Free Storm and Stone by Joss Stirling

out of the yew walk on to the croquet pitch in front of the orangery. A dark shape caught her eye. ‘What’s that on the lawn there?’
    ‘He’s doing it again,’ groaned Joe, spotlighting Kieran with the torch.
    They hurried over to where Kieran was on his back by the sign for the fire muster point. He was staring straight up at the stars.
    ‘Doing what exactly? Sleeping outside?’
    ‘Nope. Counting the visible constellations. Little mental game of his. It can go on for hours. He has very good night-sight.’
    ‘Geez, he needs to stay in more.’
    Joe chuckled. ‘Sorry but he’s one of a kind.’ He bent down and shook his friend’s shoulder. ‘Time to stop, Key.’
    Kieran rose gracefully to his feet, fluid like a bolt of silk unrolling. Now why couldn’t he move like that in class? ‘Hi.’ He took the apple Joe offered him.
    ‘Better now?’
    Kieran nodded then frowned when he noticed her. ‘Why are you out here with Raven, Joe?’
    ‘Looking for you. We were worried.’
    Kieran’s expression lightened, but he still looked puzzled. ‘Worried about what?’
    ‘About you.’
    ‘Why?’
    Joe rolled his eyes. ‘Because we argued, remember?’
    Raven felt she had better make her apology now before they got too far off the point. ‘Kieran, I just wanted to say that I apologize for pushing you in class and making you uncomfortable.’
    ‘You did?’ Kieran looked surprised by her admission. Of course, World of Kieran probably hadn’t noticed her little show of temper.
    ‘You walked out on me.’
    ‘Yes, I did. But I’ve worked it through while lying on the grass.’ Calmly, he did a backwards walkover. ‘Was that what you meant?’
    Joe laughed. ‘That’s neat, Key.’
    Raven wasn’t sure what had come over him. A little bubble of excitement expanded in her chest. Perhaps this could work after all? ‘Yes, it was. First part anyway. How did you learn to do that so quickly?’
    ‘I did the maths.’ He smiled but she wasn’t sure if he was serious or not.
    Joe passed her the flashlight. ‘Here, you two sort out your dance issues. I’ve got an essay to finish.’
    ‘We won’t be long.’ Kieran picked up his jacket and shook off the grass.
    ‘Take all the time you need. Bye, Raven. Thanks for coming over.’ Joe jogged back to the castle.
    She was suddenly very aware of being with Kieran, in the dark with little chance of being interrupted. She shivered.
    ‘Here.’ He wrapped the jacket around her shoulders, swamping her. ‘Better?’
    ‘Yes.’ It was official: she had just fallen in love with a large size leather jacket. She didn’t want to let it go: it smelt so wonderful and was as good as a hug as it settled around her.
    ‘It’s a bit big on you.’
    ‘I think it’s a perfect size for keeping me warm.’ There was a definite tension between them and she suspected it wasn’t just because they irritated the hell out of each other.
    ‘Suits you.’ He smiled at her and her heart did a ridiculous flip in her chest. Raven folded her arms, wondering if she should turn off the torch. The dark would be easier; it helped hide her dumb reactions to him at least.
    ‘So we’re good now, are we, Kieran?’
    Kieran took a step towards her. ‘Yes. We’re good.’
    ‘I’m impressed by your progress.’ She gestured to the spot where he had executed his backwards walkover. Where was her normal sassy self? She seemed to have gone back to the castle with Joe.
    ‘It wasn’t so hard once I’d broken it down to its constituent parts. Perhaps you could teach me that spin move next?’
    ‘Does that mean, as long as you have time, you can do the same thing to the routine we put together—put it together piece by piece?’
    ‘I think so. It wasn’t so hard after all.’
    ‘Doing one move is not dancing, Kieran.’ She frowned at him. It hadn’t taken him long to get his confidence back. ‘There’s far more to it than that.’
    ‘Is there now?’ He was standing very close.
    Her voice