Page 73 of Shadow & Stars
“As in my future bestie?” Roman said.
“Who is Darcy?” the other me wondered, fully turning to see the human approach. “Another witch?”
Darcy paused at the end of the garden path, holding up a hand as he bent to catch his breath. He wore black jeans and a red T-shirt, his robe gone. Alive. Relief greeted me with a warm embrace, the human’s face a much welcome sight.
I let out a huge sigh, brushing past myself to greet him on the garden path. “You’re here too?”
Darcy straightened, his hands on his hips. “Christ. I shouldn’t run like that.”
I considered hugging him, but thought better of it. We weren’t men who hugged at this stage of our relationship.
“Are you aware of what’s happening?” I asked him.
After a few deep breaths he said, “Only that I’ve seen glimpses of my life as a teenage boy again. Confused the poor boy. And I know I’m alive and ready to kick the living crap out of Butterfly.” He wrinkled his nose. “We are alive, aren’t we?”
His voice tickled my senses, music to my ears.
The music of hope.
“Yes,” I replied.
“I love a loophole.” He grinned, then sagged again.
“This is Darcy?” Roman walked slowly down the path.
“Bloody hell!” Darcy cried.
I caught him as he wobbled on his feet.
“T-Thanks.” He steadied himself. “You’re so young.”
Teenage Roman offered him bristly energy. “You’re the rat?”
“Will be.” He looked at me. “Can you believe this?”
“We’re lucky to have been given this chance,” I said. “Let’s not waste it.”
He nodded. “What happens next?”
“I—”
Propelled back into the future, I saw things through my other eyes there.
Roman. A dagger in his chest. My hearts thumped wildly, my hands reaching for him as if they possessed healing energy.
What happened to him?
I called his name, every eye on the street falling on me.
Humans with guns—ADU agents. Margarite and the lizard demon.
Ismael.
My skin became instantly clammy with fear. “What’s going on?”
My ex smiled at me. “How many of you are in there?”
I shivered, his voice always so disarming. “What are you doing here?”
