Chapter 21

KAI'S POV

I knocked lightly on the door in front of Zara's door, and my heart was pounding a bit faster than usual—damn it. This had to work; she had to believe that I was really trying hard.

"Come in," her soft voice echoed from inside.

I knocked softly, turned the handle, and went in. Zara had been gazing out the window at the sunset, whose light spilled on her as something soft. It gave her a surreal look. But there, in the eyes, was the sadness that anchored her to reality.

"Hey," I said, as casual as possible with tense silence in the room. "I brought you something.".….

She eyed me warily. "What is it?"

Moving a step closer, I handed her the package. "Open it and see."

She took it from my hands, and with ostentatious slowness, as if she were working up her nerves to the contents, she commenced unwrapping it. The wrapping was cautiously taken off. In the neat little paper-packet was an exquisitely embossed book. Surprise beamed from the windows of her soul as she read its title.