Page 56 of A Brighter Yellow
Ochre woke up and stared at the heavy beam and plaster ceiling above him. Trying to remember where he was and what the hell had happened last. There had been warlocks and the woods and then…. He looked around in a panic, looking for a clue as to what had happened after that. He realized that he was in Anna’s room, with Anna asleep beside him. That was pretty much near the top of the list for good ones as far as signs went.
He moved closer to her and then groaned as the movement set off a dull drumbeat of pain. He lifted up the covers and looked down at himself. There was a large bruise but no sign of a cut. He looked back at the ceiling and realized that they were in Anna’s room back in her tower.
“Rafe was angry,” said Anna sleepily without opening her eyes.
“What?” Ochre turned to her in confusion.
“He said that when he got cut with warlock magic, he ended up with a scar. He thought it was unfair that you got nothing. But Azure said scars were sexy and also that yours was more of an infection than a stab wound, so it healed differently.” She stretched and then finally opened her eyes. “What?” she asked, scrutinizing his face.
“You met Azure and Rafe?” asked Ochre.
“I met your whole family. Your parents are a little weird, but your mom is really nice. I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged so much by someone I just met.”
“What?” repeated Ochre. “I mean… what?”
“What?” she asked in return.
“How long was I out?”
“A long time. I was really worried. It took Scarlet and me forever to find you. And thank goodness your father showed up when he did. I think Scarlet was about to try and take on whatever the hell that was on her own. Well, actually, we both were going to. Your dad said it was a jabberwocky, and now I’m seriously scared shitless because I readAlice in Wonderlandwhen I was a kid, and those drawings were not OK. Also, I don’t have a vorpal blade. Although, now I want a vorpal blade.”
“I’m going to have to call Azure. She makes more sense, and half the time, she just babbles shit about the future.”
“She and Rafe are downstairs in the spare bedroom,” said Anna. “We couldn’t all fit in at Scarlet and Liam’s, so we came here. We said we’d meet up at your Grandma’s after you woke up. Liam and Scarlet were going to get Charlie and head down there when they got back.”
“Well, what a relief that everything worked out without me,” said Ochre sourly. He felt like he’d been left out of his own adventure. He also couldn’t believe he’d missed out on a visit from his parents. And since when did his parents visit?
Anna made an agreeing noise that said his sarcasm was lost on her. “I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s such a relief that you have a pack that supports you.” Ochre looked at Anna in surprise. “I love my family,” said Anna, looking embarrassed. “But they don’t really… They don’t see things the way I do. Yours is very supportive.”
“Yeah,” agreed Ochre, settling back onto the pillows with a smile, “they’re not too bad.”
She gave a small laugh and snuggled against his side, apparently intent on going back to sleep. That didn’t sound like the worst plan, and her bed was very comfortable. He stared at the ceiling and felt his brain drift along in the pleasant fog of being warm and happy. Anna was beside him, glowing away like the ray of sunshine that she was, and Azure and Rafe were downstairs making each other happy and sprinkled around as far as his brain could reach were some wolves that didn’t seem to be worried about anything. And one wild pig who was rolling happily in muck somewhere. He resonated with the pig. Wallowing really was the best. He wallowed in bed covers and Anna sunshine and was happy until the thinking half of his brain pointed out a few things.
“Anna?”
“Mm?”
“Anna, you’re my mate, aren’t you? Or the other way around. I’m not sure how it works.”
Anna didn’t respond immediately. “Yes,” she said at last. “I think Charlie’s experimental treatments and the anti-warlock pill we took before going into the bunker cleared enough of the old spell for me to feel the mating connection.”
“I knew before then,” said Ochre. “Sort of. You kept being so… I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t stop trying to connect to you. I needed you. I just couldn’t figure out why.”
“Yes,” agreed Anna. “Although, I’m glad you said that. I thought it was just me. I was feeling stupid for not figuring it out sooner. Especially after I read all my grandmother’s journals. She gave a very accurate description of finding her mate. I just thought she was exaggerating and being poetic.”
“Well, you are verynahon poetry,” said Ochre, and Anna giggled.
“I like poetry, but I feel silly when poetry is aimed at me.”
“But you’re so poetry-worthy,” complained Ochre. “Um, how is your Dad feeling about it?”
“It’s mating. It doesn’t really matter how he feels. It’s done. Although, in general, I think he’s just happy that I found my person even if you aren’t a wolf. Mostly, I think he’s just grumpy about having guests disrupting his routines. He said next time we should try calling first.”
“Well next time I nearly die I’ll try and book an appointment. It isn’t like I knew what was going to happen.”
Anna abruptly sat up and leaned over him, her red hair falling down around him like a shower of fire and gold. He smiled up at her as she stared him in the eye as if looking for something in his brain.
“You didn’t know?” He shook his head, mystified by her accusing tone. “You gave me all your love. Out there on the balcony. You said all your love was mine before I even asked.”
