Page 25 (1/2)

He ran his hands through his hair, standing tall again

"Mike, please? I’o, Ara, I--" He stopped, scrunching his fists in the air, then took a deep breath and disappeared

"Well," Morgaine chi her pile of cards aside "That ell"

"It’s too bad" I spun on my heel and headed back to the corridor "He can’t control irl any truthful, either"

I looked away from her as she came up beside me "What do you mean by that?"

"Coain because you’re confused about how you feel"

"How I feel?"

She blinked a few ti "I think you’re not sure if you love hi aine smiled "You don’t have to"

"I just--" I see his face When I think of hiry, so bitter, and full of soin my heart for him when I see him like that And I… "I know I love hiot bad news for you, Princess You can’t go see hi Mike" She smirked "He rises to the occasion every ti "My God, you are a torturer, aren’t you?"

She chuckled "It’s just a bit of fun"

"So, why can’t I go see him?"

"Because he’s not there"

"Well, where is he?"

She pressed her lips together and leaned closer "Right now, I don’t know But earlier today, he was here"

"Here? At the htly and looked around, as if I ht spot him "Is he crazy? Why would he do that?"

"He was just checking in on you--he does that from time to time I cover his scent for hirinned

"What does that do?"

"You really don’t knowmy head to the side "How does it work?"

"Like aa rancid perfu it around, but won’t knohy"

"So, how have I not noticed he’s been here? I’d have smelled him a mile off"

"Precisely why he only comes when you’re asleep"

"Asleep?" My jaw jutted forward "He watches hed "Trustthe creepy stalker, but he said he’d go et to see you So, if sleep-tiets, he said that’s better than a padded cell"

All the disgust blew out of me in a short huff "Okay, that’s kind of sweet But I’m still mad Why didn’t he wake s out too, Ara"

"Like what?"

"Like how he feels"

"He’s not sure?"

"It’s more that he’s not sure how you feel about him I think he can sense it, you know--your confusion"

"I’ht Of course you’re not You never are" She leaned on the wall "But, I think he’s wondering if maybe you’ve h for you"

"Why would he think that? I never said or felt anything like that"

Morgaine cleared her throat and crossed her ar?"

"Dreams?"

"About Jason"

"What do you know about theh my conversations with her

"No, you didn’t," she said "But David saw a few"

"What?"

Morgaine flicked her cherry red hair and sood at thatas when you’re awake"

I sunk back and leaned on the wall across from her "What…what did he see?"

"You tell ed, her shoulders staying up for a second "I don’t really know All I know is that he’s pretty convinced you don’t love hi soon, he’s going to lose you forever"

I breathed out, touching my collarbone "But, that couldn’t be further froh But I still love him"

"Then tell him that"

"How? He won’t speak to me He…he comes here and doesn’t tell u is for a reason And it’s not what you think"

"Well, what is it?"

"He…he dug up some info on your family, and it’s bad news That’s all I know" She raised her hands before I could jump in with an inquisition "He’s worried that, with you catching his thoughts soet…" she cleared her throat, "--hot, that youhe’s not ready to tell you"

"But shouldn’t I know? If he knows soht to know, too"

"No Not until he’s sure He doesn’t want you to be upset for no reason if it turns out to be wrong"

"If what does? What does he know?"