Book Six: Chapter 4

“You’re second to no one,” Mike told her, his voice low and steady as he looked into her deep, watery eyes. The warmth of the room seemed to intensify as he held her gaze. “And this is, by far, way better than warming up with hot cocoa. No amount of sugar and chocolate can compete with this.”

“Is that what the others are doing?” Naia asked with a playful tilt of her head. She winked at him, her blue-tinted skin shimmering under the soft light of the cabin. “There’s plenty of room in here if anyone else wants to join us. I’m a very generous hostess, you know.”

“Oh, I kind of snuck away,” Mike admitted, a sheepish grin crossing his face. “Beth convinced the others to come join her at the hot springs, and...”

His voice trailed off as he shook his head sadly, his expression darkening for a fleeting moment. The mention of the springs hit him like a physical blow to th