Page 49 of Boy of Chaotic Making

She glared at him over the cloth.

“Right. Not a great time for jokes.” He ran a hand back through his hair again. “Okay ... how old was I? What was I wearing?Iwas clothed ... wasn’t I?”

Hulda sniffed. New tears pressed out. She waited a moment to speak. “Y-Yes, but I don’t recall in what.”

Merritt stepped forward and clasped his hands around her upper arms, forcing her to look at him. “Hulda. I love you. I loveyou. I would never be unfaithful to you. I’ve waited my whole life for you!”

The sweetness of the declaration fought against the utter sourness overtaking her.

“Surely you trust me by now. You know me.”

She did. Admittedly, it had never once crossed her mind that Merritt would leave her for another. But she’d seen what she’d seen.For the moment, her shattered mind couldn’t come up with another reason for it.

He smoothed loose hair from her face. “I mean ...” He hesitated. “The future is the future for your visions, yes. But surely you’ve seen something ofusas well?”

The heat in her skin changed temperature and flooded her face. She hadn’t seen their wedding yet, but shehadseen intimacy. Graphic intimacy. On more than one occasion.

A lopsided and mischievous grin formed on Merritt’s mouth. “Well, that’s good, at least. If the future is set, you must forgive me for this eventually.”

She swatted him with the handkerchief. “Really, Merritt.” But he had a point. Anything she did now contributed to the future she’d seen. She knew she married Merritt. Or at least, slept with him. But she certainly would never do that outside the bounds of marriage. So she would marry him. In some way or another, she would conciliate what she’d seen in the vision and say her vows.

But what if this happenedafter? Did Merritt grow tired of her? Would she not be ... adequate?

His hands caressed her face, bringing her attention back to him. He was close enough not to be too blurry without her glasses.

“I’ve made mistakes before,” he murmured. “I will not repeat them. And I willnevermake the mistake of leaving you. I will marry you right now if you want to find a pastor. I will also wait as long as you need. I will take a vow of celibacy and simply worship you until I draw my last breath.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

A shuddering exhale escaped her. She believed him. She did. Or at least, she dearly wanted to. Throat closing up again, she managed a nod.

“Though apparently I won’t need to.” That grin returned.

She swatted at him again. “You really are impossible, Merritt Fernsby.”

He kissed her chastely. “I’ll do anything you want to prove it to you, Hulda Larkin.”

Anything she wanted. The problem was, Hulda didn’t knowhowto feel better. She didn’t know how to prove or disprove anything, not with the way her abilities worked. If only she could revive the vision and force it to play out a little longer, or start a little earlier, she might have the answers she needed.

It seemed what sheneededwas another meeting with Professor Griffiths. If she could control the magic, perhaps it would stop controlling her.

Merritt embraced her. Letting go of all of it, she buried her head in his neck and sunk into the embrace. She loved him. She couldn’t bear losing him.Please,she prayed.Please let me keep him.

They stayed like that for a long while.

“This might not be the best time,” Merritt tried, grasping her shoulder, “but time isn’t on our side today.”

She waited.

He sighed. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for us to stay here any longer ... after what happened in the breakfast room.”

Her organs shrunk. “That ... is probably wise. But Owein ...”

“I want to give him time to acclimate.” He spoke softly, as though any volume might shatter her. And it very well might. “To the culture of this place, and to Cora. But we still don’t understand what’s going on with these ... very purposeful destructions of rooms I occupy. It might do to just sign the contract and leave.”

She nodded. “I believe it’s been redrafted to my specifications.”

He rubbed her upper arm. “Let’s ask for it, then. Let’s sign it and then go home.”

She bit her lip. “All right.”

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