Scorch
thing." His expression darkened, and a knowing look glazed
over his eyes.
    "You mean the whole keeping you alive and
defeating Aldrich and changing the course of conduit history in the
process thing?"
    "When you put it like that, I see why this
might annoy you, but it's just something I have to do."
    Luke lifted his hand, rubbing the spot
between his eyes. "Kira, I'm being patient and I'm giving you time,
but I'm not just going to sit around while you try everything you
can think of to bring your ex-boyfriend back—I'm just not."
    Kira reached out, dropping her hand on his
leg, trying to make him understand. "I'm not going to lie, I'm
confused—about Tristan, about you, about myself—pretty much about
everything. But I have to see if there is a way to bring his
memories back, and it's not for me or about me. Can't you see how
confused he is?"
    "I do, I mean, I had to help the guy put on a
pair of jeans," Luke laughed quietly, "the old Tristan would have
probably slugged me for that. But, I'm being selfish this time,
because I've been understanding for a long time. I thought that
kiss meant you chose me, meant you wanted to be with me—"
    "It did," Kira said, and at the time, it
really did, but she had to resolve things with Tristan…a small part
of her was still holding on, still refusing to let go, especially
when he was so in need of a friend.
    "Well, you have an interesting way of showing
it."
    He pulled the car into reverse and reached
across the seats to open her door. But then thought better of it.
He paused, looking at her, vulnerable.
    "Does he, I mean, can you…?" Luke trailed
off, but Kira knew exactly what he was asking.
    "No," she said quietly, "no, I don’t feel his
thoughts. I'm not sure why, but we’re not connected that way."
    The ghost of a smile crossed Luke's face, and
then faded as questions flowed back into his mind. He quelled
them.
    "I'll grab some food. Let's meet back here in
an hour," Luke said, his voice heavy. Kira stole one more look,
keeping her mind locked tight so she didn’t have to feel the pain
coiling on his face, before stepping out of the car.
    Without looking back, Luke made a u-turn and
drove away. Kira kept watching the car until it disappeared down
the end of the road—a big part of her heart went with it. He was
right. Why was she holding onto the past when her future was right
there, had been there all along keeping her happy and grounded and
sane? What was she waiting for?
    "Kira?" Tristan asked. "What are we
doing?"
    Kira spun on her heel. "Right. Sorry," she
shook her head, clearing the fog Luke had created, "I'm taking you
home, well, sort of."
    "And what am I doing here?" Pavia asked. She
had stepped closer to Tristan while Kira had been watching Luke,
close enough to touch him.
    "I need to borrow your expertise," Kira said,
"but for now, follow me."
    Only a few months before, a few months that
seemed like a millennia, Kira had wondered the same thing—where was
Tristan taking her? What was the secret place he was trying to show
her? But now it was her turn to lead them off the road, through the
low shrubs that lined the ground until they reached a marshy
riverbank.
    Kira kept walking, letting the two of them
trail behind. Her memory was pulling her forward, was urging her up
the river and against the current, until in the distance Kira
spotted it: a low hanging tree branch that extended past the
marshes, all the way until its branches licked the river.
    Behind her, Tristan gasped.
    Kira stopped moving.
    Tristan sped past her, running toward the
first place that seemed familiar to him since his reawakening.
    Kira hardly noticed, a different more
confident Tristan sprouted in her eyes—one that led her by the hand
and kept looking back to see if she was alright, one that helped
her hop on the tree branch, one that looked at her with an almost
hungry passion in his deep blue eyes.
    This was their spot to Kira, the place where
he first told her all about his life as a

Similar Books

Save Me From Me

Erika Ashby

Face-Off

Matt Christopher

Trusting Love

Billi Jean

The Eternity Key

Bree Despain

Copper Heart

Leena Lehtolainen

The Life You Longed For

Maribeth Fischer

Second

Chantal Fernando