Soulmates of the Lost Cities

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Linh's breathing was unsteady as Dex kept his intense gaze focused on her. She had not entirely expected him to kiss her. In fact... not at all. Not one bit... but the fact that he had kissed her on her cheek would not leave Linh alone. Not with Dex staring at her like that. Not with how Tam had disappeared with Biana.

Dex stepped closer. "Linh... I know it wasn't part of the plan, but... I thought it would..."

"Would what?" Linh said softly. "It worked, didn't it?"

Dex smiled sadly. "It did, didn't it? Our plan worked, Linh. It really did work."

Linh's almost smile faltered as she realized the key detail they had been forgetting. "Dex! I was going to follow them," Linh exclaimed. "I can't now."

Dex stared at her blankly for a moment, but then he managed to understand and said, "I might've slipped a tracking device on Biana... and I know where they are..."

"Wait, really!? Dex!! You're a lifesaver!" Linh said joyously as Dex managed to flash a smile at her. He carefully changed the facets of his pathfinder and handed it to Linh.

"You can use my pathfinder," Dex offered.

Linh tried to muffle a squeal as she took the pathfinder from Dex. "Thank you, Dex. I don't know what I would do without you," Linh told him as she held the pathfinder up to the light.

Weakly, Dex waved goodbye to Linh, watching her be whisked away by the ray of light. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he let himself sink to the ground in agony. What was he letting himself get into? Linh liked Wylie. Not Dex. Not himself. He was digging himself a hole. Dex already knew he had lost his chance with Biana. There was no way Tam was going to let him near Biana now. Seeing Tam with Biana was seeing a sick puppy getting better. It was happy. It was joyful. Tam needed Biana. He needed someone to stop him from being so gloomy and overbearing all the time. Dex could still see Tam's reaction to learning Biana was there in his mind. Oh... how great that had been. Now... Dex needed to think. He needed to sit and figure out what he was going to do. He needed to make a plan. He needed to know what his feelings were and who he wanted. Dex just wished the whole dating and clue thing could be over. All he wanted was his soulmate. He wanted his soulmate right by him. He didn't want to have to go through all finding them. Why did it have to be this way?

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Tam gasped when he realized where they were, or rather what they were on.

Biana smiled as their eyes met. "Do you like it?" she asked in a small voice.

Tam nodded. "The beach though? We're at a beach?" he said in astonishment. Sandy shores stretched as far as Tam could see, and in the other direction, a bright, blue ocean shined. Tam hadn't seen the ocean from this view before. Because of Linh's powers and the uncertainty of her control, they had never managed to take a venture to a beach by one of the great oceans. The view stunned him. Tam couldn't get over the beauty of the ocean and its surroundings. When he realized Biana hadn't responded yet, Tam turned his head away from the view and glanced at Biana.

She was staring at him with a strange look in her eyes. Biana nodded at the ocean and slipped her fingers into his. "I knew you'd love it here," Biana whispered.

Tam laughed softly. "How did you know?"

With a shrug, Biana said, "Well, I just sort of figured, because Linh's powers and how you two were in hiding... basically."