The water shimmered faintly, restless beneath the dark sky.
Her trembling hand dipped into the lake.
Instantly, the water rippled with life. Blue light wrapped around her arm, and with one last gasp she slid beneath the surface. Energy enveloped her, mending, concealing. When the ripples calmed, she was gone. Only a smear of black ichor stained the forest path.
_Meanwhile, miles away, the Grantham house slept under the same starless sky. But in her room, Elowen Grantham tossed restlessly, her emerald eyes wide open. Sleep would not come. Her thoughts were heavy with the day, with laughter, with confusion — with Julian.
She turned toward the window, letting the cool night air soothe her heated skin.
Her breath caught.
A shadowy figure sat perched on the thick branch of the great oak outside her window. Even in the darkness, she knew him.
Julian.
