by Lisa Daniels
Orion squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Occasionally people remembered that he had brought them back, but it was rare. It wasn’t too surprising that Legend would retain the memories. Looking up, Orion shrugged, “What can I say? I’ve never been normal.”
“It goes beyond not being normal.” Legend wasn’t going to let it go.
With a chuckle, Orion rested his face on a hand. “I tell you this because you are going to need to know to help her.” He looked over at Precious. Legend’s eyes looked over at her and a gentle smile played on his lips. Orion continued, “You are aware that lives have been pumped into her. It has given her abilities that she shouldn’t have. It has also affected her mind. As she helps the lives to pass, Precious will lose many of those abilities, but will regain her mind.”
Legend looked back at him, “So she will eventually be more like a normal seer?”
Orion chuckled again, “I would ask if that is disappointing, but I know that nothing about her is going to be a disappointment for you as long as you can convince her not to kill herself for you. But no. She will never be a normal seer. Just more normal than she is now. Her normal self. You have a special little woman there, and I doubt anyone could appreciate her like you. After all, only a legend could—”
“Oh, shut up,” Legend muttered, causing Orion to laugh.
Standing up, the assassin patted the champion on the shoulder. “Precious is going to want to say something to me. Tell her not to worry about it. And yes, she should go to the druids because they can help her with what she needs to do. Even if they aren’t particularly happy about yet another visitor.”
“Tell me, Orion, do you always speak so…”
“Enigmatically?” The assassin shrugged. “It depends on who you talk to. There are people who know what I mean when I say it, instead of later.”
Legend gave him a look. “Other assassins don’t count.”
“Draven mostly understands what I mean, too.” He smirked at Legend.
The champion threw up his hands before standing up and walking Orion to the door. As he opened it, Legend said, “I do have one more thing I would like to know, if you can tell me, enigmatic or otherwise.”
“Sure.”
“How do you know about what will happen to Precious?”
“It should be obvious.” Orion tried to avoid the answer he knew that Legend was seeking.
Then Legend proved exactly why he had managed to live so long for a jaguar shifter. “No, it’s not obvious. Not to anyone on this side with no experience. I’m sorry, Orion, because you seem like a really great guy, but you are underestimating me here.”
“What do you mean?” Orion gave a noncommittal smile and waited to see exactly what Legend was trying to say.
“It is blatantly obvious to anyone that Precious has magical abilities that she shouldn’t. What she can do shouldn’t be possible for any magic user, but she has gained the abilities because of the lives she carries.”
“Right.”
“And you, Orion. What happened to you that made it so that you could use magic that shouldn’t be possible for an assassin?” There was nothing smug or arrogant about the way Legend asked. It was a plain and honest question, the concern hiding just behind it.
Orion smiled and shook his head. “I am not carrying any lives, and unlike Caspian, it isn’t penance. It was a sacrifice I made long ago, and I am still certain it was the right decision, no matter how much time passes.”
Legend nodded, then patted Orion’s shoulder, knocking the assassin off balance for a split second. “People think that I am old, but something tells me that I am still a cub compared to you. I would offer you something in return, but nothing I could offer would ever be enough to repay you for what you have done and what you have given us.”
“You are wrong there. I must thank you for the chance you gave me. It was a good reminder that sometimes things don’t go as planned, but that doesn’t mean that things won’t work out.”
Legend gave a hearty laugh, “That is definitely something we all need to remember. None of us are gods.”
“No, no, we certainly aren’t, and those of us who are smart are glad for that.”
“Absolutely.” Legend smiled at him. “Have a safe journey, and may you find what you seek before too much time passes.”
Not too much after that, Orion again felt torn. He had tried to persuade Rosaline to trust her feelings, but would she understand in time to save Ignacio’s life? Orion not only had an obligation to Ignacio, he could not stand the idea of the young assassin dying. From the short discussion with Darius, Orion was certain that had been the original outcome. Knowing that, how could he just leave it to chance?
There was somewhere that pulled at Orion, but his concern for his mentee was too strong. Finally deciding to help Ignacio, Orion stepped into the Holding Place, a space where there was no time. Over the last few years, things had gotten a little weird, and he would occasionally find random objects resting in the space, but Orion knew better than to interfere with them. He had encountered a few people while using the space to travel into different times in his search, and it was possible that one of them had left objects there for safe keeping, as strange as the idea was.
Suddenly space opened up a long way from him and a person was shoved into the space. Orion stood frozen as he recognized Rosaline, or the vague form of the druid. She was not only separated from her body, but she was now completely severed from the same world. And yet she was still moving.
Then it dawned on the assassin. If she was in this space, that meant something was really going wrong with Ignacio. Orion began to run forward, but Rosaline managed to get out before he could reach her. It was a very difficult decision to make at that point because the pull was strong. But this wasn’t the first time. What if he lost Ignacio only to find that it wasn’t time yet?
Not caring what would happen, Orion planned to use as much magic as necessary to keep Ignacio there, and he opened a space in front of him. After so many years traveling in the space, Orion could tell where people emerged and where they were going. Ignacio had been on his own for a while, but Orion simply couldn’t leave things to chance. Darius’s warning had been vague, but it was clear he had seen Ignacio die.
Just this once, I have to know that he’s alright. I have to save him. I know she will understand. If she is the one calling me, I know she will understand. Orion closed the space and went to do what he could to help Ignacio. The scene that met him was bad, but there was no room for him to step in. Working just on the edges, Orion took down as many archers as he could in an effort to protect Ignacio. Working in the shadows was what he did best, and he would never bring up his role, not now, not ever. He was not acting out of a desire for thanks or acknowledgement—Orion could not lose anyone else too early. No one else would die because of his failings.
Chapter 1
A Painful Return and a Shattered Mind
Before she became aware of anything else, Phoenix felt fire and pressure. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it did make her incredibly uncomfortable. Trying to shift her body, she found that her arms were pinned. Trying to open her eyes, Phoenix found that even such a simple task was not possible, though she wasn’t sure why. Her brain was still spinning and she had no idea what was happening.
Panic began to settle into the pit of her stomach as her mind reached out for one of the few coherent thoughts it could find: Orion! Orion!
The more her mind repeated the name, the further her mind traveled from the mounting discomfort in her body. Phoenix was aware that this was not a new experience, but she couldn’t remember any of the details about what had happened in her past. It was disconcerting, but she knew that things should work out—all she needed was to understand what the word echoing through her mind meant. The problem was that things were happening around her that she didn’t understand, and the woman knew that the longer it took to understand the word, the worse her situation would be. Time was no
t a new concept, but she had a feeling that her current situation could not last for days. Whatever time she did have, the discomfort she felt would give way to soreness, then pain, and finally she would fade entirely. A part of her knew that would be bad, but Phoenix couldn’t remember why.
The only thing that was certain was that the name that had emerged in the front of her mind would bring her relief from her current predicament. She desperately hoped that it would soon be clear exactly what would happen if she let her mind find the meaning. The fact that it meant escaping the body that was suffering made it all the more difficult to force her mind to stay in one place.
Time passed, and at some point she realized that she could hear something. Part of her mind wandered back to her body to investigate the cause of the sound—there was something familiar about the sound, and the curiosity was stronger than the emerging pain. Focusing her attention, Phoenix found that her ears were unaffected by her surroundings. She felt almost like a thief stealing into her own body to better understand the sounds, but her attention was quickly drawn away from the sound to something happening with her body. Her mouth was moving, which she quickly realized was the source that had attracted her attention. It seemed to be making the sounds of the name inside her head, but Phoenix was put off by the way it was making the sounds. Something was wrong with the way the words were coming out of her mouth. Letting her mind creep a little further into her body, the woman realized that the sound was caused by an intense pain in her chest. It felt like things weren’t working the way they should. Panic began to set in again, and Phoenix prepared to send her mind far from whatever was happening.
A loud roar caught her attention just as her mind started to slip away. It was enough to keep part of her attention trained in her body, but much of her mind fled from the intense pain. Part of her knew that the loud roar which shook the ground beneath her should be terrifying—it definitely sounded like a dangerous source. Instead, Phoenix felt a sense of relief with what parts of her mind had remained. The weight that was pressing down on her seemed to be decreasing, and the pain in her chest relaxed a little. When she heard the next roar it was much closer.
Things began to shift around her as a brightness struck her face. Phoenix squeezed her eyes shut as the sudden light hurt them.
“Phoenix. I am here. I’m right here.” The voice was familiar, though she wasn’t sure why.
Large, warm hands wrapped around her arms and pulled her up. Not yet ready to open her eyes, she allowed the person to pull her close and wrap his arms around her. “I’m right here to take you home.” The feel of wind around her let the woman know that they were moving rapidly away from where she had suffered.
Still, the idea of returning to a place called home was entirely wrong. She shook her head, “No, no, no. I can’t.” The response was automatic, as if there was something that she needed to avoid, but the woman wasn’t sure why she was so adamant about avoiding going where he suggested.
“Alright. I will take you somewhere else. Can you walk?” The movement had stopped and the firm warmth began to move away from her, letting her legs stretch out. The voice was close, the concern was as warm and firm as the body that held her.
Phoenix shook her head again, not needing to try her legs to know that they wouldn’t work the way they should. She felt her body being gently lifted back off of the ground. Burying her face in the warmth, she gave a little sigh.
The rumbling of the body against hers was familiar and comfortable, distracting her from the pain that shot through her body now that she was freed. “Are you alright? Do you need healing?” he asked near her ear, the feel of his muscles moving letting her know that they were leaving that place of torture.
Her hand grasped something and she pushed herself further against the warmth, almost as if she was trying to wrap it around herself. Pulling her body as much into a ball as possible, she felt the heat wrap tighter around her, and knew that her rescuer was giving her a comforting embrace. Unlike the situation she was just freed from, Phoenix felt reassured as strong arms held her tightly.
“Okay, I understand,” the voice whispered near her ear. “Sleep. When you wake, we will talk.” Something warm and wet pressed against her forehead. Phoenix tried to say something, but it came out as more of a satisfied sigh as she let herself drift off to sleep.
Waking, the dazed woman felt an intense pain in her abdomen, but it was the strange growl that caused Phoenix to open her eyes. The area around her was dimly lit and warm, and the room looked clean, if a little bare. Much of this she pushed out of her mind as she looked around for the one person she knew would be there. Though her body felt sore, it was not a pain that drove her to mentally wander from her body. Not yet accustomed to moving in her body, Phoenix relied on what was left of her mind to look for what she needed. That soon proved to be too frustrating as pieces of her mind scattered around the world, drawing her attention from her present location. Giving up, she decided to use the body that had proven to be such an inconvenience.
Turning her head, she saw a form leaning over her. Inviting green eyes looked down at her, the concern evident in them. There was something else hiding behind the friendly and gentle look in them, though, and wanting to understand it caused her to pull her thoughts into the present. Her eyes took in the young face—affable and familiar. I want to keep looking into this face. As soon as the thought passed through her mind, Phoenix knew it was not the first time.
A smile played on her lips as her eyes roamed what Phoenix quickly realized were recognizable features. When her eyes went to his forehead, though, she instantly felt a desire to wipe away the worry lines etched on the otherwise perfect skin. Reaching her hand out, Phoenix tried to erase them. A large hand intercepted hers, holding it firmly. The wrinkles lessened a little and a soft smile spread on the elegant face. Small dimples appeared to the sides of his mouth, and she knew that his smile was sincere. The inviting green eyes watched her as he held her hand to his mouth, gently kissing the back of her hand. It was then that she noticed bruises, both on her hand and his, but it was quickly dismissed for the strange sensation in her stomach and the way her heart stopped for a moment as his lips touched her skin.
Too soon, the smile slipped away as he continued to look at her. “I am sorry I was so late. I shouldn’t have been. Kendra made me promise to follow my heart, and you are the one who paid when I did not live up to that promise.” He placed his head in his other hand, clearly having trouble with his emotions. Something about it made her feel sad, and Phoenix wanted to say something, but she wasn’t sure what to say. He quickly regained his composure and reached over to help move her into a sitting position. “I initiated the healing process, but I knew that you would be displeased if I didn’t let nature take over some of it. It was difficult to watch you suffer as you slept, but I feel certain that you aren’t going to be upset that I made you something to ease the pain in your stomach.” A shy smile flitted across his face, but something lurked just behind his eyes as he watched her reaction.
The words struck something in her mind, and Phoenix felt her face smile back. Rubbing her stomach, she noticed that the growl she heard before was coming from there. Dawning started to form in her fragmented mind and she realized that her body was letting her know something about her current state.
When her companion dropped her hand, the woman felt temporarily panicked. Watching his back, she was ready to force sounds out of her mouth just as he turned around, something in his hands. He walked back to her and sat down in the chair beside the bed, and Phoenix again felt at peace. Her eyes followed his movements as he dipped a shiny tool into a container and brought it up toward her mouth. Automatically, she opened her mouth and closed it around the implement. A sensation shot through her, and for a moment all of her thoughts focused on the warmth and explosion of taste in her mouth. After a sudden intake of breath, she began to cough as food and liquid leaked out of her mouth, as well as back into her lungs.
Her companion’s reaction was like lightening. Before she had a chance to take a second gasp of air, his hands were calming her and causing her to feel warm. Her passages suddenly unblocked, she turned to look at him.
He looked away for a second. “Don’t look at me like that. I wasn’t about to let you choke.”
Upset that she couldn’t look into those green eyes, she reached out a hand and turned his face toward her. A small scowl spread across her face as his eyes kept looking away from her. A small sound escaped her lips, finally forcing him to look at her.
“I know, I know, but my failings are what caused you to suffer for so long. I’m not about to sit and watch you endure anything else, even if it is trivial. So until you return to normal, you are just going to have to accept that every small harm from here on out will be healed immediately. Whether you like it or not.”
There was definitely something in her that wanted to argue with him, but Phoenix was more concerned that he would look away if she expressed any dissent to his decision. Instead, she placed a hand on his. Cocking his head to the side, she could see him trying to work out what she wanted. She patted her belly just as it growled again.
Her companion picked up the container as she prepared herself, willing her body not to react with so much shock the second time. He carefully dipped into the bowl and brought up a smaller amount of food. Phoenix was much more cautious as she ate the next bite. The warmth was nice, but the way it moved in her mouth was interesting. For the first bite that she didn’t cough up, she rolled the food around on her tongue, getting acquainted with the texture. When she started to chew it, a smile crept over her lips and she shivered a little. Her eyes went to her companion, and his smile told her what she needed to know. It was one of her favorite foods. Giggling a little, she opened her mouth for more.
“Still my little bird,” his eyes shone as he looked at her, and Phoenix was momentarily distracted from the food as she stared into those eyes. A desire to protect him was starting to form in a corner of her mind, but she wasn’t sure what that meant. In her current state, she wasn’t good for much beyond being taken care of, and Phoenix very much doubted that was any form of protection for anyone but herself. But the sadness behind his eyes stung, made her want to return to the normal he had spoken of a few minutes ago.