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  “So you want the magic to always have a degree of reality.”

  “When in the presence of mortals, yes. Of course this is important to the Magical Ones living inside Arcadian boundaries. Their magic must always go unnoticed. The few who’ve slipped up over the years have had to pay heavily.”

  “Have any Arcadians ever noticed something fishy?” I’d never heard anyone comment on the possibility of magic in Arcadia. Everything we saw and heard seemed perfectly natural and normal.

  “I’ve heard of three cases. Fifteen years ago a young Magical One mended a broken down lamppost too quickly. A resident in a nearby home happened to be looking out the window when the lamppost magically rose and stood upright. The Magical One was quietly and discreetly accused of sorcery and banished, but the Arcadian resident who’d witnessed it all mysteriously disappeared.”

  I suddenly remembered a flash flood that had destroyed a few stately homes by the river. “The flood two years ago,” I said, the news story flashing before my eyes.

  Torrid nodded. “Pressure was put on the Magical Ones to fix the damage quickly. This time it was the Arcadian Committee who was unrealistic. Of course when the homes were reopened only days later, good as new, many residents suspected something was up. The Magical Ones and the inquisitive residents were rounded up and never heard from again.”

  For the next hour he had me conjure up a variety of objects, guiding and correcting me along the way. He taught me tricks that helped my concentration, had me seeing objects in a clear and elaborate fashion.

  After my third failed attempt at making an ornate antique vase appear, Torrid took my hands in his and pressed them together.

  “You may be over thinking it too much,” he said.

  At that very moment all I could think of was the heat of his hands. Huge and strong, his fingers enveloped mine and I couldn’t help but think of those fingers running over my skin. I could feel the tickle of his touch on my arm, the arousing flutter of his fingers along my neck and the sensual contact of his palm to the small of my back.

  I glanced up at him. Was he deliberately transmitting these sensations to me? His smile gave nothing away.

  “Close your eyes,” he said.

  I did so, but the image of his face, his soft smile contrasting with his brooding eyes, remained clear.

  “Let your mind go to the object you want to create. See it so clearly you can almost touch it.”

  No matter how hard I tried, all I could see was his face, strong, appealing and calling to me. His fingers traced over the back of my hand, lending to the difficulty of the task.

  “Now, make that antique vase appear.”

  I saw the porcelain, fine and pure, delicate blue flowers hand painted along the scalloped rim. The base was line in gold and the form and curves of the vase feminine and soft.

  But when the vase appeared, it was painted with Torrid’s face.

  He chuckled and I reddened.

  “You're right there in front of me,” I argued defensively. “When I close my eyes, it’s the last image behind my lids. It’s only normal to…”

  “You are an adorable creature,” he said, his chuckle still resonating. He reached up to brush the back of his fingers along my cheek. “Perhaps it’d be best if you turned away.”

  Despite his words, his touch kept me right where I was. I closed my eyes, reveling in the touch of his fingers and loathing the thought of turning away. I wanted to get closer, to feel more of his skin against mine.

  Though I appreciated all the time he was spending with me every morning, diligently teaching me all I had to know about being a Magical One, it was torture being so close to him, yet unable to get closer.

  Kiss me. The thought escaped before I could subdue it. Could I have the power to make him do as I pleased? Would he succumb to my wishes?

  I opened my eyes to face him. His smile told me he’d captured my thought, but the resolve in his eyes told me it wasn’t going to happen. He grasped my shoulders and turned me away from him.

  “Concentrate,” he whispered into my ear.

  Determined to show him that I could indeed think of something other than his fine features and strong physique, I conjured up the perfect antique vase, detailed right down to the artist’s initials inscribed at the bottom.

  “Bravo,” he exclaimed. “I’m pleased to see how you’ve improved in so short a time, Kama.”

  “You're a great teacher.” I turned to face him.

  “Tomorrow we’ll have a look at piercing through someone’s mind barrier, getting to their thoughts despite their blocks.” He stood.

  I didn’t want him to leave. I still had so much I wanted to know and the morning hours with him flew by so quickly.

  “Where do you go?”

  “When I leave you?”

  I nodded, eager for an honest answer.

  “Outside of your world.”

  “How do you get there?”

  “That lesson will come when you're ready.”

  “I want to see my father. I’d like to see where I come from… where I belong.”

  “One day. Be patient, Kama. For now the protective shield around Arcadia is still too strong. But the day will come when you will be able to cross that barrier.”

  “And my mother?”

  “And your mother as well.” He nodded reassuringly.

  “Since you’ve opened my eyes, I feel an urgency I’ve never felt before. The need to get out and see more than what Arcadia offers intensifies every day. I deserve to know what lies beyond Arcadia.”

  “You will.” He brushed his fingers through my hair and vanished.

  Chapter 14

  The outdoor mall was pleasantly crowded with people, and I realized for the first time how crowds were never a problem in Arcadia. People rarely had to wait in line longer than a minute or two. How did the Magical Ones coordinate us all to shop at intervals that prevented crowds?

  Lines at the banks were unheard of. The checkout line at the grocery was always reasonable, and any event that came to Arcadia always had just enough room for everyone who wanted to attend.

  It was all so much work; I wanted to know how they succeeded time and again in rendering life in Arcadia so pleasant and cordial.

  “My mom mentioned a pretty hand-painted scarf she’d like to have,” Sarah said as she headed to a boutique filled with beautiful and original fashion accessories.

  Her mother’s birthday was around the corner and she wanted to surprise her with something special.

  “How’s your mother doing these days?” I didn’t want to start the whole Life’s Plan thing again, but I still retained a degree of hope that I’d one day have an answer.”

  “Still busy. Still mysterious and uncommunicative. Still skirting your Life’s Plan issue.”

  As she fingered a bright orange scarf at the door of the boutique, I tilted my face to the perfect sun that kept us at a comfortable temperature. While some days were slightly cooler than others, the weather was never an issue. Rain fell only at night, the wind was never stronger than a refreshing breeze and the humidity level was never uncomfortable.

  The few slip ups that had happened in the past, a hail storm or sudden heat wave, were written off as flukes, but I now realized it was a novice Magical One who’d been unable to completely grasp the controls where the weather was concerned.

  “I think she might really like this one,” Sarah said. “It’s so soft.”

  I grunted a neutral response as I opened my eyes to see Torrid in the distance. Outside of our morning lessons, I never saw him in Arcadia. The sight of him sent a jolt of conflicting emotions through me.

  Seeing him always shot a thrill through my entire body, but the fact that Sarah was right there beside me diminished the thrill. Part of me felt a tad possessive, wanting to keep Torrid and the knowledge of his very existence to myself.

  “Hey, Kama,” Torrid said when he stepped up.

  “Torrid,” I said, unsure how I should reac
t. “What a surprise seeing you here.”

  Sarah turned to him, her eyes instantly flashing with interest. “Well, hello.” Her fingers released the silk scarf and no doubt purchasing her mother’s birthday gift was now far from her thoughts.

  She glanced at me expectantly.

  “Sarah, this is Torrid.”

  With an appreciative grin and a slow and deliberate once over, she fanned her heated cheeks. “I’ll say.”

  Her hand shot out to grasp his and I couldn’t shake the adolescent jealous streak that took hold of me.

  “Here I am minding my own business, when, poof, out of nowhere steps this Greek God.” Sarah’s grin verge on silly and I was eager to come between them.

  “It’s a pleasure meeting you,” Torrid took her hand, squeezed it warmly and brought her fingers to his lips.

  “This is more than just torrid, it’s downright…”

  “Sarah,” I cut in. “His name is Torrid.”

  “And well-deserved.” She frowned briefly as Torrid released her hand, but quickly flashed her most dazzling smile. “Are you going to Pierson College next year by any chance?”

  “No, he isn’t.” I turned to Torrid, my gaze apologetic for my friend’s reaction to him. But I knew that my gaze also held more questions about his interest in my friend than I cared to expose.

  “My Life’s Plan says I’ll meet a tall, dark and exceedingly handsome man and you sure fit the bill.” Sarah brazenly took a step closer to Torrid.

  I grabbed her by the elbow and nudged my way between them. “Like I said, he’s not going to Pearson College.”

  My heart raced and I suddenly felt I had so much to lose. Torrid wasn’t even mine, in any way, shape or form, yet I felt inexplicably possessive of him.

  “I don’t want to ruin your shopping plans,” Torrid said. While his smile showed his amusement at Sarah’s antics, he was otherwise unimpressed and I was able to relax. “I saw you and wanted to say hi.”

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Well, I won’t keep your guys.”

  “Oh, please… keep us,” Sarah gushed.

  “Don’t pay attention to her. Since her Life’s Plan, she’s been eyeing every potential guy in the hopes he’ll be the one.”

  Torrid nodded knowingly and offered me a gentle pat on the shoulder before he walked on.

  I turned to follow his departure, my desire to be with him growing with every step he took.

  “Who was that?” Sarah exclaimed.

  “I told you. Torrid.”

  “No, I mean who is he? Where’s he from? How do you know him? And most importantly, where have you been hiding him?”

  “Honestly, Sarah. You’d think you’d never seen a guy before.”

  “Never a guy like that. I mean, don’t tell me you don’t feel it.”

  “Feel what?” I brought my attention to the rack of scarves and tried to ignore everything I did feel.

  “Kama, I saw the way he looked at you. I did my best to practically throw myself at him and all he could do was look at you.”

  I knew I was blushing and turned away to look at a bin filled with handbags.

  “So, what’s the deal with him?”

  “No deal. Just a guy. I hardly know him, just crossed his path a few times and that’s all there is.”

  “Sorry, girl, but the way he was looking at you, that’s definitely not all there is.”

  “You know I love Liam, Sarah. This guy is just from the neighborhood and we’re on friendly terms. Nothing romantic has ever happened between us.” I heard the guilty note in my voice and wondered if Sarah picked up on it.

  She grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the store. “Do you realize what you have here?”

  “What?”

  “Your no Life’s Plan situation. Don’t you see? You're free. You can do whatever you want. There are no constraints on where you can go, who you can see or where you live.” Her eyes were wide with discovery and envy.

  “I want to be with Liam, remember?”

  “Don’t get me wrong, Kama. Liam is a great guy. I’ve always been fond of him. I even envied your relationship with him for such a long time. But this guy… geeze, Kama. He’s the kind of guy you don’t even dare dream of. That dark and dangerous undertone lying just beneath a sweet grin and dazzling blue eyes you just want to swim in forever. How can you remain so cool and aloof?”

  If only she could see all that was going on inside me. The turmoil, the guilt, the attraction, the desire. I wanted Torrid, but I loved Liam.

  Chapter 15

  The Sunday afternoon was lazy and relaxed. I’d spent my morning with Torrid, learning how to work my way through the barrier that surrounded Arcadia. It was tiring and trying work and I was far from ready to actually give it a try.

  Once home, I’d completed my homework and finished my chores, affording me the freedom to do what I wanted with my time.

  The sun warmed my skin as I sat in our small yard. Flowers bloomed, though not in the numbers and bright colors Liam’s home boasted. Birds sang, but their song was not as sweet. The differences between the Diamond and Amethyst Districts had always been there, but now they seemed more evident and vivid, reminding me I had no business even thinking I could possibly end up shifting from one district to another.

  “Kama.”

  My mother’s voice penetrated my thoughts and I sat up.

  “You have company.”

  “Who?” For the time being I just wanted to be alone and had no desire to speak with anyone.

  “It’s Liam.”

  “Here? He can’t. He knows he’ll get in trouble if he’s seen here.” I scrambled to my feet and rushed to open the front door.

  “Kama,” he said with a shy smile.

  “I can’t believe my mother left you out on the porch. If the neighbors see you, they’ll report you to the Committee.”

  “I don’t care.” He came in, his steps small and uncertain.

  “Well, I do.”

  “Kama, I’ve given my father an ultimatum.” He walked to the sofa and sat on the edge, quickly got back to his feet and sat again. “I can’t be apart from you.”

  “You don’t know what you're saying.”

  “I’d rather be banished than live without you and I’ve told my father so.” He stood again and took a step closer as he glanced around. His eyes remained on the hall that led to the kitchen a moment before returning to me. “I don’t want to be Governor,” he whispered. “Not without you. There’s nothing anyone can do to keep me from being with you.”

  “Liam, you have your whole future ahead of you. You just don’t see it now.”

  He took another step towards me, his gaze cautious. “I’ve had visions of you in another man’s arms. I can’t bear the thought. I won't allow it, Kama.”

  I swallowed the lump of guilt and looked away for a moment. My heart was being torn in too many directions and I didn’t even know what I should feel anymore.

  In the kitchen I could hear my mother humming as she put away the dishes. I knew that hum. It gave the casual listener the impression she was miles away, carried away on a song, but I knew her better than that. She was listening intently, aware of what was happening between Liam and me.

  I gazed at Liam and backed away, hoping he’d understand the impossibility of the situation.

  “They’ve made a horrible mistake. I was initially included in your Life’s Plan. My father confirmed it. Up until a week prior to your 18th birthday, I was meant to be with you. He found the report. It’s all there in black and white. Kama Johnson is to graduate with honors, get her degree at Pierson College and marry Liam Seer. As first lady to Arcadia she will be the jewel in the Governor’s crown.”

  I stared at him, my head shaking back and forth in a fog of disbelief. It couldn’t be.

  “The Committee member in charge of gathering all the documents and sources regarding your file found something that ended up changing that.”

  “What?”

  �
��That’s what I haven’t figured out yet.” He took a step closer and reached for my hands. “Don’t you see? We were meant to be together. Everyone in the Committee agreed. We were perfect for one another. We are perfect.”

  He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, his lips pressing against mine with longing and heartache.

  “I can’t believe how I’ve missed being with you,” he whispered. “I never thought I could hurt so much, Kama.”

  Not knowing what to do, I stiffened in his arms. I loved him, deep in my heart I knew that I did. But these months of not knowing where my future lay, not knowing what direction to take my life in…

  I looked at Liam and wondered if the Committee might not have been right after all. Perhaps my life was meant to be more than merely governing Arcadia beside my husband. Perhaps I was meant for more than being the jewel in his crown.

  Torrid had opened my eyes not only to the goings on in Arcadia, but to the wealth of possibilities that lay before me. I didn’t have to be bound to Arcadia. I didn’t have to follow a path ordained by someone else.

  The light in Liam’s eyes dimmed as he took in my expression. “Kama, don’t.”

  “Liam, I never thought my life could be without you, but…”

  He silenced me with a kiss, but we both knew something had changed.

  Chapter 16

  “Have you been practicing your barrier breaking tactics?” Torrid asked. He was stretched out on a thick cushy blanket of blue. His long legs were crossed at the ankles, his boots discarded and his socks in a small bundle. Propped up on his elbows, he let his head hang back, taking in the sun on his face, neck and into the opening of his shirt.

  His masculinity was enthralling, his confidence intoxicating. If he had a care in the world, he didn’t let it show.

  I sat beside him, my knees pulled up under my chin as I gazed at the length of him. He was so relaxed, so casual and so at ease, it made my own sizzling hormones all the more annoying to acknowledge. I bit my lip, wondering for the millionth time what he tasted like if we kissed.