The Paladins
Page 29
Camille tears a page from her binder and scratches a few words. When she passes it to me, I regress to year nine as I unfold the note and view her message.
Are you going to be trouble for me, Wynter?
My lips curve. I slip the pen from my notebook and answer.
I hope so, but only specializing in the fun, B-grade stuff.
I pause and then add …
Actually, I’m a very trustworthy guy, Camille.
After reading, she carefully folds her paper and tucks it inside a pocket in her binder. I’d think she was blowing me off if not for her occasional, quiet smile. For the remainder of class, she doesn’t look at me, and I battle to keep from staring at her.
An hour passes too quickly, and Brun ends the class. Face flushed again, Camille is up and out of her seat in a flash. Arms clutching her bag like a life preserver, she exits the room and is gone.
I stand and heft my pack over my shoulder. As I stroll into the hallway chatting with a few remaining students, it strikes me the act is as average and mundane as any other human being experiences on the planet. The air passing through my lungs feels like true freedom.
A pretty girl with wavy chestnut hair glances my way before pushing through the double glass doors at the front of the building. There’s mystery behind that quiet smile.
Until tomorrow, Camille.
I’m definitely up for the challenge of knowing her better …
… and I’ve got all the time in the world.
The End
Acknowledgments
Hi!
This is the part where I thank the talented and selfless people who helped make this book a reality. A part I really like, but since you may not recognize the names, let me tell you what they did for me …
For the folks listed below, and because they’ve been so amazing, virtual balloons, chocolate cheesecake, and miniature horses all around! Yeah!
A heartfelt thanks to Georgia McBride and everyone at Month9Books for loving my story and giving me the chance to share it with others.
To my editing team: Georgia McBride, thank you for your wisdom, direction, advice and encouragement, and Cameron Yeager, who put up with me, told me the truth, and helped make this book so much better than it would have been without her, thank you. You both rock!
To J. A. Belfield, Stephanie Judice, Colleen Spencer, Blake Reece and Jennifer Jenkins, thank you a million times over, for reading (and rereading—ad nauseam). There is simply no way this book would exist without your creative input, patient support, and friendship. Try not to think about all those times the revised manuscript showed up in your inbox again, the hand holding you did, the many panic attacks you warded off … Just know that I love you all so much. It’s impossible to thank you enough.
To Jamie Arnold: thanks for being a fantastic publicist and all around great person, (the girl’s so sweet, I want to dunk her in my coffee). Also, doxies rule!
To the always amazing Jennifer Million: thanks for not plotting my murder when I email with too many annoying questions. Thank you Bethany Salminen, for treating my comma phobia. Your eagle eyes are the best! And again, to the amazing Georgia McBride for my drop-dead gorgeous covers.
Thanks to my entire family, for your faithful support.
To my husband, love of my life, and best friend, thanks for every single minute.
Maddie Mae, for never doubting.
Thanks to Ronen, for modeling the joy and wonder of simply being alive.
… And Manny.
And to you, wonderful, lovely reader, thank you so much for buying and reading this book. I wrote it for you. I love inventing people and places, creating adventures and romances, and then telling you wild stories about what happens next.
Thanks for letting me.
XOXO
Julie
www.juliereece.com
Julie Reece
Julie Reece was born in Ohio and lived next to her grandfather’s horse farm until the fourth grade. Summers were about riding, fishing and make-believe, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all.
She struggled with multiple learning disabilities, and spent much of her time looking out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) She fought dyslexia for her right to read, like a prince fights a dragon in order to free the princess locked in a tower, and she won.
Later, she invented stories where she was the princess … or a gifted heroine from another world who kicked bad guy butt to win the heart of a charismatic hero. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? She moved to Florida where she continued to fantasize about superpowers and monsters, fabricating stories (her mother called it lying) and sharing them with friends.
Then she wrote one down …
Hooked, she’s been writing ever since. Historical, contemporary, urban fantasy, adventure, and young adult romances, she loves strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure … which must include ‘a really hot guy’. Her writing is proof you can work hard to overcome any obstacle.
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Table of Contents
The Before
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
The Middle
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
The Happily Ever After
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Acknowledgements
About the Author
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