Awesome. Maybe I should grab my math homework from the Compound. Algebra might finally start making sense to me.
Laughter echoed through my bond, and I could feel the bucket-load of joy from my mate. He laughed freely again. Finally out from under the burden of the Seventine – or really my burden and the real fears he had held for me.
The swirling vortex of energy imploded into us, biting hard and fast, and I felt a jerk right beneath my navel. And then in my chest. And then in my forehead. With each jerk, the bonds between Brace and me tightened. I could feel him not only in my soul, but also in the very essence of my blood. Well that was a nice surprise, no pain after all. The melding was as solid as any ties I’d seen in my tether-reaching experiences. And now, for the first time, washes of the palest shimmery pink and turquoise interwove our golden melding bond. It was so beautiful.
Mated.
The final word, and then we were alone again.
Brace wrapped himself around me, and I knew instinctively that he wouldn’t let me go for a long time.
Where should we go now, Brace? We can travel anywhere in the worlds.
His nose rested against mine, and the ties between us hummed. I saw images flash through our bond, and immediately my body warmed.
The snow cabin.
The nights we had spent there under the stars. Yes, I wanted that too.
In a flash I traced us into the outer field, about ten yards from the cabin. For some reason I really wanted to see it as I had the very first time Brace had brought me here.
It looked exactly the same. This land had snow all year: a winter wonderland. I grabbed Brace’s hand and started to pull him along.
“Hurry,” I said, almost wanting to shriek with excitement. “I can’t wait to see the inside again.”
Together we dashed up onto the porch. Brace let me take the lead, falling back even though our hands were still linked. I guess we couldn’t both fit through the door, but still – usually he would have to go first and check for murderers and spiders. It made him feel all manly and important.
I’m pretty sure the moment I feel manly and important, you or Lucy say something which brings me right back into my place.
Damn right we did. Couldn’t let our boys’ egos get too large. Then they wouldn’t fit through the door at all.
As my hand landed on the handle, I sucked in deeply, almost dancing on my toes. With a click, I pushed it open and into the dark room. Stepping inside, I was just sending my energy out to turn on the lanterns when the room was flooded with both noise and light.
“Surprise!” Shouts rang free for many moments.
I actually stumbled back. Brace caught me before I ungracefully hit the deck.
“How … what … I didn’t sense any energy?” I was gasping like a fish out of water as I tried to slow the beat of my heart.
I hid them from you. Brace sounded pleased with himself.
My eyes scanned everything, and I wore a smile so broad it almost hurt my face. The cabin was decked out like a Christmas wonderland, something out of my wildest childhood fantasies. And all of my loved ones were there. It even felt as if Quarn and Francesca’s presence brushed past me when I stepped further inside.
“Sure beats those twigs and ribbons we used that year as tinsel, don’t you think?” Lucy stood next to the largest Christmas tree I’d ever seen.
It was decorated with tinsel and baubles, all in colors of blue and silver, each adornment beautiful and ornate. Like I’d seen in the old shopping mall catalogues. Lucy and I would stare at them for weeks, wondering what it would be like to experience such beauty.
As I stepped further into the room, my gaze rested on each of the beaming faces. My half-Walkers were there. Fury was in a Santa hat. Colton in a Santa suit, which he looked just a tad disgruntled about. Petal, Colton’s niece, was trying to pry open one of the presents, while Magenta softly scolded her.
I lost it then. I seriously dropped down on the ground and bawled like a baby.
“Where did you find all this?” I wailed, the tears still streaming down my face.
Brace had slid down behind me, his arms wrapping tightly around me.
“You don’t celebrate Christmas on First World; that’s an Earth tradition.”
Josian beamed at me. “We know, baby girl, but you deserved something special, and even though it’s past the 25th of December now, it’s your birthday tomorrow. Lucy decided this would be the perfect gift for you.”
My best friend knew me so well, and it was also a pretty rocking gift for her. We’d both been so alone. For seventeen years we had had no family. No Christmas. No holidays. Now we had everything.