Imperfect (Disappeared #1)

Chapter Seventeen

His eyes widened but he did not let go of her hand. They stood in silence, struggling to sort out what had just happened. Ahuil was real and not some figment of her imagination! There he was: tall and tan with his shoulder-length wavy, brown hair and intense eyes. Around him swirled a thick fog, and faintly beyond stood a long row of towering baobabs.

Another heartbeat, and then, without thinking, Theodosia launched herself into his arms. He froze for a moment, and then wrapped his arms tight around her and buried his face in her hair. They breathed together for a moment. She could feel his heart pounding hard and strong against her chest.

Shyness eventually overtook her and she pulled back. "I ... I'm sorry." He placed a forefinger over her lips and held her tight with the other arm while smiling. She fought to say something, anything. "How did you find me?" she managed.

"I was touching the baobab because I wanted to see if I could go through. And then the weirdest thing happened. I felt the tree becoming warm, like flesh. I've never felt that before."

She shook her head slowly, unbelieving. "Do you think you brought me through?"

He shrugged. "I didn't feel any pull on me. It was more like I was just there at the right time. I don't know."

"And yet I came through and you didn't. I don't understand."

That sweet smile stole over his lips again. "You're special, I guess. Not everyone can do it or we'd be overrun by your kind."

She laughed. "I'm glad of that. I prefer to have them stay on that side, honestly."

They were silent a moment. Ahuil began to look flustered. "You didn't come through by accident, did you?" He released her slightly. "Do you want to walk with me?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No! I meant to come through. I ... time stands still in my world when I'm gone. Or passes very, very slowly. I'm not sure. So I can stay for a while. I've been wanting to see the woods again very much."

He took her arm firmly in his and they began to walk through the long line of imposing baobabs. Beyond was the promise of the woods, not yet visible. It seemed to Theodosia that there was more mist than during her last visit. The road before her was hardly visible.

"How long have I been gone?" she asked.

"A few days. How long was it for you?"

"Twenty-four hours. A few days! You must have thought I'd never come back."

"Yes. Well. I wasn't sure you'd find your way. Or even want to." He looked down at her quickly and then glanced off.

Theodosia felt her cheeks heat up despite the chill in the air. "I did. I spent all last night wanting to return and worrying that I couldn't or that you and this world weren't even real."

They fell quiet. The warmth of Ahuil's body penetrated through her coat. The fog was so thick, and the hush so absolute, that it felt wrong to make any noise at all.

Ahuil broke the silence first. "Is your world so bad? That you want to be here, I mean?"

She shook her head. "It's not that it's so bad. I lead a good life in Helenshire. My family is wealthy and I have everything I could ever need, materially. It's just that I feel like I don't belong. When I was little I tried to be myself. And later I tried to fit in. Nothing worked. So I'm tired of not being right."

"And your family? Do they make you feel like that?"

"Sometimes. I mean, I love them," she put in hastily. "My little sister Louisa is such a gift. And my mother too and my maid, Sarah - both of them have good hearts. And I miss them when I'm here. Still, that's doesn't change the fact that I'm a stranger in my own home. The loneliness I feel there, sometimes it almost hurts."