RISING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 2)

Chapter 9

"I miss you," I whispered.

A slither of silver snaked towards the beach across the rippling tide beneath a fat, beaming moon. The sand felt cool under my feet, the air toying with strands of my hair. I'd drawn my knees up to my chest hooking my arms over.

Rafe sat down beside me, his body warm against my own. His eyes shone silver. "I never left you. Not if you look hard enough."

The world beyond melted, suspending us in time and space. It was my comfort, this beach. The place that holds my last remaining memory of my parents. I'm grateful it's a happy one. So it's unsurprising my dreams took me here as often as they did, and that they'd conjure Rafe here too, both things my lighthouse salvation.

"I'm in trouble again and I can't tell the real you so I'm telling the you who visits my dreams."

"I see. Have you told anyone?"

"You'd be proud of me. This time, yes. The coven are busy trying to find a way out of it," I sighed.

"But?"

"There is no way out."

Rafe put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him. I took what solace I could but it wasn't the same without his scent enveloping me. My dream lacked any sense of smell. No salt filled the air, no inviting notes of the cool, clean night.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

"Despite this being my dream and that whatever you're about to say is probably just my conscience speaking, sure. Go ahead."

Rafe titled his head down and looped the pentagram necklace he gave me around his fingers. The sleek black circle looked like glitter as it reflected the stars above. "You have to know what to see."

"You have to know what to see? What kind of cryptic uselessness is that?" I let out a huff. "Real Rafe would know what to say."

Just then, a piercing cackle split the air. Rafe and I both turned towards the railings lining the promenade.

And there she was.

Nova Darkmore, my grandmother. Waist-length hair, the colour of oil fluttered like a veil. Ice-chiselled features housed dark, sunken eyes. They were sharp though, glinting in the moonlight like a twisting blade. Long fingers gripped the railings, almost regal like a queen surveying her kingdom. Her limbs were tight, coiled as if she was ready to strike.

I turned back to Rafe.

"You have to know what to see," he repeated.

And when my head whipped back to the railings, Nova Darkmore was gone.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

My eyes snapped open and the sound came again.

Arden stumbled into my room, rubbing the tiredness from his eyes. He yawned wide with his arms raised above his head showing a taut brown stomach. "Riley, someone is knocking the shit out of our front door. Can you deal with it please?"

Muttering unpleasantries under my breath, I made my way downstairs in pyjamas and bare feet, a makeshift bird's nest in my hair and I didn't want to think about what yesterday's makeup looked like on my travel-weary, sleep-affected face.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"You may be High Witch of this coven Riley Archer but-"

I swung the door open stopping Mrs Horton mid-sentence and mid-knock. She was all fury and sharp angles in her Victorian aloofness. And she carried a cat under one arm, a very familiar looking cat.