Awakened (House of Night #8)(30)

"No," I said firmly. "Not a shadow. Just a different kind of experience. You and the rest of the red fledglings have experienced something we haven't. It doesn't make you part of the shadow of Darkness-- it makes you experienced with it. That could be a good thing if you use your extra knowledge to fight for good, and you do."

"Sometimes I worry that it might be more than that," he said slowly, staring into my eyes like he was looking for a hidden truth.

"What do you mean?"

"Darkness is territorial, possessive. Once it's had a piece of you, it doesn't like to let go."

"Darkness doesn't have any choice if you choose the path of the Goddess, and you have. It can't beat Light."

"But I'm not sure Light can ever really beat Darkness, either. There's a balance to things, Z."

"Which doesn't mean you can't choose sides. And you've chosen. Trust yourself. I trust you. Completely," I repeated. Stark kept staring into my eyes like he was grabbing on to a lifeline. "As long as you see me as good--as long as you believe in me--I can trust myself because I trust you, Zoey. And I love you."

"I love you, too, Guardian," I said.

He kissed me and then, in a movement that was fast and graceful and lethal, Stark pulled back the bow and let the arrow fly. It thunked with finality into the absolute center of the target.

"Wow," I said. "That was amazing. You're amazing."

He blew out a long breath, and with it the tension that had been so obvious in his body seemed to be blown away, too. Stark smiled his cute, cocky grin.

"Center of the target, Z. I hit it dead-on."

"Of course you did, silly. You can't miss."

"Yeah, that's right. And it's just a target."

"Are you gonna teach me or not? And this time don't go so darn fast. Slow down. Show me."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Okay, here." He aimed and shot more slowly, giving me time to follow his movements. And the second arrow split the first one down the middle. "Oh, woops. I forgot about doing that. I used to waste a lot of arrows that way."

"Here, my turn. I'll bet I don't have that problem." I tried to do what Stark had done, but ended up shooting my arrow short and watching it skitter off the smooth, wet rocks.

"Well, crap. It's definitely harder than it looks," I said.

"Here. I'll show you. You're not standing right." He came up behind me, fitting his arms over mine and snuggling against my backside. "Think of yourself as an ancient warrior queen. Stand strong and proud. Shoulders back! Chin up!" I did as he said and inside the powerful circle of his arms I felt myself transform into someone powerful and majestic. His hands guided mine to pulling the bow taut. "Stay steady and strong--focus," he whispered. Together we sighted the target, and as we let loose the arrow, I could feet the jolt that rippled through his body and mine and guided the arrow to the dead center of the target again, splintering the two before it.

I turned and smiled up at my Guardian. "What you have is magick. It's special. You have to use it, Stark. You have to."

"I've missed it," he said, speaking so softly I had to strain to hear him. "I don't really feel right if I don't stay connected to my bow."

"It's because through it you're connected to Nyx. She gave you your gift."

"Maybe I can start again here. This place feels different to me. Somehow I feel like I belong here--like we belong here."

"I feel it, too. And it seems like it's been forever since I've felt this safe and this happy." I stepped into his arms. "Sgiach just told me that she's going to start opening the island up to Warriors again--and also to other gifted fledglings." I smiled up at Stark.

"You know, like fledglings with special affinities."

"Oh, you mean like affinities for the elements?"

"Yep, that's exactly what I mean." I hugged him, and spoke into his chest. "I want to stay here. I really do."

Stark stroked my hair and kissed the top of my head. "I know you do, Z. And I'm with you. I'll always be with you."

"Maybe here we can get rid of the Darkness Neferet and Kalona have tried to bring to us," I said.

Stark held me tightly. "I hope so, Z. I really do hope so."

"Do you think it might be enough to just have one piece of the world that's safe from Darkness? Is it still walking the path of the Goddess even if I'm just walking it here?" "Well, I'm no expert, but it makes sense to me that what's important is that you're trying your best to stay true to Nyx. I can't see that where you're doing it is such a big deal."

"I understand why Sgiach doesn't leave this place," I said.

"So do I, Z." Stark held me then, and I felt the bruised, battered places inside of me begin to warm and, slowly, I started to heal.

Stark

Zoey felt damn good in his arms. When Stark thought back to how close he'd come to losing her, it could still scare him so badly that it made his stomach sick. I did it. I got to her in the Otherworld and made sure she came back to me. She's safe now and I'm gonna always keep her that way.

"Hey, you're thinking awful hard," Zoey said.

Curled up with him in the big bed they shared, she nuzzled his neck and kissed his cheek. "I can practically hear the wheels turning inside your head."