Page 25 of Hallowed Tree

“I’m honestly not sure. I can’t help but wonder what the process is for all those trees to communicate through their roots. Does it take seconds like a text message or is it more like a carrier pigeon delivering a note?” He chuckled at his own imagery, making me fall for him even harder.

“That’s an interesting question, but that isn’t really what I meant. Do you think the prayers around the fire helped sway that Hallowed Tree at all? They’re so majestic, and now we know how powerful they are. Do you think they laughed at our puny attempt?”

Buck kissed my temple. “I think that your orgasm has faded, so you’re back in your head. It’s barely dawn. Would you like to take a romantic stroll and go check on the tree?”

Rolling over, I propped my chin on my clasped hand so I could read his expression. “Do you mind?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. I planned homemade muffins for our guests this morning, and with all of the drama from yesterday, I never got around to it. We can walk out to the pond, check the tree, and then pop back into the kitchen and get to work on the breakfast buffet.

Groaning, I flopped onto my back. “Ugh. What have you done to me? You’re being responsible, and I want to go check on the tree limb, then come back to your room and…”

“Fuck like bunnies?” he asked with laughter in his tone.

“No.” He snorted. “Yes,” I admitted. “But you’re right. We have work to do.”

We dressed in a blink of an eye and began our slow trek out to the pond. It was peaceful in the pale light of morning. The soothing sounds of nature waking up around us, and I thought perhaps I’d like to do that every day. “This is nice.”

He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back. “It is. We should do this every morning.”

How had he read my mind so easily? Was I that transparent to him? Was it even a bad thing if I was? I thought about Chance and Jetty and how wholly and completely they loved each other and decided that I was going to enjoy having someone know me like that. I pulled him to a stop and kissed him senseless for pursuing me, for waiting on me, for loving me. “We should.”

Always one to go with the flow, Buck grinned happily, and we made our way to the branch hanging over the pond. “Buck,” I gasped.

“Heck ya!” He fist-pumped the air with the hand not holding mine. “The sludge is gone!”

An overwhelming feeling of gratitude flooded my being. As one, Buck and I made our way to the tree trunk, and with our hands still joined, we hugged it. “Thank you, Hallowed Tree,” I said softly into the morning.

The bark grew less real under us, and we glanced at each other, smiling, before stepping into the heart of the oak. The purple-green mist swirled into being before us. “Thank you, guardian.” It stilled. “I apologize. I see you have bonded your souls for eternity. Thank you, guardians, for all you have done. For waking your people up to the call of our hearts.”

“You can see it?” Buck asked. “That will be together forever?”

The many voices of the mist laughed, and I rolled my eyes. “He meant you’re welcome, Hallowed Tree.”

“Yes, I know,” they said, sounding amused. “And yes, I can see the twining of your spirits. Your own but also together.”

That had to be the best thing I’d ever heard right after Buck telling me he loved me. An entity who was older than…old, saw our bond. Joy sang through my essence.

“What made you decide to give us another chance?” Buck asked curiously.

“You and your friends helped, but mostly, it was the walker of dreams. We thought they were gone forever, but with him and his soulmate, there is hope for mankind.”

“Soulmate?” Buck mouthed to me.

Of course, the big softie went straight to Kingston’s love life. “I’m not sure what a walker of dreams is,” I admitted.

“You shall see. For now, be well, love hard, and guard well. This land is safe for a long, long time.”

A gentle breeze blew, and we found ourselves back next to the pond. Buck picked me up and swung me around. “Did you hear the Hallowed Tree? You’re truly mine forever, love.”

Smiling down at him, I cupped his cheeks. “Forever.”

As our lips came together, I lost myself in his kiss. There would be more trying days ahead. Evil spirits, wayward ghosts, whatever adventures were ahead for Kingston, and possibly a broken heart for Skylar, depending on who Kingston’s soulmate turned out to be. But there was also friendship and family, love and forever.

We pulled apart at the sound of someone clearing their throat. An older apparition I’d never seen before stood nearby. Buck glanced from the man and then to me. “Would you like to meet some of my friends who live out here at the pond, love?”

His life was mine and mine was his, and I was ready to embrace it. “I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.”