Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal #1)(51)

She didn’t think she asked a lot of questions.

When the sun was out, she could play all day and never get cold, wet, or sad. She couldn’t be sad when the sun was high and shining down.

Lifting her head up and closing her eyes, Violet felt the sun warm her cheeks. She knew it wouldn’t be very long before the cold came, because the leaves were already turning different colors.

Reds. Browns. Yellows. Oranges.

All sorts of colors.

But as quickly as the sun had peeked out from behind the clouds, it was gone. The wind picked up, cooling her warm face.

Sighing, Violet opened her eyes again.

She glanced over at her new friend—Kaz, he said.

Kazimir.

He didn’t like Kazimir.

He liked Kaz.

His glasses hid his eyes, but she knew he was watching her, waiting.

“Well?” he asked.

“It’s gone again.”

“But didn’t you see it before it went?”

Violet kicked her white sneakers to and fro, rocking the bench she was sitting on with Kaz. “Nope.”

Kaz laughed. “You’re supposed to be watching, Violet.”

“Can’t you try?”

“No,” Kaz said.

“Because your eyes hurt, right?”

Kaz nodded. “A lot.”

Violet frowned. “Will they always hurt?”

“I hope not,” he muttered.

Violet glanced around the quiet place. She really didn’t understand what it was, but she remembered being at a place like this once a few months ago when her Grandmama got sick, went to sleep, and didn’t wake back up. They put her Grandmama in a big, shiny black box with latches and bars on the side, and then put her in the ground. Lots of people came and they cried.

She hadn’t seen her Grandmama since, and her Grandpapa was always sad now.

All the stones in the quiet place were mostly shiny, but some weren’t. Letters and words covered them all. Violet could read a few small words, but not the big ones.

“What does … rest … mean?” she asked Kaz, finding one word she could pronounce because of the letters.

“Um, my dad says resting means relaxing. Being quiet, still. Sleeping, sometimes.”

Violet nodded. That made sense.

This was the quiet place. It was a good spot to rest.

Her father had told her to be a good girl when they first arrived at the quiet place. He said other stuff, too, like “respect” and “graves”.

Violet didn’t really know what all that meant.

But she figured that since she was sitting with Kaz, and not running around, she was being a good girl, and respecting the graves.

Whatever those were.

Suddenly, the quiet place brightened again and Violet’s cheeks warmed with the rays of the sun.

“Sun is back,” Kaz said.

Violet was already looking up, but she closed her eyes again. It only lasted a few seconds longer than the last time, but her face stayed warmer for longer, too.

After the sun was hidden behind the clouds again, Kaz asked, “Well, what does it look like today?”

Violet shrugged. “I don’t know. I closed my eyes again.”

“You’re supposed to be helping me see.”

She was.

Violet smiled. “The sun keeps hiding and it doesn’t stay for long.”

“What do the trees look like, then?”

“Pretty.”

“Pretty?” Kaz asked.

“Colorful.”

“What colors?”

“All the colors,” she said, giggling.

“Tell me more,” Kaz replied.

Violet started describing everything she could see for her new friend.

Because he couldn't see.

And that wasn’t fair.

She didn’t mind.

Kaz was smiling.





Kaz came awake slowly, then all at once. The sharp rays of sunlight peeking through the drapes of his bedroom were too f*cking bright this early in the morning. With a groan, he rolled over, putting his back to the windows, his arm stretching out beside him, but coming up short when he was met with soft skin.

There was a moment of confusion as his foggy mind tried to catch up with what his hands were feeling. Nevertheless, he continued on, letting his fingers slide down and over feminine curves. Memories of the night before slammed back into him as his eyes opened and he took in the sight of blonde hair fanning out along his sheets and pillows.

From what he could tell, Violet was still sleeping, her chest rising and falling with even breaths as she remained unaware to his movements. How many hours had gone by as he had familiarized himself with the very curves he was tracing once more? Did it matter? He still felt like there was so much left to learn.

Even more so when it came to the woman herself.

Slipping out of bed, careful not to jostle her, he headed in the direction of the bathroom, leaving the lights off as he went. After relieving himself and washing his hands, he splashed water on his face, trying to further wake himself up. He had only been gone a handful of minutes at most, but as he reentered his bedroom, he could see that Violet was awake, though she hadn’t moved from her spot in his bed.

And, oh, what a sight she made.

She was naked beneath that gray sheet she held against her chest. Her hair rumpled and in disarray, she looked like she had spent the night getting f*cked. He might have smiled at that thought, but for the way she was looking at him with a mixture of confusion and dawning realization.