Follow the Arrow

Chapter 7

My blue haired friend and I are strolling through the dark forest like we have so many times in the past two months. By now, we're usually flying off someplace, but since someone couldn't get my broom, that's not happening. Okay, he explained that one of his maids caught him trying to leave with two brooms, so he had to leave mine behind. So I'm not mad. I just love flying. I use to be terrified, but I love the feeling of the wind in my face. Plus, I love beating him whenever we race. I suppose now is the perfect time to take another risk. We have nothing better to do.

I clasp my hands in my lap. "Hey, Zane. Did you have something in mind for us to do tonight?"

He casually glances at me and thrums his fingers on the broom handle that's over his shoulder. "No. But I can safely presume you do?" I smile innocently. He sighs, "Where to then?"

I lay out the broom so it's hovering and throw my leg over. "You'll see."

Tonight, it seems Zane is going with the flow instead of asking questions, which I appreciate. He hops on behind me and puts his arms around my waist. But the going-with-the-flow thoughts may have blocked his memory. Once again, he's managed to forget I'm ticklish. Consequently, I let out a squeak. I fold my arms and cover my mouth with a hand in an attempt to keep from looking too humiliated. But he's blushing, and now so am I.

"Sorry," he mumbles, looking away. "Do you- do you think we should wait until tomorrow so we'll have broom? I promise I'll grab it."

"No, no. I want to do this tonight. It has to be tonight." I'm afraid if I wait any longer, I won't be able to do it. But then I think for a moment. "Ohh... Unless you're uncomfortable with this. "I slide off the broom. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think about that." I'm so thoughtless and inconsiderate. Of course he's uncomfortable. It's Zane. I'm surprised I'm not. "We can do this tomorrow."

He shakes his head and hands. "I'm not uncomfortable. I merely forgot... yet again."

"Don't patronize me, blue."

"I'm not, I swear," Zane insists, chuckling. "You said you had to do this, whatever it is, tonight."

I smile wryly, biting the tip of my finger. "I did."

He gestures to the empty space on the broom. "So let's go." I shift my weight from foot to foot, still unconvinced that he's not saying what I want to hear. "Orchid, we're wasting moonlight here," he muses.

I swat the air with my hands. "Okay, okay." And I go back over to the broom and climb on. I set my jaw to prevent any squealing. This time Zane carefully puts only one arm around me and the other hand grips the broom a few inches behind my hands. "Ready to go then?" He hums a confirmation and I smile excitedly before tilting the broom slightly upward toward the sky.

In seconds, we're dodging branches- with the aide of my gift- and in no time, we're in the air above the tree tops. I pause there for a moment to look at the view and smile even wider. It's beautiful up here. But not nearly as beautiful as where I'm taking us. Once my eyes have taken in the sight, I tip the broom forward and have us zooming off to a place many miles away. On foot, the trip took my friends and me over an hour. On broomstick, it's taking us less than half of that. So in no time at all, our destination is in sight: a waterfall. I take us to the top and land off to the side of the river. Zane climbs off, and chivalrously offers me a hand to help me off. I nod in thanks then walk to the edge of the plateau. The moon is so bright tonight, despite being only a crescent. But maybe it's all of the stars that make up for it. It doesn't matter. The view of the land from up here is breathtaking.

"So this is it," I sigh. I turn to my friend by the broom and nod at the view. "What do you think?"

Slowly, he walks over to me, with his hands in his pockets. Zane's careful to stay at least a few feet from the edge. But he looks out over the trees and takes a large step closer, so he's right next to me. "It's beautiful."