It was early evening when I decided it was time to head back to Rose Chambers. I packed up my bags and looked down at the valley at the unicorns one last time.
“Thank you for showing me,” I told Corbin, motioning to the unicorns.
Corbin rose and joined me. “What do you have tomorrow?”
I pulled out my schedule. “History of Wonderland, Wildcrafting, and Magical Weapons.”
Corbin pulled out his phone and flipped to his pictures. “What time is your History of Wonderland?”
“At one-thirty.”
He nodded. “Same.”
“Cool. See you there, then.”
“You know your way back?”
“Nope, but I have this,” I said then took a tiny pinch of fairy dust from the pouch on my belt. “Rose Chambers,” I said, tossing it before me. At once, the flower vine twisted off.
“Interesting.”
“Fairy magic.”
“All right, Tinkerbell, see you tomorrow then.”
“Thanks for the view…and the dead butterflies.”
He huffed a soft laugh then stuck his hands into his pocket.
“Bye,” I said then slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed off.
As I went, I could feel Corbin’s eyes on me.
I knew he was waiting to see if I would look back.
And I knew what it meant if I did.
I also knew what it meant for me if I did. Inside my pocket, I squeezed my hand around my phone, imagining the picture of Nicholas there. When I reached the cave, I paused to look down at the valley one last time.
I wouldn’t look back.
I wasn’t ready.
I didn’t want to give Corbin the wrong idea. I couldn’t even think of something like that.
I turned to move on.
But something in my gut tugged at me. Before I knew what I was doing, I cast a glance over my shoulder to find Corbin standing there, gazing back at me.
He inclined his head to me.
I gave him a slight nod then headed off, following the rose vine.
What the hell, Lacey?
Seriously. What the hell?