Chapter Forty-Three #2
“God-King,” I said as the eye stared at us. Hopefully, he found my form of address respectful.
Something stirred in my mind, digging deep into it, taking hold, looking around casually while it waited, building.
Like someone taking in a breath before speaking, only on a monumental scale. In my head.
Torrent of Storms.
Mia of Earth.
You come for judgment. As Eternal Mates.
The God-King spoke in my mind. Judging from Tor’s jerk, he was receiving the same message.
“We do,” he said.
I hesitated a moment before nodding. “Yes.”
The eye blinked, a stomach-churning experience to watch given its size.
Very well. The judgment shall begin.
Darkness descended over the eye, and the dragon disappeared out of sight, taking the light with us.
“Mia?” Tor’s voice was strained.
“Yes?” I asked, reaching out for him in the dark. “What is it?”
“I don’t … feel so good,” he said, even as the original light flickered back on.
“Oh, my god,” I gasped as I caught a look at his face.
He was aging before my eyes. His skin was thinning and growing taut, even as age bent him over, wizening his frame.
“What is this? Why?” I yelped, looking out into the darkness of the mountain. “Tor, what do I do? What do I do?”
“I don’t think there’s anything you can do,” he whispered, falling to one knee, suddenly too weak to support himself. “I guess … I guess I was wrong. The mirror was wrong. All of it. I’m not your mate. We aren’t meant to be.”
“Don’t say that,” I snapped. “You don’t believe that.”
“Yes, I do,” he said. “Can’t you see? It’s obvious. I’m sorry, Mia. I didn’t mean to do this to you.”
“No,” I said, watching his hair turn gray and fall away in clumps. “I don’t believe this.”
“Why not?” Tor wanted to know.
“Because I don’t. It’s not right. We are mates. You are my mate, Torrent. Fuck the God-King. His opinion doesn’t matter on this. I know what I know. I love you, dammit, and this is wrong!”
I walked to the edge of the ledge, staring out into the darkness. “I know you’re out there! Get your ancient, oversized white-scaled ass back up here and stop this! You fix Torrent right now, or I’ll … I’ll …”
Fury filling me, I took off my shoes and hurled them into the darkness. “Fix him, you worthless excuse for a god! He believed in you totally, and you do this to him? Damn you! You don’t deserve their loyalty.”
I spat into the darkness before rushing back to Tor’s side.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, helping him down to the ground.
“This has to be my fault. I didn’t believe enough.
I shouldn’t have hesitated. But I swear, Torrent, I swear, I do love you.
I want to spend the rest of my time with you.
And if that’s only another thirty seconds, then so be it. I’m not leaving you.”
He looked up at me, his eyes watery and rheumatoid. He lifted a shaky arm to my face. “Did you just throw away your shoes?”
I winced. “I’m sorry. Were they expensive?”
“A little bit,” he said. “But you did that for me?”
I nodded. “I spit on him, too. Callous, cruel, and worthless.”
Torrent tapped my chest. “The spirit of a dragon in you.”
I smiled. “I love you.”
He closed his eyes and leaned into me. “I love you, too.”
“I would have loved you for eternity,” I added, closing my eyes and resting my chin on his head. “No matter the cost. I am yours, Torrent. Forever.”
As Torrent took his final breath, the darkness stirred. My eyes opened just in time to see my shoes come flying out of the dark to land next to me.
Then, white light burst forth from all around us, breaking through reality like it was an eggshell, cracking in a million places.
I screamed, and the shell burst.
When I could see again, we were sitting in a pair of stone chairs in a circular room.
We were sitting.
“Torrent?” I gasped, clutching at his long, youthful, strong arm. “You’re okay?”
He nodded. “I am. I feel … great.”
“You’ve alive!” I shouted, launching myself into his lap, dress be damned. I glanced down at it, figuring what more damage could I do. “Hey! The dress. It’s repaired! And you, you have a crown on!”
I’d found out that last part by accident when I’d pressed my head to his and received a poke in return.
“What happened to us?” I asked, calming down as he put his arms around me.
“I think we passed,” Tor said. “And then he sent us back to Storm Keep and the throne, in particular, to prove it.”
“But you died,” I said.
“I think that was all part of the Test,” he ventured. “All part of his magic.”
I shook my head. “That’s ruthless. I thought you were dying.”
“Your biggest fear,” Tor pointed out. “He tested you on that, and you stayed. You fought back, said you loved me anyway and that he was wrong. I think that proved the point.”
“Maybe,” I said. “But promise me you won’t age for a long time. I kind of like you the way you are.”
Tor chuckled. “You do, do you?”
“Yes,” I said, kissing his neck. “I do.”
“I’ll do my best, then,” he said, pulling me into a kiss. “But right now, I feel very alive. Very alive.”
I felt him stir under me.
My lips curved up as I interpreted his meaning. “Then find me a place to get out of this dress, my Prince.”
“Whatever you command,” he said, picking me up with ease. “My Princess.”
Now that would take some getting used to.
But first, I would fuck the shit out of my mate. I’d just finished thinking I’d lost him. Now, he was back, and we were together.
That was the memory I wanted him to remember, not the fear and distress of what we’d just endured.