She nodded, gaze vacant. “I felt it.”
“I need to go to his quarters.”
Her gaze sharpened on me. “Why?”
“I’m going to try to bring him back.”
Confusion flickered in her eyes, but she asked no questions. “You’ll find it unlocks for you.” She gestured to my friends. “They can wait in the bar.”
I nodded. She was right. As much as I valued their support, they shouldn’t be in Grey’s private flat. I turned to them. “Thank you for coming.”
“Duh,” Mac said.
Everyone else’s expressions reflected the same. Of course they had come. Miranda led them away, and I turned and raced down the hall. When I reached his door, my heart began to thunder, my skin chilling.
Please work.
I prayed I was right about this.
Quickly, I pressed my palm to the door. Magic sparked under my hand, and the locking charm broke. I pushed open the door, stepping into the quiet silence of the room.
It was so different than how I’d seen it last. Modern and clean-lined. The contrast reminded me that I was still in the heavy dress, but it didn’t matter.
I strode to the bedroom, moving quickly toward the massive, enchanted window that revealed an expansive view of the Carpathian Mountains.
I’d admired this view since I’d first been in this room. Only recently had I learned what it meant to him.
Please be right.
I strode toward it, already anticipating the cold. When I reached it, I didn’t hesitate. I just stepped toward the huge window, praying that I wouldn’t smash my foot on glass that I didn’t fully believe existed.
It went right through the glass as if there were nothing there at all. My foot sank into cold snow on the other side, and I stepped fully through the window.
Icy wind buffeted me, snow pricking against my skin. In front of me, mountains rose high against the sparkling night sky. A full moon and thousands of stars shone on the snow, making it look like the earth was frosted in crystals.
“Grey!” I screamed, my voice becoming lost in the wind. “Grey!”
There was silence. I staggered forward, sinking up to my shins in the powder. It slipped down the tops of my tall boots, chilling my skin. I barely noticed.
My heart began to pound as I searched for Grey. How would he appear? Was he even here?
No.
I couldn’t doubt. I wouldn’t.
He was here. I would find him.
He’d said this place gave him strength. That it spoke to something in his soul, rejuvenating him. This was his Eve.
I drew in a deep breath and called out again, tears pricking my eyes. I might be confident he was here, but I was terrified I wouldn't manage this. Not because I didn’t believe in myself, but because I couldn’t face a life without him. It wasn’t a world I wanted to live in.
Snow fell all around, sticking to my hair and dress. The cold seeped into my veins, but I welcomed it. It made me feel alive. Present.
I fell to my knees in the snow, sucking in a huge lungful of cold air. Magic sparked through me as I took in the mountains ahead. Cold, hard, strong. But beneath them, far in the earth, was a core of heat.
Just like Grey.
Of course this place spoke to him.