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Clawdia frowned. “But I left some over.”
“What?” Charlie gave me a questioning look. I shrugged in response.
“The vial. I didn’t drink it all. I left some for the next wife. But that poor woman had his children. Children that killed her by taking her magic.” Clawdia closed her eyes, her shoulders heavy with a burden that shouldn’t be hers.
I nuzzled into her neck. “It was a horrible fate, but one that couldn’t be avoided. Without such an incident, Charlie wouldn’t be with us.”
“I make a beautiful silver lining.” He winked, and Clawdia reluctantly chuckled.
I envied his ease at making her laugh.
She smiled. “You do.”
Charlie rolled to lie on the bed. “Speaking of silver linings and me being amazing, do you want to tell us what happened before I rescued you from the side of the road?” he asked me.
I told Charlie about meeting my brother, Thos, in a dream before I got lost in the dreamscape. Just remembering his chipped tooth and the hope in his eyes made me feel lighter.
That changed as I admitted my shame at attacking Baelen when he found me, because I was lost in the memories of my akari slave owner. Clawdia held my hand and offered me a sympathetic smile.
Charlie’s eyes pulled together as I explained that Clawdia, Baelen, and I are soul mates.
“Soul mates like Savida and Daithi?” Charlie asked quietly.
Clawdia was quick to react to the vulnerability in his question and assured him, “You don’t need to worry. I’m just as connected to you as I am to Zaide and Baelen. And it’s nice I get someone to myself.”
He picked up her hand resting on his chest and pressed a gentle kiss to it.
“That explains why you were so into him.” Charlie chuckled, remembering how distraught we all were when Clawdia kissed Baelen after our first time. “But I didn’t know you were into guys.”
I shrugged. “I wasn’t into anyone until I met my soul pair and now my soul mate. Bodies are just the shell. It’s what’s inside that is most important.” My lips brushed her neck as I spoke, and she shivered.
“You’re a soppy golden giant,” Charlie laughed softly.
I opened my mouth to continue the tale but snapped it shut. Baelen and I had been attacked in the dreamscape, but I was pulled out of it before I knew who was there. I don’t know what happened to Baelen.
I won’t tell her. It will only worry her,I decided and closed my eyes briefly to send a prayer.My gods, if you are listening, please protect your son from harm.
Baelen was strong, but he’d created weapons as though he was preparing for war. He was scared. I anticipated the moment when we’d be together again in our dreams and I could see him safe and well.
Charlie brought my attention back to them when he asked, “And you made up with Daithi and Savida when you woke up?”
I nodded. “Savida threatened to leave Daithi if they didn’t make things right with me.”
Clawdia gasped. “That would destroy them both.”
“I haven’t seen him so determined … nor miserable. I don’t want to be the cause of their misery.”
“Well, Daithi is still on my shit list,” Charlie scoffed as he played with Clawdia’s fingers.
“They both came with me and Alcor to help the witches heal the protector,” I argued. “Savida learned his true name. It was incredible …”
I grinned as I remembered the pure joy on Savida’s face when he learned his true name and used his gift for the first time.
Clawdia echoed my smile. “I’m glad Savida got a part of his heritage back.”
“And you all healed the protector?” Charlie asked. “He’s back to normal?”
I coughed, and closed my eyes before saying, “I doubt healing someone would return them to a former age, so perhaps he is not back to normal. But he should survive to tell us what he knows. He was still unconscious when I left with Alcor and the task team.”
