ov

red it wa

ame. If it wasn’t for the moonlight, I’d be lost; I’d r

t of me knew I should turn back - the last thing I wanted

lapped myself. Stop repeating his words, Dove! What the hell is wro

n-existent, so be it.

ke that? I scolded silently. Shocked and ashamed, I quickly closed my

turned around. Owin had panicked, half-pushing and half-nudging me to move away f

me away from tha

s for everyone, in

my surprise. “Ev

n for Cole. The elders said that this place is poisoned so we better go. I shouldn’t have

zing over and over

icions from my little outing with

f there was really poison, this place would have been buried. Somehow I

nd leaves, a careful step, and a slow slithering

large

turned chilly and was stale and damp. I breathed carefully, afraid that the sli

move further. It was then I smelled the rotten wood, decaying moss and gunpowder. My hand immediately cl

leaned closer and stretched out a hand. Cold slippery stone kissed my fingertips. I f

boldly grazed the surface once more, this time feeling as much as my arm could reach t

N

s! This has to be it! The house of the Moon

tched neck, and spotted another similar column two arm lengths from me. Slowly and

R

of this place, once majestic and alive with warm orange-yellow fla

ire pack to suddenly abandon this

was suddenly worried about the poison that Owin was ra

my mind was all about the engravings.

*

d f

e was - my so-called husband - a coloss

here, drinking in his appearance. His long leaned body tensed against the c

and finally registered th

over. “Fun?” I jabbed a finger into his hard chest. “What make

and growled. “You’

frustration. “Of course, I should be in the house! Why wouldn’t I?” I

his cold arrogance, he said, “Rules are rules. It’s your duty to foll

ross my mind and I almost stopped breathing.

t me. “Since when wer

derful smell of fresh mint and rain exploded around me, and the familiar s

voice was calm as the sea before a ts

s his piercing blue eyes and t