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dropped his head. When he raised his eyes to me, there was a smirk behind them, an unfaltering confidence that made my breath go still.
    “That is because you are in love with me, Jocelyn.” His revelation was so direct that my chest caved from the pressure. “And it’s the real thing. It’s not the fulfillment of some fated prophecy. It’s genuine…it’s authentic.”
    He stopped then, patiently waiting for my response. After his words sunk in, I could only manage to nod. My body had become immobile, my muscles tensing to the point they hurt.
    “That’s going to make it very difficult for the two of us to be around each other. And I can guarantee we’ll be here for the rest of summer…maybe into the fall…if we can’t figure a way out of this mess. Because we’ve shown a chink in The Sevens' armor now. We showed those people at Reception that The Sevens aren’t undefeatable. And those who escaped will bring the message, the truth, back to their provinces. But The Sevens will try to reclaim their power and they’ll do it violently and visibly. And that leaves everyone…everyone in jeopardy. Most of all…you.”
    Vaguely, I became aware of what he was doing. He had come to these conclusions earlier and was now under the impression that I hadn’t. He was trying to help me, once again.
    He ran his fingers through his hair while catching his breath and then continued on. “So where does that leave us?” he asked, though it sounded more like a lead-in, and it was. “It leaves us loving each other. Embracing it without shame. But you won’t allow for that. So, go ahead, stare at me. If that’s what you need to do, stare.” He turned back to the motor and just before pulling the cord, muttered, “…because that’s what I’ll be doing with you.”
    I wanted to respond. The urge was there, and it was strong. I wanted to tell him the truth, how I felt about our situation now, because it had changed, from the very moment I stood in front of The Sevens. But I couldn’t formulate the words. They were scattered, fragments floating in and out of my mind, drifting aimlessly like leaves on a pond. I tried, really tried, until frustration gradually absorbed me and it was all I felt.
    He started the engine and was turned the nose of the boat back on course. That left the impression that he wasn’t open to hearing what I had to say. It seemed that he needed time, which clearly was something that would benefit me, too.
    At breakfast, he sat on the opposite side of the room, brooding. I did my best to listen to the discussion on how The Sevens might retaliate, but only one comment caught my attention.
    Miss Mabelle, who meandered around the room serving and picking up bowls, muttered under her breath, “They’s definitely comin’ fer ya. Prophesy’s started. Started when ya went ta face ‘em. No stoppin’ it now….”
    Her words caused Jameson and me to lift our heads, finding Miss Mabelle wandering away after her unsolicited comments. Our eyes met when our line of sight crossed, and in that instant, a spark of energy coursed between us as if we were connected by a wire and someone had electrified it.
    Not to be outdone or forgotten, my mind reverted back to Jameson’s monologue in the boat. He had admitted he would be staring at me, which drilled home the fact his feelings hadn’t changed.
    The tension between him and I didn’t go unnoticed, unfortunately. Midway through our meal, Estelle exhaled loudly and said, “Whew, is anyone feeling that? I mean…even with the cast over this place, I can still…ewww….”
    Being directly in tune with the elements gave her a heightened sense of her environment, including the emotions in the air. I should have figured she’d pick up on it.
    Jameson, sitting in the corner, dipped his head toward his bowl, oblivious to the fact that we were about to be called out.
    “You feel that, too?” asked Oscar, who shared the same gift. Lifting his large frame, he sat up,