Enduring Light (The Afterglow Trilogy #3)(7)
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

“Well, welcome to Charleston.” He held open the gate.

The first thing I noticed on the other side was the darkness. I knew there was a time difference between our worlds, but I did not quite believe it until we arrived.

“How was your trip?” Monty stood up from where he waited on a stone bench by some sort of fountain. From the looks of it, the fountain had not been turned on in some time.

Kevin greeted his uncle with a pat on the shoulder. “We didn’t run into any trouble.” He headed toward the large house.

“Is this really a private home?” I asked as I waited for Kevin to unlock the door. Made from various types of stone and wood, the house was nearly as ornate as the castle at Bellgard.

“Yeah. It’s a little much, but I’ve always loved this place. You’ll have to see the view of the water.”

I nodded absently as I followed him inside.

He pointed to the right. “The kitchen is over here. I doubt there’s anything edible left in the fridge, but there’s probably some snacks in the pantry.”

“Okay.”

Monty came in behind us. “Charlotte’s room is ready for Samantha if she wants to get settled.”

I liked him. At first, I had been skeptical of his duty to his home since he had fled Energo at such a young age, but it did not take long for me to realize that concern was unnecessary. “Thank you. Is it upstairs?”

“All the way on the third floor.” Kevin gave his uncle a look I did not quite understand.

Monty gave Kevin a strange look in return. “It’s where she’ll be most comfortable.”

Feeling left out of some communication, I said, “I think I will go find it.”

“I can show you,” Kevin quickly offered.

“No. I can find it.” Whatever was going on with those men, I had no desire to be a part of it.

I walked up two flights of stairs and stopped in a narrow hallway. An open door lay in front of me, with a closed one across the hall. Directly behind me was a long row of doors that I assumed led to a balcony. I walked into the open room.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful wooden instrument in the corner. Kevin had mentioned Charlotte was musical, but I had no idea what a cello was. I’d never seen anything quite like it and had to admire it before exploring the rest of the room. A strange image flashed through my mind, but it went so fast I could not quite grasp it. I shook it off and moved on.

A light blue blanket covered a bed large enough for at least two or three people. Why a young girl would need a bed so big I did not understand, but it certainly fit with the enormous size of the house.

I set my pack down beside the bed and took a closer look at a number of pictures lining a white desk. The one similarity between most of the pictures was Liam. I did not envy Charlotte’s position. It was clear she was in love with two men. Being in love with one was hard enough.

I had finally accepted that truth after the battle at Cason Caves. My fear for Kevin’s life went beyond the care for a companion. Of course, we had also kissed on many occasions, but I had the impression that casual kissing was commonplace in his world. I had so many more important concerns, but figuring out how to deal with my feelings for Kevin was paramount to concentrating on the others.

A light knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Samantha?” Kevin stood in the doorway. “Is the room okay? I’m glad Monty cleaned it up. Charlotte never leaves it this neat.”

I smiled. “It is perfect for the night—or rather day. She was lucky to have such a fancy place to sleep.”

“You’ll have to tell her that when you see her.”

“Maybe I will.” I looked past him into the hallway. “Is the offer to show me the view still available?”

“Of the water? Sure.” He took a step back so I could pass.

I did not wait for him to open the door to the outside. I got to it first. I was used to doing things on my own, and if things were ever to become more with us, he needed to understand that.

I walked to the railing. “Breathtaking.”

I could not imagine having such a beautiful view, especially not in a modern city. Kevin had grown up with so much more than I had. I wondered if that was an obstacle that would keep us apart. In Energo, people from different classes rarely united. From what I understood, I had come from a respectable family, but I had grown up an orphan raised by exiles.

“It is, isn’t it? I missed this place when we were up in Alaska.” He had a far-off look in his eyes.

I stared back out at the water. “It is never easy to leave home.” I definitely understood that sentiment at the moment. Of course I had been to other nations before, but the lost world was something different entirely.

Kevin joined me at the railing. “I know this wasn’t easy for you, but I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.” I looked up at his slightly sun-kissed face. He lacked the rugged good looks more typical of men of the Resistance. Instead, he was more classically handsome. He may have had Energo blood in him, but to me, he was exotic. Maybe that was what made it all the harder to resist him. I reached up and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. “I would not mind it if you kissed me.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “You wouldn’t?”

“No.” I refused to look away. He was so frustrating sometimes. Why did he need to hesitate when I made my desires known? Was it just to make me more uncomfortable?

“Good.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against mine.

I didn’t bother to suppress my moan of pleasure. The gentle kiss changed, and I found myself wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands moved to my hips. I had no other experience for comparison, but I doubted many could kiss the way Kevin did. It awakened a side in me I had not realized I had. My entire life had been dedicated to defeating Blake so we could take back Energo, and until Kevin, I had never made room for anything else. His hands moved lower, and I took in a harsh breath.

“Oh, sorry.”

I stepped away from Kevin as soon as I heard the voice.

“Talen? What do you want?” Kevin made his annoyance at the Arco, a man who could turn into an arctic wolf, abundantly clear.

“Sorry to interrupt…whatever it is I interrupted, but we need to talk strategy. We cannot go into this unprepared.”

“He is right.” I smoothed out my shirt, hoping to hide any evidence of what we had been up to. “We should go back inside.”