AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I agree, Clawdia, Charlie is never calm,” Zaide added with a chuckle.
“We’ll fix it,” I told him.
“I’ll add it to the to-do list.”
We sat in silence, lost in our own thoughts for a moment as we processed all the new information.
Eventually, I realized my original question hadn’t been answered. “So, even though I have shadow magic and can change forms, you didn’t say if the fact I have my courses is normal or not?”
Elizabeth’s eyes were soft as she lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “In truth, Clawdia, I don’t think familiars called by witches are fertile. But you and your men seem to be the exception to many of the rules. What people won’t tell you about bonds is that you share more than just power. Perhaps when Zaide regained his fertility, so did you. And although it’s not documented, I like to imagine that the animal gods of the past and the witches they were with had a romantic bond that allowed for blessings like children.”
It was a nice thought and made me smile.At least there is hope. I might not be normal, but I am blessed.“I think that would be wonderful too,” I agreed.
My dislike of her lessened as she smiled understandingly. Her gaze moved to the window, and I noted how dark it was outside now. She slapped her knees and stood up. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to your evening. It’s been a long day, and I’m sure you still have a lot to think about.”
I rose to see her out. “Thank you, Elizabeth. I appreciate your knowledge and help.”
“No thanks necessary.” She waved, and I closed the door behind her.
With her gone, the remainder of my energy seemed to fall away, and I was suddenly exhausted. I yawned, and Zaide wrapped an arm around my waist as he guided me to the bedroom. “Come on, Little Cat. Off to bed.”
I stopped and looked back at Baelen, feeling ridiculously guilty that we were going to bed and leaving him in a cage without so much as a pillow or cover. “Are you going to be all right in there? I hate that you can’t come to bed with us.”
He smiled patiently and waved me away. “I’ll be fine, Sunlight. Have sweet dreams.”
I fell asleep before my head touched the pillow, and morning came all too quickly.
My eyes fluttered open to the cracks of sunlight shining past the edges of the curtain, and I sat up to see that Zaide had already risen. The morning felt quiet and still. But it wasn’t the peaceful kind. Instead, the air seemed to vibrate with the kind of electric tension that suggested something was coming. Be it a storm or something else. When I looked at Charlie, he was already awake and staring at me with the same puzzled expression I’m sure I wore. He felt it too.
But if our experience on this island was teaching us anything, it was that we couldn’t control everything. We just had to put on a smile, see what happened, and hope everything worked out.
CHAPTER24
BAELEN
“Morning,” Zaide said as he opened the door to the bedroom, the squeak of which woke me up.
Blinking groggily, I became aware of my stiff muscles from being stuck in a cage with my legs bent and my neck hanging all night. It was better than the alternative. And I was glad to be the one that opened my own eyes.
When the three of them went to bed last night, I stayed awake for hours, staring at the clock on the wall, fearful that if I fell asleep, I would wake up to find myself stuffed in the back of my mind once more and watching as someone else controlled my movements.
As it was, the morning was peaceful. The sun rose in the sky from beyond the window in the kitchen, and I admired my soul mate’s bare back and legs as he made tea in his shorts. I’d never been attracted to a male before, but with Zaide, our bond drew me to him. It was impossible to deny while I was in control of my body. My eyes trailed over him languishingly, caressing, observing, and admiring.
He finished making his drink and turned to face me, leaning on the counter as he sipped from the cup and considered me.
I didn’t avoid his eyes, but I dreaded to think what he thought of me.
“Stop with the love eyes. You’re making me feel sick,”Kaatu announced loudly.
He’d been suspiciously quiet since last night when we learned Clawdia’s nature as a familiar was tied to shadow magic. It concerned me that he would think it even more perfect to use my soul mate to fix his portal since she housed some of the magic the portal had lost.But what would that do to her?
I flinched and looked away, clenching my jaw to reply.“I’m in control right now, so I can do what I like.”
“Right now, you are in a cage and can’t do anything. It’s the only reason I haven’t bothered to try and take control again, even though I know it would be easy.”
“What is happening in your head right now?” Zaide asked quietly.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, that would help them, tell them they were right, but Kaatu pushed for control again, and I was left gasping and choking as I desperately clung to the control of my body.
