Page 159 of The Seeker
At the end of the path lay a sea of memory that stretched into the distance as stars danced overhead. The stars touched the water and the water touched the stars.
She walked up and touched her toes to the edge. The water danced before them, and the waves whispered secrets.
“Do you swim?” she asked.
“I can.”
“Will you swim with me?”
“Always.”
She slipped off her shoes, but he held her back. “Why?”
“Not tonight.”
The whispers became louder; waves rose along the shore.
He turned to the sea. “You are not her master.”
The whispers grew quiet and the waves calmed.
“Tonight we’ll walk,” he said. “You need to rest.”
She took a cleansing breath. “I do need to rest.”
“I know you.” He bent down and kissed her softly. “I’ve always known you.”
“Did you?” A smile bloomed on her face. “That’s right. You did.”
Chapter Thirty
Sabine met Meera on the edge of the blackened cane fields.
“How is it so muddy?” Meera asked.
“I called the rain.” Sabine turned to her, speaking in English. “I remember how to do that now.”
“Handy.”
“For a farmer? Yes.”
Meera stood next to her sister, charred fields before them and a ruined haven in the back.
“Roch and I are mated,” Sabine said. “I imagine you probably guessed that. We didn’t tell anyone because… We didn’t know if it would make any difference.” The singer’s face was solemn. “I thought it had, but it turns out he’s just officially bound to a crazy woman now.”
“It has made a difference.” Meera glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “I can see it. You will too when you’re not so upset. And Roch has always been bound to a crazy woman. Now it’s just official.”
Sabine’s smile was sad. “I thought I was going to get better. I really did. And then I did this.”
“You had a moment of madness and lost control in your grief.” Meera shrugged. “It happens. Just think of it as a jump on the harvest this year.”
Sabine grimaced.
Meera softened her voice. “You were trying to protect us. You’ll rebuild.”
“I don’t know—”
“I’m going back to Udaipur with Rhys.”
