Page 111 of Shadow Blind

Olivia studied her face for a moment before offering a gentle smile. “Samuel said Aiden is instrumental in preventing this bot plague from taking over the world. This comes directly from the Taounaha, the mouthpiece of the Shadow Warrior. Benioko says Aiden is the arrow of our people, the warrior at the front of this charge. The Shadow Warrior would not let his arrow break before it has found its mark.”

Demi forced a wobbly smile. “Aiden doesn’t believe in the Shadow Realm or the Shadow Warrior.”

A shrug lifted Livvy’s shoulders. “This does not matter. The Shadow Realm believes in him.” She paused, wisdom resonating in her serene gaze. “Perhaps this sickness is the Shadow Realm’s doing, their maneuvering to defeat this bot weapon.”

“You mean like the lab finding something in his blood they can use to create a vaccine?” Faith had mentioned they hoped Aiden’s apparent immunity to the bots would help them develop an antidote.

Olivia shrugged. “We must trust that the elder gods will hold their children safe. The Shadow Warrior and Blue Moon Mother have watched over us since the first star lit the sky. They birthed the Hee'woo'nee. They will not let their children die now. If Aiden is tasked with preventing such a catastrophe, they will not allow him to pierce the veil and join the web of his ancestors until his task is complete.”

Livvy’s optimism and serenity were obviously because of her trust in this Shadow Realm and the shadow deities she spoke of. Demi found it impossible to put her faith in such an intangible belief system.

“Aiden will be fine.” Livvy squeezed her hand again. “He’ll wake up soon, I’m sure of it.”

Demi’s throat closed around a huge lump. Olivia was trying so hard to comfort her when she had even more to be worried about than Demi did. Olivia was in a committed relationship with the man lying in the hospital bed behind her. Unlike Demi, who’d broken things off with Aiden prior to him getting so sick.

“You know we’re not together, right?” Demi asked. “Aiden and I, I mean. We broke up the day before your book club meeting.”

“I don’t think your heart got the message,” Olivia said gently. Her gaze was knowing. “You’re too worried about him to have no feelings.”

“Feelings weren’t the problem.” The twisted, tight look on Aiden’s face when he’d said he loved her burst into Demi’s mind. She choked on a breath, tears welling. She was too tired to hold the sorrow inside. “Lack of compatibility…that’s what drove us apart.” She swiped at her wet eyes, her heart breaking all over again. “If we stayed together, over time, we’d end up hating each other for what the other couldn’t or wouldn’t give up.”

Olivia cocked her head, her gaze steady on Demi’s face. “I hesitate to contradict you, but I fear you are making a mistake. One you will regret. From your questions during book club, when you asked how we lived with the constant fear of our men being in danger, I suspect you’re making this decision out of fear. Fear of what the future holds while Aiden walks this dangerous path.” Her face softened. “But there is more to consider. There is something you are not aware of.”

Demi’s eyebrows rose. What could Olivia possibly know about the situation that Demi didn’t? This time, Olivia hesitated before speaking, uncertainty flitting across her face.

“You are not Hee'woo'nee, so you would not know of the Kalikoia's ways, or of the animal spirits and their gifts, which are given to us by the elder gods.” That earlier wisdom, along with a deepening intensity, radiated from her eyes.

Well, that was an odd segue, but Demi went with it. “You mean like Kait’s ability to heal and Wolf’s flashes of the future?”

Did Aiden have a gift? He’d never mentioned having a special ability. Besides, since he didn’t believe in the Shadow Realm and the shadow gods, maybe he couldn’t access their gifts. Although that didn’t quite fit, as Kait had manifested her healing ability before learning of her Kalikoia heritage.

Olivia nodded, the intensity in her eyes strengthening. “Yes. Like those. Wolf’s flashes come from the Shadow Warrior—his gifts strengthen and protect the Hee'woo'nee. But Kait’s healing ability comes from our Blue Moon Mother, who provides her chosen children with nurturing gifts to cement the tribal ties.”

Demi frowned at that. “But Kait said there are several male healers here on base. And she’s the only female healer. Did the male healers’ gifts come from your Blue Moon Mother too?”

Livvy shook her head before Demi finished speaking. “No. One Bird and Eldon received their Hee-Hee-Thae gift from the Shadow Warrior, to be used during battle to keep our warriors strong. Many of the Hee'woo'nee’s animal spirit gifts—such as the ability to heal, or the gift of future sight—are gender neutral.” She hesitated again, longer this time. It didn’t seem like she was going to continue, but then she added, “Our great mother gifted me with the ability to see heartmates—to know when people are destined to be together.” Her voice gentled. “The moment I saw you sitting by Aiden’s bed, I knew you and he were gifted to each other. You two are fated to be together.”

Demi’s eyebrows lifted. While it was hard to refute Kait’s gift, as she’d experienced it herself, it was much harder to convince herself that Olivia could see some mythical connection between her and Aiden.

Olivia’s laugh was soft and understanding. “You don’t believe me.”

“I believe you believe—” Demi broke off, wincing. Her resistance to the idea must be plastered all over her face.

After another soft laugh, Olivia shrugged. “I understand. You weren’t born to the Hee'woo'nee. Of course, you wouldn’t believe in our ways. But this needs saying because heartmates are quite rare. The deep, internal connection you have with Aiden is prized by the Kalikoia. It is a bond that will grow and expand through each cycle. It will provide comfort and strength in times of need. It is not replaceable, nor should it be cast aside because of fear.”

Demi frowned. There was no question she’d felt a connection to Aiden from the moment she met him, even back when she was married to Donnie. But she’d loved Donnie, too.

“So, you only get one heartmate—” which sounded an awful lot like a soulmate to her “and if things don’t work out with them, you’ll never find happiness with anyone else?” She could hear the skepticism in her question.

Livvy shook her head. “Not at all. There are multiple heartmates created for each person, but few people find even one. Amid the billions of people walking this world, the odds of encountering even one of your destined heartmates are astronomical. Most people find love and happiness with someone other than the heart intended for them. But their connection—indeed their happiness—is thin and pale compared to what they would have with one of their intended heartmates.”

Demi tried hard to keep her disbelief off her face. But seriously? Everyone was given a couple of soulmates, but nobody could find them? How messed up was that? What a shitty job on destiny’s part.

Livvy turned to look into Samuel’s room. “The instant I saw him, I knew Samuel was my heartmate, although it took him much longer to recognize that fact. Like you, he didn’t believe in such things. Not at first. But we’ve had three joyous cycles together. We share a connection that binds our hearts, minds and souls. I am never alone, as I sense him there with me, wherever he might be. Even now, while he sleeps, I can sense him. Am I afraid of losing him when he takes to the air with the rest of Shadow Mountain’s warriors? Of course.”

“Cycles?” Demi asked.

“The Kalikoia word for your year.” For a moment, Olivia’s face twisted, before serenity smoothed it again. “Even if Samuel had died during that last mission, even if I’d lost him, I’d still take these three cycles I’ve spent with him over not having known him at all. The pain of losing him would eventually subside, but the memories of him, of us, they will last forever. Anxiety and fear go hand in hand with loving men like Aiden and Samuel. But those emotions are nothing when compared to the memories we create with them beside us.”

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