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“You mean Anthony’s trying to force it,” I say.
“Anthony, fate, the universe. Something wants this Axis to come together. Maybe Anthony wants to force another Axis, but I think that something else is pushing for this to happen.”
“Something else? Like another person?”
“Not exactly. This book talks about the balance between our two realms and when things get off kilter, there’s almost a compulsion to form an Axis, to bring things back to order, but that’s a lot of interpretation on my part. It’s not exactly spelled out.”
“Why would Anthony care about any of that? And why would he curse me if he wants me to be part of this magical Fae group?”
“No idea,” Rhys says, stating what everyone else is thinking.
“All I know is that when Miri arrived, it felt right. Like another piece of the puzzle was falling into place. I sense that the rest of us are connected. I always have. Don’t you?”
Ruby’s eyes drift to who’s Ezra sitting beside her. Since when do they have secrets between the two of them? I’m starting to feel like I’ve been coasting through my friendships with these people, not observing a damn thing for years. Maybe I have been. Until Miri showed up on Wild Haven Island, I was merely existing. Getting through day-to-day life, always wondering if this was it for me.
My past is full of turbulent shit, things that no one should ever have to go through. I might have had a support system through my friends and Birdie, without which I never would have survived, but I didn’t come out unscathed. Growing up with so much uncertainty, I was content to live a life with no drama. But it also had no wonder, no real joy. I simply existed, but I wasn’t really living. Miri changed all that. She broke something free when I met her all those years ago, but I’ve been denying it since that moment. Now, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel happy.
When it’s clear no one is going to answer Lena’s question, Miri pulls the book toward her, staring at the words like something might jump off the page.
“How do we even know these are accurate? I mean, how many Axises, Axis’s, Axi, whatever the fuck the plural of Axis is, how many have ever formed?” Miri huffs.
I get it. She feels like a finger is being pointed at her. As if she’s brought this bad shit down on our heads by coming to town. I tug her closer to my side and she sags into me. I guess we both need this closeness.
“We don’t know. These books are supposedly written by the direct descendants of the Fae who came through when the veil between our worlds went down. And we don’t know for sure where the journal came from. Maybe it’s all utter bullshit.” Lena laughs, but it’s a broken sound. “It sounds like bullshit, but Anthony cursed you yesterday. That’s not imaginary. And I feel like something is shifting.”
“I feel it too.” Ezra scrubs a hand over his face. He looks tired, but I’m sure the rest of us do as well.
“What now?” Rhys asks, his arms crossed over his chest and his head tipped down in contemplation.
“The first step to form an Axis is for the catalyst to bond with her partner. Her iomlán. The Axis can’t come together if they don’t form the bond.”
“I don’t even know how we form a bond in the first place?” Miri shakes her head, and I glare at the table. They’re making her feel like this is her burden alone.
“This is so messed up. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
Lena pales, wide eyes dashing to Miri. She reaches over the table to grasp Miri’s hand that’s still resting on the book. “Hey, this isn’t your fault, Miri. This isn’t just your problem, it’s something all of us need to discuss. I… we all saw what the Axis that Anthony tried to form did to our parents. It caused so much damage.” Lena shivers and Rhys tosses an arm over his sister’s shoulder. “None of us want that to happen again. I think we all want to avoid forming an Axis but maybe I’m assuming too much.” Lena’s eyes drop and she tries to pull her hand away from Miri’s, but Miri holds tight.
“I’m sorry. I get it. You don’t have to justify anything to me.”
“How do we avoid the bond?” Archer asks, talking for the first time in a while, having stayed uncharacteristically quiet.
“Um, there’s a ritual that needs to be done. The book talks about it but it’s very specific. It’s not like any of us are going to accidentally make it happen,” Lena says and there’s a collective sigh that goes around the table.
“That’s settled then,” Rhys says with a nod. “We’ll avoid the bond at all costs. That way a new Axis can’t be formed.”
“Now we need to talk about setting up some protection for Miri until we can figure out what the fuck to do about Anthony.”
