Nolen chuckled. “That’ll keep him occupied for a while.”
I smiled, snuggling into his side. Talking to Nix had helped with Nolen’s emotions, and it selfishly made it easier for me to enjoy our time together. I knew he was worried because he was my mate and cared for me, but I wanted him to be happy. Whatever my father had done to the younger me would have to wait, and while the truth waited, I wanted to enjoy life with Nolen.
“Want some breakfast?”
I nodded, feeling torn on what to do to help Nolen feel better. I was the reason for his mood, but maybe I could change it for the better.
“Want some help?” I offered, sliding out of bed and feeling weak all over. Maybe the memory thing did something to my muscles, too. It was like I’d been through an intense work-out, and Ihatedworking out.
Nolen’s smile was full of affection as he handed me the T-shirt he’d slept in. “I would love that.”
An hour later, we sat and ate some bagels with butter and scrambled eggs. He’d even fried some bacon for us, but that had somehow ended up in our bellies while we cooked.Oops.
“So,” Nolen said, taking our finished plates from the table. “Anything special you want to do today?”
Shaking my head, I stood and helped clear the table. I wasn’t from around here so how would I know what to do? Maybe some grass time would be good for me, even if I couldn’t feel the difference it made.
Nolen’s slate rang and soon projected the rulers above it.
“Good morning, you two. We need to have a word with Nolen sometime today, if possible,” Trise informed us. Her expression was kind and a tad guilty, as if she knew withholding information from me was something Nolen wasn’t happy about.
It was still weird to feel so cared for and protected. Nolen had shown me how love should be, even if we’d only just met. I felt our bond was fully there now. The people in this world I was in now were used to this being the norm. I liked it. I imagined if I’d grown up here, I would’ve felt much moreat home and accepted. There was just something beautiful about knowing one day you’d find your person.
“We can definitely do that,” Nolen agreed easily, but I could feel his unease. I didn’t like parting from him either. “Derek can stay in the garden while I speak with you, if that’s okay? I don’t want us to be too far from one another.”
I smiled at that.
“Of course!” Trise hurriedly agreed. “Alec will stay outside with Derek and keep him company while the rest of us speak inside. We wouldn’t keep you two apart for longer than necessary.”
Nolen let out a relieved sigh before we said goodbye and ended the call. We only had an hour before they’d be here, so I grabbed Nolen’s hand and led him outside. It was weird, but I felt like the ground was calling to me, needing it to center me. Maybe I could feel the effect it had on me after all.
When we were both laying on the grass side by side, I figured I should say something before the rulers came. “Whatever they tell you,” I began, needing to think on how to phrase the next part. “I trust your judgement on whether I should know or not. I know it’s a lot of pressure to put on you, but I feel better about it when I know the decision was yours and not the rulers.”
I hoped it made sense to him, it did to me. I had a bond with Nolen, meaning I trusted him completely, and even though the rulers had been nothing but kind to me, I still didn’t trust them fully, it was simply something I had a hard time doing. Trusting in general was just hard. But Itrusted Nolen, so him making the decisions regarding my memories was easier. I knew he would do what was best for me.
His green eyes met mine. “You’re sure?”
I nodded. “Whatever you think is right for me. And when you think I’m ready to hear it, I will. No matter how hard it will be that day, I do want to know eventually.”
I had to, simple as that. No matter the fallout and nightmare fuel, I had to know so that I could move on with my life. It was time I faced my trauma, and now that I had Nolen in my life, I knew I could survive it.
Chapter Eighteen
Nolen
Derek had a twin. Was he alive? The rulers were unsure. I’d almost thrown up when they’d told me how Derek and his twin brother had screamed in pain as their father tried to get them to show magic. Then his brother had unlocked his magic somehow and forced his father to fly through the room, getting hurt. The brother had been taken away the next day.
I was told all this after they’d put Derek to sleep yesterday. I felt awful keeping something like this from him, but with his core broken and still on the mend, I had to agree with the rulers that we had to keep it from him a while longer. None of us had expected his trauma to be this horrific, though, and now I dreaded learning more.
We both heard the rulers approach the house, their voices coming closer. We lay on the grass outside, enjoying the peace and our new bond as it settled between us. Sighing, I sat up and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.I had to go inside and deal with more of my mate’s trauma. Something I really didn’t want to do.
Derek’s soft voice spoke just as I turned to leave. “When they leave, I want to bake cookies with you.” It was such a sudden request that a laugh escaped me.
“Anything for you, darling,” I said, already looking forward to it.
After letting the rulers inside and Alec walked through the garden doors, I sat down with the others in the living room. I chose to sit so I had a full view of Derek, making it easier for me to hear whatever horrors they had for me. Being able to see Derek alive and well would help ease my aching heart.
Trise sat down next to me and grabbed my hand.
