I didn’t ask for this life. To finally have the one thing in this world worth living for then be forced to give it up is unbearable. He stands before me, yet out of my grasp. Now, he is forbidden to me, a temptation above any red fruit.
A pained look flickers across his expression, like I’ve hurt him, but he hurt me too. The knowledge of what he did is far more powerful than the tears that threaten to surface. I must will them away. To reveal my own pain would only complicate things. One thing, I know for sure—this is how things are destined to be.
Forcing my eyes away from his is my only hope at this moment. His heated stare stays on me. I can feel it burning a hole straight through my core.
How did it happen that the one I’m fated to love would turn out to be the one I need to kill to survive?
Breeze from the bay whips my ponytail around as the freed tendrils of long brown hair smack my cheek. I tighten my grasp around the handlebars of my beach cruiser and place my right foot firmly on the concrete. As cars exit the one-lane bridge that leads to Summer Island, I smile easily at the drivers turning onto the main road.
There’s something mystical about the ivy growing on the gate’s concrete walls and the tall, dark kudzu-covered trees surrounding the entrance. Mystical. The single word seems to accurately describe my entire life-changing existence since moving to Apollo Beach. Who would have thought the teen who found trouble everywhere she turned wasn’t cursed, but instead Enchanted?
A man in uniform steps outside the guard house building to wave. “Morning, Kat.”
“Hey, Herkle.” I recognized him instantly from my first few visits to the island. “Nice to see you again.”
Herkle, Herkie, and Herk are all short for Hercules, from whom he descended. I put two and two together, and Charlotte confirmed it for me during dinner one night this past week. He’s one of us—an Enchanter, a descendant of the gods from ancient Greece. It’s still mind-boggling to know it’s all real and this is my new life.
“I heard you had quite the Enchanting.” His jovial smile is infectious.
I find myself smiling too. “It was definitely eye-opening, to say the least.
He chuckles. “We’ve all been there. Will I see you at the Enchanters’ event tonight?”
I give him a knowing look. “Are you kidding? Charlotte is making me a dress for the occasion and everything. I’ll be there.”
Traffic clears, and I give Herkle a goodbye wave. I push against the pavement to start pedaling again and take off down the long, winding tree-covered drive. It’s been almost two months since I moved here, and I’m back on the job hunt. After my failed audition to waitress at Island Grille, I’ve decided to tempt fate and ask for another shot. It’s not like I qualify for much. A job at the Apollo Beach Library would be another option, but after being holed up at Summer Manor for two weeks straight while doing nothing but reading the Solstice Law Book, I’m aiming for something—dare I say—fun.
I pedal faster to round the final curve before I get to the quaint village, which is reminiscent of ancient Greek landmarks and ruins. I’m nearly around the bend when a squirrel jumps out of the bushes and darts across the street just as a white van barrels around the corner.
“No,” I gasp. With a quick turn of my handlebars, I pull out in front of the van and stick my foot out to stop my bike completely.
Tires squeal and swerve as the van attempts to brake, but it’s still going too fast. My pulse zooms through my veins as I think quickly. My new magic travels faster when I use my hands to propel it, but Charlotte has been teaching me how to exercise energy without having to be so obvious about it. This moment would be the appropriate time to try it.
I squeeze my eyes shut and clutch the handlebars of my bike before aiming all the energy I can muster toward the van. I can feel the explosion of light burst from my pores. There’s a loud crunching of metal, like the van just collided with a wall, and I look to see the squirrel dart into the bushes on the other side of the road.
With a quick sigh of relief, I look back toward the van. Its front grill is bent in the center and steam rises from around the hood. Crap. My eyes widen, and I release the handlebars of my bike, letting it fall to the ground beneath me.
The driver’s door to the van bursts open, and cold-faced Johnny Pierce steps out. He slams the door behind him, his startling blue eyes narrowed on mine. “Are you kidding me with this? What the hell is your problem, Kat?”
An unexpected thrill races though me when Johnny says my name. I wasn’t sure if we’d ever speak again after our run-in over a week ago. He was so cold. So angry. And now, he’s a stark reminder of the very reason I should look for another job. It shouldn’t be hard to find something else. But something about Island Grille calls to me. Or maybe I want to show Johnny he can’t push me around.
“Earth to Kat. I asked you why you pulled out in front of me like a fucking lunatic.”
I suck in a deep breath and instinctively reach for the energy stone I wear around my neck. It’s supposed to calm me, but when it comes to Johnny, I’m not sure anything can calm me. “You were going too fast. Didn’t you see the squirrel? You would have run right over it.”
Johnny’s jaw tenses. “No, I didn’t, because I was too focused on not hitting you. Didn’t your granny tell you to pay attention and not to swerve in and out of traffic? This is practically a one-lane road. You should be more careful.”
I let out a laugh. “I think I’ll be just fine, but thanks for the advice. And you don’t have to call her my ‘granny,’ like some condescending asshole. Her name is Rose.”
“Just be careful next time,” he growls. “I don’t want to be responsible for killing some kid who can’t pay attention to simple things like road signs.”
“I’m eighteen.”
“Yeah, well that’s young enough.”
I squint at him, trying to remember what he told me his age was. I swear he said it was twenty-two. “You’re not much older than me.” If it weren’t for the stubble covering his mouth and cheeks, I would think we were the same age.
With an amused shake of my head, I lean over to pick up my bike and freeze when his hand brushes mine. Energy surges through my veins. I feel its buzz reverberate through me like it’s lifting me high above the clouds—a strange sensation to have for someone I want to despise. Johnny grips the center bar of the bike and picks it up like it weighs nothing before popping it right-side-up on the drive.
“Are you okay to ride?”
His question throws me a little. It almost sounds like he cares, even though his reaction was delayed. “I’m fine. But why are you suddenly pretending to care?”
He shakes his head. “Trust me, I don’t. Just trying to avoid a lawsuit.” Still looking at me, he points to his van. “I already need to break it to the boss that I’m out of a catering van until we can get this one fixed.”
I tilt my head and point to the van. “What for? It looks fine.”
Johnny scrunches his face in confusion. “Huh? No, it’s—” He’s midturn when he spots the front of his van, which is now undamaged. He looks back at me. “I thought—”