distracted her. Being with Addison only served to remind her
how dangerous and foolhardy this whole adventure was, and
that if anything went wrong, she would be on her own and far
from anyone who could help her.
Addison seemed to sense Verity’s disappointment because
she held out her hand and said, “Help me up. I’m ready,” even
though Verity saw her wince as she stood.
“We can rest a little bit longer if you need to,” Verity said.
“No, let’s keep going.”
They trudged forward, slower now, and whispering as
they went.
“The button fell off my soul mate’s shirt when we were in
the woods yesterday. Ever since I picked it up, this has been
happening to me,” Addison confessed.
She was sweating again now, and Verity had to stop every
few minutes so Addison could rest.
“Who do you think they are?” Verity asked.
“Our soul mates?”
“Do you think they’re real?”
“It feels real,” Addison said with a shiver.
“It feels real to me, too.”
Verity realized that they could have been anywhere now,
and if they didn’t find a way back to their cabin soon, they’d
be lost in the woods after dark. She watched Addison, who
was leaning against a downed, moss-covered tree, her arms
clutched tightly to her chest. Suddenly, though, she loosened
her grip and looked up, and her eyes fixed on something across
the clearing.
“It’s glowing,” Addison whispered. “Can’t you see it? It’s
so beautiful.”
203
