There could be others.
I would find them. The one for me. It would all be okay.
And so I looked back up at the sky, took a breath, and wished upon the stars.
I wish I could find that one person made for me so that way I can show them why I was made for them.
Selfish? Maybe. Sad? Definitely. But I knew—
“Sam?”
I squawked attractively.
Okay. That was a lie.
There is no way to squawk attractively.
It was rather unattractive. Arms flailing, legs kicking. It was just awful.
“Didn’t mean to scare you,” Knight Ryan Asshole said, sounding amused.
I sat up and glared at him. “I wasn’t scared.”
“You screamed like a frightened little girl.”
“I squawked like an indifferent tall man.” Because that was a sound and logical argument. “What are you doing out here?” I hadn’t seen him since we’d been escorted back to the castle the night before by Pete, who’d kept laughing at me like I’d done something hysterical.
He shrugged and glanced away. He looked tired. He was dressed down more than I’d ever seen before, wearing trousers and a soft-looking tunic with embroidered edges. It was open at the throat, and my mouth went dry. “Just… checking things out.”
“Things.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, Sam. Things.”
“Well. I hope things are okay.” I paused. “Are they?”
“What are you asking?”
“Honestly? I have no idea. You startled me and my brain isn’t working yet.”
“Scared you,” he corrected.
“Ass. How did you know about this part of the garden?”
He fidgeted. “Well.”
I waited.
“Your mother… might have showed me?” He sounded embarrassed.
“Did she?” I said, already plotting revenge.
“A long time ago,” he said. He brushed a hand over the furled petal of an orange wildflower. “I needed it, I guess.”
“What? Why?”
“Said it was a good place to come if I ever needed solitude. It gets… loud. In the castle.”
“Understatement. Why do you think I was holed up in the labs all day today?”