Page 15 of Wildfire Witch

The apple of his throat bobbed. It took him a moment to reply. “I am hoping it will return when we lay together again.”

“Worth a try. But there’s something else I need to do first,” I said with a forced, playful lilt. I just wanted to distract him from the memories he was dwelling on, so I kissed him again. It felt good to stop thinking about what’d happened to us and feel him open up without hesitation. He tasted a little like his magic, the distantly familiar tingle of the air element dancing on my tongue.

He squeezed my ass, lifting one of my legs as I lost myself to his lips, his long-lost presence so comforting and yet, strange. With a little encouragement, my jeans-clad slit was pressing against the erection that strained the front of his pants. I shut my eyes and rolled my hips against him with an eager sigh.

Our kiss broke and I remembered why I’d initiated it in the first place. “Three hundred eighty-six?” I guessed breathlessly.

His lust-darkened eyes widened. “What?” he asked, before licking his lips. Our earlier deal, fulfilled. “Yes, that’s how old I am.”

I stopped grinding against him, feeling a spark of awe. “Gosh. That’s so old,” I said in a completely candid, Nix moment.

Our panting breaths filled the night. The lust in his expression was fading, rapidly replaced by the weight of his lingering melancholy. He pushed me out of his lap and adjusted himself. “It has been quite the long day. Why don’t we rest, and discuss what you saw of your memories in the morn?” he suggested.

“Cer, wait…” I protested.

“Do you truly remember me as your husband?” He pierced me with his stare. “Or am I still a stranger to you?”

I hesitated. I didn’t want him to hurt anymore, and that was what the truth would do. But he had to realize I was still lost, torn between versions of myself. Nothing truly made sense right now. “You’re both. You’re neither,” I admitted. “I’m not…I don’t know for sure.”

His breath stuttered for a moment, before he wrapped his arms around me. This time, he tucked my head under his chin and held me. His voice, full of soothing air, vibrated against my cheek. “I don’t want to take advantage of you. We’ll do nothing else until you’re sure.”

That was only right, even though my chest tightened with disappointment. I nodded in agreement all the same. I was still cursed, still a damaged soul with baggage I couldn’t begin to air out in full. But since he had the misfortune of being bound to me, I would try to let him in.

Like a phoenix, I would rebuild my life anew, but with a space for him in it. I’d give myself a chance to fall in love with him again.

I slept deeply,slipping into a deep morass of fractured memories that chained together to form nonsense. I was the kind of person who forgot her dreams upon waking, but these stuck to my headspace once I opened my eyes to broad daylight outside.

Fuck, I’d slept in.I needed to get out of Seattle, but at least now I knew to head to Spells Hollow. Wherever that was in present day—the east coast somewhere?

“Ceridor will know,”Aodhnait said. She sounded as clear and present in my life as always.

“Goddess. Where’ve you been?”

“Experiencing memories of my own. I’ll have you know I’ve lived more lifetimes than you.”

I ignored the snooty way she said that, too glad to have her back after re-experiencing my lives without her warm presence there with me.“Welcome back. Learn anything that may help us?”

“Plenty. Why don’t you investigate those delicious smells while I tell you, though?”she suggested. Someone, probably Seth, was making a hearty breakfast. I cracked my eyes open again to take in my surroundings. I was sprawled on their couch, with a soft pillow under my head and my body tucked into a fleece blanket. If it weren’t for the grumbling of my belly and the pressing need to evade the fire bros, I could rest in comfort for a few more hours.

Ceridor stood by their kitchen table, sipping from a steaming mug. Probably tea, he was always partial to herbal teas. Though I used to make sachets for him with custom blends, who knew what he drank nowadays. He was showered and dressed in a change of clothes, while I got up rumpled and groggy.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” Seth was cooking away, also in a change of clothes that fit his toned body unfairly well. At this point, I figured he could model anything and I’d call it cute.

I mumbled something back. Ceridor immediately put the handle of his mug in my hand and I sipped it, brows raising. It was a strong matcha, full of zinging energy. “What time is it?” I repeated more coherently.

“’Bout ten. We were about to wake you,” Seth answered.

My eyes bugged wide. I’d intended to be on the first bus out of the city by now. But now wasn’t the time to go rushing off, not since I needed to convince Ceridor to help me get to Spells Hollow.

“And the cute water witch,”Aodhnait put in.

I tilted my head. Seth had no reason to come with us, except for the fact he knew about my fire magic and seemed to like me.

Ceridor fixed a new mug of tea and replaced the one I held, nodding. “I’ll be in my room, if you need anything,” he said, bending to press a soft kiss to my cheek.

“You’re packing?” I asked.

He pointed to the heap of my things, still piled up beside the couch. “Yes. Wherever you intend to go, I shall be there with you.” His fingers lingered atop mine for a moment as he fixed me with a devoted look. It’d been a rare wonder that he’d nevertired of me, when we were first married. But after this long? My heart fluttered and I flushed like the virgin I was in this current incarnation.

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