Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Nolen
The house was located right next to the castle, along with ten similar houses.
I felt at ease as we walked down the road.
Knowing we were close to the rulers somehow helped soothe the fear of them leaving.
I had to trust that I could help Derek if he fell into the painful darkness again, but knowing I had help close by was really reassuring.
The rulers left after letting us inside the house, locking it behind them.
Derek was too tired, even for a short tour, so I gathered him into my arms and carried him to the bedroom.
He snuggled my chest and was fast asleep almost immediately.
There wasn’t much to show him anyway, considering it was a small house, and I figured the bedroom would be where we would spend most of our time anyway, if things went how I hoped they would.
He wouldn’t heal properly before we’d mated, I knew that much was true.
I laid him down and figured his clothes would be too uncomfortable to sleep in, so I gently removed his pants, shoes and socks, leaving him in his navy boxers and my t-shirt.
He looked so perfect. Like an angel as he slept soundly next to me.
I quickly stripped out of everything except my underwear, making sure to touch him at all times, and then moved closer to him.
Even in his sleep he sought me out, needing the closeness. I pulled him in so he rested his head in the crook of my arm, securing him to my side. I took one last glance at the top of my mate’s blonde hair, then closed my eyes, smiling as I let sleep take over.
“You can cook?” Derek asked, his tone excited as he watched me whip up the pancake batter. He sat on the counter as I cooked, knowing we had to stay near each other these next few days, but so far, he wasn’t in pain without touch.
“I love to cook,” I replied, giving him an easy smile. I wouldn’t call making pancakes cooking, but I didn’t say that. Maybe it seemed harder for people that never spent time in a kitchen; but pancakes were so easy, I couldn’t compare it to real cooking.
“Really? Like as a hobby?”
“Yeah, I’ve always found it relaxing. I love experimenting with flavors and creating something new and exciting,” I supplied.
“I love that. I never learned to cook, or do anything in a kitchen.”
“Not even as you grew up?”
He shook his head. “My nannies always cooked, or babysitters, whatever they were called.”
It got more obvious the more I learned just how little his mother had been around him.
“Was it like that your whole childhood?” I dared ask.
He shrugged. “I don’t really remember much.
I’ve lost a lot of my memories from back then.
My mom told me something traumatic happened, but that she wasn’t allowed to tell me since the trauma had made my brain forget it, and she felt it wouldn’t help me to remember.
I can’t really blame her for protecting me from it. Besides, my nightmares are bad enough.”
“Nightmares?” He hadn’t seemed to have any when he slept in my arms. Either I was just that good at helping him relax, or he’d been too tired to dream.
“I get nightmares pretty much every night. Ever since I was a child.”
“Anything I can do to help you if I’m awake when they happen?” I knew some people said you shouldn’t wake someone who’s having a nightmare, but I had no clue if that was true or not.
“Just hold me,” he answered with a blush, averting his gaze and focusing on the décor instead.
“It would be my pleasure.” I returned my focus on the pancakes, adding some butter to the pan and waited for it to melt. I liked making them on a lower heat, yes it took longer to cook them, but they tasted much better this way.
“Is it okay if I take a shower?” he asked, likely afraid of being too far from me.
“I think it should be safe, but can you leave the door open? I like knowing I can hear you if you need me.”
“I will,” he promised, then with a lingering look my way, he left me alone in the kitchen. Letting out a deep sigh, I felt his absence already. Looking at my slate I figured the rulers would stop by soon. It was noon, but I wouldn’t interrupt them if the meeting dragged out.
I was actually glad for the silence as I flipped the pancakes and added new batter to the pan.
Things had been hectic ever since I laid eyes on Derek, and then with him getting his magic and almost dying.
It made sense that with his core broken he could’ve died losing the magic.
Many didn’t survive it. Losing one’s magic was seen as the most severe punishment here, and Derek had almost suffered that.
I still didn’t know if he had magic but it was locked away before he came here, or if our world offered him back the magic he was promised.
It seemed most logical that he’d been born with it, like we all were here, but without having been here, he couldn’t use it.
We had a ritual for all newborn babies, it involved placing them on the grass and letting them connect with our world, sharing their born magic with it and somehow fueling it, while gaining access themselves.
Derek had never done that, and neither had Remi, until they came here.
I had a suspicion that what the rulers had found wasn’t good, and on some level, I wanted to know more without Derek finding out.
I selfishly wanted to protect him from whatever it was, knowing he already had so much to deal with.
I finished plating the last pancake and looked through the well-stocked fridge for some juice.
I had no idea what Derek preferred, so I added orange and apple juice to the table.
The house was small, but rather cute. We had a tiny dining table with two chairs, a connected living room with a couch that could fit three people, and a TV; then the bedroom and connected bathroom.
I had yet to see the garden, but the glass doors leading outside showed it was just grass and one big tree, nothing more.
It was perfect for what we needed it for and I already planned on us resting a bit on the grass after we’d eaten.
I desperately needed a shower myself, so maybe I should do that first and then we could rest outside.
The rulers could be here any minute, but it was best to just do what we wanted until they showed up.
Soft footsteps came from the hall before Derek stood next to me, his blonde hair damp, but it wasn’t what caught my attention. Derek was wearing my dark green hoodie and a pair of his soft grey pants. He looked freaking adorable.
“The whole house smells incredible,” he said, stepping into my open arms and hugging me around the waist. I closed my arms protectively around him and just breathed him in. He truly smelled fantastic, like home. Like forever.
“I can make you pancakes every morning, if you want.” I already had a mental list about his likes and dislikes.
I wanted to shower him with wonderful food, healing his body, mind, and soul while we were here.
I knew the magic part had to come from the earth, so I figured I could help heal other parts of him.
“Really?” He sounded so excited that I could only nod against the top of his head.
Something so simple meant the world to him.
Then a soft sob escaped him. I knew his emotions would only get more heightened the longer we postponed mating, but there was no way I was mating him when the rulers could stop by any minute.
I kissed the top of his head, mindful that kissing his lips would lead to much more, and guided him over to the table.
I didn’t want to address his tears. I knew many more would come this week, and pointing them out wouldn’t help anything.
He needed to cry, so I wouldn’t make a big deal out of them, only offering him my support and helping him heal through them.
As he ate and made soft pleased sounds, I decided to add. “I can also make something else, if you prefer that. But I like cooking for you. I selfishly want you to try out as many of my recipes as possible so I know what you prefer.”
“I wouldn’t mind that,” he answered after swallowing his bite. “The only thing I don’t care much for is pasta.”
“Pasta? As in dishes with pasta, or pasta in general?”
“In general,” he replied, not even seeing my horrified expression, too busy cutting into his next pancake to notice.
I was saved by a knock on the front door and I quickly hurried over and let the rulers inside. They seemed exhausted, like they hadn’t rested as they’d said they would. I led them to the living room and held out my hand to Derek. We would continue eating after they’d visited.
Trise sat on the couch with Henriette and Alec, while the rest of us stood.
She clapped her hands once before speaking.
“So, a lot has happened since Remi came yesterday. We know all the mates from Derek’s world share the same father, and are all sperm donations, as far as we know currently.
When we scanned you, Derek, we could feel that your core was broken.
” I heard Derek gasp, or maybe it was me.
“Someone had broken it?” I dared ask.
“Yes,” Trise replied with a sour expression. “By using magic on Derek.”
I held my hand up. “Hold on. Are you telling us that he was attacked with magic?”
“Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying. And the only way we can know who and why, is by searching Derek’s memories.”
“But I’ve forgotten a lot,” Derek quickly said.
“We can see everything you’ve ever experienced, even those memories you’ve forgotten yourself,” Alec explained calmly.
“The only hitch is that you’ll remember what we see after we’re done,” Trise continued. “All those horrible memories won’t be forgotten, and we fear you aren’t ready to face them yet.”
“But without them you can’t help the others, or me, correct?”
“That is correct.”
“Then I want you to do it.” My strong mate sounded so sure of himself.
“We think it would be best to wait until after you’ve mated.
This won’t be pleasant for you, and with heightened emotions it will only get worse,” Henriette said, looking like a worried mother as she eyed Derek with fondness.
She had clearly taken a liking to my mate, which I found helped my fear, even if it was only by a little bit.
The more people that cared about Derek, the better.
I spoke for us, “We’ll mate today, then tomorrow you can see his memories?”
“Sounds good. We’ve alerted your parents of your mating and told them not to contact you until you reach out yourself. You need your full attention on Derek and they respect that. They are happy for you and can’t wait to meet Derek,” Trise announced, smiling softly.
Grovar grunted, alerting us he had something to add.
“Astro also informed us with the findings that our worlds are copies of one another. The only difference is the magical part. They have the same animals, foods, history. He said it was like our worlds were twins, forced to part and growing with only one difference.”
“So that explains how the food is the same,” I said, having thought about that a lot. I’d hoped there would be a bigger difference so I could learn, but the spices and meats were the same.
“And much else, but since we have magic, we’re farther ahead of them in terms of technology and such. We were also told that beauty takes up a lot of their world’s needs. Clothing, cosmetics and such, where we’ve focused on technology and self-efficiency.”
“Cool,” was all I could say to that.
Trise grinned, likely figuring we couldn’t take much more information today. “We’re just one call away if you need us.” Then they stood and left us alone in the small house.
“Still hungry?” I asked, figuring it would be the safest topic for now.
He nodded, his eyes vacant as he walked back into the kitchen and sat in front of his half-eaten plate. I had lost my appetite, but faked eating so he didn’t feel too much of my attention on him.
After minutes of silence, he finally asked, “What does mating consist of?”