Chapter 1 #2
I sketch the runes out on his chest and then let myself sink deep into the magic, drawing more when the power runs out of them.
For hours, the pounding sound of his struggling heart and the monstrous crash behind us fight, then it all blends with his heartbeat until they are one.
His strength grows as mine weakens. Time crawls along, and I continue to pour myself into him.
Finally, I sit back, panting. He’s strong and breathing easily, and I have pulled all the infection from him.
It is done.
My body is achy and stiff when I crawl off him. I pitch sideways, but I’m suddenly pressed up against a hard chest, inhaling that scent that is clean of infection and his body that is warm and hard; it feels safe and right, though very odd.
He feels… nice.
“Strega?” he murmurs, and there is awe in him.
“What is a Strega?” I ask.
“A witch.”
“Is that what I am?” I murmur, half out of it. I haven’t done a healing like this in a long time. It was complicated; my whole self aches.
“What is your name?”
“Mei.”
“Mei,” he repeats in a voice that makes me want to beg to hear it again, and then I’m being lifted in his arms, and he’s standing, so tall, so strong. It has been a very long time since someone called me by my name. Since I even gifted it to anyone.
I have no way of defending myself against him, but if he rescued me from Deux, then I will die here instead.
It would be a better way to die, I muse.
He carries me up, and as we go, the air gets cooler, I can hear wind dancing over leaves and rock.
Lirin sets me down in the cool shade of vibrantly rich-smelling plants.
There is fresh water somewhere close, trickling over rocks.
I twitch my nose and inhale the world around me.
It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
My veil is plucked off my face, and I let out a hiss of protest, but Lirin ignores me.
“You can’t see? Such a strange creature. A face like a rat, but horns like a deer, and the body of a human. What are you?” His murmured voice is kind and light, and I find myself turning to him, leaning closer, ignoring the mildly offensive words.
What am I?
I don’t know. I’ve never had to ask that before. Am I something strange?
I reach up before I can stop myself and run my hands over his face. He has no fur, and his mouth and nose are much flatter to his skull. When I reach the top of his head, there are no horns. He is human.
No, not human. A human was never this strong.
“I am Fae. I was Fae, now I am a Siren.”
Fae? I remember the stories my mother told me about the Fae folk. Tricksters, magic, fairies, they are very, very beautiful.
“What am I?” I repeat, because I don’t even know.
“You are a…” he trails off. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like you. Or heard of anyone using runes before. You are strange, Strega.”
He shifts towards me and takes my hand, pulling me up. I take a few nervous steps back before his grip pulls me up short.
“Come, there is water,” he says and walks away.
I follow him because I’m curious, because it feels like there is a tether from him to me, because his voice is like that song I keep hearing, and now I just want to hear more of it.
I crouch down and use my arms to investigate the edge of the stream. It smells fine, but I’ve been burned before. I swipe my fingers through it, and nothing happens. I lick a single drop off my claw. It’s clean.
Suddenly, I’m so thirsty I could die. It has my throat aching and my mouth as dry as the barren grave sands that I was about to run into.
I lean down headfirst and lap at the water.
“Huh.”
I ignore him, just drinking until my hungry stomach doesn’t complain anymore.
“Easy, little one. Hmm, you are little, aren’t you? All skin and bones. I guess food is hard to come by where you come from.”
I ignore his murmurs, instead straining my senses, making sure I know where he is at all times, especially while I’m vulnerable.
He moves around, brushing through bushes and muttering in a musical way that has my unease simmering down.
Lirin flops down beside me and, to my confusion, I don’t react, other than to turn towards him. His scent is spicy, as if he’s unhappy, but I’m not sure why.
I listen harder, and only then can I hear the mournful tones of the song. It’s not coming from him. Are there others like him out there?
Do they need me to save them, too?
“Open your mouth,” Lirin whispers.
It doesn’t dawn on me to disobey. I wish I could; instead, I just make a surprised sound as something wet, sweet, and soft fills my mouth.
“It’s food, swallow, little Strega.”
Without thought, I swallow it, and as soon as I open my mouth, he’s shoveling more in, but I can’t think of the food; I can’t taste it.
My mother’s words drift back on the winds of memory. You are so loved, Mei, in all the worlds. When you find your mate, you will know them.
How?
They will care for you, protect you, but when your mate feeds you, it will be the ultimate declaration. Monsters are particular about food.
He’s feeding me. This is my mate.
I have a mate!
I listen to him, wishing I could see, obediently opening my mouth and eating the morsels of wet flesh he puts in my mouth.
“Good, that’s very good. You’ll be back to normal soon.” His words are senseless murmuring; my whole world is disintegrating and rebuilding.
Everything I thought I knew.
My mate is this incredible creature, and I saved him.
I edge closer; instead of pushing me away, he pulls me to his chest and strokes my back.
“Poor, strange creature. This world must be so scary without sight.”
I pause as he reaches out and touches the outermost scar.
“What did this to you?”
“Something far away from here,” I murmur and sink closer to his embrace, nuzzling my face against his chest.
“Strega, I need to introduce you to my brothers. I’m sorry, but it can’t be helped.”
“What is a brother?”
He thinks for a little bit. “A litter mate.”
“Oh. Okay. That sounds nice.”
Lirin makes a sound of discontent.
I try to stay awake, try to rouse so I can ask what’s wrong, but I’m so tired. He’s so comfortable and warm.
“Strange creature, where are you from?”
I try to answer him, but I’m pulled into oblivion, my exhaustion and this safe feeling stealing me away from myself.