The statement about him being her lover had stayed in the back of Silvie’s mind, but not until now, staring into his eyes, did she understand how much she longed for the statement to be true.

“Should I have meant it?” she asked, sliding her hands up his arms.

The last of Johnis’s smile faded. His boyish charm was gone, replaced by a gaze of deep longing. His eyes swallowed her, like windows into a new world—a world that could be a sanctuary of perfect peace and love.

He stepped into her arms and enfolded her in his embrace. His head tilted slightly to one side, and he pulled her to himself. His soft lips pressed lightly against hers. Then he bit her lower lip tenderly, and she felt her mind spin.

This was Johnis, the man who had led her into terrible danger, to the brink of death, alongside impossible odds, for the sake of love and loyalty—the chosen one who’d never faltered or strayed from the way of his heart.

This was the man she’d fallen madly in love with. Having that love returned now sealed her own longing. Silvie pressed against him and passionately returned his embrace. They kissed long and tenderly, hearts pounding against each other’s chests.

Other sixteen-year-olds in Middle were joining in marriage, but she and Johnis had crossed worlds to find their love. And nothing could possibly be sweeter. When she pulled away from him, she half-expected the night to have passed, but the sky was still black, and the Chevy’s lamps still drilled the darkness with its two beams of brilliant light.

Johnis was breathing steadily. He smiled and drew her close again. “I’ve dreamed of that longer than you know.”

“You have?”

“From the moment I saw you fighting over the Horde ball in Middle, I wondered what it would be like to kiss you.”

“Then it’s not just the air here?”

“No,” he said and kissed her again. “Definitely not, although the air does seem to loosen things up a bit, doesn’t it?”

“Just a bit.” She smiled, and they kissed yet again.

A thumping sound joined her heart, like a muted drum in the sky. The sound jerked her back to earth.

“What’s that?”

They scrambled to the top of the knoll on their right and saw the source of the beating—a bird or flying car, moving across the horizon slowly, shining a light onto the road they’d traveled. Lights from cars racing toward the city stretched out along the big road beyond.

“They’re looking for us!” she said. “They’ll see the lamps!”

Johnis spun and raced back to the car. “How did you ignite them?”

She slid into the seat next to him and turned the lamps off. “Now what?”