Both of us having no idea what her connection to Misa and Marco might be.
Only one thing is clear—the song is a warning.
The words intended for me to heed.
To hear.
She continues to sing, her voice soft, melodic, her words chasing behind us as we run back to our horse.
Back to the place of magick and manifesting and everything good.
Back to the relative safety of the earth plane, where we land side by side on a stark empty beach.
Our hands loosely clasped as we lie back on the sand and fight to catch our breath. Trying to make sense of the words, the disturbing scene we just witnessed.
Gazing up at a black, moonless sky bearing not one single star.
My night star is gone.
And for a moment, I’m overcome by this horrible, foreboding feeling that it’ll never return.
But then Damen whispers my name, his voice piercing the silence, piercing my thoughts.
And when I turn on my side to face him, seeing the way his face looms before me, his gaze filled with such reverence, so loving and kind—my mind floods with relief.
My night star is no longer here because I’m no longer in need of it.
The two of us shine in its place.
“That song is for me,” I tell him, voicing the words I know in my heart to be true. “Haven’s death, losing the shirt…” I pause and take a deep breath, feeling the assuring warmth of his finger as it gently traces my cheek. “It’s all part of my karma. And now, apparently, there’s something more I’m meant to do.”
Damen starts to speak, eager to comfort, to refute it, to erase the concern from my face.
But I’m quick to stop him, bringing my finger to his lips.
I’ve no need for those words.
Whatever the old woman sings about, I’m ready to face it.
Only later, not now.
“We’ll deal with it,” I say, my words at his cheek as I pull Damen to me. “Together, we’ll deal with everything. But for now…” My lips meet his, lingering as I savor the soft, sweet, almost feel of them. “For now let’s just be grateful for this.”
Destiny is within reach…