Denai Touch: Excalibar Investigations Series (21 page)

Cate looked at Jason.
What is she talking about?

He shrugged.
I have no idea.

“Lydia, I was hoping to get Cate something to match the bracelet you made for her last year.”

“Yes, yes. This is important.” Lydia continued rummaging through the drawers.

“Maybe we should come back later if you’re busy,” Cate suggested.

“No!” Lydia said and pulled out a small wooden box. “Here it is, my gift to you both.” She laid the box on the counter. “Open it.”

Jason reached out and opened the box. Inside were two rings. One was thick with a band of sapphires encircling it; the other had a large, round sapphire, surrounded by smaller diamonds that extended around the band.

Cate picked up the woman’s ring. “What a beautiful sapphire.” She’d always liked them.

“No, it is a blue diamond. Very rare and powerful. Hard to come by , but I knew it was meant for you and Master Jason, so I cut the stone and made rings for you both,” Lydia gave a crooked smile, “As a sign of your love and commitment to each other.”

Jason examined the other ring. “You’ve outdone yourself on these, Lydia. But we can’t accept them.”

“Right, we’re not married. We’re just…” She was about to say ‘friends’, but she wasn’t sure it was the right word. “We’re not planning to get married, you must be mistaken.”

“No mistake, I made these especially for the two of you. When I met Master Jason I knew you would come here. Such an honour to have you both in my shop,” Lydia said. “You must take them.”

“We couldn’t do that. Blue diamonds cost a fortune and like Cate said we’re not married.” Jason went to put the ring back.

Lydia raised her hand, there was a flash of light and they suddenly appeared on their fingers. The rings shimmered with power. Cate gasped and tried to pull it off, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Thank you, Lydia. They’re very beautiful,” Jason said. “We must be going now. Peace to you.”

“Peace to you both.”

“What the hell was that about?” Cate demanded as soon as they were outside. “Why can’t I get this off?”

“Believe me, I wish I knew,” he tugged at his own ring. “I don’t think we’re meant to.”

“We had better. Gran will have a fit!” she said. “Why did you thank her?”

“I didn’t want to offend her. She’s old and she means well.”

“Why would she give us wedding rings?”

“I honestly don’t know. This wasn’t what I planned on getting you.”

“Do you think they’re going to stay on forever?”

“No, I think they’ll come off, if we stop struggling.”

Cate looked down at the ring; it radiated fire in the sunlight and looked all the more breathtaking. It made her heart melt; the fey in her liked sparkly things. It felt weird but a comforting weight on her hand. It fit perfectly and looked as if it were meant to be there.

“Look, let’s not worry about these. I’m not going to let two rings spoil our anniversary. Maybe she got confused and thought it was our wedding anniversary.”

Cate sat down on a bench and lifted his hand to look at his ring more closely. “They are beautiful,” she glanced at her own ring, “really beautiful.”

“Is that the kind of ring you’d want for an engagement ring?”

“I never really thought about it. I never considered getting married, let alone what my ring might look like.” Cate stared at it and loved the way it glittered. “It’s magical, I can feel it.” She scanned the ring with her senses and a feeling of love emanated from it. Its energy felt strangely familiar. Almost like Jason’s.

“It’s just a ring, it doesn’t mean anything,” she said and dropped his hand. “We’ll take them off before we get home. It’s not like I’m ever going to be your wife.” She saw something flicker in his eyes, but couldn’t name what it was. “Let’s get back to our date.” She squeezed his hand. “But I’m not going in any more jewellery shops.”

They carried on walking through the town, browsing stalls. Cate gripped his hand when she saw someone selling cotton candy. “Wow, I haven’t seen this stuff since I was a kid.”

Jason frowned. “What is it? It looks like pink fluff.”

“It’s food – sort of.” She passed the seller a few coins and handed him a stick. “Here, try it.”

“You expect me to eat this?” he asked, cringing.

“Try it, it’s yummy.” She took a bite. “It melts on your tongue.”

Jason took a tentative bite and she laughed when he cringed. “Argh! It tastes like sugar-coated fluff.”

“That’s what it is. Tasty huh?”

He took another bite and slipped an arm around her. “I’ve eaten worse.”

Cate put her arm around his back and leaned into him. “We wanted normal. This is what normal couples do.” It dawned on her that she just referred to them as a ‘couple’. Well, ‘friends’ didn’t seem like the right word any longer. “When we’re done with the town, we could go for a picnic somewhere. I know you’re more comfortable around nature than you are in the city.”

“There’s some woodland not far from here. It’s secluded so there’ll be no one around to bother us. Then later we can have a romantic dinner at my place.”

Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry, did you say your place?” she asked. “You actually have your own home?”

“I don’t know if I’d call it a home, but yeah it’s mine, although I hardly spend any time there. Except for when I go on my trips,” he said. “It sits on holy ground, so it’s kind of a refuge. I’ve never taken anyone there before.”

“Now I’m excited. I pictured you as a man of the woods living off the earth. Maybe with a beard and all dishevelled.”

Jason chuckled. “Yeah, I did look like that once.”

“I like the way you are now.”

“I’ll make dinner.”

“You’re not going to let me treat you to anything today, are you?”

“No, I’m just going to spoil you. Just being here with you is enough for me.”

“Well then, before we go to the woods and get dirty, we had better get clothes to wear for our dinner date.”

“I can help with that, I can conjure clothes.”

“I know, but I want it to be special. You go sort out some food for our meal and our picnic with Alberto, and then maybe I’ll have a surprise for you tonight.”

Jason sighed. “Okay, but I don’t like leaving you like this.”

“I’m just doing a quick of bit of shopping. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be half an hour at most.”

“Good, I’ll meet you back at the cafe.” She gave him a quick kiss.

He pulled her to him and captured her mouth in a hot, hungry kiss. She moaned and wrapped her arms around him, feeling warmth flood through her. She needed him like she needed air and could have gone on kissing him forever.

“Call me when you’re ready, or maybe I’ll come and watch.”

“No, that will ruin the surprise. Go,” she said and hesitated. “Jason…”

He turned to look at her. “Yes?”

“I – nothing. See you in a bit.”

As soon as Jason teleported away, Cate pulled out her mobile and quickly pressed speed dial. Everything was perfect and the day was going so well – aside from the ring incident — yet she couldn’t help but feel a sense of panic.

Jade’s face appeared on the screen. “Hi sweetie, how’s your day going? I thought you were unreachable today?”

“It’s going really well. Jason’s just gone to sort us out some food,” she said. “Jade, I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“This! Whatever this thing is that’s going on between us. I don’t do dates and he’s finally starting to open up to me.”

“That’s great. I fail to see the problem.”

“I have sex with guys and get what I need from them. I don’t spend time with them or imagine things like this.” She held the phone over the ring so Jade could see.

“Good flipping goddess! He proposed and you said yes?” Jade let out a shriek. “This is –”

“No! He didn’t ask – it’s a long story, which I’ll tell you some other time,” she said with a hint of annoyance.

“I’m nervous. He says he loves me and just now I almost told him how I really feel,” she said. “I’m scared that when my transition is over I won’t feel this way and I don’t want to hurt him. I’m afraid if I give into my feelings he’ll have to leave and I know I couldn’t bear that. This whole thing scares the crap out of me.”

“It’s called love, sweetie, and forget about magic and ascension. All that matters is what’s in your heart and when the perfect moment comes, you’ll tell him how you feel.”

“When will the perfect moment be?”

“You’ll know when it is. Stop thinking and just feel.”

“We agreed to take things slow and I didn’t want to jump right into bed, but today’s different and I want our first time to be special,” she said. “But what if he doesn’t want to? He’s usually on edge and it’s hard getting him to relax. We’re having dinner tonight. I need something to make sure he doesn’t change his mind.”

“Why would he? You already have a sexy date dress.”

“Yeah, but that’s the one I normally wear. I need a new dress.”

Cate headed inside the nearest shop that had the kind of clothes a city girl would wear. A tall, Ashrali woman stood behind the counter and smiled, then gasped. “You are –”

“Don’t tell anyone I was here,” Cate’s eyes flashed with power. “Sorry.”

“How may I help you?”

“I’m looking for a dress.”

“A sexy dress,” Jade said from the phone. “The kind a man wants to rip off and give you a steamy night of passion and mind blowing –”

“Shut up, Jade!” Her face flushed with embarrassment.

This was stupid; she wished she hadn’t thought of it. “I changed my mind.”

“Oh no you don’t! This is your big day – night – the chance to get your hands on one of the most gorgeous males in all creation. You are
not
going to chicken out!”

The sales assistant, Fay, started picking out outfits and Cate hung up on Jade, who soon started voicing her opinions. As Cate tried on dresses, she saw the ring glittering in the mirror.

“What a beautiful sapphire.”

“It’s a diamond actually.”

“Congratulations. Have you been married long?” Fay asked. “You need to dress to get your husband to –”

“He’s not my husband. We’ve only just got together.” Her face flushed. She was getting really tired of this.

“I then have the perfect dress.”

Whilst she waited for Fay to come back, she looked around the lingerie. Jade was much better buying this sort of thing than she was. Usually, she only shopped to buy jeans, boots, T-shirts, and leather jackets. She didn’t buy sexy underwear, unless Jade talked her into it. Lingerie wasn’t very comfortable, but Jade said that was the idea. Her face flushed again. Maybe she should just forget the whole thing, blame the intense attraction on the transition, but she knew these feelings wouldn’t magically go away and she couldn’t ignore them anymore.

“Here.” Fay held up a sapphire-blue dress.

It barely covered Cate’s thighs, and was low cut and sleeveless with lace cut out over her chest. Yet it was still elegant and made from fey silk that clung to her like a second skin.

She called Jade to show her the results. “That’s it! That’s the one!” Jade cried. “Now you just need shoes to match.”

Cate left the shop with the dress, lingerie, and shoes in a bag. Walking through the street, she headed to the cafe. Nerves blended with excitement. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Jason’s face when he saw her in it. As she passed through the market, an old woman came out of a tent. She wore a dark robe and her power instantly struck Cate’s senses. This woman had very old, very powerful magic and it set alarm bells off inside Cate’s mind.

Cate met the old woman’s gaze for a moment, refusing to be intimidated. She turned to go, eager to get to the cafe and back to Jason.

“Witch?” The old woman called out to her.

Cate stopped and glanced back, her eyes flashing with power.
Stay away from me,
she warned
.

I need to talk to you, Ashrali witch.

Cate narrowed her eyes as she turned around, putting on her Denai face so she would show no hint of emotion.
Talk then,
she replied, missing the familiar weight of her weapons. But she still had her magic at her disposal.

Whilst she had managed to gain some control over the past few days, it wouldn’t take much to relinquish it if she needed to. Her senses swept over the tent and she felt a low hum of energy but no threat inside.

Reluctantly, Cate followed the old woman inside and loosened her control over her magic. “I don’t need my fortune told.” She eyed the crystal ball on the table.

“You are wise to be cautious, but I am no threat you.”

Cate wasn’t so sure about that. “What do you want?” she asked. “Who are you? Or should I say, what are you?”

“That is not important. Are you not curious to know what fate has in store for you?”

“No, I already know my destiny. It was foretold a long time ago.” She turned to go.

“I could show you what will happen when you face Raven for the last time.”

Cate narrowed her eyes. “If you’re trying to trick me, don’t bother. I already know what’s going to happen.”

“Is your faith in prophecy, in your own power, so great?”

“No, not that it’s any of your business, but I will stop Raven one way or another, even if I have to take her down with me.”

“Careful witch, your words may come back to haunt you.”

“Cut the crap and tell me whatever it is you want to say.”

“Desperate to get back to your Nuardan lover?”

“He’s not my – he is none of your business.”

“There are those that would kill him for what he is. Do you really think your power can –?”

Cate’s hands clenched into fists and her power threatened to boil over.

“I mean you no harm, so do not waste your power on me. It would do no good,” the old woman said. “Very well, if you have no desire for my foresight then I have no need to use my power. Farewell, Catherine McCray.”

Cate hesitated. “I don’t have any reason to trust you. You’re a stranger to me,” she said and glanced at the ring again.

“Do not think that ring is just a coincidence, its magic would not work unless it was worn by two whose souls are destined for each other.”

“But we’re not – he’s not my – I don’t believe in that kind of thing.”

“You are afraid — afraid that no one could love you. You are not destined to die by Raven’s hand.”

“The prophecy doesn’t say what happens after I kill Raven.”

“That is up to you. Your destiny is just beginning to unfold. There are other evils you have yet to face.”

“That makes me feel so much better,” she said sarcastically.

“Whatever the future has in store for you, there is no path that doesn’t lead to the Nuardan. Your futures are intertwined,” the woman said. “Together you are more powerful and when the bond is formed you will be stronger.”

Cate frowned. “What does that mean?”

“You will see.”

“Okay, I have to go now.”

“There is one thing I will tell you.”

“And what is that?”

“You think you know what you are, what is to come, but you have not even begun.” Both the old woman and the tent vanished in a bright flash of light.

“Cate!” Jason was suddenly at her side. “What happened? I couldn’t sense you.”

Cate glanced around, there was no sign that the old woman had been there. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise. I just – never mind. Better get going.” She took his hand and he teleported them away.

“Something must have happened for me not to be able to sense you,” Jason said as they reappeared in the woodland.

“It was just an old woman wanting to tell my fortune,” she insisted as they started walking through the dense woodland.

“Did she say anything to you?”

“No, she just rambled on about showing me the future. She probably thought I was a gullible tourist.”

“Are you sure? Seers and oracles can be tricksters.”

“Again with the over-protectiveness,” she said and smiled. “She said a few things about you.”

He frowned. “Like what?”

She grinned. “Something about you being my soul mate.” She felt him tense and laughed. “Don’t worry. You know I don’t believe in that stuff. Neither do you, you told me that once.” Did she not believe the whole true love, destined mate stuff now?

It was an old myth and hard to prove people really were soul mates. Some people who thought they were, only later discovered they weren’t. She’d been sure no man could really love her, now he claimed he did and her feelings for him were rapidly changing. She had always cared about him and their first meeting had made more of an impression on her than she let on.

“I don’t know. Anything is possible. I’m starting to realise that,” Jason said. “Is it really so hard to believe that someone could love you and want to spend eternity with you?”

Cate frowned. “Would you want to? We might be sick of each other by then.”

“Maybe, but I don’t want to influence your feelings. You know how I feel and I don’t want to pressure you.”

Cate stopped and placed her hand on his chest. “You mean a lot to me. More than anyone else ever has.”

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. “I used to think no one could love me either, given what I am.”

“There’s nothing wrong with who and what you are.”

They carried on walking and found a spot by the river to have their picnic. Cate put a blanket down on the grass and snuggled close to him. It felt good being together like this, with him no longer hiding parts of himself. Jason told her about being in the army and other stories about his past. She was only half listening, the old woman’s comments racing through her mind. Was he really her soul mate?

Ceri had said the best way of knowing was just follow her heart, but then her usual fears began to surface. Would she still feel this way after she ascended? She couldn’t live with herself if she broke his heart.

Jason stroked her hair. “What are you thinking about?”

“I was remembering a dream I had about you.”

“Was I naked in it?” he asked hopefully.

She laughed. “No.”

“Were you?”

Cate gave him a playful slap. “No, you’ll just think it was stupid. There was no nudity involved,” she said. “We were somewhere beautiful.”

“Like a deserted island?” He played with a strand of her hair.

“I think it was an island. The sky looked different from here, kind of dark blue – almost purple. You were there and you were an Elemental God,” she said. “Goddess, why didn’t I figure it out before?”

Jason’s smile faded. “Were you my bride?”

She met his gaze. “Yes. How did you know?”

“Because it was my dream, Cate.”

“You fantasised me being a virginal sacrifice?”

“No, in the old days women used to be given to the Nuardan Gods to be their brides and ensure a bountiful harvest. But that wasn’t the whole dream. I imagined you seeing me for what I really am and accepting me.”

“I do accept you, but I don’t understand how we shared the same dream.”

“I don’t know either, but it doesn’t matter, it was just a silly dream.” His hand caressed her cheek. His eyes were swirling pools of silver and they began to shimmer.

“Your eyes are glowing again.”

“Oh shit!” He went to cover them, but she grabbed his hand.

“Don’t. You don’t have to hide anything from me. I like it, it’s sexy.”

Jason grinned. “Most people get freaked out by my eyes. I learnt how to glamour them, but they glow when I feel strong emotions.”

“Such as?” Her fingers trailed along the hard planes of his chest as she moved her hands up and underneath his shirt.