Chapter 86 Spirit Helix
“Tell me. Do you remember the last time we saw Astre?”
Hale's eyes clouded over, and a pulse started to beat on his neck.
“You warned her about the tremors, remember?”
“I feel no tremors in Japan at the moment. Do you?”
“Damn you, Hale.”
“You forget. This is 2023 not 1923, things are different, built better.”
“When has that ever bloody mattered with creatures like us.” My voice rose. “Why am I suddenly the paranoid one, are none of you scared of death?”
“That woman!” His voice matched mine, pointing in the direction of our bedroom. “That’s my bloody Luna. Should have been my wife years ago. And now I'm about to play a part in her death. You think I don’t die a little every day at the thought of it?”
“Bravo! Human rights ambassador.” I bit off acidly. “Unlike you, I lack basic morals. I protect what is mine, with or without their consent.”
I turned for my desk knowing he wouldn't let me walk out the door.
“You’re selfish.” His voice dropped.
“I am a dragon.”
“Who learned to love,” he walked over as I sank into the leather chair behind my desk. “You have lived in that body for centuries now, learned to love the way humans do, care, grieve.”
“Changes nothing.” I shrugged. “It's goddamn illogical to let the person I love walk into their death because I want to respect their choices.”
“Have you wondered why I suggested we make Lys our Ascendant this year?”
That gave me a pause. I turned to look at him, standing at my desk, hands spread and leaning.
From that night I discovered her real identity, I wondered.
It made no sense why he chose the same woman he loved enough to nearly leave me for, to be an Ascendant.
“Ballet is the only portion of her life that was not cultivated to solely please her parents. That sport is her life, and she died the night she fell.”
He pulled away from the desk to pace the length of the room.
“Losing the ability to walk or dance is death for a woman like Lys. The most I could do for her was extend it one more year.”
“So you have already grieved her?” I shook my head sadly.
We were so unlike each other. If that doll was truly mine. Mine like she was his. I would give the Firstborns and their rituals a much deserved middle finger before I let a strand of hair fall to the ground.
“No.” Hale stopped mid-stride.
The look in his eyes was all the proof I needed that this ritual would be an issue for me too. That ballerina’s death might break my lover.
“But there’s nothing I can do about it,” he looked away again. “That is the point. I am respecting her wishes.”
“Duly noted. However, exploring Japan is not as dire a need for Finn as ballet is for your fairy.” I paused. “As soon as all this is done. I’ll take him on a nice vacation there.”
“That is not your decision to make.” He raised a hand when I attempted to speak. “And that kid has insisted from the first day that he isn't Nymphaea.”
“Hardly a surprise,” I retorted. “Astre and…” I couldn’t even say her name, “Insisted just as strongly despite the fact that they reincarnated with her complete memory.”
“I have a theory,” he said in a rush. “I hate it already. It would make everything bloody messy. But I think Lys is Nymphaea.”
We stared at each other.
The world dulled around me, as if someone had turned the light down, and the silence was so absolute I could hear sounds from a mile away, the gentle breeze weaving through trees in the garden downstairs, the sighs in the lake, the sound of traffic from the 101 freeway.
I burst into laughter.
It was unintentional. I wanted to stop, tried to stop, but the idea of it was too rich a joke.
“Finn suggested the same nonsense.” I wheezed through my laughter.
Hale did not appear offended though. He sunk into the chair across my desk and watched me with a sympathetic look in his eyes.
And that stemmed my laughter. Not pity. I did not desire anyone’s pity.
“Please tell me you have more proof than her name being Lys.”
His head jerked back. Well, there it was. He and Finn were thinking in the same lines. She was Nymphaea because her name meant lily.
“It's not so simple. If you paid attention, you would have noticed the energy from…”
“Ridiculous. We're not about to delve into abstracts. Give me logic here, Mon amour.”
“We have agreed Nym did not return as a dragon this time. And that she is intent on concealing her identity. If she was originally a lunar queen, what else would she return as if not a wolf?”
“And how many wolves are there in the seven districts? You narrowed it down to her because her name is Lys?” I huffed in wonder. “Do you hear how ridiculous this is? Nymphaea was never obedient. I woke up everyday thinking of new ways to earn her submission. She never tolerated weakness, not in herself, not in other women.”
“Lys is not weak.” He rose from the chair and started to pace again.
“Forgive me. But your fairy is sweet, delicate. Does she strike you as someone who can house a dragon?”
He stopped pacing. “Is it truly love?”
“What?”
“Is it truly love? Honest and unconditional if you cherry-pick personalities?”
“You’ve lost me,”
“Nymphaea, me, Finn, Flore, Astre. The one parallel between us all is hot-headedness.”
“You’re far from hot headed, Mon amor.” I winced, and massaged my head. A headache was coming in.
“But I challenge you.” He returned to lean against my desk. “Everyone one of us challenged you, sent your heart racing and made you work for our submission and sweetness with fists and teeth. So…” His eyes shone, the blueness of it bluer, “An obedient little woman is the last place you would expect your wife to return.”
Look at me, Mordaine. Really look at me. I bet you would never have chased a woman like me, loved me, married me if I was not your late queen reincarnate.
“Bullshit.” I shot off my chair, suddenly rattled. “The Spirit Helix is the most accurate proof of a reincarnation. Finn and Nymphaea’s souls share a similar Spirit Helix. And besides…”
I paused as my heart kicked.
“I have kissed her. I have looked in her mind, and a couple of days ago, when I invaded the dreams and soul memories of everyone in the districts, she wasn’t excluded. I found nothing interesting in hers besides the images of you too from four years ago.”
His brows jumped, surprised.
But then he frowned, looked like he was about to argue some more, and stopped himself.
“Good.” He exhaled, staring down at the floor. “I am uncertain I can share her with you.” He froze, and then met my gaze. “Not like that.”
I nodded quickly.
We shared the same sentiments about that. I never planned on sharing Nymphaea like that with anyone, not even him.
“I need her.” His voice broke the silence. I frowned, confused. And finally, I got his meaning.
“Now?”
“Tonight, before I leave for Japan,” He winced, “I really cannot stand it anymore. Ageir is becoming difficult to manage."
Again, I nodded. I had expected this.
“Have fun darling.” I headed for the door, “I will be in my vault.”
“What?” He caught my arm. “You’re not coming?”
“I came just now, dashing knight.” I teased, but he glared at me.
“She’s all yours,” I said seriously now. “I want you both to have this first time between yourselves. Just like you planned all those years ago.”
He looked stunned, and I reached out to caress his cheek.
From the moment I learned who she was, I had planned this as my gift to them.
But Finn… my sweet, rebel just had to go ruin everything. He claimed her first kiss, orgasm and every damn thing between it.
But this should do.