“Like hell I will.” Vander sounded incensed. “We’ll get you to a brownie healer. They’ll fix you right up.”
Vander stared at me like I’d lost my mind when laughter bubbled out from deep within my chest. “That’s terribly sweet, but there’s nothing a brownie healer can do.” Iwasa brownie healer. “One does not question a gift of magic.”
Eyes widening and brows shooting skyward, Vander appeared rightfully skeptical. “You call that a gift?”
“I do. While I agree those episodes aren’t…pleasant, they are helpful.” Inhaling deeply, I held that breath and by the time I exhaled, my body was still and my mind was clear.
Vander still appeared skeptical. “If you say so.”
I leaned up and patted him on the cheek. “See, you’ve already learned lesson number one.”
Vander smirked. “Never argue with a brownie?”
“Exactly. It’s nice to know you’re a fast learner.”
With a grunt, Vander answered, “I wouldn’t go that far, but I tend to catch on quickly.”
“Good, that will make what needs doing much easier.” Body much steadier, I stood again. “Now, let’s see about getting you a bed made up on the floor.”
“Like I said. I can go back to my apartment for tonight. It’s not a big—”
“No!”
Vander jumped.
Softening my panicked tone, I said, “I mean, there’s no reason.” After what the magic had just shown me, there was no way I was allowing Vander to go back to his place tonight. “You’ll stay here, and tomorrow we’ll get you all settled into your new home.”
“Home,” Vander softly said while rubbing the scruff on his jaw. His eyes were distant as if the concept of a home was too foreign to imagine.
“Give me a minute. I’ll scrounge up some blankets and a pillow. We’ll get you settled, and then we can talk more tomorrow.”
I started to leave but Vander’s fingers lightly grasped my wrist. The grateful look in his eyes nearly stole my breath. “I still don’t know why you’re doing this, but assuming this works out and you don’t kick me out tomorrow, I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you don’t regret it.”
My answering grin might have been sadder than intended. “I know you will, Vander. I know you will.”
Vander
Thirty-seven years later…
This couldn’t be happening. How many times had I thought that in the past ten years? Too many to count and yet I couldn’t stop thinking it. Georgiana was fading. The magic sustaining her life was nearly gone. I stared at the ring on my finger, its onyx surface cut through with red veining.Georgiana had used up the last bits of magic creating it for me. I’d begged her not to, but she’d quickly reminded me of my first lesson—never argue with a brownie.
“Vander.” Georgiana’s tone was soft, as if it took too much energy to say that simple word. “Come. Sit with me.” Her small hand waved me over.
Sitting on the edge of her tiny bed, I laid my hands over hers. Time had darkened my fingertips. They’d blacken more as I aged just as my hair would continue whitening. While still young, I was at a more respectable age than when Georgiana and Byx found me in that alley all those years ago.
“You should save your energy,” I gently scolded.
Georgiana waved me off. “I believe that ship has already sailed.” Her smile was soft and full of apologies. “I never wanted to leave you and Byx.”
“I know.” And Gaia, if there was ever anything I was certain of, it was that.
Georgiana squeezed my hands. “There’s not much time left.”
“No, we’ll figure something out.” I’d been searching for a cure since the day Georgiana told me she was suffering the same fate as her mother. I’d come up short on nearly every avenue I’d explored. There was one possibility, but I’d found it too late. If we’d started storing Georgiana’s magic, it could have been siphoned back into her. By the time I realized the possibility, she’d already lost too much and there was absolutely nothing to spare. Georgiana’s magic no longer renewed itself. Storing it away would have been pointless.
“Oh, Vander. It’s far too late for that and you know it.”
I shook my head, my too long hair flopping back and forth. “No. I refuse to believe that. I—”
