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“Vidahem?” It was Dannel, seated across from her, fingers twined in his lap. “Are you awake?”
She sat up, slowly, allowing the dizziness to pass. “Dannel? What are you doing here?”
He beamed. “By the One, it’s good to hear your voice. Alem’s a skilled lad, but still… we’ve all been worried sick. I about had to fight Hadiya for my shift by your bed, then Owen and Berel wanted in. But the real surprise was Klaret. Never heard her insist on anything.”
It took Verve a few seconds to wrap her mind around what he was saying. “You all…kept watch over me?”
“Oh, Alem would have never left, but the poor lad about drained his magic dry to pull you from the river of death. And Ivet…” Dannel exhaled. “Well, it’d take a stronger man than me to say no to that woman when her mind’s set on something. She’d be here now, but Klaret and Hadiya practically had to drag her off to rest.”
Oh, no. This wouldn’t do. Verve shoved back the blankets and made to stand. But then a spike of concern leaped from Dannel as he came forward on sure steps. The sudden, bizarre sensation of feeling his emotions made her legs buckle, and she hit the floor, groaning. He held out his hand and Verve, after a second of hesitation, accepted, and allowed him to help her to her feet. Dannel’s relief sprang up like the first flower of spring.
What in the stars and moons was going on?
“I’m so glad you’re here,” he said, squeezing Verve’s hand. “I feared I’d never see you again. Well,” he laughed, “you know what I mean.”
His joy was a palm cradling her heart. The shock of the shared feeling struck Verve mute until she managed, “Thank you.”
Dannel beamed again and released her hand. “Stay here,” he said in a mock-serious voice. “Or else Ivet will cut off my hands and I’ll really be blind. I’ll let her know you’re awake.”
With that, he made his way out of the cottage, leaving Verve alone. She stumbled back to the bed and collapsed in the pile of blankets. Outside the window, birds and crickets chirped, and somewhere, Berel led Lio and Kinneret in an off-key version of a children’s song. Sunlight gleamed off of the nearby marsh water as if diamonds floated on the surface, and the air was warmer than Verve recalled. Everything in Lotis was green and full of life.
Within Verve’s mind, her new passenger relaxed. Although she could not hear Space-Between-Stars at the moment, the Fae’s impressions had not faded. Much the opposite. But despite displeasure with the morality of their new host, Space-Between-Stars savored every breath, every sight and sound. Through this delight, the constant weight upon Verve’s heart eased somewhat.
Ivet approached; Verve sensed the other woman’s worry like pinpricks down her back. But along with worry, love swelled like a sunbeam through the clouds. Verve sucked in a breath at the intensity of the feeling; it left her disoriented, dizzy. Ivet loved her. How? Why? What had Verve done to deserve anything so remarkable as love?
The cottage door opened, and Ivet entered. “Verve,” she said in a watery voice as she approached.
Verve’s smile came to her face with ease. “The One is life.”
Ivet’s joy at the familiar greeting was boundless, like the sky. She wrapped Verve in her arm and held her close. Verve sank so easily into that warm, comforting embrace. “I’m sorry,” Verve whispered through her tears.
Ivet hugged her closer. “For what?”
Verve pulled back and rubbed her eyes, but Ivet placed a hand on her cheek in a silent offer of support. Verve said, “For making you worry.”
“Oh, that.” Ivet made a dismissive motion. “I’d worry about the tides being late. It’s my nature. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Verve swiped at her eyes again. Gods above, perhaps her head had been injured worse than anyone thought, for her to weep so much.
Unless…
Ivet loved her. Dannel cared deeply for her well-being. So did the others who’d sat with her while she rested. Verve understood these things had happened, but what they signified seemed impossible.
Unless it wasn’t. Unless the people of Lotis genuinely cared for her. Not what she could do for them, but for her.
Words failed her for a few moments until she choked out, “Is Alem all right? Dannel said…”
She trailed off at the sudden tension radiating from the other woman. “Alem is resting at his home,” Ivet said. “The damage those Legion bastards did to you sure put him through his paces, but he healed you in the end.”
Alem had almost killed himself to heal her. Guilt spiked, but she refused to let it take purchase in her heart, at least not until she made sure Alem would really be okay. Then she could tear him a new one. “I’d like to see him.”
Ivet squeezed her hand. “I figured as much. Let’s go.”
* * *
A peek in the cottage window showed Alem wasn’t in his bed, the stubborn mule, but Verve could sense his presence nearby: a distinctive blend of sweet and bitter, like jessamin-laced ale. There was another sensation, too, like the instant before a lightning strike. Whatever it was made Space-Between-Stars perk up, and then Verve understood she was sensing magic. A smell, a taste, a feeling; the awareness of Alem’s power filled the air around him, drawing her closer. Within her spirit, the glimmer’s interest sparked to a flame — hungry for fuel.
This meridian-thing was getting weirder and weirder. How was she supposed to live her life with this constant flow of others’ emotions? And now, it seemed the Fae spirit living alongside her own had a taste for magic.
