Nightmares at Everglade Falls

Prologue

Seraphina

I take a deep breath as we walk through the forest, hand in hand. The trees tower above us, casting long shadows in the fading light. I glance at Elias, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he leads the way.

“Are you sure we should be out here?” I ask, my voice tinged with worry. “We could get in trouble for breaking curfew.”

Elias chuckles, his hand tightening around mine. “Don’t worry, babe. I’ll make sure we make it back to the dormitories in one piece.”

He raises his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, tiny shimmers of light dance around us. It’s a simple trick, one he’s shown me countless times before, but it never fails to take my breath away.

I grin up at him, feeling a surge of warmth in my chest. “I love it when you do magic tricks for me.”

He returns my smile, leaning in to kiss my lips softly. “I’ll always do magic for you, Seraphina. Anything to see that smile on your face.”

I melt into his embrace, the worries of the outside world melting away as he holds me close. “I love you,” I whisper against his lips.

He pulls back slightly, his eyes searching mine. “I love you too, Sera. And I hope we’ll love each other for a long time.”

My heart swells with emotion, a lump forming in my throat. “What about forever?”

He doesn’t hesitate, leaning in to capture my lips in a passionate kiss. “Forever sounds perfect to me.”

I wrap my arms around him.

He holds me for a long time, letting his magic and our love surround us, his lips meeting mine over and over again.

I know that forever isn’t just a dream.

It’s a promise we’ll keep together, no matter what comes our way.