31. Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
Nyrah
Nyrah woke up in the little bed in the guest room of Cody’s cottage.
It was night, but the little seashell nightlight was on, casting enough pale, yellow light to show her where she was.
Yana was curled up next to her, sound asleep with her back to Nyrah.
Everything felt a bit fuzzy around the edges.
Nyrah tried to move, but realized she had ropes around her wrists, tying her to the bedpost.
But she was alive.
And she was in Cody’s cottage.
Maybe everything had been a strange, horrible dream.
Maybe her Heartmate had tied her up in bed and was going to unleash his sexual desires on her nubile nekofae body…
She shivered, liking the idea of being tied down while Cody had his way with her.
Nope, came a voice that was not her own. It was deep, male, gravelly. She recoiled, her breath hitching and her heart racing.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
I’m the guy who saved your life, the voice said. I’m on the nightstand.
Nyrah slowly turned her head and saw a nondescript knife with a wooden handle sitting on the nightstand.
But it was the knife. The one that Cody had…
stabbed her with. The memory hit her hard, filling her with a mix of fear and confusion.
Why had Cody done that to her? And how was she not dead? At least…she didn’t feel dead.
What is happening? she wondered to herself. And how long had she been asleep?
Only a day, that male voice said again. But you should be all healed up now.
“How did you…? Are you inside my head?”
I’m a demon trapped in a magic knife, the voice explained with a sigh, as if he was accustomed to telling the story.
I was attached to Cody’s soul for about a decade.
He told you about me, remember? I saved his life.
And now I’ve saved yours, and I am bound to your soul, forevermore.
Or until you stab someone else in the heart, and kill them, and I feel like jumping over to that person to save their life.
It was a lot to take in. One moment she was heartbroken, with only Temica truly understanding how much it hurt to not receive her Heartmate’s love, the next moment she was confronting Morgan.
And then Yana was there, and Cody. She’d been so scared.
Everything had grown hazy. She’d barely been able to make out Cody’s handsome face.
Everything went dark. And now she was here, talking to a knife who’s spirit existed inside her head.
But she was alive, and it appeared Cody was the one who saved her.
Well, Cody and this knife. She reasoned that this must mean Cody felt something for her, if he was willing to transfer his friend to her to keep her alive.
“Thank you,” Nyrah whispered. “For helping to save my life.”
You’re welcome. And we can chat inside your head if you don’t want to wake your friend, the knife said. Also: I now have access to your mind. It’s hard to sort through everything, but I get the gist of it.
The gist of what? Nyrah asked, trying out this talking-inside-her-head thing.
You actually love Cody, the knife said. And that bitch Temica was here, messing with you.
Of course I actually love Cody, my Heartmate. And of course Temica is a bitch.
Nyrah blinked away a few tears. Why had she listened to Temica?
But she knew why, it was because everything felt so right when she talked with her.
It made sense. She needed to get rid of Morgan, permanently.
But now…now she felt a gaping pit of sadness inside of her, because Cody would never love her after what she had done.
If she had been patient, if she had listened to Yana instead of Temica, maybe things would be going smoothly.
Maybe Cody would eventually love her. And Morgan.
Because…she saw something when she laid her hands on Morgan’s skin: Cody wasn’t the only one in Cornerstone with a Golden Heart.
Morgan had one, too. It now made perfect sense that the two of them had found each other.
That they had fallen in love. That their bond was so strong.
And that Cody was sticking by Morgan’s side, even when Nyrah was offering her own love to him.
Look, it’s not completely hopeless, the knife said patiently.
You massively fucked up, but I’ve also been living inside of Cody’s brain for years.
He does have feelings for you. He cares about you.
He may not be in love with you, but I honestly don’t think it’s entirely impossible for him to fall for you.
Nyrah sniffled, trying to stop her tears. You really think that? Even after what I did, he might still learn to love me?
Yeah, I do. So, let’s make a deal, the knife said.
Once Cody sets you free, you take me for a little forest hike every single day so I can pay a visit to my mushroom lady friend, and I'll help you convince Cody that what he needs to do is start a nice little harem with all three of you lovely ladies. What do you say to that?
All three of us? Nyrah asked. But her new knowledge of Morgan’s Golden Heart pretty much confirmed that she’d need to get used to Morgan being in Cody’s life. Permanently. It also meant…well, it also potentially meant that Morgan was meant to be in her life, too.
Yes, all three of you, the knife said. Because I’m assuming you still want Yana to be part of this?
Of course I want Yana to be part of this. I love Yana. Platonically.
Yeah, you love each other platonically. Sure, the knife scoffed.
Yes. Platonically. All of my romantic love is for my Heartmate.
Sure. So, do we have a deal?
We have a deal, Nyrah said. I will take you for forest walks to…
Visit my mushroom wife, the knife supplied.
The agreement seemed sound enough. All she had to do was take this grumpy sentient knife into the forest to visit his ‘mushroom wife’, and whatever that entailed. It felt like she was getting the much easier part of the bargain, if he really was going to help convince Cody to have a harem.
Yes, I will do that, Nyrah said. And what is your name? Who am I making this deal with?
Just Knife is fine. We’ll go with that.