“Well. They’re my family. They have to,” she joked. She tugged him back into motion, and together they swayed across the first wooden bridge between here and home.

“Some like you… more than family.” His voice went low.

Her heart throbbed. She didn’t need to ask. She knew what he meant.

She’d spent all evening dodging Elex. She hadn’t felt ready to talk yet, even though she’d caught him approaching more than once. She kept pulling Bette or another Traveler out onto the dance floor instead and pretending not to notice him.

It was a conversation she didn’t even understand how to begin.

“If you mean Elex…” Zofi started.

Vidal nodded so hard they nearly tripped sideways off the bridge.

“Whoa, hold it together.” Zofi caught him around the waist. Swung him to a halt. They stood face-to-face—or, well, her face to his chest. He was so much taller than her. But he bent closer, and the Noxlight caught his eyes. Made that muddy hazel-brown color seem deep and dark as the marsh they stood above.

“I saw him watching you, Zofi. Every time you started to dance, or every time you were talking to somebody else. Anytime he didn’t think you’d notice.”

“Vidal,” she whispered.

“Look, I’m not an idiot.” He ran a hand across his eyes. “You’ve got history, that’s obvious. And I know whatever happened with us… It was just one night with some guy you hardly know; some guy from a whole different world. But Zofi, I have to tell you.”

“You’re drunk, Vidal.” She caught his hands. Tried to tug him toward camp. “Let’s just go to bed.” She didn’t want to hear this. Not here, not like this.

But Vidal didn’t move. Instead, he twisted his arm free of her grasp, and touched her shoulder. Waited until she lifted her gaze to his. “I want you to know it was real for me, Zofi,” he said, voice soft and quiet. “You are real to me. Whatever happens now, whatever you choose… I don’t regret anything.”

Her breath slowed. Threatened to stop altogether when he leaned in. His mouth was so damn close she could almost taste him again, like clean hay and fresh-cut grass and winning a fight. Her eyelids fluttered. Drifted shut. She felt his eyelashes brush her cheek, his warm breath on her lips.

Someone coughed.

Vidal’s hands slipped off her arms. They both turned to find Elex.

“Zofi. Vidal,” Elex added, a beat too late. Like an afterthought.

Vidal took another step backward. “Zofi, I’ll see you back at camp?”

“Wait,” she started to say, worried about his balance on these swamp bridges. But Vidal had already retreated across the first, and his gait seemed far steadier now. The fresh air must be helping. That or the head rush of what he’d just said to her.

You are real to me.