Page 79 of I Will Always Find You
Coriolanus nodded slowly, a lowhmphescaping him, as if capitulating a point he did not entirely agree with but knew wasnot his place to give criticism or insight. There was nothing he could do to change the situation.
Or was there? An idea began forming in the immortal’s head.
“All magic demands a price, Gian. That’s one. Here’s another. None of Aeneas’ reincarnations can be allowed to remember their past—who they were, who I am, or the truth of it all. I made that mistake once, and it destroyed him. The knowledge overwhelmed the man’s mind, and death followed soon after. The threads of fate are malleable, yes, but they’re fragile. So it must always fall to me to search, to remember, to carry the weight of our history.
“This is why Aric doesn’t recognize you. He has zero access to Rufus’ memories. But they’re still in there, and so is Rufus. So don’t think he’s forgotten you. In the afterlife, in those brief moments when Aeneas is whole, he remembers you. He loves you and misses you. I’m sure of it.
“Now, here, on this plane, when our souls meet, they recognize each other almost instantly. But the vindictive Wheel never makes it easy. It loves to intervene, placing blocks, weaving traps. That’s why I created the Spell of Recollection, to stir Aeneas’ soul, to awaken it.
“Sometimes the spell works quickly, like a moment of déjà vu, a flicker of memory or a sudden, inexplicable sense of knowing me. It helps ease the reunion. Other times, I have to put in the work, but no matter the situation that I find the reborn Aeneas in, his soul always reaches for mine. The results vary, which frustrates me. No, it pisses me off. Sometimes the spell fails completely, all because of the fucking Wheel’s interference.”
“What if you could end it all, my friend?” Coriolanus said, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement.
“End it?” Cassian snapped. “What the hell are you talking about, Gian?”
The immortal moved closer on the couch, closing the distance between them. He gently took Cassian’s hands in his own. “No, not like that,” he said softly. “I don’t mean death. I mean the Karmic Cycle and the endless chain of reincarnations. What if it could finally stop? What if you could just live one life, together? Forever.”
Cassian’s brow furrowed, skepticism flashing in his eyes. “What are you trying to say? You’re dancing around something. Just say what you mean.”
Coriolanus leaned in, his voice a whisper laced with fire. “I mean immortality, my old friend. What if I made the two of you immortal?”
Cassian blanched; the idea had never crossed his mind. “True immortality?”That’s crazy!
Or was it? The very word felt unreal on his tongue, even overwhelming. And yet, it made sense.
“Had I known all of this back in Devonshire, Cassian, I could have saved you a millennia of heartache. Still, when I think of today! And you said it yourself, man, your body is a perfect replica of your original one, and Aric is the spitting image of Aeneas. If any lifetime was ideal for the two of you to become immortal, it’s this one.”
“I—I don’t know what to say. Is it possible? Could it work?”
“Yes, Cassian, it could and will,” Olympius declared boldly, suddenly standing in the room with them.
The Romani witch wondered if he would ever get used to Olympius’ effortless command over speed, space, and silence.
“The magic within our blood that makes us immortal is as old as the Wheel of Destiny,” the Lord of the Night stated. “Perhaps older. No one really knows. This power created the first immortals, and it can defy the Wheel without consequence. Well, aside from the fact that you will never truly feel human again, if you consider that impactful. You shall forever be morethan mortal, superior, because you are. It makes life among them tricky, often more trouble than it’s worth. Immortals do well living solitary lives, jumping in and out of the human world at their pleasure, but you wish to be two, as Coriolanus and I are two.
“You and Aeneas are not fated souls as my beloved and I are. Your aura shows me that, as did Aric’s. Still, you’ve done something few have managed. Your souls are connected by true love. Your choice to love one another completely with everything you have, no secrets or deceptions, no walls or limitations, created this bond. I say it’s just as powerful as mine is to Coriolanus, simply different. You and Aeneas would make sublime immortals. I would be proud to share my line’s blood with the two of you. By making you an immortal, Cassian, I would have a chance to atone for my Maker’s blight on your many lives.”
“I wish to initiate Aric’s becoming,” Coriolanus spoke emphatically. “Though Rufus wasn’t of my mortal blood, he was—isthe son of my heart and soul. I raised him from a child. I would have him be of my immortal blood directly, if you have no objections, my love.”
“Like the time last year, I would never tell you what to do with your godly ichor. If this is your wish, I support it, as I will in all things, forever.”
Coriolanus rushed to Olympius, threw his arms around him, and lifted him into a joyful spin before pulling him into a deep, exuberant kiss. “By the gods, how I love this man!”
Magic ichor surged to the surface of Olympius’ skin, betraying not just his feelings for Coriolanus but the very real, evident heat of his arousal.
Cassian’s eyes went wide; he was genuinely stunned. “Olympius, are you blushing?”
Olympius ignored the ribbing and told Coriolanus to set him down.
“So, how would this work?” Cassian asked.
Olympius quickly explained to the Romani witch about the day and night gods, the Titans and the Olympians, the latter also known as the Secundae. They were all forever frozen in time due to the flow of the ancient, mysterious blood in their veins. He discussed the rules of immortals and the consequences of breaking them.
“All the other details and minutiae can wait. Coriolanus will drain Aric to the point of death and then fill him with his blood. The Becoming, as we call it, happens quickly. In only a few minutes, Aric will be an immortal, a night god. It’s rather a simple process, really.”
“I assume I’ll also be transformed by you, Olympius, in the same manner?”
“Yes, about that, Cassian,” Olympius began, his voice low and edged, “before we go any further, we need to talk about something.”
