stopping an arm’s length away. “Thanks for coming.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the next. “Are you all right?”
She nodded and then glanced at Ranger X, who hovered a foot from her shoulder.
“Could we have a bit of privacy?” I asked Ranger X. “Girl talk.”
He rolled his eyes to the sky. However, he didn’t argue.
When he’d moved a few steps away, I faced Zin. “What’s wrong?”
“Why are you here?” Zin went straight to business. The tips of her s
hort, black bob stuck to her neck, her skin pale. So very pale, she looked more vampire than shifter. “Why did he let you come visit me?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I asked, and he agreed.”
Zin frowned. “What does he want?”
“Nothing, I asked to come. How are you doing? Do you need anything?”
“They spoil us senseless.” Zin waved a hand. “I had someone offer to comb my hair for me. I hardly have long enough hair to comb.”
“Sounds like an Oasis.”
Zin curled her lips into a smirk. “They make this place beautiful on purpose. Too gorgeous. Look around, Lily—any place this stunning couldn’t be a prison, right? Wrong.”
“I’m sorry you’re stuck here. But if there’s anything I can do to help, tell me.”
She looked nervously over her shoulder at X, then turned back. “I need you to look into one of the Candidates for me.”
“Trent?”
“No, Camden,” she said. “The baker’s boy.”
“Why? He’s one of the two I’ve met in person. He seemed so nice. And polite.”
“Polite?”
“Yeah, courteous,” I said. “You know, please and thank-yous.”
“Polite people can’t be dangerous?”
“I suppose they can,” I said. “What makes you think he’s dangerous?”
The Candidate in question was one of the leading favorites to make it all the way through to the Ranger program. He had tall, lean, movie-star good looks. His smile came fast and shined bright, his eyes holding a gleam of humor in every interview.
“It was something at dinner tonight,” Zin said, her voice low. “They fed us like kings—a huge feast at a long table. Camden sat across from me and two chairs down. We’d talked before, and I liked him. Most of the meal we were chatting, actually.”
“I’m not seeing the danger, here.”
“Wait,” Zin instructed. “Dane, Dillan and Layton were part of the conversation, too. We were all sitting together.”
“And?”
“There was one odd moment in the middle of the conversation. Camden all of a sudden…” she paused, searching for the right words. “He looked straight at me, but it wasn’t him.”
