Remember Me

by Stacey Nash

  “Why is it only rumored?”

  “Because no one has seen any of the three items in ten thousand years.”

  “Why, what happened to them?”

  He turns back to the book. “Somewhere along the way, the three were lost.”

  “How?”

  “I’ll come to that in a minute.”

  He pushes the book aside and pulls the history book to himself, flipping it open. He flicks through a few pages and the chapter title on the page he settles on reads The History of Our Technology.

  He runs his finger along the page and starts reading. “’All technology was created by our forefathers through studying the bestowed tools and reverse engineering them. However, no new technology has been created in the past five thousand years as these abilities have since been lost.’”

  “Did anyone ever clone the three?”

  “They couldn’t. We only had the resources and knowledge to examine them and replicate certain aspects. Cloning a whole item never worked, but not that people didn’t try.”

  “So, what happened to them?”

  He flips back to the myth book and turns to the next page. “’The Three Keys of the Patriarchs wield great power. It is rumored that all three combine. For this reason they were never held by any one individual but split between the six patriarchs. Each held only one key for a twelve-month period before passing it on to the next guardian. It is assumed that somewhere along the line all keys were lost.’”

  “Or maybe some crazy megalomaniac stole them,” I say.

  He raises his brows in a look that says I’ve got no idea what I’m talking about.

  “Tell me about the great power.”

  His eyes glint like shards of pure hazel light. He turns the page again and the chapter title reads Tarlequin. I feel like he’s waiting for a reaction so I meet him eye-to-eye, not certain what reaction he’s expecting. Without any indication if he got what he wanted, he starts reading. “The third and least powerful key is the Tarlequin. In its passive state it masks the bearer from sight by covering them with invisibility.”

  I suck in a sharp a breath and a flash of something mighty strong tingles at the edges of my memory. The words zap an image into my mind: a blue metal flower with a yellow center hanging on a long chain. I force myself to stay calm with a deep breath. Nik can’t notice. Thankfully, he continues reading so I must be safe. But my thoughts are elsewhere, thinking of the necklace Manvyke keeps asking about, the invisibility tech Nik and I searched for, and the overheard conversation. Could they all be about the same thing, this Tarlequin?

  “It can be triggered into its active state by strong emotion coupled with intent, emanating from the bearer. This state creates a spherical shield which activates with a sonic blast.”

  I let out gasp as a vision of Jax crouched beside me with the shield bubbled around us comes to my mind like a long lost memory, surrounded by feelings of affection, protection, and panic. I’ve seen this key and it wasn’t long ago. It saved him.

  Nik snaps the book closed, a small smile playing on his lips. “That’s enough for now.”

  I don’t bother to answer. My mind is too busy whirling through all the possibilities and all the lost memories. I know that I’ve seen that key and either Jax or I have used it. My insides feel like they’re vibrating with the urge to see him right now and tell him about my newly recovered memories, but I have to keep up the pretense and show for Nik.

  He rises and walks over to the wall, placing the two books back on the shelf. I jump to my feet a little too quickly, making my head spin, and have to stand still for a moment, allowing it to pass. Without waiting for Nik I walk out into the hall. Tarlequin. It’s a pretty word and the image it invokes matches it beautifully. As I reach the elevator, I peer down the other corridor to see sunlight falling through the opened doorway of what I now know is Jax’s room. I look at it longingly then glance away.

  Nik’s coming.

  When I turn back, as if summoned by my thoughts, Jax strolls out of his room and toward where I’m standing. All air evacuates my lungs as if seeing him now will betray our secret.. His body moves so smoothly I feel myself swaying as I watch him. He reaches me at the same time as Nik’s shoulder brushes mine. I take a step back.

  Jax looks at me for entirely too long, or maybe it’s not long enough.. “Nice dress.”

  A pleasant shiver runs down my spine as I smile on the inside, liking that he noticed. The elevator door slides open. Nik steps inside, brushing his arm against mine again and I nearly growl, ‘don’t touch me’. Instead, I jerk my arm tighter around myself as Jax moves to follow his brother.

  “It’d be perfect for temple,” Jax mumbles at the ground as he passes close by me, stepping into the elevator.

  I enter too. His mouth turns up at the corner and he winks. Good for temple? We never go to the temple. What’s he talking about? I frown, turning to face the front of the elevator and he’s still smirking. Is he trying to tell me something? If he is, I don’t … It clicks.

  Temple.

  He wants me to meet him in the temple.

  Nik steps in too and presses the 3.

  “What are your plans today?” Jax directs the question straight ahead. It could be to either Nik or me. Is he asking me to confirm I understand the meeting place? The doors slide closed and Nik still hasn’t spoken.

  “I was going to take a stroll, enjoy some leisure time,” I say.

  “A stroll?” Nik sounds surprised.

  “Yes, a stroll.”

  Jax keeps his voice light like he’s the king of small talk. “Lucky you. I don’t have time off until tonight. Got fence duty and training most of the day.”

  Nik huffs. “We need to train, too.”

  “Well, I need some fresh air.” I level Nik with a glare. “Too much time cooped up in my room.”

  He picks at the seam of his jeans, his face set in a grimace. My gaze catches on Jax’s as I turn around, unable to stop my smile.

  He smiles back, just a small one. “I love walks outside, especially after a long day.”

  Got it.

  Temple tonight after he’s done training. As I face the front, I can’t wipe the grin off my face. He wants to talk and now I remember—him, me, that there was an us—the air in the elevator feels like it sizzles. Thankfully, my back is to both of them so Nik can’t see my stupid smile.

  “Whatever,” Nik says. “Anamae, forget your aimless walk through the park. We’re training. You need to get changed.”

  The elevator door slides open and we’re on the ground floor. Jax exits, throwing a charming smile my way. “Later.”

  Nik punches the 3 button again and the door closes. He clears his throat and I spin around to meet his scowl.

  “Don’t flirt with my brother. You’re my partner.”

  I gulp the pure anger searing my throat. I’ve had enough of him telling me what I can and can’t do. Although I want to snap and tell him so, I don’t give him the satisfaction. I can’t afford to step out of his line. Playing along for just a little longer is essential or he’ll watch me too closely. After we share an overlong, heated look, the elevator door pings open. He pushes past me and out into the corridor. Following him back to my room, I can’t help but feel like I’m being treated like a hostage, only allowed out of his sight when I’m safely locked away.

  He waits in my sitting room, lounging on my chaise like he belongs there while I get changed. I try to hold onto my anger, but the joy at discovering my lost feelings for Jax overpower it and I find myself humming as I dress. How did I forget his name, my feelings for him, our time together? They’re so clear and strong, it seems impossible they were ever dulled. What really happened to my memories? They can’t have just disappeared; it must have been the mind wipe.

  I pull the dress over my head and yank on my black leather. I wish I could blow Nik off and go for that stroll to collect all my thoughts. Figure out who the resistance guy is, why he kissed me if Jax and I are together,
and how to get us out of here. But I need to keep Nik’s trust, so we train.

  The day passes in the slowest way imaginable. Each second stretches into hours and Nik works me harder than I’ve ever worked before, not holding back in our sparring, like it’s some kind of punishment. When I’m back in my room, lumpy bruises cover my legs and torso and I’m so tired I can barely hold my head up while I soak in the tub. Only the thought of seeing Jax stops me from drifting off. How the heck I’m going to get out without Nik seeing is beyond me. Maybe his plan was to make me too tired to try.

  I slip into the green dress, because Jax seemed to like it. Twirl in front of the mirror, then scowl, taking it off. Pretty, yes, but practical when sneaking around after dark? No. I swap it for my black leathers, go to the door of the sitting room and poke my head out. As expected, Nik’s at the far end of the corridor peering out of a window. He hasn’t even changed.

  Great.

  I pull my head back in and ease the door closed. Lucky he didn’t see me.

  My soft-soled uniform boots don’t make a noise on the bathroom floor. I pull my hair back into a smooth ponytail, then scowl at my pale reflection. My skin practically glows. Yanking the band from my hair, I shake the brown locks out, letting them fall about my overly white face. That’s better, less chance of being seen in the dark. Pacing around the room, I wrack my mind for a way to sneak out. When nothing comes, I sink onto the chaise and drop my head into my hands.

  A sharp rap makes me jump up off the seat. Knocking? Surely not. Who’d be at my door with Nik acting like security? I move to the door, and stand with my hand poised on the knob. Another knock sounds: short, sharp, urgent. I pull the door open and Cynnie stands before me pressing a finger to her lips. She edges it away and points to the right. I follow the line of her finger to where Nik’s slumped against the wall. Huh. Nice work. She inclines her head down the hall indicating we should go. This girl is too good to be true.

  I pull the door closed and we hurry away. When the elevator doors close, we both speak at the same time.

  “What—”

  “Josh—”

  Silence spans between us while we both wait for the other to speak first.

  “Nik—”

  “Meet—”

  I sigh and she giggles. I wave my hand through the air, indicating she should go first.

  “Josh said you’d need a distraction to get out. He was worried if he tried, Nik wouldn’t buy it.”

  Of course. I smile to myself. “What did you do to Nik?”

  She grins. “He’s taking a long nap.”

  Again, I’m in Cynnie’s debt. Funny, I’d once thought she liked Nik, but now I’m beginning to realize she sees him for who he really is: an arrogant ass. The elevator opens and we move through the ground floor, making a line straight for the small door at the front of the house. I’m grateful for my black clothing as we slink through the night. I have no idea what time it is, but after dinner it felt like I waited hours building up a plan of how to get out and constantly checking to see if Nik was still there.

  As we push the door open, I rest my hand on Cynnie’s shoulder, and she turns around. “Thank you,” I say. “I’m not sure how I would have snuck away if you didn’t come to the rescue again. I was going to wait until he fell asleep. I figured he wouldn’t wait there all night, but I was wrong.”

  “No worries.” She shrugs.

  We walk out into the cool night air, sticking to the shadows as we travel through the streets. Cynnie’s such a kind, purely good person. An amazing friend, I’m lucky to have.

  “Cynnie?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you believe in all of the Collective’s ideals? You know, the Founders’ Vision and all that?”

  She stops and looks me right in the eye. “No.”

  “Are you happy here?”

  She sighs. “Too bad if I’m not. I was born Collective. There’s nowhere else to go and no other way to live.”

  I consider telling her my secret, giving her the little part of me I’ve just gotten back. The part she doesn’t know … that I’m her enemy, I’m resistance. Before I have a chance, Jax materializes out of the shadows and falls into step on my other side, saying, “Thanks, Cynnie.”

  “No worries,” she says and disappears into the darkness ahead.

  “Nice night for a stroll.” Jax grabs my hand.

  “Oh, just an aimless walk through the park,” I say.

  He chuckles, twisting his fingers between mine.

  We walk in silence for a few moments and I’m not sure what to say. The heat of his hand in mine stirs up a bucket-load of good feelings. Tingles move up my arm, right to my chest, and down through my belly, where they settle as butterflies. I’m not sure why, but my tummy is all jittery.

  He tugs on my hand then starts running. Together we dash down the side of a building, not a house but something else, the supply store I think. He comes to a sharp stop about halfway around the back side between a high fence and the brick wall. I stop too, and he yanks me in toward him, wrapping his free arm around my waist. His movement’s so quick and sudden that I gasp. Before I’ve had time to react any further, his lips crash into mine. Hot, heavy, and kissing me with abandon. I tingle all over as the butterflies in my tummy multiple tenfold.

  Jax, it’s my Jax.

  Matching his urgency, I kiss him back, running my hands up his back and pulling him as close I can manage. His lips move with mine, urgent and wanting. It’s such a sweet moment I can’t believe I ever forgot what kissing him felt like.

  It’s so right, so natural, so perfect.

  Act III

  Truth

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Mae

  Jax pulls back and rests his forehead on mine. We both lean into each other, gasping for breath. He continues to hold me to him, and I hold him to me too. Every inch of our bodies touching; chests, hips, legs, arms, and foreheads like we can’t get close enough. Now that I’ve found him again I’m never letting go, and he clings to me like he feels the same way.

  “Mae,” he says, his voice throaty.

  I close my eyes and bite down on my bottom lip. “Jax.”

  “I remember,” he breathes.

  A smile tugs at my mouth and I feel it grow to a grin.

  Ducking, he brushes my lips with a soft kiss then buries his face in the hair tumbling across my neck. I tighten my arms around his middle, and a lump appears in my throat. It’s like the emotion, stress, and tension of the past few weeks all bubble to the surface with my found past. I’m me, he’s him. This is how it’s meant to be.

  “Hey.” He pulls back, running a thumb across my cheek. “I missed us too.” The ghost of a smirk plays on his lips and I can’t help but smile.

  “What happened to us?”

  He shakes his head. “I have no idea.”

  “Do you remember how we got here?”

  “No. Do you?”

  “No. But I’m pretty sure whatever happened was caused by Councilor Manvyke. I overhead another conversation and I think he wants something from us.” I take a long breath, inhaling his intoxicating smell. “Do you remember everything?”

  “Only you. Us. Everything else is blurry. Not memories, more like gut feelings.” He pauses. “Like us being here feels really wrong.”

  He kisses me again and this time it’s soft and sweet, his lips ever so gentle as they move on mine. His hand skims my face, holding it with as much gentleness as his kiss. When we stop, we cling to each other for who knows how long. My thoughts are full of nothing but him and a multitude of memories just like this—stolen moments, sweet kisses, passionate embraces—good and finally happy thoughts now that we’ve both found our way back to each other.

  “We have to get out of here.” His jaw brushes the top of my head.

  “And really soon.” I speak into his chest where my cheek rests. “But how? I can’t get through that barrier.”

  “Even if you could, it would be no use. Nik won�
�t let you out of his sight for long.”

  “We could port out.”

  He shakes his head. “The sensors wouldn’t let us go together without asking questions. Nik’s the only one you’ve got any reason to travel with.”

  “I ported with Cynnie—”

  “And she almost got caught.”

  “Can’t non-partners hang out? You know be friends or …”

  “A couple.” I can feel his smile. “Lots of people marry outside of their partnership, but everyone seems hell bent on keeping us apart, especially my brother.”

  “Whatever they’ve done to us, I think that’s why.”

  “Then it’s best if we’re not seen together. We can’t give them anything to suspect,” he says. “Maybe they’re worried we’ll remember.”

  “I don’t get it. How could they wipe our minds? And in such different ways. They made us forget everything … our lives, our past, each other?”

  “I don’t know.”

  He goes silent for a few minutes before he blows out a long sigh and eases me off him, so we’re no longer leaning against the wall. He grabs my hand, twining his fingers through mine and I squeeze gently, so happy to have something real of myself back.

  “We’ve got to go. Cynnie said we don’t have long before whatever she did to Nik will wear off.”

  I don’t move as he walks away from the wall, pulling me by our held hands. My lips ache with the need to kiss him again and never stop. But he gives a small tug, and I follow reluctantly. As we emerge onto the street, he runs his thumb around my palm in circles, sending my shivers through my hand and up my arm. It’s kind of ticklish “I don’t want to go, either.”

  I sigh, then remembering he mentioned Cynnie, peer into the darkness. Only I can’t see her. “I didn’t hear Cynnie. Where is she?”