Lucille #2
Hope and sudden eagerness erupted through my mom as she reached out to snatch the necklace.
The female jerked back.
“Payment first,” she demanded.
My mom dug into her weaponless pocket, glass clinking together as she pulled out three vials of red liquid.
Blood?
“You actually think you can stop her?” my mom asked.
“I think I’m the only one who can. After all, I am her daughter.”
The female took the vials and handed Mom my amulet.
“It’ll take in any magic you feed it, but you’ll have to recharge it after a while.”
My mom fisted the amulet like someone might steal it from her.
“Thank you.”
The female nodded.
“Sure you don’t want to help?”
My mom clutched her belly, her hand spreading wide as if to shield me.
“No. I can’t risk any part of Miriam’s prophecy coming true. I’m sorry. Things are different now. I can’t.”
My mom backed away, desperation to leave tightening her calves and feet.
“I understand.” The female’s voice softened. “I wish I could’ve seen more for you. But I’m afraid I’m not as powerful as Miriam was.”
“It’s okay. I’ll figure out a way to keep her away from everything. She’ll live a normal earthly life.”
The female remained silent for a few moments before finally replying.
“I hope you’re right.”
Then she turned and left, leaving my mom with a pit in her stomach.
Before anything else could happen, something ripped me from my dream-walk.
I ended up in a dark room with only a large ball of my white and purple flames for light.
“Enjoy your dream-walk?” the cloaked female taunted smugly.
My nails dug into my palms.
“I was,” I snapped. “How’d you do it?”
She laughed. “How’d I pull you out? Oh, you know. A little bit of this, a little bit of that.”
I glared.
She snorted.
“Thing is, I’m here in good faith.”
“You mean for your agenda.”
She shrugged. “Same difference. But see, I’d been thinking about our last conversation. You know, the one about looking into your mother’s parting words. And I’ve seen something that may help you.”
Seen something?
“What?”
“Oh, just an unusual crusty book and a word,” she said, a smile in her voice. “I think it spelled… Praetervado? Mean anything to you?”
I jolted, overcome with eager desperation.
“Did you see the description after it? How to use it?”
“Maybe.”
If she kept up that tone, I’d wrap my hands around her throat.
Come to think of it…
I luscelered.
Somehow, she anticipated my attack and moved before I could touch her.
I tried again.
Same result.
And again.
“Who are you?” I shouted, my voice ricocheting off the walls of my mind.
She crossed her arms and tilted her head. “Is that really what you want to know? Or would you rather hear the description?”
I really wanted to know who this smug female was. Was she some kind of seer who could infiltrate minds? A spy? Or another dream-walker despite Cato saying we were all that remained?
Yet as badly as I wanted to uncover her, I wanted the information she held more.
I mirrored her cocky stance.
“The description.”
“Okay, under one condition.”
Should’ve seen that coming.
“What?”
“I’ll tell you after you dream-walk to Miriam and report back what she said.”
Seriously?
“I don’t know how. I can’t Somnivado. She’s dead. I can’t Intraverso because I wasn’t alive then. Which leaves the two types of dream-walking I’ve only accomplished by accident.”
“This might help.” She handed me a piece of paper.
I opened it.
At the very top, in messy scrawl, was the name Miriam, followed by her attributes, likes and dislikes, physical features, and random facts about her station in Heaven.
“Where did you get this?”
“That’s another question I’m not answering. Drill that into your head before your next dream-walk, and if you tell me what she says, I’ll tell you what the description was.”
I didn’t trust her, and I wasn’t going to just listen to her. I’d find my own way to Miriam, and I’d report back only what benefited me.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a smug piece of work?”
She laughed. “Only you. See you soon.”
The moment she left, I woke up in bed next to Oliver. He must’ve carried me over.
I glanced over my shoulder at Aspen, and my stomach dropped.
He wasn’t there.
Neither was Rune.
“Aspen?” I called over Oliver’s snores.
No answer.
Scrambling out of the covers, I yelled for Oliver to wake up.
“Dawn’s ass isn’t the crack I want,” he groaned, shifting into my vacated spot and snuggling into my leftover warmth.
I ran into the bathroom, the closet, the sitting area, calling for Aspen.
Nothing.
“Oliver! Aspen’s gone!”
My heart pounded against my ribs and threatened to cave beneath the weight crushing it.
Wouldn’t I know if something had happened to him?
No.
The guardian bond only knew if he was in trouble through his emotions, which he was blocking.
“What do you mean he’s gone? He was just—Fuck.”
Rustling sounded in the bedroom. Oliver came out in a pair of boxers.
“You don’t think he—”
His terrifying question cut off at a knock on the door.
I hurried over and whipped it open.
Rune ran into my legs, forcing me to stumble back as she licked me and whimpered.
MJ took one look at my face and sighed. “Aspen went to seek out Sam for some draughts. He’s fine. He’ll be back soon.”
I almost fell to the ground with relief.
Rune’s ears perked up as if sensing the shift in my mood.
“Also, here’s this.” She handed me a small box and a letter. “See you at training.”
Turning, she snapped her fingers.
Rune looked at her, then bumped back into me as if to say, Please let me stay.
MJ spoke before I could open my mouth.
“You’ll see her in a few minutes, little menace. Let’s go.”
Rune slunk after her.
As much as my heart twinged at her lowered ears, once I opened the letter, I couldn’t help the instant gratitude toward MJ. Ronen already had an eye on my emotions. I didn’t need him peeping through Rune to see how I reacted to his words.
Oliver walked up beside me, peering over my shoulder as I read.
Hellion,
I understand that you and the pet Aspen have a history. I may not like it, but it’s a fact I can’t ignore. I won’t presume to know what you want or how you think of both of us. But this is my official letter stating I want in the ring.
You’ve made memories with him, and I think it’s only fair that you make a few with me.
I don’t include our previous interactions or training. No. I want our story to begin somewhere else.
Meet me at the library tonight at nine o’clock.
P.S. The box will give you a hint.
Only yours, whether you claim me or not,
Ronen
I opened the small white box to find decadent chocolate truffles.
“Those look right up your alley,” Oliver commented.
This was my hint?
All it brought to mind was the first time we were together in the library and Dorus had come in with chocolate cake. Was it going to be a repeat of that?
I took a truffle with pink drizzle wrapped around a dark chocolate shell.
The moment I bit into it, I moaned.
The sweet raspberry drizzle perfectly eased the bitterness of the dark chocolate. And the inside…
My eyes fluttered.
Heavenly Hell, the smooth, buttery chocolate filling melted against my tongue sinfully.
Dorus outdid herself with these.
“Oliver, you—”
I opened my eyes to him picking something off the ground.
“What is it?”
He held up a familiar necklace. A note wrapped around its dainty chain in Ronen’s familiar scrawl.
This is all you have left of her, and it’s wasted in that forest.
“My mom got it for me.”
I smiled through a heart-wrenching ache.
Before, the necklace had been nothing but a ball and chain, keeping me in a life I never wanted. I gave it to Aspen, a stranger at the time, because I hated the thing.
Now, without her, and after dream-walking to the moment she’d received it, the necklace held a new meaning.
I’d forever remember her rubbing her stomach, talking to me about mundane things like chocolate and soup, voice filled with love for me before she’d ever laid eyes on me.
Turning and blinking away my tears, I lifted my wavy mane.
“Put it on me.”
“So what do you think he has planned tonight that involves chocolate?” Oliver asked, a suggestive note slipping into his tone as he clasped the necklace at my nape.
Facing him, I shook my head.
“Nothing you’re thinking of.”
Oliver’s green eyes glinted with laughter.
“How would you know what I’m thinking? I know you’re not very experienced in the love-making department, Luce. Do I need to explain everything that can be done with chocolate? He could drizzle it on your—”
“Shut up!” I shoved him back as my cheeks flamed.
He laughed. “What? Someone has to explain how it works!”
“I know how it works,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my silk camisole.
Oliver lifted a brow. “Do you?”
I turned away.