by Shawna Logue
“You don’t want to take any with you?”
I shrugged, then winced at the motion. “I think I’ll manage without them.”
She smiled. “In that case, I can absolutely find them a home.”
I insisted on walking out of the hospital to prevent the fight over who would push the wheelchair. Justin was with us now, one arm casted and in a sling. I could that Connor and Jack both had fading bruises, and a few healing cuts, but other than that, their wounds were invisible.
Connor unlocked the shiny, new Audi Q7, reluctantly climbing into the driver’s seat. I wondered if Mobius had a contract with Audi, because they seemed to have a wealth of their vehicles at their disposal. Connor looked at me with an obvious hope I would ride shotgun.
Thankfully, before I was forced to decide, Maria held the front door open, and with a light tone that was clearly disguised as a command, she said, “Jack” and waved her arm at the seat.
His scowl was obvious, but he did not argue. I had to admit, I was impressed at this new side of Maria. I wondered how much of their bickering she had to deal with while I was unconscious.
The drive to Mobius was not easy. My back was still wrapped in bandages, and I had to lean forward so as to not put any pressure against the seat. Connor had to brake carefully so I wasn’t jolted either. No one spoke for the entire ride, which only made things more uncomfortable.
It was going to be a long day.
Chapter Eighteen
I’m not sure why I had thought that the thirteenth floor wouldn’t be ready for our arrival. Through whatever magic the building held, the doors of the elevator opened to a scene nearly identical to the last time I stayed here, with one exception: there were two extra doors. A part of me was sad, as I had wanted to see the mysterious floor transform, but somehow I knew that it was too intuitive for that, and that it would always be ready to accommodate whoever stepped off the elevator. As Maria, Justin and Jack were unfamiliar with the layout, Dermot explained where the fully stocked kitchen was, as well as the gym on the second floor, though I suspected none of them would use it. He led them into the first room, and as he opened the door, I saw the familiar hotel style decor. Jack reluctantly followed the other three, casting a suspicious glance back in my direction before disappearing into the room.
As I caught Connor’s responding grin, I huffed.
“I really wish you two would give up the stupid games.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said sarcastically.
I was more serious. “You two are making my life incredibly difficult right now. To be honest, I can’t think of either of you right now. My body hurts, my mind is mud, and if I don’t start thinking about me, and only me, I’m going to lose it.”
His smiled faded. “I want to be there for you,” he said quietly, turning me gently to face him.
“I know.”
“I want you to be happy.”
“I know, it’s just that things are stupidly complicated right now. I hate that someone is going to get hurt.” I looked away from him, afraid of becoming entranced by his sparkling gaze.
I heard the door open, and Dermot and Jack both emerged from the room, Dermot still talking excitedly about the features at Mobius. I could tell Jack was bored, but he was trying his best to be polite and not let it show through while Dermot led him to his room.
“Let me take you to your room,” Connor said, taking my hand and leading me away from the other rooms. We circled halfway around the loop to the last door. I opened it, and laughed.
The hotel decor was missing, instead replaced by a slightly larger and much cleaner replica of my own bedroom. The only other differences were the large flat screen TV mounted on the wall, and the ensuite near the door.
“I thought you might be more comfortable if you didn’t feel displaced,” Connor said, smiling.
“Thanks,” I said, turning back to him. I caught a sly glint in his eye which made me pause. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what he was thinking.
“I am going to fight for you,” he whispered, taking both my hands in his.
“Connor, please. Don’t.”
He laughed. “He’s fighting too, you know,” he said, tilting his head in the direction of Jack’s room.
I looked down. “I’m not a good person to be with right now, for anyone. I’m unstable. Both of you deserve better.” I tried to pull my hands away from him, but he squeezed on to them.
“I think you underestimate how much I love you.”
“And ‘ere’s Alex’s room,” Dermot interrupted loudly, towing all three of them behind him. I yanked my hands out of Connor’s grip. Maria seemed truly fascinated by the building, her eyes darting around endlessly at the perfectly curved walls.
“We were thinking of going out for dinner, and maybe a movie,” Justin said, eyeing Connor warily. Clearly he was on Jack’s side of any conflict.
As tense as I knew the evening would be, I grasped at anything that would give me a sense of normalcy. “That sounds great!”
“Not me,” Dermot said. “I’ll be goin’ ‘ome.” He looked at me with gentle eyes. “Take ‘er easy,” he said, holding the granite hand up for me.
I punched him playfully and took the creepy claw from him. His body started to sparkle turning into tiny prismatic lights as he disappeared, waving.
“Wow,” I said, “is that what it looks like?”
The three spellcasters laughed, enjoying some inside joke. Finally, Connor said, “No, that’s just Dermot. I’m guessing he did that for dramatic effect.”
“So, food?” Maria hedged, squeezing Justin’s good arm.
He nodded, and we all turned in unison to head back to the elevator.
Thankfully, dinner went fairly smoothly, all though it was quite obvious no one was willing to talk about anything more than small talk. I assumed this was for my benefit, because no one wanted to have Connor and Jack getting into one of their childish debates again.
The movie however, was less than easy. First, I hadn’t thought about the fact that I couldn’t sit back into the seat. Jack crafted a spell that created an airy cushion behind me, supporting me enough to lean back without putting pressuring on my wounds. I could see Connor upset that he hadn’t thought of this first. After the previews, however, the real drama began.
As I started to settle into the show, I realized both of my armrests had been confiscated, Jack on my left and Connor on my right. In the soft glow of the screen, I could see that both of them waited expectantly for my hand. Instead, I folded both hands across my stomach, unnaturally tense for the remainder of the movie.
By the time we got back to Mobius, I was stiff and cranky. My back ached, and I could feel that I needed to change the gauze.
Maria helped me wash up, and get ready for bed, before brushing my hair with slow, gentle strokes. I was so grateful she was here; I couldn’t imagine having to do this on my own.
Finally, I lay on the bed, face down, while she peeled off my bandages. The dull pain increased as air blew gently over the wounds on my back. Before she could do anything else, there was a knock on the door.
I felt her hesitate before getting up to open the door. From the small sliver of light I could see spilling into the room, I could tell she hadn’t opened the door far.
“What?” she said, a slight exasperation in her voice.
I couldn’t hear the response.
“I’ll take it,” she said. There was a pause as the visitor spoke again. Maria closed the door gently, and sat beside me again.
“Jack is at the door.”
I winced.
“He wants to give you some salve for your back. He doesn’t seem to think I can apply it properly.”
I thought about how quickly the Elven medicine had worked before. It certainly couldn’t hurt.
“Yeah,” I mumbled, “Let him in.”
She rose and opened the door, uttering some warning to him before I heard the door shut again.
> I saw him walk past my line of sight, before crouching down to meet my eyes.
“Now then,” he said calmly, “I finally have some time alone with you.”
Alone? Where did Maria go? I didn’t say she could leave. Is that what her warning had been about?
He sensed my mood change, adding, “Don’t worry. I promised her all I would do is talk.” He rose, opening a small ceramic jar.
I suddenly felt very vulnerable as I lay shirtless on the bed. I felt my face blush as he delicately rubbed the balm into my skin. I heard him chuckle once. Despite my self-consciousness, I couldn’t deny that the ointment felt good, instantly alleviating my aches.
“Alex,” he said in a tone more soothing than the salve. “I want to tell you something.”
“Please, don’t,” I said, turning my face into the pillow as I clenched my teeth.
“Just listen,” he said again in a dulcet tone. “Do you remember when you came back to the forest? Do you remember when I found you?”
I searched my memory. I could remember parts of that night, mostly the rain.
He continued. “I have never seen a face so tortured as yours that night. The pain and agony I saw in your face that day changed me. I’ll never forget that.”
What was he getting at?
“He hurt you, Alex. I just want you to remember that. I know he’s fighting for you, but you have to remember how he hurt you.”
“Jack, things-”
“Are different? I don’t know what he did to you, and I don’t want to know. It still doesn’t change what happened.”
Was he still talking about the same night?
He stopped rubbing, and I felt him gently placing new gauze on my back. He sighed, and after another moment of silence, he whispered, “I have lived a long, solitary life, and you came along and turned it upside down. I was willing to wait for you to heal from the pain he caused you, but then that night in your apartment, you changed. You let go.”
I took a deep breath. I could remember the night clearly, and he was entirely right. I had let go. And I had felt a new control that night. But did I owe Connor something now that all his cards were on the table?
“Jack,” I said quietly. “I wish I could give you the answer you want, but I can’t. My mind can’t make decisions right now. I’m a mess.” Why did I have to keep admitting this to everyone?
He came slid off the bed, crouching again so his face was at eye level. His hand gently traced the side of my face as his eyes searched mine for something. Carefully and strategically, I pulled the blanket around me and stood up, eager to show him the door. I was done having this conversation. He followed behind me, but before I reached the door, he spoke.
“Wait. I have one more thing I need to say.”
I turned, not realizing how close he was behind me. Before I could protest, his lips pressed hard against mine. His hand pressed my face firmly to his as he kissed me fervently. Reflexively, I felt my mouth open in shock, and, misinterpreting, he reacted with more passion, his cool breath tingling in my mouth. I needed to push him away, but my hands were gripping the blanket around me, and were now pressed up against his chest. I tried to protest, but my muffled groans were also mistaken for pleasure. The déjà vu feeling of Connor in the cemetery only made me more upset.
My eyes welled, and I felt tears spill down my cheeks. It took a moment for them to reach his fingertips, and another moment before he pulled away.
Shock flashed across his face for a brief instant before he composed himself. “I can’t apologize for that,” he whispered. “I needed to remind you.”
I didn’t speak as I held the door for him, still clutching the blanket with a fierce death grip. He left, looking back briefly with a soft look of understanding that only made my mind reel once again with the decision I had to make.
Stupid men.
Chapter Nineteen
My sleep was incredibly restless, as I found it next to impossible to sleep on my stomach. When I woke up in the morning, the damp spot of drool on my pillow reminded me exactly why I hated sleeping that way. I flipped the pillow over as I sat up, just in time to hear low voices outside my door. I got up to see what the fuss was all about, quickly running my fingers through my tangled mop of hair.
I was not surprised to see Jack and Connor outside my door. Both held plates of food in one hand, and a glass of juice in the other. They seemed shocked to see me, clearly unaware of how loud their voices had been. I looked from Jack’s plate of fruit and granola to Connor’s bagel. Without speaking, I took the bagel, and before Connor could smile in victory, I took the juice from Jack, turning and kicking the door closed behind me. It was rude, but I hoped they would get the message.
Maria stopped by about an hour later, not bothering to knock before entering. I didn’t mind. She was probably the only person who could get away with that. I didn’t look up from the X-men cartoon I was watching as she sat down beside me. I had never been one for cartoons, even as a kid, but as I watched the mutant crime fighters on the screen, I felt myself relating to them.
Maria waited until the show was done before turning to me.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. How about we hit a bookstore?”
I looked at her warily. The only thing Maria hated more than bookstores was me in a bookstore. I was the kind of person who could take hours to pick out a book, happily reading each jacket as I browsed. “Seriously?”
“You need a break,” she said, pulling me up. “We’re going out.”
Twenty minutes later we were practically skipping through the fiction section. Well, I was skipping; Maria was following behind me patiently. This felt so normal that it made me ecstatic.
“You know what I can’t understand?” she asked as I wrinkled my nose at yet another book that couldn’t capture my interest. “How do you keep it together so well?”
I looked at her, searching for humour in her face that I hadn’t heard in her voice.
“I’m serious!” she continued. “When I found out about Justin I freaked out! It took me months before I would even talk to him again. I was terrified to think that magic was real.”
“Really?” I tried to remember a time when she wasn’t talking to Justin, but couldn’t.
“The way I see it, is you’ve barely had two months to absorb all this, and yet you are still here with me, book shopping like nothing’s changed.”
“Nothing has changed,” I said quietly. “With us, I mean.” She laughed.
“Alex, you’re incredible! Everything has changed!”
“How so?”
“What I was trying to get at, is if you hadn’t embraced all the change that has happened to-”
“It’s not without effort.”
“Still,” she said, holding up one hand to keep me from interrupting again, “if you hadn’t known what to do, if you hadn’t been there…” Her voice choked slightly as she tried to continue. Taking a breath, she finished quietly, “I’d be dead, Alex.”
I threw my arms around her, wincing slightly as I felt my stitches protest. “Is that what this is about? Is that why you wanted to go to the bookstore with me?”
She looked at me, slightly embarrassed. “I really did want to spend time with you, too. Those two boys aren’t ever going to let me near you.”
It was my turn to be embarrassed. “Okay, first of all, you don’t owe me anything. If our places had been reversed, I know you would have done the same thing for me.” She nodded. “Second, I don’t want to talk about either of them, if it’s just the same.” She caught the dark change in my tone at these words, and her face fell. “Why don’t we talk about the most important thing, anyway?” I added, lightening the mood. “Your wedding?”
Her face lit up with this, and she immediately burst into a detailed description of all the decisions she had made while I was in the hospital. I continued to browse through the books while she talked, listening to her and
reading summaries at the same time. I was relieved when she told me the hotel in Vancouver had received her dress, and that they couriered it over to her. I had completely forgotten that we had never checked in.
I finally found a book that piqued my interest, which she insisted on buying for me. We made our way to the bookstore’s coffee shop to relax with some tea while she continued to regale me with intricate wedding plans.
While she talked, my eyes caught sight of a man reading a newspaper behind her. From the angle he held it, I couldn’t quite recognize the image on the front page but it felt familiar nonetheless. When he got up to leave, he left the paper behind, and I jumped up to take a look, startling Maria to silence.
“Sorry,” I said when I caught her bewildered look. “I just wanted to check something out.” I unfolded the paper, now recognizing the building in the picture. Maria laughed.
“I forgot to tell you about that,” she giggled.
The large hole in my apartment building stared back at me from the page. Above it, the headline read, “Report on Building Collapse Inconclusive.” I scanned the article.
“Engineers were unable to determine why the wall of this historic apartment building collapsed on the occupant, as well as four others. The names of those hurt were not officially released, but this particular suite is registered to Alexis Warren, who could not be reached for comment. Doctors have confirmed that three people were treated for minor injuries, one for a broken arm, and another, presumably Warren, was initially thought to have critical injuries, but has since been released.
The report, released yesterday, shows the building to be sound, and shows no negligence on the part of the building owner. Furthermore…”
I stopped reading. “They believed you?”
She laughed again. “I know! Isn’t it hilarious? I thought for sure my story wouldn’t stand up.”
I couldn’t find it funny, remembering the terror I felt when the bricks crashed around me. I looked back at the paper to the photo, and another article caught my eye.
