Page 61 of Catatonic


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Clawdia reassuringly rubbed the back of my thigh but didn’t argue against my words. I knew she felt guilty and wouldn’t fight my dictates in order to make it up to me. But that felt manipulative, and I didn’t want that.

“The son of the gods must know a lot about titan history and culture,” Daithi commented.

“He’s part akari, apparently,” I added, my mood darkening.

“What?” Daithi exclaimed.

“Oh, Zaide, will you be—” Savida began.

I interrupted, “No matter my opinion of akari, I won’t disrespect my gods by dismissing their son. I trust Clawdia’s good judgment of him.”

“We are missing something here,” Charlie whispered to Clawdia, who nodded.

Daithi waved a hand. “The gods’ soul mate must have been akari. I can’t imagine why they’d dilute their power otherwise.” He was acting like the elitist faei he’d grown up as, and it soured the taste of my cereal.

“Soul mates are a thing too?” Charlie asked.

“Of course,” Daithi replied easily. ”Savida and I are soul mates.”

“You are? You didn’t tell me that.” I frowned.

Why wouldn’t he tell me? I knew they were lovers.The strangeness of the omission niggled at my mind.

Clawdia asked. “Are soul mates different from soul pairs?”

“A soul mate is something that many otherworlders have. It is a person chosen by fate to be your lifelong partner. The person who is traveling on the same path set by fate, someone to walk with you. There is an instant connection. Different otherworlders have different reactions to meeting a soul mate, but it is rare for soul mates not to like each other because their purpose is to offer each other companionship on fate’s journey.”

That's how he described soul pairs to me too. But he made a distinction between them.

Charlie groaned suddenly, and we all turned to see him place a hand on his stomach before he burped. A loud, long, and echoing kind of belch that was worrisome and impressive at the same time. After a short, shocked silence, we burst into laughter. Savida had to hold his stomach as he cackled, tears streaming down his face.

It was lovely to see him so animated again. With him being back, it was easy to forget he’d been gone, his body a shell awaiting the return of his bubbly, warm soul.

“Pardon me for being so rude. It was not me; it was my food. It just popped up to say hello, and now it's gone back down below,” Charlie sang.

“You are an animal,” Clawdia remarked, shaking her head, a small smile on her face.

“This from the girl that only weeks ago was licking her fur and shitting in a litter box.”

I bit my lip, holding back the chuckle at Clawdia’s aghast expression.

“Compliments to the chef.” Charlie turned to Alcor and patted his stomach. “They didn’t feed us well in the cave, so this was just what the doctor ordered.”

“You’re welcome. It is nice to eat with a group again.” He smiled shyly, and it lit up his face.

Clawdia stood, pushing her chair out before reaching for me and pulling me into her seat. I was confused, still holding my bowl, as she disappeared into the bedroom, but I took the opportunity to fill a plate of toast and eggs since my cereal and berries were not enough to sustain me.

Charlie continued, “I have to ask, though. How is it that you know how to cook here? Do they have gas stoves and toasters in your realm?”

“The witch who summoned me here taught me how to do it.”

Clawdia came back holding a hairbrush, which she then started running gently through my hair before gathering it. I relished in the touch, the thoughtfulness.

How could I be upset about a kiss when she loved me so much?

“She summoned you and taught you to cook?” Savida asked.

“Before she took my fire,” Alcor said ominously, bowing his head so his blue ringlets shrouded his face.

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