“Rest assured that your knife won’t be needed, or extremely effective. I’m Nadine. I believe you’ve heard of me,” she started by saying. “Nate will be back in just a second. I told him I thought you were coming around and a glass of warm broth would probably be appreciated. I thought we had a little bit more time, or I’m sure he would’ve asked someone else to see to it.”
“How did I get here? The last thing I remember was being laid out in a forest clearing.”
“It’s probably best if Nate does that type of explaining. All I can tell you is that I got an urgent call from someone named Eva to hightail it to this house. When I got here, it took a lot of persuasion to get past your guards. Once I proved I wasn’t here to harm you, I went to work on lifting the spell,” she explained. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you the spell the warlock cast wasn’t an extremely nice one.”
I’d already heard about it, so no I wasn’t surprised. I focused on something else she’d said instead of asking for more information about the spell. I doubted I’d understand anything she had to say on the subject.
“Eva actually called? I wasn’t aware she could even use a phone. She doesn’t seem to be in touch with modern technology.” I thought about her reaction to the Furby, and wondered what she’d do with a smart phone.
“Well, it wasn’t really a telephone call. I was getting a little practice in with my scrying bowl and the message came through loud and clear. I’ve never had something happen so clearly, so I knew it had to be important. You must have very powerful friends. I wonder why she didn’t remove the spell herself.”
“She’s a powerful being, but she isn’t a sorceress. She’s actually one of the three Fates.” It didn’t feel like much of a secret anymore, and Nadine had already had contact with her.
“You’re friends with the giver of life?” she asked. When I looked at her questioningly, she added, “That’s what Eva means. Unless the Fates have gone loopy and changed their names around, there’s only one you could be speaking of. I’ve heard they like to have fun, but their gifts aren’t something they mess around with.”
“Well, she’s pretty loopy, but she claims to be the Fate you mentioned. For some reason, she believes we’re great friends, which I have no memory of.”
“For her to contact a low on the ladder sorceress like me to come and help you, I imagine you’re really close friends. Usually the Gods and Goddesses of her days don’t even bother with this world anymore,” she said.
“She was sending me to you when we were done with the warlock who attacked me. I’m a little new to the whole sorceress thing, and she thought you could help me with some training,” I explained.
“I would be honored,” she replied.
“I’d like to know why you didn’t call to me the second you woke up,” Nate said, entering the room.
“Hi, sugar britches. Did you miss me?”
He hurried over and set the coffee mug he’d brought on the bedside table. Then he swept me into his arms for a big hug and a million kisses over any bare skin he could find.
“I’ll leave you two alone for a little while,” I heard Nadine say before she exited the room.
“Shackles, I’m telling you shackles,” he said when he finally got done covering me in kisses.
I started laughing. “I half expected to wake up in them. So, what’s the damage; how long have I been out?”
“Eighty-five hours, twenty-two minutes and six seconds,” he replied.
“So you’re telling me you weren’t really keeping track. I’m guessing the evil warlocks from the battle were all defeated,” I said, wanting to get caught up from the moment I checked out.
“Yeah, we tortured that last one for a little while for what he did to you. We all took a turn at hacking him into little bits before finally burning him up,” he said as he snuggled into the bed with me, so he was sitting behind me and I was kind of lying slash sitting on top of him. As he was moving around, he lifted his hand to display a box. “What’s this?” he asked.
Remembering the box as my birthday gift from Eva, I took it from him and unwrapped it without saying anything. I opened the lid on it and found my phoenix necklace inside.
“Where did you get that?” Nate asked, sounding like he was shocked to see it.
“Eva just returned it to me,” I said, putting it on. The second I did, I started seeing flashes of my past life. I wasn’t expecting them and they came hard and fast. When they finally stopped I said, “Dang it, that isn’t fair.”
“What’s not fair? That’s the necklace I gave to you at our first soul-bonding ceremony. I spent years making it, hoping to get it just right,” he said.
“I know and that’s what isn’t fair. I wanted us to get married in a few weeks without me remembering you. That sneaky Eva tricked me and gave me back all those memories.” My vision started to blur a little bit as tears started multiplying.
“Wait, you remember me? You’re joking, right?”
“No, I’m not joking, and don’t you be happy about it for even a second, because I most definitely am not. Why couldn’t she wait and give it to me as a wedding present or something. I swear the next time she pops up, I’m throwing my most powerful fireball at her,” I said grumpily. It was all just a defense mechanism to get the tears to stop.
Nate started laughing, and after a few seconds he didn’t seem to be able to stop, so I elbowed him in the ribs. “Not funny,” I hissed.
“I know you’re being mad at the moment, but there’s no way I can’t be overjoyed at what you just told me,” he said, and the kisses started again.
“Whatever. Why don’t you go be happy on the other side of the house? Where is everyone anyway? You usually all like to stare at me when I’m passed out.” I would’ve thought at least Rick would be around, poking me with something sharp to see if I was faking it.
“Well, the other leaders have started to arrive for our meeting tomorrow and everyone has been trying to entertain them since I’ve not been willing to leave your side.”
“Why don’t you give me some of that broth, and then let me take a shower so I can go do some mingling myself. I should probably get to know these leaders a little before I ask them to let me reveal their lifelong secrets,” I said, sitting up and reaching for the broth. I drank it down quickly and put the glass back.
“You sure you’re feeling well enough for that? No weird aftereffects of the spell?” he asked.
“Other than a huge amount of anger towards Eva, I think I feel fine,” I informed him.
“Is it really that bad remembering me? I mean other than knowing what the sex is going to be like, there wasn’t a whole lot that should’ve been a big reveal,” he said. “We’ve loved each other forever, and I’ve already told you that a million times.”
“Of course your mind would go straight for the gutter. No, it isn’t going to be horrible, but until we do the rebonding I’m going to feel like you and go crazy every time there’s just a wall between us. How in the world have you survived this all these months?” I asked, realizing why I kept finding him in my bed.
“I won’t say it’s been easy, but I’ve made do by carrying a lock of hair I snipped off not long after I found you,” he replied. Five minutes prior to those words, I would’ve probably found that extremely creepy, but I totally understood why he’d need a piece of me with him at all times.
“It’s already starting. I’m not disgusted at all by what you just said,” I said in mock horror.
“We can always go ahead and bond now, if that would make you feel better. We can still have your little wedding later to satisfying the girl under that rough exterior,” he offered.
“I really want to say no, because I wanted to do it at the wedding, but with everything going on, we can’t have the distraction of me flipping out when you aren’t in view. I know how perfectly romantic that sounded too, but now I know you’re used to that.”
He laughed. “I really like that getting your memories back hasn’t chan
ged your personality one bit. Not that your current personality is that different from your old one. I just think you’re a little more frank this go around.”
I thought back with my new memory and saw that he was right. I’d always been a little mouthy.
“So, you ready for our ceremony?” I asked.
“I never thought you’d ask,” he replied. “Fire bright as morning light; together as one all will be done.”
“Hearts that are connected will always be protected; love that is pure will forever be sure,” I said my solo part from memory.
“As rulers of the birds all will hear our words; we are together again until the very end,” we finished together. I could feel an electric pulse travel throughout my body as my awareness of Nate heightened.
“God, that feels so good,” he said as the pulse mellowed. “I’ve been missing that for so long now. You better not get any ideas to become some super sorceress or something where you’d need to take a prolonged resurrection again.”
“Well, I can’t promise anything, since we both know I’ll do anything to protect us and our people,” I replied.
“I know, but if there’s a next time, at least keep the memories of me,” he said.
“Speaking of memories, it’s kind of funny, but I’m not remembering the month or so before that resurrection. When I got the memories of Rick and the kids I remember, I just thought it meant I didn’t see them that last month, but I’m sure I would’ve seen you. Knowing there should be some kind of memories there makes it feel like I have this black hole in my mind.”
“That’s a little weird, but maybe it will come back to you as other things do,” he suggested.
“We leave you guys alone for five minutes and you go and have a bonding ceremony without any witnesses,” Rick said as he entered the room unannounced.
“Now, Freddie, I’m surprised you just walked in here like that. After most of our bonding ceremonies we’re fornicating like rabbits. Can you imagine having that image stuck in your head?” I asked.
“Now, little sis, you say that as if you actually remember your previous bonding ceremonies. Don’t tell me that warlock actually did you a favor and you came out of your coma with some extra memories,” Rick replied.
“The ‘favor’ as you call it was actually from Eva, who I’m extremely upset with. I didn’t want the Nate memories until after our wedding, but I got them after putting on a necklace she left for me. Once the memories were there, we really didn’t have a choice other than do the ceremony.”
“Yes, I know I just bonded for the umpteenth time with the most romantic girl in the world,” Nate said, kissing my neck.
“Well, if you guys are done being lovey dovey for a while, we have a guest who would like to see Avery. I imagine he’s going to have to see Nate too, but I’m pretty sure he’s okay with that,” Rick told us.
Intrigued, I shooed them out of the room so I could get a shower. Three days lying comatose in bed was not good for the hair, even if I was fairly certain Nate had made sure animals didn’t have a place to nest.
The resynching of our souls made it so I could feel Nate at all times, and know exactly where he was. In all of our lives, we’d never been more than ten miles away from each other, so I didn’t know what the distance on it was, but I imagined it didn’t really matter how far away we were. We’d always be able to find each other.
After a quick shower, I put on my knives, which were all laid out in their proper places, my jeans and a shirt that said It is good to be alive. Really there wasn’t a more appropriate shirt for the day. Having a shirt for just about every circumstance came in handy.
I took a look in the mirror real quick to make sure I wouldn’t frighten any of the leaders I was bound to meet. My hair didn’t need any more than my fingers run through it. Once I got the tangles out, I threw on some sandals and headed out to meet my mystery guest.
CHAPTER 22
The jerk chapter