Page 16 of Soulmates

He looked at Jake as he answered. “Yes.”

“Yes, well, you would have to,” Forrester said. “This…Soul Exchange can only work if there is genuine and complete love between the parties. There are accounts from throughout our history, when our society was more accepting of each other, when we gathered more and simply saw each other more—the most recent of these are from hundreds of years back. Soul exchanges were something joyous. It’s the truest bond—”

“The deepest bond,” Jake interrupted. “That’s what the task said. ‘Your deepest bond.’”

“But my task was just to wait. Why?” Maddox said.

“I cannot answer why those messages were sent or how. I have never been able to understand the tasks or challenge or whatever you want to call it. I can tell you it is not put on by people who care about your safety or understand or care about the consequences of this kind of magic.” Forrester sighed. “Here is what I can tell you about the Soul Exchange. First, it isn’t accidental.” He looked over at Maddox and Jake with a squint. “It isn’t supposed to be accidental. I mean, not unless a bunch of idiots set a bunch of unprepared students on que—”

“Emory, maybe stick to the matter at hand?” Professor Hooper said.

“Right. It’s not accidental. Two mages commit to each other in a ceremony overseen by someone well respected by both the couple and the community, often a healer, and there were ceremonial words, though it’s unclear if those were necessary words or if intent was everything.” He looked at Jake, head tilted. “Maybe intent is everything. Jake knew what he was giving Maddox. Maybe not exactly. But he knew enough, and he wanted to give it to him. Maddox wasn’t clued in, so we have an incomplete bond. I’ve never heard of it, but…there have been vague references in journals of lovers who turn on their other halves seemingly out of nowhere.”

“Sorry, but how can people swap out souls? It’s not exchanging wedding rings. You can’t dislodge a soul. What even is a soul? I mean, I know metaphorically, but in reality, what’s exchanged in this ceremony we’ve never heard of?” Maddox demanded.

“I don’t know the answer to that. I know whatever is exchanged is tied to emotions. It’s been referred to as the light soul, and after seeing the two of you, I think I may know where that came from.” Forrester took a step toward them and looked over at Professor Hooper.

“Maddox, we need you to let go of Jake and stand behind us,” Forrester said.

“That’s not a good idea, Dean,” Jake responded for both of them.

“No, but necessary. If you want our help, we need to see you separately. We’re both here and won’t let anything happen to you. If I’m right, you can’t hurt Maddox, anyway. Based on your descriptions of the night, you couldn’t hurt him even when you wanted to. Am I correct?”

He and Jake exchanged cautious glances, and Maddox answered. “Um, yes. I think he really was trying to hit me with the sword, and something went wrong each time. It missed but shouldn’t have.”

“Exactly. Now, let go and walk quickly to us. It should disorient Jake long enough for us to see what we need to without him attacking you.”

“Okay,” Maddox said, giving Jake’s hand a tight squeeze. “Jake, I love you. I promise you I do. Please remember that.” Maddox let go of Jake and walked away.

Chapter 14

As soon as Maddox let go, Jake felt a pleasant loss of thought and feeling that he knew he would chase to the end of the earth. In fact, he would chase Maddox to the end of the earth to destroy him. He tried stepping forward, but Professor Hooper had spelled his legs immobile and his feet to the floor.

They talked around him for a bit. They noted a bend in the light in the room, curving slightly toward him as he glowered at Maddox, who was standing, looking pathetic and wilted in the far corner. They pointed out the gathering of fireflies in the window nearest to Jake.

They asked him how he felt. He refused to speak. They used magnifying glasses and floating water to look at the light. He listened halfheartedly as they discussed the name “light soul” and how it must have been literal since the light was trying to get at Jake.

They asked what Maddox felt. He described a feeling lodged behind his sternum like something physical was there, but no magic spyglasses or any other instrument detected anything foreign. They theorized that it was likely Jake’s light soul.

Maddox finally spoke up from his sulk in the corner. “If this was supposed to be an exchange, why didn’t he get my light soul or whatever?”

“It’s a ritual. It’s not trading cards. There has to be intent, and there are supposed to be words and witnesses. It’s ceremonial, like a wedding. You didn’t know what was happening, so how could you give him anything? He gave it to you intentionally, whether he knew exactly what he was doing or not,” Forrester said.

“So, can I just give him mine? Or give his back?”

“Would you want to give him yours?”

“I would do anything for him.”

“Maddox, this is a lifelong commitment, and from what I’ve read, you can’t undo it.”

“I don’t care. Let me do this.”

Jake tuned back out and looked around the room to find a weapon. Maybe something to throw. Where were his knives, anyway? He started patting himself down, but there was nothing there. He vaguely heard the professors decide they had to wait until dawn broke either way since breaking this task now would only result in “peril,” which they decided likely meant death. Besides which, research had to be done. Neither of them knew the ritual or where to find a more specific reference to it, even in what Jake assumed was an extensive private library. It was all the same to Jake. He could wait until he was alone with Maddox. Kill him then. End this discussion.

Dean Forrester instructed Maddox to grab Jake’s hand since physical contact was creating some kind of bridge to his missing soul. He attempted to dodge Maddox, then attempted strangulation but couldn’t squeeze. Then, with a jolt, he realized he didn’t want to. Gods, what was he doing? His skin prickled almost painfully as his breath came faster, uneven, as if coming up from a deep dive in icy waters, his world narrowing on Maddox. He let go of Maddox’s neck, but Maddox grabbed his hand lightning fast with both of his own and begged Jake to just breathe with him. “Slow it down, Jake. Slow. Like me. Three in. Three out.” Fresh tears tracked down Jake’s face.

“Just keep it slow and even. With me. One…two…three in. One…two…three out.” Maddox softly brushed his fingers against Jake’s back, sending a flood of relief flowing through him. Jake sagged, grateful for the spell on his legs keeping him standing.

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