Page 36 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

Brim stood up, his eyes filled with concern.

“Haden, don’t do this.”

“It’s too late; I have no say in the matter anymore. It will happen.”

My eyes fluttered open as I tried to make sense of what was happening, but as I tried to stand, I collapsed back to the ground.

“Storm,” I whispered when I heard someone, but it wasn’t Storm.

Brim stood over me, his face full of concern. If Brim was here, it meant he had a vision, and it was not good. His friendly eyes were filled with concern for me.

“Haden, what have you done?” he asked. “I can’t see Della’s future anymore.”

I tried to speak, but there was a heavy fog in my mind. Why couldn’t he see her future? I shook my head, trying to concentrate. Show me her future, I demanded from my magic, but nothing came to me either. No. What did that mean?

"Brim… help her." I begged.

"She is not the one that needs help, Haden. You are going to die, but we can stop it.” He frowned. “You had the vision too? There were cloaked figures, and they killed you. They are so angry with you. Who are they?"

I could not tell him. He would not be able to stop them if they wanted to kill me. How did I explain to Brim that I had been lying to everyone about who I was? My head was pounding as I tried to stay conscious. Della. She would be devastated. My eyes rolled back, not being able to fight it anymore as I passed out.

Chapter 10

Della

Ifrowned when I glanced at Haden. He had seemed so distant since I got home an hour ago. His eyes were dim, and his smiles did not reach his eyes. He looked lost in thought as I slid onto his lap as he sat in the chair at the table. His normally stormy blue eyes were replaced with dark black pools. This was the other side of Haden that came out sporadically. There was a subtle difference with him when he was like this.

“Please tell me what is wrong,” I whispered. "You look so sad."

His eyes searched mine like he was looking for an answer to something. His arms wrapped around me and rubbed my back. He tried to give me a reassuring smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

“I’m not sure; I just feel sad for some reason,” he said with a tinge of pain in his voice. I rubbed his back as I held him tightly.

“Did I do something to make you feel this way?”

“No.” He squeezed me tighter. “I just get like this sometimes. You always make me happy, Storm.”

I pulled back and saw the sadness swirling in his pretty eyes. I cupped his cheek and wished I could make him feel better.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the pastries for you today. I didn’t leave the house after I started feeling like this.”

“It’s all right.” I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He was keeping something from me. “We can get pastries a different day. We have a lifetime.”

He swallowed hard and nodded.

“A lifetime with you sounds like heaven.” He smiled, and this time it reached his eyes. “I had a dream about you last night,” he whispered.

“You did?” I smiled. “Tell me.”

“You and I were married. We lived in this house, and we had children running around us. Gods, we were so damn happy.” Tears sprang to his eyes as he looked at me. “Just as in love as we are now.”

“That sounds like a good life,” I confessed as emotions filled him. "Why is that making you cry?"

"Because I love you so much. All I want is that life with you. Nothing else matters to me." His eyes lost all of their happiness again. Fear trickled into my mind as I watched him. My hand brushed against his cheek.

“Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what else is bothering you? I will not be mad if that is why you are worried.”

His eyes bounced between mine as he contemplated his response. His hands started rubbing up and down my back again as if I was the one who needed comforting.

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