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my old life. I knew it was irrational. My mother was locked up and my father no longer had the power or the desire to control me.
    Another part of me worried I would wake up from this fantastical dream and have to put on one of those horrible skirts.
    I shifted closer to Kai, hoping he’d get the hint. He did.
    He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight against his chest. For this to be believable, I had to pretend he was Puck. So I closed my eyes and imagined I was back in Las Vegas. Within minutes, I was fast asleep.

Chapter 3
    Alejandro taught me how to bleed power into plants. It was fairly easy. I discovered that every time I did, the essence of the plant stayed with me for a while. It was mostly about the smell. Puck loved it when I’d been playing in the rose garden, but he wouldn’t come anywhere near me when I’d been tending Alejandro’s jalapeños.
    The next morning, I rolled over and expected to see Puck. Instead I found Kai, asleep, peaceful. His face was relaxed, childlike. I tried to sense his Destroyer energy, but there was nothing dark. He was pure Guardian, smelling of soap and sunshine. How was he pulling this off? I thought about touching his cheek, but I didn’t want to wake him. I slipped out of bed and found a pair of flip-flops by the door. Kai never stirred.
    I escaped out to the greenhouse. The air was heavy with humidity. This afternoon would be hot and unbearable, so now would be the only time I’d be able to work in my garden without feeling miserable. A year ago that thought would’ve never crossed my mind. I’d have been in my garden no matter the heat. But now I had nothing to hide from, so I could be picky about when I went.
    I grabbed a couple of clippers and a bucket from the greenhouse and made the short walk to the garden. It was overgrown, but very much alive. This garden felt more like my Grandmother. I found her favorite rose, Maiden’s Blush, which she’d planted a couple of years before she died. As I worked, I focused on feeling its energy. I fed a little of my own into each stem and could smell it coming out of the bloom. I shouldn’t be angry with Kai for bringing me back to this house. I was glad to be with my roses again.
    After I trimmed all the plants, I went back to the greenhouse with a few Ruth Alexanders that I wanted to blend with a yellow rose Kai put in the new greenhouse. I hoped to get a color similar to Ruth’s hair.
    I entered the greenhouse and found Kai waiting there. My grip tightened on my roses. He smiled, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
    “Hey, Beautiful. I brought you breakfast.”
    He handed me a plate with a muffin and a banana. I smiled. Last year, his muffins and bananas on Sundays cinched my ability to trust him when I’d never physically seen him.
    “How did you know?” I asked.
    “Know what?”
    “That my father didn’t let me eat on Sundays.”
    He sighed and leaned against the table.
    “I didn’t know specifically about you, but I knew that the women in the church weren’t allowed to eat on Sundays.”
    “I could’ve gotten in trouble, you know.”
    He grinned. “No, you were smarter than that. I knew you’d hide it.”
    Just like that, the spell broke. I clenched my fists. Kai had taken care of me, but he used me. He wanted me with him because I was an easy energy source. For a second I had forgotten Puck. My sole purpose was to bring Kai back to the Guardians and return to Puck. Not to worry about whether or not Kai loved me. It would be better if he didn't love me, actually. Then he wouldn’t be hurt when was is all over.
    “What’s on the agenda for today?” I asked, changing the subject.
    He paused his pacing, but still bounced on his feet. “Not much, chilling at home. Maybe we’ll go down to the creek.”
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    “Sure, why?”
    “You’re jittery.”
    He laughed and ran a shaking hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m like that a lot now. I don’t really want to talk about