Page 17 of Gambling with Time

Not much was said, but I knew the demon remembered, and Sammy did too. And I had flashes of memory. I could see her in my arms, my dragon demanded that we claim her, but I had memories of doing that once.

I wasn’t sure where the Demi-god stood yet.

My restless legs carried me back to the dining room. The table had been cleared of everything that was on it. And I was sure the dragons sanitized the crap out of the surface. At least if they could smell what I could once they were finished.

If only I could just remember what was missing. My fingers tugged at my hair as I paced.

The door creaked open, and Tyler stepped in. “You couldn’t sleep either?”

“No,” I clipped. Frustration rode me hard. It wasn’t sexual, although that was part of it; it was not knowing everything. I needed to remember my life.

“We will get your memories back.”

How did he read me so well?

“Best friend.” He shrugged as if he could see that question too. He shoved his hands into his pockets, his shoulders slumping. “What do you remember from back home?”

“I remember the palace and running through the portal when I was a kid. And getting adopted by the people that are my parents now. But it is all out of focus, like it was blurred.”

“I mean, the spell would have to do a lot of that with you, since you basically lived at our house after the first grade. And we couldn’t get rid of Sam.” He leaned against the wall next to the tall floor to ceiling windows that put the snow covered mountains on display. It was a strange thing to notice, but I guess my mind was looking for distractions.

“Did–Were Sammy and I–” My words tumbled from my lips in a tangled mess, I wasn’t even positive what I was trying to ask.

“Sam had a crush on you for a while. You were a hero in her eyes. Then she went away for training, and when she came back, you didn’t hide your feelings well. Although you gave it a good effort, and it was easy to pretend I was seeing things that weren’t there. And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have acted on it fully if I was against it, but I’m not that kind of asshole.” He kicked his foot back, propping it against the wall behind him.

Some of what he said pricked at my thoughts. I could see Sammy as a little kid, tears on her face from falling off her bike. Tyler younger, too, laughing. I’d ran over and helped her, urged her to climb back on and try again to prove her brother wrong; she wasn’t weak and incapable.

Then I’d run behind her, holding her seat, as she peddled and picked up speed enough that my legs couldn’t keep up, and she rode all on her own. She’d done amazing until she realized I wasn’t holding on anymore. But we’d done it over and over again until she had it.

It was a bittersweet memory that led to more of the same. Like a slow trickle of a river through boulders blocking the current.

“And the others?” I glanced back at the door, picturing the route back to the room that held them.

“She fell for each of you. And you were okay with sharing her, which was surprising to me, but who am I to judge?”

“For my dragon to be willing to share, my feelings must be really strong. I feel like I’m failing, not remembering like I should.”

“Of course you feel that way. But you’ll remember. If I can get powers from a Goddess, then you can find your memories again.”

I let out a long sigh and glanced away. I hoped he was right, because this hole in my heart would bleed me dry if I didn’t.

The door creaked, and we both lifted our gaze to it. Sammy peeked her head into the room, smiling when she caught sight of us.

“I woke up, and you weren’t with us,” she said, focused on me.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

She padded on bare feet across the stone floor, stopping next to me. Her small hand curled around my forearm, making me aware I had crossed my arms.

“Anything I can help with?” She peered up at me, her mossy green eyes drawing me in, pink lips parted with her question. And my brain short circuited. She’s asked me that question before, I knew it in my bones. Many times in the past.

I placed my other hand on top of hers. “Just stay with me?”

She smiled brightly, and it made me want to be whoever she saw when she looked at me. “What about you, Ty? Can’t sleep?”

“If you think I’m sleeping for one second while I’m in a palace in Tartus that is full of dragons, you are crazier than you were before. This is the best thing ever. What if I never see this again?”

She laughed. “You are going to crash hard once we get back home.”

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