Page 86 of Between Soul and Vessel
“On our wedding day, when I found out I was pregnant, I had intended to keep it a secret from Von until I could tell him later that night, but he showed up without warning. The babe knew of my wishes, so they helped me by using their magic to hide the sprouted Neptuah seeds before Von had a chance to see them.”
Artemesia looked stunned. She opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. She closed it. Opening it for a second time, she tried again, “Then, yes, your child could very well be . . .”
“Here,” I finished for her.For me.
I could hardly believe it. There was a chance our child’s soulcouldbe in this realm.
A chance!
The shackles of grief fell from my limbs. One by one, the invisible anchors struck the ground. For so long I’d felt heavy, drowning in the ocean of loss. But now, I felt featherlight, as if I could drift up to the sky. Because now there was possibility. There washope. And it was a powerful thing.
Tears misted my eyes. Overwhelmed with joy, I let out a laugh. And then another, and another, until I was a mess of happy laughter and guttural sobs.
“Oh, honey,” Artemesia said gently. Emotion twisted her face, spilling over her lower lash line. She leaned over, embracing me in a hug. I wrapped one arm around her. Dropping my fishing rod, I added another.
“They could be here,” I whispered, my chin tucked on her shoulder. Hers on mine.
If only Von was here, if only I could tell—
Sage!a familiar voice yelled inside my head.
I jerked back from Artemesia.
Iknewthat voice. Just as well as I knew the sound of four tiny feet scampering across my mind. It was a sound I’d never expected to be thankful to hear, but at that moment, I was.
“What is it?” Artemesia asked, her platinum eyebrows weaving in concern.
But I didn’t get a chance to answer, because a shadow mouse appeared at the forefront of my mind. It twisted and turned, growing and growing until . . .
Soren?I asked, somewhat in disbelief, as his darkenedsilhouette emerged in my thoughts.
Sadness and regret swam within his eyes as he said,I know I’m probably the last face you want to see, but still, it’s good to see yours.
How is this possible?I asked, grappling to believe.Real or not real?
We’re all here, in the Mother Realm,he answered.
Von?I inquired softly, voice wobbling. My chest throbbed.
Yes. Kaleb, Harper, Ryker, Lyra, Folkoln, and Fallon too. Where are you?Soren asked.We’ll come to you.
They were allhere? My mate? My brother? My friends?
I’m . . .
I trailed off.
What if this was a trap? What if it wasn’t really Soren? The empress had seen my thoughts . . . what if she was using this as a way to find me?
Swiftly, the clouds in my eyes cleared.
Soren took a step toward me as he said,It’s really us.
Artemesia’s voice pulled me back into the present. “Sage? You’re scaring me.” Her hands were on my shoulders, her eyes rounded at the corners. “What’s going on?”
“Von and my friends . . . theymightbe here,” I told her, hope brimming inside, hope that I didn’t want to let grow, because I would be devastated if it were all a lie.
We are, Soren’s voice was soft.By the way, Von is getting really impatient.
