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“Well, to start, these witches really freak me out. I can’t believe they were able to remove your abilities. I’ve never heard of such a thing before. Wait a minute…did you actually sense that I was bothered? Does that mean that not all your powers are gone?”
He looked grim. “No, they’re gone. I simply know you well enough to know that your mind won’t shut off right now. I figured you’d be awake. What else is going through your head?”
“Well, mainly I’ve been wondering what we’ll encounter in Faerie; how the people will treat us. I’ve also been worried about you. About us.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What specifically are you worried about with us?”
I shifted in bed and started wringing my hands. “Well, I don’t really know how to explain it. When we were together earlier, that last time, I got a really weird vibe from you. I felt like you were…saying goodbye.”
He sighed, not confirming or denying anything.
“What’s going on, Leo? Have you lost interest because the thrill of the chase is gone?”
His head snapped up. “What? No. I don’t see myself ever losing interest, especially after everything we’ve shared over these past few weeks.”
“Well, then what’s the problem? I know I wasn’t imagining it. Something’s wrong, and I think I deserve to know what that is.”
“It’s not that I’ve lost interest,” he began, “but I’ve been around long enough to know how these things work, my love.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He sighed. “Vance’s arrival has changed things. Seeing you two together… knowing you share so many ties, changes things.”
“I don’t
want to be with Vance,” I argued. “Didn’t you feel how much I wanted you while we were making love?”
“So you’re ready to walk down the hall and tell him that we’re together?” I hesitated, giving him the answer without saying a word. “I rest my case.”
I shook my head. “No. You’re reading too much into it. It’s because I don’t want to hurt him. I just need a little more time to break it to him.”
“I sincerely hope that’s all it is.”
“Why does it sound like you’re bowing out?”
“I’m not,” he shrugged. “I’m being realistic.” He took my face into his hands. “I love you, Karli. And I can feel the same from you. But I don’t think it’s to the same degree.”
“You can’t measure feelings.”
“Sure you can,” he insisted. “Or at least anyone with our psychic abilities can. When we make love, I can feel the depth of your emotion for me. I know it’s there. I’m simply saying yours is not as strong as mine.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s not,” he countered. “And do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because when Vance showed up—whenever you two occupy the same space for that matter—I can feel your emotion towards him. It’s buried under a mountain of pain right now, but if you look hard enough, it’s there, and it’s stronger than what you feel for me. I had hoped being together would change that, but you’re still as conflicted as you’ve always been. Maybe in time the scales will tip in my favor, but maybe they won’t.”
“So what are you saying? You don’t even want to try?” I wasn’t going to bother denying my feelings for Vance. I knew they were there, but that didn’t mean I wanted to act on them. Not anymore.
He shook his head. “Of course I want to try…I’m not giving you up that easily. But for now, I think we need to table whatever is happening between us. I don’t know what’s going to happen on the other side of that portal. You need to focus on yourself, on controlling your powers. That’s all that matters right now. You don’t need me getting in your way.”
“So, you want to take a…break?” I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation. Yes, I needed to focus on my powers, but why did it have to be one or the other?
“If you need a word for it, then, yes, I want to take a break.”
I flinched. I didn’t think he’d actually say it. “Wow…um, I don’t really know how to respond to that.”
