When All Hope is Lost (Book 2)

Love and Heartbreak

Even though all I could see was his back, I knew it was him. I don't know how I knew, after all, it had been almost a year. His hair had gotten slightly longer, but the color was the same.

He had changed his style of clothing, that much was evident. Gone was the simple tunics with belts. Now, he wore heavy armor with various weapons strapped at his side.

The girl next to him was not unfamiliar to me, but I didn't care about her. All I could do was stare at the back of this boy, this man, who I had once known.

Sarah pulled at my hand, trying to get me to move. I stayed rooted to the ground, without moving. She pulled harder, but shock had disabled my limbs.

"Fae?" Kylo came up from behind me, worry painted across his face. His voice sounds far away, as if I were in a dream. Sarah pulled harder at my hand, but I ripped my hand away from her, instead letting it dangle lifelessly at my side. Kylo came next to me, gently holding my limp hand and asking again, "Fae? Are you ok?"

Seeing that I was unmovable, Sarah gave up, instead running towards the two figures. She tapped the man on his shoulder, and he turned, looking at her and saying something inaudible to my shocked ears. Sarah rolled her eyes, beaming, and pointed in my direction.

The moment our eyes met can't be described. Years later, I still can't put into words the butterflies that were in my stomach. They seemed to churn my stomach upside down, like doing cartwheels over and over again. It was a horrible feeling for such a wonderful moment. All I could do was squeeze Kylo's hand until his fingers twitched with pain.

When his beautiful, amber eyes met my foggy, green ones, I stumbled backwards. Leah put her hand on my back, steadying me. Time stopped as we looked at each other. The birds stopped singing; the trees stopped swaying in the wind. Everyone seemed to be frozen where they were, unblinkingly. All that mattered was him.

His face was different as well. His face had changed; it was more serious, more focused. It looked as if he had aged 20 years in one. But all that melted away as he said,

"Fae."

My heart stopped as he said my name. Covering my mouth with my hands, I let out a small sob.

"Ezra," I breathed.

Ezra smiled softly. Next to him, Aurora started to laugh as she pushed him towards me. Stumbling a bit, he began to run.

Ripping my hand out of Kylo's, I ran towards him. When we reached each other, he lifted me up as easily as one would lift a child, laughing. Also laughing, with tears pouring out of my eyes, I wrapped my arms around him, holding him tightly. He held me back just as tight, putting his hand on the back of my head and running it through my waist-length hair.

"Thank You, Adonai," he whispered. "Thank You."

We pulled apart and stared into each other's eyes for a minute, both crying. I broke the silence by laughing and he joined in.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" I exclaimed, punching him in the shoulder. Even through the armor, he stumbled back, laughing.

"Me never scare you?? Excuse me, ma'am, you're the one who scared me!!" he said, punching me back playfully. Laughing, I suddenly notice a scar on his face, running from his right ear to his jaw. Noticing me looking, he shook his head and said, "I'll tell you later."

Before I could say anything, I was broken off by an exclamation of, "Fae!"

"Aurora!" I exclaimed, as she walked up next to us. I hugged her just as tightly as I did Ezra. I smiled as she held me tightly. She reminded me of Kaya, the old Kaya, before...