We’re sitting on the bed in our hotel room in Bar Harbor, the one we shared before the final leg of our journey to Castor Island. Levi’s on one side, leaning back on the pillows, his hand behind his head. I’m sitting cross-legged mere inches from him, but it feels like miles. With every breath I take, I sense Levi watching me. In my mind, all I can think is I want the gap between us to disappear. We’re only on opposite sides of the bed, but I never want to be this far from him again. Ever.

“Levi?” I say, my voice breathless and unsure.

“Yes?” he answers. I cling to his voice like a lifeline.

“Did you mean what you told Gravelle? That coming to Darkwood was…a mistake? That it—that I—wasn’t good for you?”

Levi looks at me, his brow furrowed. With his fingers, he smooths out the thigh of his dark-washed jeans. I see the lean muscles of his arms tensing, and I’m reminded of how much I love the feeling of those arms wrapped around me…

In two seconds flat, he’s bridged the distance between us on the bed.

“Levi, I—”

Whatever I was going to say doesn’t matter, because Levi’s mouth is on my mouth, and we are kissing, and finally, finally, I have him back.

I wake with a start, sweating, grasping for the image of him and me, together, in each other’s arms. I know before I even open my eyes that it’s gone, because it was only a dream. Levi isn’t here. All I want to do is buzz him. Talk to him. Write to him. But Gravelle’s threat lingers in my mind. I can’t put Levi in danger. Maybe you already have.

I trudge to a late Saturday morning breakfast. On my way to the dining hall, I pass Archer, who’s looking surprisingly fresh this morning after his drunken interlude. He’s standing with several first-year kids, posing for pictures with a plum on a selfie stick. They’re fawning all over him.

When I make it to the cafeteria, Ollie’s there, sitting with Pru and the Similars. He surprises me with a tray of my favorite foods: a bagel, dry toast, one egg sunny-side up, and black coffee. The selection makes me smile. He knows me so well.

“No sugar, no milk. I don’t know how you drink it without gagging, but there you go.” Ollie smirks.

I play punch him, relieved the spell of last night seems to be broken. He’s acting like normal Ollie.

“What’d I miss last night?” I ask my friends in between bites of toast.

“After Archer’s over-the-top speech?” Pru answers. “Everyone danced. Masks came off. The usual. But tell us about Ransom! What happened?”

“Ransom?” Maude asks sharply. “What about him?”