“
I guess I don’t entirely understand,” I said, contemplating.
“
My dear, you two are the original soul mates.”
I felt my brow creasing as I absorbed Dominick’s meaning. Then, my eyes widened and I drew in a sigh of amazement. “We’re the-”
My sentence was never finished as I was transported back through the space that separates each dimension.
Before my eyes were open the throbbing ache reached my consciousness.
Groaning, I moved my hand to the wound intending to press against it and subdue the pain but another hand seized mine and stopped its course.
“
Not yet, my love,” Eran whispered. “Pressure will only reopen it.”
The sound of his enchanting, English accent gave me the motivation to wake fully.
“
Eran,” I whispered, a smile pulling at my cheeks as I took in every fine detail of his handsomely-chiseled face.
He gently lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my wrist.
“
Magdalene…” he murmured against my skin, tickling me with his breath.
I giggled lightly but didn’t pull away. When he lifted his head, he was smiling and there was serenity in it that calmed me instantly.
“
I missed you.”
It took only a second before we realized we’d each said it simultaneously and our grins deepened.
I attempted to shift closer to him only to notice I was tethered, the movement yanking on something attached to the middle of my forearm.
“
What…” I muttered, going in search of it.
It only took a second to find the thing causing the restriction. A needle was injected in my arm, secured to a tube which wound up and over a metal stand where a bag of fluids hung.
Eran cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“
How long has it been?” I asked.
“
Seven days. You were asleep for seven days.” His voice was wistful, heartrending. Then his hand dropped, carrying mine with it, but he wouldn’t release it, still needing to feel connected to me. “You’re healing well. No sign of Fallen Ones and you’ll be impressed, I think, with the progress the Alterums have made.”
“
They’re still training?”
“
They are. I’ve even convinced Gershom to share his skills.”
“
You’re joking.”
He shook his head. “Gershom’s been holding sessions twice a day. He’s a wealth of information on the Fallen Ones…having been one at one point.”
I imagined he would be. “And you? What have you been doing?”
He leaned back, avoiding the question. “Don’t worry about me.”
I assessed him closely, noting his disheveled hair, groggy eyes, and the clothes he wore – which hadn’t been changed since I last saw him.
“
You haven’t left my bedside once, did you?”
“
Magdalene, don’t worry-”
“
Eran,” I stated. “You can’t do that to yourself. I don’t want you to do that to yourself…not for me. You need to-”
He cut me off with a kiss, one that started out intending to simply end my rant but turned passionate, tempting.
“
Now…” he said behind his signature smirk, having gotten the appropriate response he sought in quieting me. It was charming and antagonizing at the same time. “Now that I have your full attention, did you find Dominick?”
Grudgingly, I answered him. “Yes.”
“
And did you ask about Ms. Barrett and how to handle her?”
“
I did.”
“
And?” he urged, knowing I was intentionally withholding answers until I was reassured he wouldn’t sacrifice himself to be stationed at my bedside again. “All right, Magdalene. I’ll make sure to take a five minute break at times.”
“
Thirty,” I demanded. “At least.”
He moaned reluctantly. “Fine…thirty.”
“
Thank you,” I said properly placated. “Yes, I did find Dominick and he was very helpful. Ms. Barrett has suffered at the hands of Fallen Ones before so he suggested we delicately guide her. In fact, he suggested we guide all the Alterums.”
“
I assumed as much. They aren’t known for their preservation instinct. I was actually inspired by the number of Alterums who stayed and have been learning to fight.”
Eran’s gaze had drifted towards the window where below I could hear Rufus bellow a command only to immediately follow it with, “Ahh, blimey…That force ain’t goin’ to do nothin’ but tickle yer enemy. Use yer weight! USE YER WEIGHT!”
Eran chuckled and shook his head at Rufus’s training style. “Of course, they might not stick around.”
I laughed with Eran before we fell silent again and then I opened my mouth to speak before realizing what I was doing.
“
He also told me…” I began to say, allowing my voice to trail off.
“
Dominick?” Eran inquired. “What else did he say?”
I swallowed, realizing I was anxious to acknowledge it, to even mention it.
Eran turned to face me fully, sensing the discomfort with what I was holding back. “Magdalene? Whatever Dominick said was in our best interest to learn.”
“
Right…Right.” I said, reminding myself he’d been Eran’s mentor. “He said…I don’t know why I’m having such a tough time telling you.”
Eran was growing increasingly worried now, which was precisely what should not have been happening given that Dominick’s news was positive.
In an effort to erase the nervousness from Eran’s expression, I blurted out, “He said we were the first soul mates.”
Silence filled the room then as Eran only blinked in reaction. Then he leaned forward and took both my hands in his own. “Magdalene, why was it so hard to tell me? Why so uncomfortable?”
I opened my mouth and closed it twice before answering. “Because I don’t want anything to change between us. I’ve always known what I felt for you was too intense…too powerful to be anything different. But you…I didn’t know how you might react. But you don’t seem…surprised…whatsoever. Did you-Did you already know?”
“
Yes,” he replied plainly.
“
But how?” I asked in amazement. “Did Dominick tell you?”
“
He didn’t need to, Magdalene. I felt it just like you. I knew you were missing me when you were on the other side these last seven days. I knew you were speaking to me…”
“
You heard me?” I asked, bewildered.
“
Felt would be more accurate.”
The breath caught in my throat took a second to dislodge. “So you’ve always known?”
“
I always knew the intensity of my emotions for you but it took me a while to understand them. Only when I tied them in with our ability to feel each other’s reactions did I grasp what it meant.” Noting my confused stare, he went on. “We feel each other because we are uniquely bound to each other, Magdalene. We are two pieces to one whole and because of it somehow what we feel transcends space and time.”
He leaned further towards me until our lips almost met and then he stopped, an inch away. The pressure in him was undeniable as his breathing staggered and he swallowed hard.
“
I…” he exhaled sharply, his breath tantalizing me. “I need you.”
“
It’s the same for me…”
He groaned loudly and sat up, tilting his head to the ceiling, fighting his desires. “And that’s why I’m refraining.” As if to cement the statement, he said again, “I’m refraining.”
As he stood and moved to the window, he repeated it twice more. “Damn bad timing and injuries…” he muttered, staring outside, his teeth clenching so tight I could see the edge of his jaw protruding.
From below, we heard Gershom shouting commands, his tone taking on a growing level of confidence. Other than the sparing in the courtyard, there was no other sound and the room began to weigh heavily on me. So, I shifted and dropped my legs over the bed and pulled the needle from my arm.
“
What do you think you’re doing?” Eran asked, already crossing the floor towards me.
“
Getting up.”
“
Oh no you’re not.”
“
Yes, Eran. I am.”
“
No…you’re not.” This voice was equally as determined but it came from the doorway where Evelyn now stood. Just behind her was Ezra. Both of them wore frowns.
“
Eran, get her back in bed,” said Evelyn marching towards us.
“
Doctor’s orders,” Eran said, smirking as if he’d just won a bet.
“
Doctor?” I asked, confused.
“
Evelyn’s the house healer. She’s the one who stitched your wound,” Eran explained in my ear as he gently forced me back to my pillow.
“
And it was a nasty one at that,” said Evelyn. “You’ll be recovering for the next few days.”
“
In bed?” I exclaimed.
No. There was too much to be done. There were the hunts to pick back up, the Alterum trainings, preparation for the next attack by the Fallen Ones…
“
That’s correct. The next few days, you’re going to spend the time healing.” From this declaration alone I could tell how stubborn Evelyn could be. “I don’t want that injury to open again during a battle and render you useless. It puts you and those around you at risk.”
It was also hard to argue with her logic.
She was at my side, inspecting the healing process as Ezra stood at the edge of my bed and Eran by the window.
When Evelyn replaced my bandages, she stood and seemed pleased. “Coming along nicely. We’ll check it again in a few hours. Get some rest.”
I groaned. “There is no way I’m going to rest.” I was too anxious. There was too much to do.
As if waiting for the opportunity, Ezra grinned and stepped forward. “Excellent, then you’ll have time for studying.” She placed a hand on the stack of books piled on the table beside my bed.
I wondered why I hadn’t noticed them before. Probably deliberate denial.
“
Scowling at them won’t help,” she said. “And it’s better than playing catch up when you get back to school.”
“
Right…” I muttered under my breath. “Right…”
Ezra placed an advanced Physics book on my lap and then patted my arm, encouraging me.
At least Ms. Beedinwigg will be pleased I hadn’t forgone my schoolwork.
“
Well,” Ezra sighed, appearing satisfied with herself. “I have to run. I’m needed in the kitchen.”
“
The kitchen?” I asked.
“
Isn’t that usually Felix’s domain?” Eran asked, following my line of thought.
“
Yes, I’m playing mediator. Felix has harangued the poor cook to let him prepare one meal and the cook is not happy with the selection.”
“
What is it?” asked Eran, already stifling a grin.
Ezra was at the door by then but she paused to peer over her shoulder with an amused smirk. “Braised cow tongue with lemon pepper mousse.” She giggled then. “Poor man has no idea…”
We watched her leave, just as amused as she was, but when the door closed the room seemed to absorb tension. Then Evelyn looked at Eran curiously.
“
Now that Maggie is awake…and given that she’s healing well…may I ask what your plans are?”
“
I’m not sure what you mean.”
She walked to the window where Eran stood and pointedly glanced down to the courtyard.
“
They could use your help.”
Eran’s head turned to me.
“
Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Good enough to get up…” I hinted, to which Evelyn responded with a glare.
Eran watched the action below for a few long seconds and then said, “Maybe an extra hand may help.”
With that, Eran became the Alterum’s newest instructor. I was happy for him and the fact he wouldn’t be sitting around pining at my bedside.
“
Excellent. I’ll go inform them. Now…it looks like there’s someone else here to see you,” Evelyn announced as she left the room, squeezing by Gershom, who was peering around the edge of the opened bedroom door. He seemed to be nervous about something but for the life of me I couldn’t understand what it might be.
“
It’s all right,” I coaxed him in. “We’re all fully clothed.”
He sneered at my joke and stepped inside.
“
How are you feeling?” he asked, stopping a few paces in.
“
Fine. If it weren’t for the monstrous ache in my side I’d be running a marathon.”
“
Well, at least her sense of humor is back,” he said to Eran.
“
Not sure that’s an entirely good thing,” Eran teased.
I playfully glowered at Eran who simply winked back jovially, acting both annoying and charming at the same time.
“
So…no wooziness? No fever? No shakes?”
Gershom’s interest in my recovery was a little too keen for me to take his question lightly.
I squinted my eyes at him.
“
Why are you asking, Gershom?” Eran pressed, also suspicious.
“
Well, I was thinking…” he said, hesitant, cautiously stepping forward. “After you got hurt, Maggie…Maybe your nighttime hunts aren’t such a good idea in-”
“
Oh, not you too?” I asked, offended.